Here's How Disney World Is Handling Pin Trading in the Parks

Disney World has implemented lots of new precautions to keep guests and Cast Members safe now that the parks are reopening. One of the biggest changes has to do with physical distancing. All parties are asked to maintain six feet of space between themselves and other guests at all times.

Characters Greeting

If you’re a pin collector, you might think this new safety regulation would make pin trading a thing of the past at Disney World. But we’re here to tell ya — that’s not the case! In fact, we’ve seen pin trading happening at a few places INSIDE the theme parks recently between guests and Cast Members!

Before the closures, pin trading typically involved Cast Members wearing lanyards or pouches covered in pins that were available for trade. Some retail locations, front desks of resorts, and Guest Relations locations also had pinboards or books for guests to look through. Guests would pick out which pin they wanted, and then trade one of their pins in exchange.

Pin Trading Board

We stopped by Guest Relations at Magic Kingdom to ask if there was any new info regarding pin trading. Previously, we’d heard from Cast Members when Pin Traders reopened in Disney Springs that there would most likely be some form of pin trading taking place, but that it would be modified from previous experiences.

Guest Relations

The Guest Relations Cast Members informed us they didn’t have any pins for trading just yet, but they did have plenty of free celebration buttons to choose from.

First Visit Celebration Buttons

But, as we were exploring some of the gift shops at Magic Kingdom, we spotted a real live pinboard at Fantasy Faire’s cash register! Guests can still pick out which pin they’d like to trade, and the Cast Member will remove it from the board and give it to you! You’ll drop the pin you’re trading into a container and they’ll clean it before placing it on the board.

Pin Board

Today at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, our friend Instagram user @MichaelDoesDisney spotted a new sign clearly detailing step by step the pin-trading experience we had yesterday at Fantasy Faire.

And yesterday, one of our team members who was in Disney’s Animal Kingdom spotted a whole pin trading experience next to Primeval Whirl in Dino Land, U.S.A.!

Pin Trading Experience

This was the largest board we’ve since the closures and the Cast Members asked us to help spread the word!

Pin Board

We also swung by Animal Kingdom’s Pin Station to see if they had begun pin trading yet. For now, the Cast Member told us they’re still working on a plan so we’ll continue to monitor them and let you know when it returns!