Disney Pin Collecting - A Fun Hobby (Even for Adults!)

Hello, internet!

My wife needed a break from writing so she could daydream about her next Disney World vacation, so it looks like you’re stuck with me for today. 

Just a brief introduction.  Yes, I am the other half of this Disney-crazed couple.  I made the mistake great decision of taking her to Disney World for our honeymoon in 2016, not knowing that she would fall in love with the Happiest Place on Earth, and that I would be required excited to take her back again every year.  I am the composed and level-headed foil to Stacy’s flamboyant enthusiasm for Disney. But enough about me, lets get to the topic du jour.

First, a Confession:  I Like Cute Things.

Yes, I am a man, a man’s man in fact.  I am so old-school manly that some people have to look away because they are not prepared for this level of manliness.  But I like collecting cute things - they make me happy!

Thanks to my lovely-but-persistent wife, we returned to Disney World in May.  I was still very sore from the gaping hole in my bank account, but I decided that since I was there I may as well have a good time.  Somewhere along the way, I started to notice that people were wearing and showing off pins. 

Pins?

Yeah, cute Disney pins!  Pins of almost every shape and size, depicting almost every Disney character, ride,movie, or park emblem that you can think of! Even the Disney employees (sorry, “Cast Members”) were showing off their pins too.  I watched as people (mostly kids) would approach Cast Members, ask to see their pins, and then trade one of their pins for a new pin.  I said “Bah, what a waste of money”, and moved on, thinking that was the end of that.

 

But friends, that Disney fever is infectious!  After a few more days of being mercilessly tormented by endless Disney magic, my cold heart melted and my resolve broke down.  There I was, in Disney Springs on a hellishly hot day in May, when I wandered into a store dominated by walls and walls of pins. I saw a pin that I liked - a cutsie illustration of Splash Mountain, my all-time favourite ride. 

Then I saw another pin that I liked, a cartoonish smiling Yeti from my second favourite ride: Expedition Everest.  Then I saw another, and another.  I became hysterical as I underwent some kind of Disney awakening.  Next thing I knew I had a handful of pins, a lanyard, and a receipt for my purchase.  What happened?  Stacy, being the enabler that she is, had some new pins of her own.  I was now crazy for pins and for the rest of our vacation I was always on the lookout for more cool pins wherever I could find them.

 

From top to bottom: Enchanted Tiki Room pin, 2018 Disney pin, Splash Mountain pin, Expedition Everest pin, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad pin, and Revenge of the Mummy pin (Universal Studios).

What’s the Point of This Story? 

That pin-trading at Disney World exists, which I didn’t even know about until I was there.  You can buy them at merch shops throughout the Disney property individually or in themed packages.  You can wear them on your shirt, hat, or buy a lanyard to wear around your neck.

From top to bottom: Haunted Mansion Constance Ring pin, Revenge of the Mummy pin (Universal Studios), Splash Mountain pin, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit pin, and Haunted Mansion Hitchhiking Ghosts pin.

Many shops and Cast Members have pins displayed that are free to take, provided that you leave one of your own in its place.  Individual pins range in price from $8 USD to sometimes $20 USD or in rare occasions, more. 

A few times each year, Disney releases limited edition pins that will be harder to find and may cost more too.  If you have a favourite Disney character, ride, attraction, movie, or park, chances are there are pins for you!  New pins are released all the time while old pins are retired, so make sure you grab yours when you can! 

Close-up of limited edition pins: Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room (Limited Edition 1800) and D23 Pirates of the Caribbean 50th Anniversary Dog pin (Limited Edition 300).

It’s a great distraction and feels like a treasure hunt when you’re turning over every rock trying to find that perfect pin.  They’re pretty good quality but carrying too many gets a little heavy.  They are great little collectibles to take home with you as a reminder of your magical vacation.
 

Next time you’re in Disney World, take a look around and consider doing some collecting and trading of your own!

 

 

Are you a lover of Disney pins? Comment, subscribe and/or follow Stacy on Instagram :)