Pin Trading at Disney Springs
One of our favorite things to do as a family is pin trading. It’s a low cost way to get out as a family and have some fun together. We will usually order a pin lot from ebay for about twenty dollars so that we have pins we aren’t committed to. Then we will head out to do some pin trading at Disney Springs.
Disney Springs Pin Trading
*** Important Note – Pin Trading rules in light of the current climate with health regulations can vary. Check with their website before deciding to pin trade.
We are going to share some tips and tricks to make the most of your pin trading trip to Disney Springs as well as the route we usually take when pin trading.
Park in the Lime Garage
If you are driving to the park, we recommend parking in the Lime garage as it puts you near a lot of great pin trading locations. In fact, as you come off of the escalator, the first stop we usually make is The Disney Corner to the left.
The Disney Corner
This is a newer store that sort of popped up as they are renovating The World of Disney. Some people may not realize that it has two floors. Make sure to head upstairs for additional pin trading opportunities. Some of the cast members in this store are very personable and fun to trade with.
World of Disney
World of Disney is currently under renovation but you can still find some great pins here. This is always our second stop when pin trading. A good chunk of it is under construction but it is still a large store with multiple options to pin trade.
Ghiradelli
Ok, so this isn’t actually a pin trading location. That said, who doesn’t love chocolate? They even pass out free samples. It’s a great treat in the middle of a pin trading adventure.
Marketplace Co-Op
One of our favorite places to trade is the Marketplace Co-op. There are so many cast members in this area that are happy to trade with you. We have found some incredible pins here. Bonus points for also getting to see some incredible merch that isn’t your typical Disney merch.
Disney Vacation Club Booths
Be prepared for them to try and sell you on DVC. That said, they typically have a pin board filled with some fantastic pins you definitely want to check out. I recommend waiting until they aren’t as busy and asking to see their pin board.
Star Wars Trading Post
As big time Star Wars fans we always stop here. This place can be hit or miss but it is always a great place to look around if you are a Star Wars fan. One of our favorite trades of all time actually took place in here. We were able to trade for a Han and Leia set with the iconic, “I love you” “I know” lines on them.
Days of Christmas
This location will sometimes have great pins for you to trade for. If you have younger children, this location has tons of breakable items. It is ok to avoid this store if you worry about that.
Art of Disney
This location has some incredible art work. You will be able to find two pin boards here. There is one by the register on the Art of Disney side and one at the register in the t-shirt store.
Pin Trading Building
This area is hit or miss. Sometimes you can find some great pins here. Sometimes you won’t. It’s a great place to stop and see what options are available.
5 Tips for Pin Trading
- Make sure to bring pins you don’t mind saying goodbye to. You will be giving up some of your pins in order to get some great new ones.
- Have a plan for keepers. If there are pins you are going to want to keep after trading, have a plan for that. You can either pocket them or turn them backwards on your lanyard. We have lost a few great pins because we didn’t have a system in place in the beginning.
- Remember common courtesy. – If a cast member is with a guest or is obviously busy, move on to another cast member. It is best to remember that they are working and not just there for pin trading.
- The character warehouse can be a great place to buy pins. These stores are talked about in this post about the local outlets. You can sometimes find pins for as low as 99 cents!
- Take a picture of pins you have at home. – It can be hard to remember which pins you already have when you start trading. Take a pic before leaving home so you can easily answer the “do we have this pin” question.
