Kids talking pins with a Cast Member at Disney's Boardwalk Resort

You may have noticed that Cast Members wear a lanyard with colorful metal pins on it. You might have even seen the ‘Pin Trading’ stations at Disney’s Hollywood Studios or Downtown Disney. Maybe you even know a pin-trading nut.

What’s it all about? Pin trading is another facet to visiting Walt Disney World. For the uninitiated, pin trading is a fun way to interact with Cast Members all over Walt Disney World property, while collecting beautiful pins of your favorite characters.

A starter lanyard with stamp-themed pins.

Why Trade Pins? Pin trading can add depth to your vacation, and it’s a good way for kids to gain social skills. It is a background game for your trip, something to talk about on monorail or during lunch. Pin trading is a family activity that goes on all day. It can add excitement, or slow things down as you ‘stop to smell the roses’ and notice the people around you.

We have lots of different reasons to trade, but my kids usually enjoy these pin games:

• In one day, how many new pins have you worn?
• What was your favorite pin of the day?
• See how many people from different countries you’ve traded with during your vacation.
• Who in your family traded with someone from the farthest country?
• My husband sticks to Stitch and zombie pins. My son loves the country flags shaped like Mickey heads. Is there a pin theme on your lanyard?
• Which characters did you trade the most?
• Which park or resort did you do the most trading in?

How to Get Started: Get a lanyard and a set of ‘starter pins’. These are often sold in packs of 4 or more. They aren’t the rarest or most detailed of pins, but they are for trading, so maybe it doesn’t really matter if you particularly like them. They’re essentially for getting rid of, anyhow! The lanyard doesn’t have to be anything officially Disney. You can use any neck lanyard, or even those that clip to your belt.

Do I need a lot of pins? No. Even a lanyard with four pins will work. You can trade them all day long, wearing new pins all day. You’ll still only have 4 pins at the end of the day, but you’ve held, talked about and enjoyed however many you’ve traded.

Your First Trade: My favorite thing about pin trading is that the Cast Members have to do it. If a kid walks up to a Cast Member and requests a certain pin on their lanyard, the Cast Member has to trade with them. The only catch is that the kids can’t give Cast Members a pin that they already have on their lanyard.

You can also trade with other pin collectors, but they don’t have to trade with you. If they don’t like your pins, then the trade isn’t going to happen. It’s still fun to talk pins and check out what everyone has, though. This is a fun way to pass time while you’re waiting in line.

Baby Ariel pin.. so cute!

• Ask First. When you approach a Cast Member, first ask them if you can see their pins. Usually they know what you’re after and will have them ready, with their hand under the lanyard, holding it up.
• No touchy touchy. Don’t touch someone’s pins on their lanyard.
• Chat ‘em up. Even though Cast Members are obligated to trade with kids, talk to them as though they don’t have to. It’s nice to talk about what you like about their pins, and ask them which pin on your lanyard they would like to trade with.
• Avoid Awkwardness. If your child can’t decide, stand by and chat with the Cast Member. Kids catch on to this, and start doing it themselves. It’s a good way to distract the Cast member while your kid can’t make up their mind, and keeps things from getting awkward. My kids chat about what they like about each pin, or generally tell the Cast Member how much they’d like to work at Disney.
• Make the trade. Once it’s been announced which pin you want, the Cast Member will remove it from their lanyard and you’ll take one off of your lanyard. The switch is made and you attach the new pin in place of the old one.
• THANK YOU.  Just like trick-or-treating, get the kids in the habit of thanking the cast member. Older kids sometimes like to shake hands with them. A little bit of ‘have a great day!’ never hurt anybody, either.

Building a Child’s Experience: Of course, the real fun is in striking up conversation with Cast Members and other pin traders. Cast Members at Walt Disney World hail from all over the Earth- and they are some of the most friendly people in the world. Imagine your kids talking about Disney characters with individuals from China, Brazil and Africa. The interactions have helped my own children to be more relaxed and polite when they approach adults.

Which Pins to Save?: I’ve been rotating through only 5 pins on my lanyard, because I think the fun is in trading them. Other people have many more pins, and squirrel away their favorites. Tuck a favorite away, then buy another inexpensive pin for trading away.

I’ve been sad to see a few pins go, but, for me, the fun is in getting new pins throughout the day. I enjoy them for a little while, then soon I’m ooohing and ahhhing over a new pin on someone’s lanyard. I have only a couple of pins that I’ve saved, and those are for the Disney College of Knowledge. Special edition pins like these are for keeping in my jewelry box!

What About Value? Some people trade pins based on cost. You’ll find pins with special effect like moving parts that are worth more than starter pins. Our family doesn’t really trade based on value, instead we just have fun with seeing all the cool pins and chatting up Cast Members.

Where can I get pins before I hit the parks? Trading pins are sold at Disney Stores all over the country, and can be found online at DisneyStore.com. A set of pins makes a great gift for anyone heading out to a Disney Park.

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Morning! Rain here with some more freebies I thought you’d like. Well, if you’re anything like me, free is good! Here are some games for iPhone and Android produced by Disney. Safe for kids, gotta love that, too.

Disney Mobile Magic: The official app of Disney Parks! Maps, parade times and more at your fingertips.
Download the for iPhone
Download for Android

Pirates of the Caribbean – Official Disney Game

Download for iPhone
Download for Android

Radio Disney – Listen to the latest Disney music right now on your mobile device!
Download for iPhone
Download for Android

Where’s My Water? – Crazy crocodile game from Disney.
Download for iPhone
Download for Android

All of these games are trusted downloads, straight from the Google and iPhone market, and produced by Disney.

