Some Disneyland advice?

[a4matte]

I'm going to Disneyland for the first time this week. I'll be there from the 5th to the 9th.

I'm usually a Disney World person. I usually take my pins along for the trip but really only carry some traders on my lanyard. Rarely do I really do much trading in the parks unless I stop by the tables in Epcot or at the pin store in DTD.

Should I really even bother taking them on this trip? I won't be at the Mickey's of Glendale event and probably won't be stopping by the Hollywood store.

If I do take my pins where are the places worth going with them lately? Seems like it changes a lot for you guys.

 

[Vixy]

I've made a lot of great trades with the traders at Disneyland. They mostly hang out at the tables outside the Mexican restaurant (Rancho del Zocalo). Sunday afternoon seems to be the best time, I think? Though I've seen traders there on other days.

Once in a while I've heard that a cast member has kicked them out, but one of the traders I talked to just bought some food and stayed.

Cast member trading is much slimmer at Disneyland than at Disney World. My friend and I still take a lanyard and try it, particularly at the boards in some of the stores and at guest services in the Grand Californian. We also seem to find a lot of lanyards on CMs working parade traffic control for some reason (you just don't want to check them too close to parade time or you're getting in the way of their work.) Just take a good look at the pins before you trade for them; there tend to be a lot of scrappers out there, unfortunately.

 

[a4matte]

Just take a good look at the pins before you trade for them; there tend to be a lot of scrappers out there, unfortunately.

WDW is the same way. I barely even do more than glance at a cast member's lanyard anymore. They all seem to be scrappers and even all the same scrappers over and over again.

 

[Cheshirecat26]

I just got back yesterday from Disneyland. My husband surprised me with a trip for my birthday for the Thanksgiving holiday. For the cast member Lanyards, I was actually fairly surprised this trip. There were a lot of them out there wearing Lanyards and I found a bunch of non-scrapper pins. A couple times during the trip I mentioned to a cast member I was surprised they had so many choices on good pins and they would say they just restocked.

Not sure for the holiday week they try to wear the Lanyards more and restock more often. But I ended up finding some nice finds. There were the typical scrappers still, but some nice finds.

Sent from my Surface 2 using Tapatalk

 

[docfish2u]

I agree with Vixy. She pretty well summed up the way we do it now.

 

[tiggeriffic]

There's a big wheel-board at the Frontierland Trading Post. I'm not sure if any of the pins are good, but it might be worth a look and it's one of the better pin shops in the DLR. It's worth browsing anyway.

 

[Carlosar33]

Make sure to go to DSF. Hopefully they still have Minnie or Donald PTD.

 

[dancecats]

At this point, I don't bother bringing pins with me (other than the random traders for lanyards) to the park anymore - this is for both DLR and WDW. I've found that there tend to be very few pin traders there, and the majority of those who are there, only are interested in trades that clearly benefit them. I find that it isn't worth the hassle of bringing pins that are worth anything more than what you would find on a lanyard into the parks.

Furthermore, as has been pointed out, I second caution when trading with the CMs. Like at WDW, the lanyards tend to be overrun with counterfeit and scrapper pins. Look closely at the pins before you trade. Just remember pin etiquette and ask the CM to see his/her lanyard closer before you stare at it; such scrutiny might make the CM uncomfortable. Unlike at WDW, lanyard-wearing isn't compulsory (which is why lanyards aren't as prevalent) and we don't want to give the DLR CMs more reasons to decline wearing them.

 

[a4matte]

Make sure to go to DSF. Hopefully they still have Minnie or Donald PTD.

No time for that. No interest in Minnie or Donald, plus there just seems to be a lot of drama with that place that I have no interest in.