Welcome back, Kathryn! Setting sail with Disney Cruise Line for a
Land and Sea adventure that includes a visit to Walt Disney World before (or after) the cruise is the best way to vacation in my opinion!
My kids love pin trading too! They have quite the collection now, but honestly, I think that for them, more than the pins themselves, it's about the actual experience of chatting with the Cast Members! I'm happy to let you know that there is pin trading onboard all of Disney's ships! Any Cast Member wearing a lanyard will trade with your family, so keep your lanyards and pins with you! The most popular places to find pin traders are at the Gift Shops and outside of Cabanas buffet. In the Gift Shops, they also have some pin boards and books behind the desk, so go ahead and ask if you don't see them out! You're welcome to trade any official Disney trading pins, but you will find some super cute cruise themed pins onboard for purchase or trading that you won't find at the parks!
One of my kids' favorite events onboard is the Officer Pin Trading Night! This is usually the last night onboard. Check out your Personal Navigator onboard or the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator App for the time and location. The ship's officers meet in a specific location to trade pins with the guests, and of course, the guests also trade amongst themselves too. The event is always a lot of fun! Sometimes if someone has been a regular "trader" in the shops throughout the cruise, they are invited to be the official pin trader, and get to stand with the officers and trade from an official Disney Cruise Line lanyard they're lent for the night. My kids were chosen for this honor on our very first cruise and remember it to this day! Everyone has a blast at Officer Pin Trading Night, Kathryn!
Have fun planning!
Marcy