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LE Pin Release Rundown

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LE Pin Release Rundown

Gelatoni

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Hong Kong
I'm planning to be at Anaheim Disneyland on a Thursday in April which I understand to be a LE pin release day. I was hoping for a detailed rundown of a typical pin release to get an idea of if I would want to go.

Main questions:
  • Where is it? What is the process for lining up?
  • How long does it take and how early do people arrive?
  • How much trading happens after people have bought their pins?
  • Is there anything else special that happens?
In exchange, I'll share my experience with HKDL pin releases:

Typical releases are monthly on a Saturday and have an LE 300 and some LE 500s. Each person is allowed to buy 2 of each pin. The queue typically starts at park closing the day before outside the main entrance. However, most people will try to arrive about 1 to 2 hours before scheduled park opening. Pin traders pass through a special security line where they are given a numbered ticket. After entering the park (park admission is required for buying LE pins), you line up according to ticket number outside the Emporium.

Inside the Emporium, you will be given a sheet of paper to fill out which pins you want and how many. After purchasing them, you can go into another line for exchanging the pins you have just purchased for new ones if there are defects (which is unfortunately common with pins these days). People who slept overnight will be able to exchange their LE 300s but most people will only be able to exchange their LE500s. Occasionally, people who slept overnight may also be able to have a second turn in line for the LE300. LE500s typically don't sell out and may appear on the racks or become game prizes/grab bag pins at future events. Usually, the last person will be done about 3 hours after park opening.

In the morning from Saturday to Monday, there will also be a pin trading game across the street. The actual game varies but the price is always two pins to play the game. You can win up to 2 game prize pins which are hidden mickeys available only at the event. If you lose, you'll be given two random pins from a bin (these bins are not better than your typical CM lanyard pins). The other reason people sleep outside the park is for more chances to play these games while everybody is still busy buying their pins. People will make trades that they arranged in the past but typically don't spend much time trading during release days. If a foreign visitor is there with many interesting pins, people may arrange to bring pins on Sunday to trade. The other type of trading comes from people exchanging their "junk" pins for pins that other traders were planning to use for paying for the game.

Hopefully this is helpful for anyone vising HKDL and I hope any responses can be helpful too.
 
There are a few folks here who can enlighten you on this (perhaps @Shelterkat, our resident DLR pick-up maven). But at a complete and total guess, I can't help wondering if you're going to be realllllly appalled/disappointed/traumatized by the chaos that is Disney in America. Ha ha. HKDL sounds so orderly ... Thank you for the info! I do hope you get some good answers to your questions!
 
Honestly, unless it's some unusually popular release at the park (not common as our park edition sizes are usually le1500+), you just show up at any pin location that day (downtown Disney pin traders or one of the stores in the park) and you can buy up to two per style of pin. That's about it.

Park LEs usually stay on the racks at DL from a few days to a few months depending on popularity.

Our pinsanity really only happens at DSSH or WDI.
 
Disney (in California, at least) haaaaates people doing overnight at any event and will try to avoid it wherever and whenever possible! (D23 expo is the only one I know of, and they still put a million regulations there.) I’m amazed that overnights are allowed & even encouraged in HK!
 
Thank you for the description of hkdl releases. I have always wondered about it. Very different.

Agree that no lining up should be required for Disney pin releases at the parks. The only overnights I have ever seen we're at DLR for the last few of the 60th anniversary countdown pins.
 
Where is it: There are certain stores that carry the LE's, and often the 3 hotels have them too. I can PM you a list. There is no procedure for lining up. We don't have LE 300 or 500. That would be mayhem!

How long does it take and how early to arrive: It depends on the popularity of the pins that come out that day. I arrive an hour before the parks open because certain stores open before rope drop. However, most of the pins last awhile. Some end up on the OE racks.

How much trading/anything special: Unfortunately DLR no longer has a designated trading area. Pin traders have created their own areas but are often asked to move. You might find a few outside Westward Ho.

Keep on eye on the DLR pickup thread and you can see what will be out in April.
 
Thanks for the info! Seems like I can comfortably grab whatever LE is coming out and still plan a full day of non-pin Disneyland activities.

And just to clarify: I wouldn't say that HKDL encourages people sleeping overnight but it's easier to permit it than try to control when people are allowed to show up. Platinum passholders get free luggage storage which means they can pitch tents and store them just before park opening.
 
Interesting info on HKDL...probably the closest I will get to getting to that park...haha (that is a very sad haha)
 
Thanks for the info! Seems like I can comfortably grab whatever LE is coming out and still plan a full day of non-pin Disneyland activities.

