Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

[TDLFAN]

Everyone knows that Disney has capitalized on the Pin craze for the past 10 years now. It's been a bonanza of money for the company and a source of frustration, business gain and bankrupcy for some fanatics of this pin collecting hobby. And while Disney may argue that the real point of Pin Trading is for guests and CMs to be able to interact, many of us agree that the bottom line is about how much money they can squeeze out of the many people who may enjoy getting caught in this little "activity". Me for one.. I much rather see a CM do something extraordinary for an unsuspecting guest than to see a 'forced' and carefully staged interaction by the feeble excuse of trading a pin... which again is staged to get people caught up in pin collecting and spend more money on that. Now of course, this is not to just pinpoint WDW's saturation with pin trading because ALL of the other Disney resorts are as guilty of doing Pin Trading as well. Except Tokyo, where the good folks of OLC saw thru this and deemed it an unnecesary hazzard and banned it from the property, banning CMs from wearing unsightly pin lanyards and returning their constumed Disney look to pristine form. I too would love to see all of the other Disney resorts go back to that standard. Of course, TDR still sells pins, and very nice ones at that mind you, but at least, we don't have to put up with pin trading and ugly pin kiosks like that one grazing CommuniCORE Plaza at EPCOT Center.

So I ask of you.. should Disney pull the plug on Pin Trading?

[aimster]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

I've bought a few pins here and there that I've liked, but I never got into the trading craze and every time I see how greedy some pin traders can be, I just want to slam my head against a wall.

[TDLFAN]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

Oh dear Aimster! Please do not hurt yourself due to others' addiction!!!

[dmtnt55]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

I see many Kids that enjoy Pin Trading, and think it would be sad if they got rid of it.

[All4dISNEY]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

Live and let live I say. Those OCD enough to go bankrupt collecting pins would do so regardless of the pins.

[ChrisFL]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

I actually don't mind the CM interaction that much, but the pin trading overall is become complete overkill...the trading areas out in the middle of the parks, the people (sharks?) who sit there with huge books of them and are allowed by Disney to be there.

Plus there's just an incredible amount of pins...how many tens of thousands of kinds have been made so far? And they're probably 95% profit for the ones they sell.

[TDLFAN]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

I see many Kids that enjoy Pin Trading, and think it would be sad if they got rid of it.

Yes that is lovely, but it still requires a mommy and daddy to pay for those pin and lanyards... which keeps Disney happy. It's about the *kachin! kachin!" and not about magical interations.

[Aladdin]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

So, what is your arguement for getting rid of Pin Trading?

Not all cast members wear lanyards for pin trading. Some pin traders are fanatics, but it's a very small number.

Pins fill a certain niche for Disney collectors. The size of pins are convenient for travelers, who don't have much luggage space, or room at home for larger collectables. Pins are the merchandise that have collectability for nearly every sort of WDW, DL, Disney collector, as Disney can offer the widest variety of items that offer something for nearly every attraction, anniversary, character, holiday, parade, show, or other event. Pins also are one of the very few things left that offer that souvenier which is specific to that particular park, and usually doesn't carry the assinine generic "Disney Parks" logo.

[Imagineer Scott]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

Good thing OLC got rid of pin trading in Tokyo! Gosh Tokyo rocks and WDW sucks

Is that what you wanted us to say? Cause it sure seems like it.

I've seen a little girl too shy to ask a CM about her pins at DAK and the CM took the initiative and showed the little girl her pins and they traded. She went away smiling and it was pretty awesome to experience that. So, boiling pin trading down to money and pin crazed adults doesn't seem logicial. I've seen dozens upon dozens of kids wearing pin necklace things my last trip- way more kids than adults too- and I went all over WDW resort my last trip.

[Figment Fan]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

To be honest, my wife was collecting pins since she was a child (not to date her in any way, but she was doing so before Disney realized that they could capitalize on pin trading). She has collected, and continues to collect pins from our travels, and events we attend, such as Las Vegas Hotels, pins from various cities we have traveled to, and of course Disney pins.

We are adults, and we pin trade. However, we do not spend all of our money on it, we are not crazy, addicted fanatics. We simply enjoy collecting pins and trading them. I do believe the trading tables should be eliminated at DTD and EPCOT. I know of the "fanatics" that have been referenced on these boards and I do agree that they have taken things out of proportion. I was speaking with one when we first were getting into pin trading and they had a pin that my wife liked. To trade for a cheap pin they wanted me to go inside the store at DTD and by a $45 jumbo pin. I do not think so! This reminds me of the trading card dealers of my childhood days who were always out to screw people over, especially kids when they can.

I think TDLFan's feelings show too much in this poll. You want answers? Don't be so condescending in your methods and you will get a more accurate opinion. Simply ask if you think it should be scrapped, kept, or no opinion. Doing so will generate conversation but not cause arguments (unless that is what your goal is). Imagineer Scott is not totally wrong, from how your poll looks, when he states that you seem to want us to just all agree with you. If we disagree it is only because we have chosen to say that Pin Trading should be kept because it is a way for Disney to make money. That means we have to ignore that we collect tokens of our favorite characters, rides, etc. What next? You want them to eliminate water globes and any of the other souvenirs because that is just Disney making money, not offering a magical experience?

