Greetings, Mike! Welcome to planDisney. My friends, family, and colleagues all know me as the "Disney pins guy," so you've come to the right place to learn all about this fabulous hobby and activity! Pin trading is a beloved Disney tradition that spans theme parks and Disney destinations around the globe, and 2025 marked the 25th Anniversary of Disney Pin Trading. Any visitor to Walt Disney World Resort can trade pins, so let's get our pin backs, lanyards, and mystery boxes ready to dive into one of my favorite topics!
In order to trade pins, you must first acquire some official Disney pins of your own. My favorite pin shop on property is Disney's Pin Traders. There is a wide variety of pins to choose from here, and it's important to know the distinctions between them. Here's a quick break down:
- Open Edition: these pins have no set edition size, and you will be able to find them at pin locations across property. I have seen the same OE pins on multiple trips over the years, and new OE pins are released each year.
- Limited Edition: these pins are coveted by collectors due to their design and set edition size. LE pins have edition sizes that commonly start in the low hundreds and can go as high as 2,700 or more. These often come on special themed backer cards that match the design of the pin itself. LE pins can also come in boxes or box sets.
- Limited Release: Similar to LE pins, but are only available for set periods of time. These are usually holiday, anniversary, or festival pins that change with the seasons.
- Mystery Box: A box of one or two mystery pins that are collected to complete a larger set, typically made up of 6, 8, or 10 pins.
- Mystery Bag: A bag of 2 to 5 pins, also collected to build larger complete sets, sometimes reaching 16, 20, or 30+ pins in total. These sets also include "chaser" and "super chaser" pins that are exceedingly rare.
- Starter or Booster Set: A set of pins on a backer card or lanyard that are used to get started in the activity.
These pins range in price, but single OE pins usually cost less than $20, bags and boxes are $20-$50, and LE pins vary in price depending on physical size, edition size, and other factors (prices subject to change). It's probably best to start with a booster set or a multi-pin mystery bag for trading on the pin boards or with Cast Members.
To trade a pin, approach a Cast Member wearing a pin pouch or lanyard or who is standing at a pin board and ask to view the pins. Select the pin you'd like to trade for, and choose one of your own pins to swap. You put your pin face down into the Cast Member's palm and they will place your selected pin into your palm. Sometimes they will let you select the pin off the board and put the one you're trading on the board yourself. Disney has a set of
pin trading guidelines that are important to keep in mind as your trade across the resort area, and Cast Members are happy to assist when you are getting started on your pin trading journey!
I love hunting for pin treasures across Disney World, and it's so satisfying to find your favorite character or to secure that elusive pin that finally completes a set! This is a great activity for children as well, as it helps them build confidence and social skills as they talk to Cast Members to complete trades. My daughter loves it!
I know that was a lot of pin-teresting information to take in, so please feel free to
ask me more pin questions. I am here to help!
Stay magical,
Scott