Pins – A Spot of Disney

Hello everyone!

After a brief medical hiatus, I have returned and hope to regularly post on a scheduled basis that will consist Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays starting in February.

As a medically needy person, I tend to avoid the usual things at parks like roller coasters and food (for the most part). Despite that, the only true parks I ever go to are Disney related, even when the purpose of going to parks is to ride things and eat food you only dream of eating.

So what do I enjoy doing at Magic Kingdom?

Meeting Characters- One of my favorite things to do at Magic Kingdom is explore and locate my favorite characters to add a photo and signature to the autograph book. Meeting the characters has always been a unique experience each time I go, which always makes it worth it.
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh- Despite this ride constantly having downtime when I visit, doesn’t make this ride any less enjoyable. The gentle rocks of the honey pot aren’t too big of a deal and every time I ride there’s always a new detail I spot!
The People Mover- I REALLY love the people mover. It’s an easy going ride that allows you to take a tour of Tomorrowland; no spirals or loops needed! It will even take you by Space Mountain, where you can hear the screams of ridegoers as you drive by.
Pin Trading- As you may have noticed in a previous blog, I collect pins and trade whenever I go to the parks. Magic Kingdom is one of the best parks to trade pins with, as there are multiple known locations (as well as some not so well known ones) that have some amazing selections.
Pirates of the Caribbean- This ride is quite popular so I’m sure it’s on many favorites lists. I’ve liked it despite the upgrades they’ve made, and despite some people being unhappy with it, the ride continues to have frequently long lines and wait times. Since it’s one of my favorites, I continue to make sure I have a FastPass so I can make sure this is an absolute stop when I’m in MK!
Shopping- The best thing one can do at Magic Kingdom is shop! I prefer shopping here over any of the other parks because there is so much to choose from, and isn’t based off of one park but the collective.
Under the Sea- Journey of the Little Mermaid- This ride is a slow mover, and follows Ariel on her journey to finding her happily ever after. Despite its incredibly long wait time, I enjoy sitting in the clam shell and marveling at the impressive animatronics that make up the ride.
Happily Ever After Fireworks Show- A grand fireworks display that seamlessly blends in visuals and music while showing that while life has its ups and downs, you can have a happily ever after. This show lasts about 20-25 minutes and is a fantastic sight to see, and a great way to end the night at Magic Kingdom.
Liberty Tree Tavern- Since I was a picky eater (before my medical diagnosis), the chicken tenders and fries here were to die for and there are plenty of other options to! Service is pretty fast and the atmosphere matches Liberty Square and a (maybe?) harbor pub theme nicely. By the way, did I mention the chicken tenders are awesome?
Jungle Cruise- The final thing I enjoy is the Jungle Cruise and the tour guides vary in their jokes (which are incredibly cheesy) and tours. While I enjoy the ride as it’s really calming compared to a busy day at the park, it does need a serious update as most of the animals are stagnant, but it’s still a great ride I look forward to going on!

Those are my top favorite things to do at the Magic Kingdom, next time I’ll be diving into my favorite things to do at Epcot!

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Pin Trading is one of the big highlights you get to enjoy when at any of the Disney locations. When visiting the parks, you can trade with any cast member who is sporting a lanyard (they can never say no!) or a cork board filled with them. The trick is to trade what you like if they have it- you don’t need to trade by value (meaning $9.99 pin for $9.99 pin) and you don’t have to trade pins you like.

Some of my pins!

Pin trading is a family friendly activity that anyone can do at any age! It’s a great way to meet people and socialize, as not only can you trade with cast members but other guests as well. While it can get a little expensive, there are thousands of different varieties and options, so you can collect them all or be as specific as you want!

Here are some helpful tips to get you started:

Pins come color coded which mark the prices. Currently they run for $9.99 (green and silver), $12.99 (blue and yellow), $14.99 (pink). Specialty pins, booster packs, mystery pins and limited edition pins may have different pricing which is something to remember!
If you are just starting, it is easier to buy the starter packs which includes a lanyard and four pins. These typically run for $29.99 and have different styles to choose from, so if you like anything from Star Wars to Disney princesses then it’s a great place to begin.
There are great places to trade: Frontierland at Magic Kingdom, Pin Central at Epcot, Fantasy Faire at Magic Kingdom and Big Top Souvenirs are some of the best. They always have pretty good selections and sometimes have limited release ones from parties from time to time so it’s great to keep checking back!
If you don’t feel like showing off your pins on a lanyard, you can use wall space (when not trading), vests, backpacks or even the official Pin Trading book!

Pin Types:

Basic- These are the ones seen throughout each pin store. They are the most common and available for purchase, until they retire.
Limited Edition- Pins that are released for a certain amount of time, usually made for a series.

Limited Release- Pins made in a certain quantity that are available for purchase; get them before they are gone!

Mystery- Usually bagged or in a small box, you never know which one you’ll get!

Event/Commemoration- Rare pins handed out during events like Mickey’s Merry Christmas Celebration, Disney Movie Club VIPs get Commemorative pins or for Annual Passholders who get the the Annual Passholder pins!

Hidden Mickey- Cast member released pins with a small hidden Mickey somewhere on it- these are extremely popular.

Pin trading is tons of fun and can be a great hobby, but there are some things to remember when you begin.

Do:

Be polite. If a cast member or guest is busy or a fellow guest isn’t keep on trading a specific pin, don’t be pushy!
Buy cheaper pins to trade. There is no price system or color system to trade pins with cast members so buying a starter pack or a green color priced pin to trade is a great and more affordable way to start.
Explore! Don’t be afraid to ask around and check for pins in all sorts of places; some places people don’t think to go to for trading and may contain nicer pins.
Figure out where the Trading Posts Stores are. Wherever the stores are that are exclusively for pins, there are bound to be tons of guests and cast members looking to happily trade!
Try to go to events! Events sometimes have rare and exciting pins that are only available for attendees.
If you can buy it and you like it, get it! Some pins are limited edition or limited release and are a little more pricey. These aren’t going to be around too long and can go up in value, so if you like it, get it!

Dont:

Buy from Ebay or Auction sites. This is the biggest no-no in pin trading. Counterfits are most likely and often sold in most online stores, and if some cast members don’t recognize it, they leak into the Disney parks traded around. Other cast members who do recognize them, end up rejecting your trades.
Argue. If someone, be it cast member or guest refuses a trade then don’t argue, be courteous and move on!
Overspend to trade. This goes hand and hand with the “buy cheaper pins to trade”. You don’t need to buy the $12.99 or $14.99 in order to get a hand in the trading world.
Trade a basic pin for special editions. Certain pins are worth a lot now, and if someone is trading one, ask them what they’d like. Offering them a common pin is a little lackluster, and a little etiquette goes a long way!

All in all, pin trading is a great and fun hobby to participate in and is a great way to show off your love for certain characters and movies. I hope you have a lot of fun, and feel free to comment your favorite pins!

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