Open DPF Anniversary Game: "What Year Did You Join?"

This Anniversary game idea has been stewing around in my brain. And I believe I have finally worked out the details. So here it goes:

What Year Did You Join DPF?

I thought it would be fun, for DPF trivia sake, to post a game where the members would chime in with the year they joined. And a brief (or long) sentence on a good memory they have from their time here.

Game Details:

3 pins for the winners. (Winners will be responsible for shipping: $6.50)

Deadline to enter: Wednesday November 19th, 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.

In post #3 below I will post list of each year DPF has been active. To join, a member has to comment with the year they joined and a answer to: a good memory from their time here.

I will then list the members name next to the year they joined.

How Winners Will Be Determined:

On November 20th:

I will be running a randomizer for each year where there is more than one name listed.

For any year that only has one member's name listed, that member will be first place.

If a year doesn't have an entry, it will be eliminated from the list.

Once all the years that have a first place spot awarded, I will run a final randomizer, to determine: 1 place/choice, 2nd place/choice, and 3rd place.

Below are pictures of the 3 Prizes.

(If there are any questions or possibly corrections I need to make, please comment below).

I think this will be Fun. And, I truly Hope You All Enjoy it.

.

Year Joined:

2010: @hopemax; @fuzzybunny @mybabykelly

2011: @Story; @Booger1964

2012: @CanaDaLE; @fordracing31

2013: @momin.ator; @cyke23

2014: @timeerkat

2015: @Pibbman

2016: @Haunted575 @watzshakinbacon

2017: @maiarebecca; @Ajk

2018: @firechief18; @stitchismyspiritanimal

2019: @GroguFan

2020 @dznycrzyfmly

2021:

2022: @Sithathoriunet

2023:

2024: @Pinatic, @Marie1

2025: @Pidge

Saved

Saved

Saved

Game is now OPEN!

Uh, my join year isn’t an option.

hopemax said:

Uh, my join year isn’t an option.

Click to expand...

Did I forget one?

2010, the first year!

2025 (just last May)

Choosing one memory is very difficult, but since this is Connie's game, I am going to go with the memory of her jumping in to help this newbie with serious FOMO in her quest to get all the 70th anniversary LATT pins. I went to my first Tuesday pin drop ever the first Tuesday of May, looking for those LATT pins. I was shocked to see the lines. I had no idea what I was getting into. I went every Tuesday but the pins didn't drop. The last Tuesday of the month (when I knew they were dropping, I had to work). Connie stepped in and picked up all the pins for me. Then we met at the park after I got off work and they still had a ton of LATT (I'll never understand why Lady is not more popular - she is the absolute cutest!). Anywho, Connie then went and returned all those pins she had bought so I could get my own with my discount.

This story also demonstrates what I love about this forum. Everyone here is so generous and kind and thoughtful. It really is the happiest place on the internet! And yay games!

hopemax said:

2010, the first year!

Click to expand...

Thank you. I fixed it!

What up, my fellow 2014'ers?



My memory is not one, but all of the Secret Santa exchanges that have taken place over the years. As generous as DPF members are, it really shines during Secret Santa time! I always have such a great time gathering the package for my partner, opening my packages, and seeing all of the joy and generosity displayed when all of the entrants reveal what their gifts are.

2017! Am I still a newb?!?

ETA: I remember stalking the forum before I joined. Everyone here seemed to be such good friends and so knowledgeable. So I joined the Facebook groups first and waited until I felt worthy enough to enter your company!

I joined in the summer of 2022! It doesn't feel like it's only been 3 years and change.
I have so many good memories of my (relatively short) time here, but one is my first experience meeting a DPFer in real life, at Disneyland, of course! And it was @Connies_Hobby! We met to do a trade and we sat on one of the benches in Frontierland and talked and talked and talked for I don't even know how long.

2013 is my year.

I love the many generous people who are willing to do pickups for those of us who live far from the parks.

March 2012

I wasn’t very active in the beginning and was more of a lurker on the forum for a long time. I can’t remember when it changed but I’m glad I came out of my shell as I’ve made so many pin friends who I enjoy meeting up with when I can.

July 2018 - I joined mainly to see if I could complete some mystery sets I'd been working on for years. Discovered so many wonderful people. I really enjoyed the pin books when they were going around and the 5-pin exchanges. I really appreciate @Ksnuggles who tirelessly works at CIJ Secret Santa, Secret Santa, and the Christmas card exchange.

timeerkat said:

What up, my fellow 2014'ers?



