The Death of a Disney Tradition, Its Become “Feral”

Disney is a place full of traditions. Part of the joy of visiting the Parks is making valuable memories with friends and family. Whether it be a favorite ride, some awesome merch, or perhaps a favorite food, every Disney fan has something special they like to do when they are in the Parks. Many of these traditions are a big reason why Guests keep coming back to Disney Parks over the years. Unfortunately, one iconic Disney tradition has lost its magic according to fans. 

Disney Tradition Grows Stale

It’s no secret- bad Guest behavior is on the rise. Whether it be obscene Park outfits or dangerous behavior on rides, Cast Members and Guests have had enough of reckless visitors. Some Disney fans even believe that rowdy Guests are to blame for the death of an iconic Disney tradition- Pin Trading.

Pin trading has been a popular hobby for Disney fans since 1999 when Disney released the first set of collectible Disney pins at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. Since then, pin traders have been able to buy and trade unique pins in the Park so they can grow their collection. One of the best parts of Disney pin trading is the option to trade with Cast Members within the Parks. However, some Disney fans believe that pin trading has gone stale in recent years.

It seems that the decline of pin trading began during the pandemic when the Cast Member pin lanyard was discontinued because of Covid social distancing rules. The lanyards never returned, partially due to Guests yanking on them. Now Guests are mainly trading on Pin Boards, which many say have gotten stale as well. Some traders discuss the downfall of trading in the Disney Parks Reddit group. Many fans note that fake pins being sold on the internet have oversaturated the market and made it harder to trade with confidence.

Pin trading isn’t really fun anymore.
byu/isthatyourpie indisneyparks

Hopefully, the community recovers and gets back on track to greatness. Pin trading is an iconic Disney tradition, and it would be a shame to see it go. Be sure only to buy and trade if you know it is an official Disney pin.