And just to clarify: I wouldn't say that HKDL encourages people sleeping overnight but it's easier to permit it than try to control when people are allowed to show up. Platinum passholders get free luggage storage which means they can pitch tents and store them just before park opening.
Wow! They pitch tents? Your lineup, except for tents, are close to 8+ yrs ago when there were crazy line ups for releases, other than the 60th diamonds, the last major crazy was the Anna/Elsa Pin Trading Night pin release when 3/4 in line didn't get any, including some of the hotel guests who were guaranteed the pin. We haven't had another one since, just trading events.
There shouldn't be any crazy lines as mentioned above, 2 per person, 4 stores in DLR, 3 in Ca Adv, 1 DTD, and the hotels if it's early. High want pins might be gone by evening, hotels get a smaller quantity, and people without tickets hunt the hotels. If you arrive on/after April 13 there'll probably be pins for Pixarfest.
If you let us know, some of us can meet to trade with you on Thursday. What pins do you collect or looking for from here?
 
Wow! They pitch tents? Your lineup, except for tents, are close to 8+ yrs ago when there were crazy line ups for releases, other than the 60th diamonds, the last major crazy was the Anna/Elsa Pin Trading Night pin release when 3/4 in line didn't get any, including some of the hotel guests who were guaranteed the pin. We haven't had another one since, just trading events.
There shouldn't be any crazy lines as mentioned above, 2 per person, 4 stores in DLR, 3 in Ca Adv, 1 DTD, and the hotels if it's early. High want pins might be gone by evening, hotels get a smaller quantity, and people without tickets hunt the hotels. If you arrive on/after April 13 there'll probably be pins for Pixarfest.
If you let us know, some of us can meet to trade with you on Thursday. What pins do you collect or looking for from here?

I'm at Disneyland on the 5th and 6th so I may be a bit early for Pixar Fest. Things I may be interested in:

Location: WDI, DSSH, Chase Visa, Aulani, and the old city specific Disney Store pins
Characters: Lilo and Stitch, Nightmare before Christmas
Themes: World of Color, Disneyland 60th Anniversary

I am currently planning to bring the recent Ufufy, Pin Trading Carnival (lanyard and invitation, not LEs), and Magic Access tea cup sets along with whatever other HKDL specific pins I feel like I can carry. I also collect park maps and buttons and will bring HKDL stickers.
 
I'm at Disneyland on the 5th and 6th so I may be a bit early for Pixar Fest. Things I may be interested in:

Location: WDI, DSSH, Chase Visa, Aulani, and the old city specific Disney Store pins
Characters: Lilo and Stitch, Nightmare before Christmas
Themes: World of Color, Disneyland 60th Anniversary

I am currently planning to bring the recent Ufufy, Pin Trading Carnival (lanyard and invitation, not LEs), and Magic Access tea cup sets along with whatever other HKDL specific pins I feel like I can carry. I also collect park maps and buttons and will bring HKDL stickers.
Aww, I'd be happy to trade you for tea cups while you're here but I don't think I have much if anything you'd be looking for :)

I don't suppose you have 121398 Easter Egg Stacker or 122281 Cheshire Drink Cup for trade, do you? :) Still looking for those!
 
Aww, I'd be happy to trade you for tea cups while you're here but I don't think I have much if anything you'd be looking for :)

I don't suppose you have 121398 Easter Egg Stacker or 122281 Cheshire Drink Cup for trade, do you? :) Still looking for those!

With pin trading, one man's trash can be another man's treasure so you never know.

I have the Easter egg stacker in my personal collection but can part with it for something interesting because I'm sure I'll see another one at the next HKDL pin trading night. I also know people who should have the Cheshire drink cup but I'm not sure if I'll be able to work out a trade with them before my trip.

Sent from my SM-G9200 using Tapatalk
 
^ At this point I think I could get to the park on the 6th. I'll message you that week to see if we could meet up and maybe trade. :)
 
I'm at Disneyland on the 5th and 6th so I may be a bit early for Pixar Fest. Things I may be interested in:

Location: WDI, DSSH, Chase Visa, Aulani, and the old city specific Disney Store pins
Characters: Lilo and Stitch, Nightmare before Christmas
Themes: World of Color, Disneyland 60th Anniversary

I am currently planning to bring the recent Ufufy, Pin Trading Carnival (lanyard and invitation, not LEs), and Magic Access tea cup sets along with whatever other HKDL specific pins I feel like I can carry. I also collect park maps and buttons and will bring HKDL stickers.
I can try to meet you April 5th, hoping the weather is ok. Which DLR 60th pins are you intetested in? Do you have pinpics?
 
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