Hi and Welcome back to the Walt Disney World Top Must Dos, the Disney Driven Life blog that focuses on the top 30 things that my wife, Sarah, and I enjoy doing at Walt Disney World. These posts will be written in the spirit of the great “Top 7 Must Sees,” which means that they will be filled with excitement, and quite possibly, corny catch-phrases.
In sharing my Must Sees, I will present an image each week illustrative of the theme. As a Neurotic Disney Person who spends a great deal of time photographing Walt Disney World, I think I have a unique perspective on the parks that others may miss (and I don’t mean because I only see the parks through a viewfinder!).
On your way out of the Magic Kingdom, don’t forget to stop at the Emporium, where you can finish off that stack of Travelers Cheques. Better yet, stop off at the Art of Disney, where you’ll need to take out a second mortgage just to walk through the doors!
Okay, I will admit it. Sarah and I are avid pin traders. We love it. Much like Disney Vacation Club, we know the hobby takes some heat from the die-hard crowd, but I honestly think a lot of that animosity just comes from the old attitude that “if you haven’t tried something, why not just arbitrarily hate it?!”
Pin trading has caused us to interact with more Cast Members than we ever did prior to trading, we’ve had more fun hunting “rare” pins than hidden mickeys, and it even got us selected as the “family” of the day in the Jammin’ Jungle Parade two years ago! Moreover, I have found that pin designs are by far the most unique merchandise in all of WDW (extinct attractions, attraction anniversaries, rare characters, you name it!) If you do it right, it’s an incredibly cheap hobby, and it provides you with cheap souvenirs, especially in comparison to those costly and large Big Figs I had been collecting.
I have to admit, we don’t necessarily use the pins for anything after the trip, although we do have our favorites displayed on a tack board in our bedroom. The hobby, for us, is more about the thrill of the hunt. It really is a grown-up scavenger hunt for us (even though many of the other participants in this hunt are kids).
Aside from pin trading, Walt Disney World represents our grown up “Toys R Us”. Unfortunately, I just cannot restrain myself sometimes and buy far too much. I buy just about anything that piques my curiosity. Sarah can attest to this, I have boxes upon boxes (we have storage rooms reminiscent of Citizen Kane or Raiders of the Lost Ark) bursting with Disney items that are just waiting to be unleashed, much to Sarah’s dismay, upon our future home. In this regard, especially, pin trading has been a good hobby, as our entire collection can be condensed into just a shoe box!
If that isn’t enough reason to give it a try, just remember, the BAH would block your view of Grauman’s regardless of whether it were a pin booth. So next time you’re there, let your guard down, and give it a whirl. What’s the worst that could happen? You might like it and, gasp, lose some of your Disney street cred? Phhh, you’re already a geek. Embracing pin trading is just another way you get a little more Disney into your life.
Contributed by: Tom B. (NDH#25). Tom is our resident “must see” expert.
Hi Tom,
I have to say that I had the chance to seeing your photography about 3 or 4 yrs back and I tell you I have also truly enjoyed it with great apprecaition of seeing Disney in a whole new way. The Art of Disney Store in DTD is a shop I can spend hours in and just stare at the art work.
The Pin trading obsession started back 3 yrs ago and my DD also was interested in it so since we had 2 of us interested it is an expensive hobby. We have tried trading with CM but we find it difficult since most have pretty common pins, but I guess that is what makes it more of a challenge.
This yr my DH finally found interest in the pins and purchased his 1st laynard and a few pins. I had to purchase a storage case for all of mine since they all wont fit on my laynard.
I think the interaction with CM’s is one of my favorite things about pin trading. I have had the chance to talk to some wonderful people who always joke and smile and ask how much fun we are having today. Sometimes one of the pins can spark great stories fropm CM’s too, I really enjoy it.
Also, one time a guest in line at a ride noticed one of my pins and really liked it. I told her it was one I was planning on trading and she franticly searched through her purse to see what she might have to trade. At that point I knew I would trade with her no matter what cause this pin was her favorite characture, Tinkerbell, and really seem to just make her day! It felt awesome to put a smile on someones face like that.
Times like these is why I love to trade. :0)