Hi, Erin!
I’m so glad you asked about
Disney Pin Trading, because it’s one of my favorite ways to make visits to Disney Parks even more exciting and engaging! You can certainly purchase pins you like at the resort shops. This is a great way to ensure you get that must-have pin featuring your favorite character, attraction, event, film or design.
I suggest that in addition to picking up those “keepers,” you also consider buying a few inexpensive pins or a pack to trade with Cast Members. It’s a wonderfully easy way to enhance your park experiences! Simply find a Cast Member wearing a pin trading lanyard, ask if you can see their pins, find a pin you’d like to trade for, and trade your pin for the Cast Member’s. The best part is the Cast Member will trade for whichever pin you want, as long as what you offer in exchange is not the same design as one they are already wearing.
Since Cast Members trade with Guests all day, you really never know what you might find on their lanyards, and that could definitely include Limited Edition or Limited Release pins. Some Guests collect whole sets of “Hidden Mickey” pins, which contain a small Mickey Mouse icon in the artwork. Hidden Mickey pins are special because they are distributed to Cast Members to trade with Guests and can’t be purchased in the resort shops.
The most important thing to remember is to collect and trade for pins you like! It doesn't matter how much it costs or what it is worth to someone else if it’s a pin that makes you smile. Disney Pin Trading is like a scavenger hunt that leads to fun interaction and new adventures. Pins also make great souvenirs, so I encourage you to give it a try on your next Disney Parks visit!
Wishing you magic,
Courtney