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Where is Disney headed to in 2013? Southeast Asia!

Ho-Chi-Min city, formerly Saigon, north to the central coast to Vietnam, and continuing north to Hanoi. Then across the border to Laos where you will interact with a real rice paddy farm. Then it’s off to Cambodia, where you will explore ancient temples. Join Adventures by Disney for the guided tour of a lifetime! Email Rain at rain@destinationdis.com or let me know your travel dates on our easy Adventures By Disney quote form.

Email Rain at rain@destinationdis.com or let me know your travel dates on our easy Adventures By Disney quote form.

Email Rain at rain@destinationdis.com or let me know your travel dates on our easy Adventures By Disney quote form.

Email Rain at rain@destinationdis.com or let me know your travel dates on our easy Adventures By Disney quote form.

Email Rain at rain@destinationdis.com or let me know your travel dates on our easy Adventures By Disney quote form.

Email Rain at rain@destinationdis.com or let me know your travel dates on our easy Adventures By Disney quote form.

Email Rain at rain@destinationdis.com or let me know your travel dates on our easy Adventures By Disney quote form.

Email Rain at rain@destinationdis.com or let me know your travel dates on our easy Adventures By Disney quote form.

The Adventures by Disney® Enchanted China itinerary immerses you in a land rich in history and culture.

This unforgettable journey begins in Beijing where you will explore the imposing Forbidden City, tour the historic Tiananmen Square and walk atop the ancient Great Wall.

As the adventure continues, your family will visit China’s premier panda preservation institution and get a glimpse of these rare and delightful animals. In Xi’an, you will get an up-close look at the famed Terra Cotta Warriors, which date back to 210 B.C. As they cruise along the Li River, you will soak in the beauty of stunning landscapes and soaring magical formations.

Finally, in modern Shanghai and Hong Kong, your family will discover the delights of these cosmopolitan cities – from the modern skylines to the open-air markets and tranquil gardens.

This 11-night Adventures by Disney itinerary provides an amazing opportunity to explore this enchanted land. Just see for yourself! Email Rain at rain@destinationdis.com or let me know your travel dates on our easy Adventures By Disney quote form.

The Happiest Place on Earth will get even happier June 15, 2012, with the grand opening of Cars Land, Buena Vista Street and the Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney California Adventure® Park. The exciting, new additions will complete the five-year expansion of Disneyland® Resort.

To accommodate a media preview and make final preparations for the exciting debuts, Disney California Adventure Park will be closed June 14. The fun new attractions, locations and entertainment will open to the public June 15.

Cars Land expands Disney California Adventure Park by 12 acres and immerses families in the thrilling world of the Disney•Pixar blockbuster “Cars.” You will feel as if you have stepped into the town of Radiator Springs to enjoy three family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the movie, plus “Cars”-themed dining and shopping locations such as Flo’s V8 Café, Ramone’s House of Body Art and Radiator Springs Curios.

One of the largest and most elaborate attractions ever created for a Disney park, Radiator Springs Racers is a twisting, turning, high-speed adventure through Ornament Valley and the town of Radiator Springs. Luigi’s Flying Tires invites guests to glide on air aboard special tires, whirling around with their pals. At Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, your family will whip around behind a baby tractor and enjoy tunes from a giant jukebox built from Mater’s most prized possessions.

Starting June 15, Guests will enter Disney California Adventure Park along Buena Vista Street, a place that transports them to an era when Walt Disney arrived in California with new dreams: 1920s Los Angeles.
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The newest ship in the Disney Cruise Line® fleet has arrived at her homeport in Port Canaveral, Florida. After making a stop in New York City for a star-studded christening celebration, Disney Fantasy now makes final preparations for her maiden voyage on March 31, 2012.

Disney Fantasy takes family cruising to new heights with a combination of innovation, creativity and legendary Guest service. In addition, you will find a variety of new entertainment, activities and dining experiences created for the ship’s 7-night itineraries. To learn more, send me an email through our Disney Cruise Line quote. Just give me an idea of your travel dates and party size. I can work with you to find the perfect Disney cruise.

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Contact Rain for a Quote! Fill our our easy quote form to give me an idea of when you want to travel.

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Ed Fouché, Senior Vice President of Travel Industry Sales Americas, chronicles his journey on Disney Fantasy, the newest ship in the Disney Cruise Line® fleet. He is traveling with his wife, daughter and granddaughter.

As Disney Fantasy left New York harbor, I couldn’t help but reflect on the amazing events that took place during our four incredible days in the Big Apple. Of course, I’ll always remember our arrival – holding Julianna in my arms as the ship sailed past the Statue of Liberty. What a proud moment that was. Our list of great family memories just keeps on growing!
The next day, we hosted nearly 400 Travel Agents onboard for a ship tour and the reaction was phenomenal! Agents loved how we took the innovative experiences that their Clients love about the Disney Dream and mixed in new surprises like AquaLab, Europa and Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.

The Christening Celebration was positively amazing. The ship’s godmother, Mariah Carey, joined a host of celebrities and the crew to christen the ship with all the glitz and glamour of our host city. The star-studded gala was the perfect way to toast our beautiful new ship.

Next stop – Disney’s Castaway Cay and some family fun in the sun!

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