Now that you know your Limited Editions from your Open Editions, it's time to step into the fun part - trading! Whether you're in a Disney park (apart from Tokyo) or on a Disney Cruise Line ship, the rules and traditions are much the same. You'll find Cast Members wearing lanyards or pin pads - plus there will be pin boards waiting like little treasure chests across the resorts, parks and ships.
Where to find trading spots
You can find pin boards near the cash register in most shops and some mobile refreshment carts both around the parks and in resorts. Also look out for the blue Guest Experience umbrellas in parks, the DVC Rental booths and at hotel receptions and concierge desks. On the ships, look in the gift shops, atriums and lounges.
Cast members often have lanyards and pin pads (pouches hanging off their belt) as well.
Each location is a bit different. Some pin boards stay out all day; others only appear when a Cast Member is free to supervise them. That means timing can make a big difference. If you're unsure, just ask! A friendly "Do you have a pin board?", "Where's the best pin board around here?" or "May I see your pin board?" usually works wonders.
It's not just official sites and Cast Members you can trade with: Pin trading has become so popular around the world that you might stumble across a group of pin traders, who can usually be found by:
- Westward Ho Trading Company (Frontierland) in Disneyland Resort
- Between Creations Shop and Connections Eatery in World Celebration in EPCOT - also known as The Breezeway
- At the Pueblo Trading Post (Frontierland) in Disneyland Paris
- Or sitting down in a group in any number of other park places, with their large pin portfolios being scoured by other traders. Disneyland in California has recently changed its rules to limit where private traders can sit and even how big a pin bag they can bring into the park. This may spread to WDW so keep an eye out on Disney Pin Trading news and blogs.
Private traders will know the value of their pins - and yours - and they don't have to accept a trade like Cast Members do, so don't take offence if they don't want to trade. Some can be dismissive to beginner pin traders - but most are lovely and helpful! They can be a great resource for that last mystery box Hidden Mickey as you may have duplicates that they want - and vice versa - but if you’re unsure of their suggestion to trade 2 of your Limited Release pins for one Open Edition of theirs(!), ask another trader or look up values on eBay (filter by Sold to get recent prices). And check the pin(s) you’re trading for - especially the backs! If in doubt as to their authenticity, don’t trade.
Outside of Disney properties, there are regular online and in-person pin trading events all year round and all over the world! Search Facebook for pin trading and see what groups come up near you. In Tokyo, pin trading is banned in both Disneyland and DisneySea, although you can still buy pins and win "Not For Sale" pins at the Carnival games… but only if you lose the game!
Pin Paloozas
Also known as Pinpaloozas or Pin Trains, these are a rare but beautiful sight for a park pin trader. You may turn a corner in a park and come across at least 5 - but up to 10 or more - Cast Members all lined up in a row with their lanyards, pin boards and pin pads on show.
They're mostly seen at Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World anytime between 10am and 3pm - but they're not guaranteed to happen. Ask pin trading Cast Members whether they know if one is taking place, when and where! They also have been known to pop up in the Studios park.
If you find one, then just start at one end and you can trade up to 2 pins with each Cast Member. This is one reason why it's always a good idea to take a bag of your traders (pins you're happy to trade) to the park, even if you're not planning on pin trading that day. Imagine stumbling across a pin train and not having any pins to trade!
How trading works
When you see a Cast Member wearing a lanyard or pin pad, you can politely ask to trade. They might also be looking after a board, which you can request to see.
If they're busy, wait until they have a moment. When they're free, say something simple like, "Excuse me, are you pin trading today?" or "Do you mind if I look at your pin board?" Most are happy to show you what they have.
You can trade up to two pins per board, lanyard or pin pad each day - and each trade is one-for-one.
On a Cast Member's lanyard or pin pad, you may see one or two rubber Mickey backs instead of the actual pins. These are either blind trades or trivia pins and are usually genuine Disney pins and sometimes of a higher value - like Limited Editions - but you won't know what the pin is unless either you put down a pin to trade (that you can’t back out of) for a blind trade; or you can answer a question correctly - some Cast Members even play Rock, Paper, Scissors! If you answer a trivia question, then you don't have to trade for the pin if you get the answer correct.
There's just one extra rule to keep things fair: you can't (or shouldn't) trade a pin that's already on their board or lanyard - each trade must be for something different. So if you spot a Mickey Ears USA flag pin already displayed, you'll need to offer another design instead - although a variation of a Mickey Ears USA flag pin would be fine - it just can't be the exact same pin. That way, the boards stay varied for everyone to enjoy. I have seen YouTube videos of traders that have done exactly this - and put the pin nearly next to the same one on the board but this isn't good pin etiquette.
What Pins can you Trade?
In the US parks, Cast Members will usually accept any pin with © Disney on the back (including LoungeFly and other licensed third-party pins), even if it's a fake or scrapper but you should never knowingly take a genuine pin and replace it with a fake!
