Disney Pin Trading: Beginners Guide


One our favorite thing about vacations to Walt Disney World is that we pin trade! We started pin trading when my girls were just 4 & 5, it has been come a fun family hobby ever since. The best part is, after the initial investment, pin trading can be a free activity at the parks. It costs no money to trade & you can just keep trading & trading. Though, if you are anything like us you will end up buying more pins as your love for pins carries on. {those mystery packs get us every time}

We aren't experts but if you looking to get started in pin trading or headed to the Disney Parks for the first time, this guide will help you walk through to get started! 


What is Pin Trading?

Disney pin trading is a fun experience with guests & cast members. & even guests with other guests! If cast members has pins or at the designated pin trading locations through out Disney property, you the guest can approach them to trade pins with you. Cast members are actually required to say yes to trading with you. You simply choose a pin you are okay parting with and trade for a more desired pin by you from a cast member. You make the exchange and that's it!



How to Start Pin Trading?


This can seem a bit intimating at first. But you can start with as little as 1 pin if you wanted.

First, purchase any amount of pins to begin trading. I always suggest the starter packs that come with a lanyard. They are the most bang for your buck & it gives you everything you need to get started! If you are wanting to grab your starter pack or pins before your first park day at Disney Springs they a whole store dedicated to pin trading that is full of options. But they also have pins as World of Disney & at most resort gift shops.

Next, you bring your pins to the park. When you see a cast member wearing a pin lanyard or a pin board {these look like cork boards, some are in fun shapes or decorated. But there are also mystery pin boards which have little box drawers to choose from & there are even more unique "boards"  like at Hollywood Studios they have a pinboard traffic cone!} you approach them and ask them to trade with you. Show them what pin you want & give them one of your pins in return. But, if they already have the same pin you are trying to give them, you do have to choose something different to trade. They are not allowed to have more than one of the same pins on their board. & that's it! It's that easy!

You may even come acorss other guests that are pin traders, as well! We have been approached by other pin traders asking to trade & we have done the same. We have meet some really neat people & cast members while trading.


Where can I trade?

You can trade with any cast member wearing a lanyard or designated Pin Trading locations. Grab a park map & looking for the Pin Trading symbol for the locations if you are trying to plan ahead of time. Most resorts have a pinboard as well, more times than not it is at the gift shop. But you can always ask a cast member if there is any pinboard around.




Why Pintrade?

Pin trading is a lot of fun for so many different reasons for different people. They make great souvenirs. It brings one more fun thing to do in the parks. It can be a fun family hobby that gets the whole family together. There may be one certain movie, character, or attraction you love that you can hunt those specific pins for, which makes it fun & exciting. Finding new pins, looking at new releases, or finding older pins or ones you have never seen before while trading makes this a hobby that never gets old.

Okay, I have pins now what do I do with them?


There are so many options to display & store your pins while at the parks or at home. The most popular is a lanyard. If you bought the starter pack I mentioned above you are good to go. There are lanyards of all kinds all around shops on Disney property. I have made my girls their own lanyards. & more recently gotten them bags to display & hold their pins & lanyards.

At home, you can just hang up your lanyard for Disney or packed it away for your next trip. A lot of avid pin traders like to display their pins. The most common is corkboards or banners, as well as pinfolios that are binders to keep your pins in.