Hello Amy!
Pin Trading at
the Disneyland Resort is so much fun! My son and I got into it on our past trips to the Disneyland Resort. Most Cast Members wear a lanyard with pins on it, and you can trade the Disney pins with them (you give them one of your pins, and you get to pick one of their pins). It is a one-for-one trade, and you are permitted to trade up to two pins per Cast Member.
I have purchased Disney Pins through third-party dealers, and I have not had any problems trading them at the Disneyland Resort as long as they are official Disney Pins with "
Disney" stamped on the back of the pin. Typically, Disney Pins have a Mickey Ear backer included with them, according to my experience, but you do not need the Mickey Ear backer to trade a pin with a Cast Member at the Disneyland Resort. In my experience, you keep the Mickey Ear backer to put the new pin you received in trade on your lanyard.
I hope you have a magical time trading pins on your upcoming Disneyland Resort vacation!
Marc L.