In Disneyland Paris, Shanghai and Hong Kong, trading is taken much more seriously. Cast Members will inspect pins carefully - sometimes even with a magnifying glass - and only genuine Disney pins are accepted (no LoungeFly or other licensed pins will be able to be traded).
Paris, Shanghai and Hong Kong also follow a like-for-like rule: for example, you can't trade an Open Edition pin for a Limited Edition one. The Cast Members will guide you, so don't worry if you're unsure which category your pins fall into.
What is Diamond-for-Diamond?
Since 2022/3, Disney has been including a small crystal Mickey ears ("diamond") on the back of some (but not all) of their pins, primarily destined for the US parks. There aren't any (yet) on Disneyland Paris pins, for example. This is Disney's way of saying that the pin is authentic, although there are even fakes of the crystals - but you can usually spot these quite quickly as they are pretty bad, but they will improve!
In early 2025, rumours started to spread around social media that Cast Members in Disneyland (California) were starting to enforce a "diamond-for-diamond" policy, whereby if you want a diamond pin, you had to trade a diamond pin - but more likely it was attempting to enforce a like-for-like rule. This was to stop so many fakes and scrappers ending up on their pin boards.
However much the pin trading community may want this rule to be real, unfortunately it's not. Cast Members still have to accept any pin that has © Disney stamped on the back - real or not. NB: Later in 2025, reports started coming out of WDW (Florida) that Cast Members were requesting like-for-like there as well.
At some point, Disney will have to decide to include at least one or two boards per park in the US parks that are like-for-like, so the casual traders have fun with the majority of boards to trade from, and for the more serious trader and collector, there will be a Pin Master guarding a like-for-like board as they have in Paris (DLP).
Trading Etiquette
There's some unspoken pin-trading etiquette that keeps things pleasant for everyone:
- If a Cast Member is wearing a lanyard of pins under their waistcoat or it isn't in plain view, then it's likely that it's their own personal collection. You can still ask whether they would like to trade but they don't have to accept.
- Never touch a pin on a Cast Member's lanyard or pin pad. Always ask to see it - they'll remove it and hand it to you so you can take a closer look.
- If you're filming a video of what pins are on the boards that day, always ask the Cast Member if they - or their board - mind being recorded: Some will and some won't. Always abide by their wishes.
- Offer a rubber Mickey back when you trade. They might already have one, but it's a nice gesture.
- Hand over your pin carefully with the pin facing up so you don't accidentally jab anyone.
- Ask the Cast Member which pin of yours they'd like. This is especially important in the Paris parks, where choosing the trade together is part of the etiquette - simply handing them a pin can be seen as impolite.
- Be patient and polite. Cast Members can get busy; a smile and "thank you" go a long way.
- Take your time choosing, but if others are waiting, don't take all day and step aside once you've traded. Try to look at the board while people in front of you are choosing, so you know what you want - but don't crowd or crush the people choosing.
- Don't argue or try to negotiate. Cast Members can't refuse a genuine Disney (or licensed third-party) pin in the US parks, but you're limited to 2 trades per day on their board, so it's first come, first served.
- Never offer a pin that is already on their board, as it keeps it fresh. This is especially true if the board is on display with no Cast Member nearby, as it's down to you to trade honestly.
- Always say thank you, especially if you don’t do a trade.
Hidden gems and rare finds
Some boards are refreshed (restocked) during the day, and new pins may appear after busy periods. If you're lucky, you might spot something special: a retired Hidden Mickey pin, a Cast Refresh design, or even a Limited Edition that slipped into circulation.
Older or quieter boards can surprise you too - sometimes other guests trade in genuine pins they no longer want. Keep an eye out for them!
When to trade (and when not to)
If a pin looks off - maybe the colours are dull, the text is fuzzy, or the metal feels thin - it might be a scrapper or fake. Don't feel bad about not taking it. Saving your good pins for a proper trade is smarter than swapping for something counterfeit.
We'll go into detail on spotting fakes and scrappers in this article, but for now, trust your instincts. If it doesn't look right, it probably isn't.
But there's a caveat: If you're not a collector and don't mind trading a $12 pin that you bought, with a 50 cent pin from an Amazon batch - but you like the pin - then do the trade!
A few friendly tips
- Bring a small pouch or organiser for your traders - lanyards lose backs easily. "Pin Folios" from GoPinPro (Stewpins are their distributor in the UK/Europe) have the most popular portable pin storage boards.
- Keep your "keepers" separate from your "traders." You'll thank yourself later.
- Try checking pin boards early in the day or at shift changes when new pins appear.
- Some trivia or "challenge" pins on lanyards and pin pads are kept by Cast Members - these can be your best bet for genuine pins.
- Remember: every trade should make both sides smile.
Finding the magic
The best trades often come out of nowhere - a Cast Member offers a pin that completes your set, or a child spots their favourite character and lights up. Those are the moments that make pin trading special.
So wander the parks, explore the ships, and trade kindly but fairly. Whether it's your first pin or your hundredth, you're part of a community that keeps a little piece of Disney magic moving, one trade at a time.