Resort Hopping

I am going to Disney World at the end of this month. I have never Resort Hopped before. I am going with my husband and 2 year old daughter. I am wondering how do you guys do it? What is the best way to do it? Like take a bus or drive to each one and how many of them actually trade? Books and cm lanyard Oh and keep in mind that I will have a stroller.

"Resort Hop" as in transferring your stay from one resort to another? Or "Resort Hop" with the exclusive intent to trade pins? Because I've done both. We transferred our stay from Beach Club during our honeymoon to one night at Art of Animation (just so I can say I've stayed there, lol) and basically we dropped our luggage off with the concierge and they took care of transferring it to Art of Animation free of charge while we were at a park. It showed up at AoA before our check in time. You cannot take luggage on non Magical Express Disney buses, so we were told. They're just too full.

Resort Hopping for pins is another matter entirely. I'd start somewhere with multiple resorts in proximity of one another. (Beach Club/Yacht Club and Boardwalk, for example. Or along the monorail - Contemporary, Polynesian and Grand Floridian) Otherwise, you'll have to take a bus from each resort to a park or DTD (yuck, my least favorite bus stop) to transfer to get to another resort, which could be tedious with a stroller.

Having said ALL THAT, I made a few decent cast lanyard trades (Decent meaning that I grabbed a few new HMs, a few mystery pack pins and even two pin-on-pin OEs. There were as many scrappers as you'd expect on any CM lanyard, but I did get a fair amount of real ones!) and board trades at Boardwalk and Yacht and Beach Club. Good luck!

Most of the resort gift shops have a pin trading board. And the concierge's have books. Ask if you don't see one visible. Some of them are downright terrible. Some do a better job of refreshing.

For hopping, it's easiest to do it if you start at a park close to a specific resort. So if you want to go to Animal Kingdom Lodge, get a bus from Animal Kingdom, not one of the other parks.

MK: Monorail loop hotels, boat to Wilderness Lodge or Ft Wilderness
Epcot: bus to Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans, boats to Epcot lagoon hotels
Studios: also boats to the Epcot lagoon hotels, Coronado Springs, Art of Animation, Pop Century
AK: Animal Kingdom Lodge, All-Stars
Downtown Disney: Caribbean Beach wouldn't be horrible, but there is also a boat that goes to Port Orleans, that's a nice little thing to do.
DVC resorts like Old Key West, it's easiest just to drive. You can walk to Saratoga Springs from Downtown Disney, but its a bit of a walk.

If you do just choose to drive, they will ask to see your ID at the shacks when you enter the resort. The easiest thing is to just tell them you are getting something to eat. They'll tell you where to park, and wave you through with the least amount of hassle.

I will be Resort Hop as in pin trading. We chose to stay at POR. We love it there and its our second time. We love the boat ride to dtd it makes things easier with a stroller. so you have to take a bus?

Also note that the pin boards at the resorts (I think all?) have a set time that they're out during the day.

We haven't stayed at POR for a few years, but the CMs at Fulton's gift shop always had good pins early in the morning & early afternoon (shift change, maybe). Also we usually had success at the All-Star Resorts (Movies & Music)--again earlier in the day & early afternoon, but again, haven't stayed there in a few years. Now we usually stay at Beach Club & Bay Lake.....BC we have little success, but the resort is gorgeous; BLT we have a little more success with CMs. Also, in addition to the CMs, don't forget to check the pin bags at concierge & pin boards/bags at the gift shops. More than anything, HAVE FUN :wavey:

Also the customer relation offices at all the resorts have Pin Books.

I stayed at POR about this time last year. The pins I found were ok, but lots of scrappers. I would recommend checking the board frequently in the gift shop (it was out all day) as I did notice some movement of pins on it, even between morning and afternoon. Also, I was in the lobby one day waiting for my sister when one of the CMs came out from behind the front desk with a pin board. I don't know if they take it out at certain times or you have to ask - there were other people already looking at it and I just happened upon it.

As someone recommended, I found the monorail the easiest way to hit up the 3 resorts, but otherwise there is no easy way to get from one to another - unless you're already in DTD, take a bus to another resort, and then go from there to a park - although the hunt is part of the fun !

I don't remember what days he does it, but at the Animal Kingdom Lodge Jamba house, in the gift shop King Pin will come out and trade with you.

I think its 3 PM at Jamba house on weekdays.

One way to hit the Epcot resorts is to Monorail to Epcot, walk to France, and leave through the International Gate and walk or boat to the resorts. You can also boat from the Epcot resorts to Hollywood Studios.

In wdw we went resort hopping and the way we did it was with the monorail, buses and boats ! It's really enjoyable! I'd recommend visiting grand Floridian, Polynesian and art of animation most, they were my favourite resorts! I stayed in port orleans for a few nights and that is beautiful so I'd recommend there too ^_^

I didn't even think of resort hopping! My husband and I are going to WDW for our honeymoon in September and we are staying in the military hotel on the property! Doubt they have pins hehe- but I'm all for taking boat rides and walks all around the resort! Thank you for posting this tread!!!

Thank you so much for your help. I have always wonderd how everyone does it. It seems like it takes a lot of plainning on doing this.

So who is this king pin guy? I have never heard of him. Is he like a scoop character?

And have any of you been lucky to find le pins at the parks or resorts?

Elysandrra said:

I didn't even think of resort hopping! My husband and I are going to WDW for our honeymoon in September and we are staying in the military hotel on the property! Doubt they have pins hehe- but I'm all for taking boat rides and walks all around the resort! Thank you for posting this tread!!!

Click to expand...

Congrats on Wedding!! Shades of Green does NOT have pin trading but, they sell pins in the Exchange.

From Port Orleans Riverside, you can take the boat to French Quarter as well as DTD to trade.
Take bus to Magic Kingdom & get on the Local Monorail to the Contemporary, Poly & Grand Floridian.
If in Epcot, take the Boat to Boardwalk, then Yacht & Beach Club, then (maybe in Gift Shops) Swan & Dolphin, and then the Studios.
All other Resorts, you will have to take a bus from one of the Parks OR drive yourself.

HAVE FUN TRADING!!! TTFN

I didn't find any LEs on the cast members, there was another guest I was chatting who said he had found a bunch one day while he was there on cast members. I got the feeling he felt like he got lucky though.

TiggerSue said:

Congrats on Wedding!! Shades of Green does NOT have pin trading but, they sell pins in the Exchange.

Click to expand...

Thank you! It's been a year since our wedding hehe, but my husband wanted to have enough leave to take a longer trip so we've waited SOOOOO LOOOONG!!! Ooh, I'm excited that the Exchange has pins. Really did not think they would partake in such madness!!!

Elysandrra said:

Thank you! It's been a year since our wedding hehe, but my husband wanted to have enough leave to take a longer trip so we've waited SOOOOO LOOOONG!!! Ooh, I'm excited that the Exchange has pins. Really did not think they would partake in such madness!!!

Click to expand...

A big thank you to your husband and your family for the time given up in service to our country.

njpaulc said:

A big thank you to your husband and your family for the time given up in service to our country.

Click to expand...

This.