Official Pin Trading has been a major part of the Disney World experience for 25 years, yet we’d bet that even some of the most die-hard pin collectors don’t know all of these obscure rules.
From maximum trading amounts to Cast Member control, you need to be aware of these rules before you can really call yourself a Disney Pin EXPERT.
There’s a Daily Maximum
When looking to trade pins with Cast Members, whether from their lanyard or on a pinboard at a retail location, be aware that you can only trade a maximum of TWO pins per Cast Member or trading board, per day. This means that if a Cast Member or board has multiple pins that you want, you’ll need to be selective in choosing which ones you want to trade.
6 Unspoken Rules for Pin Trading at Disney World
Cast Members Have SOME Control
Generally, the main criteria for trading a Disney pin with a Cast Member is that the “metal pin bears a “©Disney” mark on the back—representing an official Disney event, place, location, character or icon.” However, Cast Members have the discretion to decide whether to trade for a pin “from other business units of The Walt Disney Company (e.g., ABC, ESPN).”
The Unspoken Dress Code Millennials Are Following in Disneyland
One At a Time…
Only one-for-one trades are allowed, meaning you can’t swap a full set for a full set. You also can’t offer multiple pins in return for the one “rare” pin you’ve been hunting for, nor try getting a haul of multiple pins back in return for the “holy grail” of your collection.
The ins and outs of Disney World’s Official Pin Trading culture can take some time to learn; however, these obscure rules are some of the first you need to know. Stay tuned to AllEars for more Disney collecting tips.
The ONE Souvenir You Should Buy In Each Disney World Park
Are you a Disney pin collector? Do you trade? Let us know in the comments below.
I was a performer in DAK in 2019, and now an avid pin collector and trader. Whenever I was performing, I saw several character attendants and greeters actively trading for “fake” pins. Come to find out, if you discover that you have been traded a fake pin, most cast members will have a couple spare pins they keep to trade with you in order to get the fake pins out of the field. Not every cast member does this, but most will have an extra pin or two at least.