Pin trading may be about Disney trying to make extra money, but those of us who trade enjoy it and should not be condemned for it. The people who are, as have been called on this board, "fanatical" are definitely giving this past time a bad name. I am glad that one way they keep things under control is to have green lanyards on some cast members, allowing only children to trade with them. I like how that helps to ensure that children are not stuck trading for crappy pins because adults have taken all of the good ones. Pin trading can be fun and adds an extra dimension to the park experience. On top of enjoying the park, guests can now "hunt" for a certain set of pins while in attendance.

I don't see what is wrong with this hobby, so long as people know when to quit. People become addicted to alcohol and gambling. Should we return to the era of prohibition and eliminate alcohol? Should we eliminate gambling establishments? I'm not being smart, I'm just trying to establish if you are simply against pin trading, or if you have a genuine concern for addiction.

And one last thing, I don't really find the lanyards to be that ugly. Honestly, the CM costumes are not that great to begin with. How can the lanyards really take something away from those costumes?

[Wally]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

To be honest, my wife was collecting pins since she was a child (not to date her in any way, but she was doing so before Disney realized that they could capitalize on pin trading). She has collected, and continues to collect pins from our travels, and events we attend, such as Las Vegas Hotels, pins from various cities we have traveled to, and of course Disney pins.

That's the info there. Pin Trading, or at least pin selling will never go away. I personally believe it has peaked at the parks. No longer are new pin locations opening up, the expansion has halted.
There are some people who really take things too far. But those are just addictive personalities, and they would latch onto something anyways. I think pins is a relatively harmless outlet.
I don't think they should. Some folks really enjoy it and it's a real money maker. It's win-win.

[Figment Fan]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

To tell the truth, we enjoy it, but I would not have a problem with them scaling it back a bit so it isn't so "in-your-face". There are a large number of kiosks throughout each park. In Tomorrowland there are kiosks on both sides of the Launching Pad (or at least pretty much). Maybe having only one of them wouldn't be such a bad thing. That's just one example. Walking under the train station you go by a kiosk no matter which side you enter on. They start from the moment you enter the park and they are one of the last things you see when you leave.

As I said before, I like it, but I would not be offended if it was scaled back some.

[ecdlanddude]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

I'd like to see them scale it back. Maybe make it so that only pin store CMs have the pin trading lanyards. I agree that it detracts from the theming of the costumes. Plus how many CMs even wear good pins nowadays anyways?

[Figment Fan]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

I think things have gotten to the point where pin trading has become too much of the focus.

I've been speaking with CMs and other guests rush up and interrupt our conversation to see their pins. It isn't really that big of a deal, but I am asking a question and should not be interrupted. When I want to see a CMs pins I wait in line. Some may say that that is stupid, but I get in line and "wait my turn". It just seems like the best way to do things. If I wanted to ask a question or buy a product it wouldn't be acceptable for me to run up and interrupt another guest and CM in order to get them to process my purchase or answer my question.

Does it really distract from the theming of the costumes? I ask this because I don't find the costumes that great to begin with. However, as for the amount of CMs wearing pins, I rarely see PotC CMs or HM CMs wearing pins. In Tomorrowland and Mainstreet USA I see the most pins. I don't really go to DHS or DAK, so I can't say too much about the pins there. EPCOT pretty much has pins everywhere.

And yes, CMs do wear pretty good pins some times, but they are getting harder and harder to find. I just got a really cool Illuminations pin the other day, but truthfully, most of the pins are the same pins on each cast member (basically, not completely). You just have to keep looking.

[dmtnt55]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

Just to add on: It's not a thing that could be removed, just something that is a side project and still always there.

[aimster]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

My biggest issue is the big azz hat at the Studios park... it's just a glorified pin store!

[Figment Fan]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

It certainly is.

[MickeyMoose]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

Good thing OLC got rid of pin trading in Tokyo! Gosh Tokyo rocks and WDW sucks

Is that what you wanted us to say? Cause it sure seems like it.

I've seen a little girl too shy to ask a CM about her pins at DAK and the CM took the initiative and showed the little girl her pins and they traded. She went away smiling and it was pretty awesome to experience that. So, boiling pin trading down to money and pin crazed adults doesn't seem logicial. I've seen dozens upon dozens of kids wearing pin necklace things my last trip- way more kids than adults too- and I went all over WDW resort my last trip.

I thought the pins came back to TDL.

[CMHusband]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

I've traded a couple of pins, not much really because I don't have time, but everyone who trades (no CM's) has always been really nice and given me what I thought was more than I was bargaining for, so I can't say I have any negative impressions...as far as CM's trading, it looks more like its about kids and my kids like to do it. We don't spend much on pins but get plenty of pleasure out of it.

[Imagineer Scott]

Re: Pull the plug on Pin Trading??

I thought the pins came back to TDL.

I have no idea. TDL fan said they banned them, which they did. I'm not sure of their current status though.

My biggest issue is the big azz hat at the Studios park... it's just a glorified pin store!

It won't be there for longgggggggg