7 Awesome Pin Trading Tips & Tricks At Walt Disney World

7. Get pins to trade before going to the park.

This is a great tip to get you started pin trading. Before your trip, order a grab bag of pins on eBay. There will be plenty of sellers and size options, with lots ranging from 20 pins up to 200. These grab bags are typically priced around 50 cents per pin. If you wait until getting to the park, pin trading packs can run you more than $5 per pin, and individual pins will be priced even higher. By getting pins on eBay, you’ll be able to save money and have plenty of pins that you don’t mind letting go in order to trade. It’s also fun to be surprised at what pins you will receive and keep the ones you want to collect! Just make sure to buy from reputable dealers with high ratings so you know your Disney pins will be authentic. You can only trade with authentic Disney pins.

6. Don’t hesitate to trade with cast members.

All Disney cast members with pin lanyards or pin pouches are available to trade with guests. You can ask for any one of their pins, and in return give any one of yours. This is the easiest way to get started with trading, since they don’t refuse any trades. Another huge plus of trading with cast members is being able to collect hidden Mickey pins (also called, appropriately enough, cast member pins). Disney does not sell these pins directly, instead they’re “released” by being given to cast members for trading. They will have a tiny Mickey head somewhere on the front of the pin and will say “Hidden Mickey Pin” on the back. New Hidden Mickey series are released throughout the year, so it never gets boring!

5. Look for good traders.

If you think you might like to trade with other park guests, be sure to have some great pins that other people will want. A good way to do this is to trade with cast members for pins that you don’t necessarily want for yourself, but that you believe might be popular or sought-after by other guests. Princess pins, ride pins, and pins that you don’t see on a regular basis can all be strong traders.

4. Pin Boards

Pin boards are one of the most exciting ways to trade in the parks. In a typical pin trade with a cast member, your options are limited to the space on their lanyard. However, pin boards offer a much greater selection to trade from. Boards come in all shapes and sizes, so be sure to look out for them. For instance, in Animal Kingdom there are some in the shape of the Tree of Life. Others are plain, rectangular cork boards. Some are only brought out at certain times during the day. A line can form quickly, even before the board is brought out, so ask a cast member where it will be displayed and wait there for a few minutes beforehand. Also remember to ask around at different stores and in different parks to see if they have a board if you don’t see one.

3. Don’t forget Disney Springs!

Take your traders with you when you visit Disney Springs. Guests often don’t think of it as being a great place to find more pins, but cast members in Marketplace Co Op, World of Disney, Art of Disney, and other Disney stores carry pins to trade with guests. You never know what you might find at these locations! Also, be sure to visit the large Disney’s Pin Traders store while you’re there. As the name implies, this location is dedicated to pins and is another perfect place to trade with not only cast members, but with other guests. You can also purchase limited edition pins and see the latest hidden Mickey pin sets, so you can know what’s out there and what to look for.

2. Guide to Pin Trading Book

Pin trading guides are an excellent resource for both the beginner and advanced trader. Tomart’s Disneyana Guide to Pin Trading is the definitive guide and is sold in the parks. In it, you can find color pictures of each pin, its general value, and the year it was released. The most useful thing about the guide book is seeing all the pins in a series. This allows you to know exactly what pins to look for to complete any series you want to collect. Alternatively, you can also sometimes find pdf files online of different pin series, so you can check off the ones you have and know which ones you need. It also keeps you interested in searching the parks each time you visit for specific pins. It’s so exciting to finally find a pin you’ve been looking for!

1. Try your hand with the pros.

Once you’ve been pin trading for a while and feel like you have a strong collection going, you can visit the pin trading station in the middle of Future World in EPCOT. Most of the time, you can find other guests set up here at small tables with their collections. But be warned: these pros won’t trade for just anything. They will usually only trade with you if you have a pin they have never seen (which is hard to do) or if you have a pin they have been looking for. However, it is super satisfying to make a successful trade with these veterans! Even if you don’t have anything to trade, still feel free to go over and talk. Most pros will be happy to show you their collection and give you some more tips and tricks!