So, as a newbie, I have no idea what this event is, was or looks like. Can someone help a new trader out and explain? From reading other threads, this is a multi-day event centered on Pin Trading with thousands of people attending. I think it's held in Epcot, somewhere in the World Showcase? What is so special about trading at the "boards" and why is there muchado about the new tab system limiting attendees to 4 trades per day? In my experience trading off the boards in the parks, they usually don't have very good pins on the boards and many of the ones they DO have for trade are fakes/scrappers/unauthorized. Hence my confusion. I would think it would be more productive to trade with other people at the event vs the boards. Do they have pins for sale at this event as well? Limited Editions? Special releases?
Hi! Let's see if I can sum this up...
This event is pretty much THE big pin event for pin traders. It's held every year, usually in early September, which is why it's called the September Event often. Every year, Disney does a different theme (this year is GenEARation D). It used to be a 4 day event, starting on Thursday and ending on Sunday, but it's gone through many transformations over the years. This year, it will only be until Saturday. You are correct, it's held inside the World Showcase, between Canada and England, and is affectionately referred to as "Iceland".
The event is inside a small events center, and is divided into 2 major areas...the main room, and the trading room. The trading room is basically what you'll find at any given PTN, but what makes it better is that traders come from all over the world, so you're trading with different people. The main room hosts the stage (which hosts talks and games), pin partner booths for future releases, the store (if they have one that year, they don't always), the auction lots for the silent auction, and the infamous boards (more on those at the end).
Before the event starts, they release a catalog with merchandise made specifically for the event. We fill out a Wants list of the ones we like, and they do a computer generated draw system (a RSP) and let us know what we've been selected to buy. We pick up the pins when we pick up our registration.
So, the boards. Basically, you get in line, and the boards are turned away from you. When it's your turn, you get a minute to hunt, then give your two pins and take the two pins you want. When the events were younger (like, maybe 2007), the boards took about 30 minutes to stand in line for, and you had a good chance of getting junk. A couple of years ago, Disney overhauled the boards to load them up with AP and PP pins, as well as a mystery series you could only find on the boards. The wait time in the lines increased, and now it's 45 minutes if you're lucky, and can be as long as over an hour.
So this year, to combat the long line waits, Disney has implemented a tab system. Basically, you get 4 goes in line a day. The people who go to the event specifically for the boards are ticked off (understandable, if that's your thing). I honestly don't get the appeal of waiting for over an hour to trade for two pins when you could do much better in the room, but I'm also a firm believer in people doing what they love. I suspect it's a "thrill of the hunt" thing.
People like me are the ones who benefit from this new system, if it works. I go mainly to trade in the room, so I've always had to pass on the boards because they sucked up too much time. Well, that, and in the early years when I did the boards, I waited all that time and got crap. Very discouraging. Now, assuming it does help the wait time (we'll see about that), than I'll be able to do them.
Hope that helps!
Lavendersunrise, I was a little baffled at your comment about not trading with people because you're afraid of scrappers. Your chances of getting a scrapper is far, far higher trading on boards and lanyards at the parks than trading with traders. The people who buy scrappers (knowingly or unknowingly) usually buy them to dump on lanyards and boards. So when it's your turn, you don't know if you're getting a pin from Disney, or someone's leavings. Unless you're a Hidden Mickey collector, it's much easier to spot a trader who trades in scrappers. Hidden Mickeys, you're just out of luck. Prepare for a lifetime of checking your pins and still not knowing. It's why I generally don't collect them, and if I do, I buy the packs.
If you just feel more secure trading with Disney directly, I get that. But please do be aware of the scrapper situation you're likely facing on boards and cast lanyards. Good hunting!
Sue
So, different pin purposes for different folks. 
