Trading on Disney Cruise? Need Tips!

Hi! I am going on a Disney Cruise this August and was wondering how is the pin scene there? Is it similar to the parks and if you have ever been on cruise what are some tips for some magical pin trading on the seven seas! Thanks in advanced!!!!!

 

It's been awhile, since I was on a Disney Cruise but...

When you board, all the CM's in the atrium had lanyards on.
Guest service CM's usually had lanyards
Shop CM's usually had lanyards
The night that the officers are in the atrium, they all had lanyards with some better pins. Check your Navigator for the Pin Trading Night
CM's in the shop on Castaway Cay had lanyards

Unfortunately, many guests bring the same unauthorized pins you find all over WDW and DL. So you need to hope to catch them with refreshed lanyards. However, when they had good pin they had WDW Hidden Mickey pins.

Check to see if they have a PWP pin promotion in the shop.

 

Thanks! I have heard a lot about pin trading night so I’m very excited to see that!

 

Bring LOTS of pins! I found that most of the ones I snagged at the pin trading night were AP's - look for the Star Wars/Marvel ones especially if you're on the hunt for those. And have lots and lots of fun. Pin trading night on the cruise was probably my best experience pin trading ever, and makes me want to do another cruise just for it!

 

I was on my first Disney cruise in April. I ended up missing pin trader night at the last minute and that's my one big disappointment of the trip. But there were cast members with lanyards all over every day and lots of trading books. Mostly scrappers in the books, but not entirely. I did see a few passengers wearing lanyards outside of pin trading night.

The pins they sell on Castaway Cay are different from the pins they sell in the shops on the ship, so you'll want to hit both if you're shopping. And the pins on CC are at the further-away shop, not the first one you come to.

The CMs outside the buffet always seemed to have a lanyard.

 

Thank you! Do they list on the navigator which night will be the Officer's Pin Trading Night or is it something to ask about?

 

They do.

It was on 'formal' night on my 5-day cruise.

 

I have been on quite a few Disney cruises and I will say they all have been the same, in regards to pin trading. In the merchandise shops the Cast Members do wear lanyards but for the most part their lanyards are, unfortunately, riddled with the same scrappers and low quality pins that are found on Cast lanyards at the theme parks. This also goes for the pin books they have in the shops. The books do have lots of pins within them but finding a pin of good quality is more on the rare side than the norm. The highlight is the Officer's Pin Trading night, which during my last Disney cruise this past May, was held on the last formal night outside the Walt Disney Theater. While most of the pins on the officer's lanyards are also scrappers you can find exclusive Disney Cruise Line pins, particularly ones depicting far away destinations in Europe and the Mediterranean (at least I have found these on multiple cruises). As another commenter mentioned you will also find many of the latest Walt Disney World Hidden Mickey pins on the lanyards, as well. Additionally, the Purchase with Purchase pin bags (those little black bags you can buy that have one mystery Cruise Line pin inside) can sell out very quickly inside the shops once the cruise begins. This is good and bad. The bad is that you may not be able to purchase any should you wait to buy them which makes collecting all of the pins in that mystery set more difficult. The good in that is those fellow Cruisers who did purchase them will bring them to trade to the officer's so you will see them on their lanyards. I have found the trick (at least for me) is to look at each officer's lanyard and then stand kind of in the middle where you can see them all and then watch what other Guest's are trading them so you can swoop in and get pins such as these. Also, keep an eye on the officer's because you will be able to see when they step aside to replenish their lanyards for better pins. Doing so will allow you a better opportunity to get really good pins.

 

Thank you all for the advice! I figured the scrappers problem would be persistent there as well but this gives me hope that at least some hidden gems might be discovered!