My memory is not one, but all of the Secret Santa exchanges that have taken place over the years. As generous as DPF members are, it really shines during Secret Santa time! I always have such a great time gathering the package for my partner, opening my packages, and seeing all of the joy and generosity displayed when all of the entrants reveal what their gifts are.

Click to expand...

I am sooooo excited for this!! I can’t wait to get my person and start gathering a package!

Okay, so as I mentioned 2010.

Back at the beginning, late 1999 / early 2000 there were 2 places people could go to chat with pin friends, make trades, etc. One was the Dizpins forums and the other was the Collector's Board on the DIS. While there was some overlap between the two places, each was distinct. I spent more time on the DIS in general, so I gravitated more to the Collector's Board for pin stuff. But as people have probably seen, people come and go from the hobby, and eventually interest on the DIS waned, and Dizpins became the primary pin destination. Which made sense because of the corresponding news site.

Dizpins forums had moved around a couple places, but eventually ended up on EZ Boards. So were some of the Survivor (the tv shows) forums, and I had posted a couple of times on those. So my username on those boards was something less personal, more anonymous. I didn't have a long posting history, didn't live close enough to trade at the parks, didn't have funds to attend the annual pin event, so basically I was a nobody on the Dizpins forums. Way more lurker than anything. Then to close 2009, Dizpins said they would stop providing news updates. Which only left the forum. Then the bombshell in late 2010... they were closing the forums. Old posts would remain, but people wouldn't be able to post new things.

Needless to say, it was like a bomb went off in the pin community. A couple people created their own forums. One was UK based, and one was Disney Pin Forum. I liked the forum software / site functionality better here than the UK site, so I was one of the original Dizpins refugees who migrated here. This new forum gave me an opportunity to be what I wasn't able to do on Dizpins. To not be anonymous. I made an effort to be a regular poster. Even though I didn't have a lot of good traders, my older pins were wanted and I was able to trade more than I had on Dizpins (outside of the two state Disney Store series). Bought a lot of pins through pickups or sales threads. Watched and participated in a lot of drama. To be part of the community.

There has been a lot of ups and downs, and changes, and it's pretty amazing to know that this place has now outlasted Dizpins by 5 years and counting and is hopefully seeing some new life due to the new traders who have joined our ranks.

2011! I had to look back at my profile to double check 🤣

So many memories stand out about this community- I’m an open story (ha!) when it comes to the fire my family and I dealt with and the amazing way everyone responded gave my family and me smiles in a time we needed most! ❤️

A recent memory was being able to meet dear Connie in person! That was unforgettably anwesome and by far the best zap I’ve ever had with a pickup… no it wasn’t a pin zap, it was our sitting in grand California lobby chat that was a zap! 😍

Thanks for the fun game, Connie! 🥰

This is a great game and very creative. Thank you for starting it.

I joined in 2012

This is my Anniversary Month. The best memories I have about the forum is the friendships I have made. First by talking, trading or buying on the forum, then meeting some in person at events or at Disneyland and now Disneyworld. The friendships that last even if you are away for a bit and, that don’t judge and that are there for you during rough times. The friendships I have made here through the love of this hobby that grew into so much more. Though I miss some of the old times and the people that are no longer on this forum, I love how this forum is always changing and evolving with each new trader that finds it’s magic and knowledge.

2013 for me. I fondly remember when a bunch of DPFers and friends got together for pin trading at a Marie Callender’s in Anaheim. docfish2u orchestrated it. How many years ago was that? It happened on a weekend when I would be at Disneyland, so of course I had to go. It was the first time I put my trade books in a carry-on (duffel bag - it was so heavy). It was the first time I went to a pin trading event to trade. I was nervous since I didn’t know anyone in person although had talked on DPF. I think the first person I met there was @timeerkat, and you were so friendly, and then met many more of you (still on here and those no longer on here). Everyone was so nice, and it was so much fun!

UPDATE:

Post #3 has been updated to here. Please check and make sure I have your name next to the correct year.

Thanks to everyone that has entered so far. I have REALLY enjoyed reading your Memories.

So far, there are: 11 members who have entered. I truly hope we can get several more before 11/19.

Thank you.

I joined in 2011. There are so many memories I have of all this time! I mostly remember when I met members from here at pin trading events in person, after interacting with them on this site. This community is full of such genuine and nice people that it's hard to say which memory is best as they have all been good and I am truly grateful for all of the relationships I have developed here/through here!