How Did Disney Pin Trading Come About?

(This article is written by Rene Andrews of Babychangingstation.com)

READ THE NEW FULL ULTIMATE GUIDE TO DISNEY PIN TRADING…RECENTLY UPDATED!

Disney Pin Trading is an excellent Disney tradition that the entire family can experience and enjoy. This is a highly interactive activity in which park guests can trade special Disney pins with Disney cast members and other guests. These pins may feature Disney characters, attractions, icons and other elements. Among the most popular characters on these Disney pins include Mickey Mouse, Chip ‘n Dale, Donald Duck and Goofy. The most popular attractions featured on these pins include Soarin', It's a Small World, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Rock ‘n' Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith and Pirates of the Caribbean.

You may really enjoy participating in Disney Pin Trading. Let's take a closer look at the history of this activity, pin trading etiquette and locations where you can participate.

History of Disney Pin Trading

Disney pins have always been present at Disney Parks. However, it wasn't until 1999 that Disney Pin Trading was officially introduced as part of the Millennium Celebration. The activity spread like wildfire and shortly after its introduction, Disney Pin Trading was taking place at the Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Resort Paris, Tokyo Disney Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and Disney Cruise Lines. Sharing pins has become a rich tradition for each generation.

Pin Trading Etiquette

There are some important general rules guiding proper pin trading etiquette. Disney has actually released a pin trading etiquette pamphlet that you can view. It is important that pins are in good, undamaged condition in order for them to be viable as trading entities. To trade a pin, it must be made of metal and feature a depiction of a Disney character, park, attraction, icon or other official Disney affiliation. The pin must also feature an official Disney copyright on its back. Guests should trade one pin at a time and a maximum of two pins with each cast member. Guests will often wear pins on their lanyards and it is part of proper etiquette to refrain from touching other guests' lanyards.

There are also some pin terms you will want to be familiar with. One of these is “back stamp.” A pin's “back stamp” includes information about the pin and may include copyright information as well as edition size. A “scrapper pin” is an unauthorized pin. These fake pins have unfortunately flooded Disney parks and such online retailers as eBay.

Where Can You Find Pins?

There are several locations where you can find Disney Trading Pins, including the following: Disneyland Resort Anaheim, Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disney Cruise Lines and Walt Disney Studios, Burbank. You can also find a variety of trading pins on eBay, which usually retail for between $20 and $40.

Disney Pin Trading is an excellent activity you can get your entire family in on! I've enjoyed participating in these exciting events with my family. My husband, son and daughter love their pins!

Rene Andrews is a proud wife and mother of two, web content coordinator for BabyChangingStation.com. Rene has so far attended four Disney Pin Trading events with her family.