I recently returned from our annual trip to Disneyland. I should now admit that I am hooked on Disneyland Pin Collecting. This I can blame on my good friend Lisa. I remember it was about 2 years ago that she showed me her extensive collection and explained the concept of Disneyland Pin Trading/Collecting to me over an afternoon at her house. I recall thinking this was a ridiculous hobby and I honestly saw no risk of myself slipping into this world.
The concept is pretty simple. You collect pins of your favorite characters, attractions and events. You can buy new pins or trade pins with castmembers and other pin pals everytime you visit the parks. Of course brand new pins come out all the time. There are all kinds of themes and special pins (for annual pass holders only, exclusive pins, limited edition pins, special sets, you name it they have it). By now tens of thousands of pins have been created over the years. The idea is you collect what is special to you. I probably will stick to purchasing new pins as trading involves exchanging my well kept pins with pins that have been circulated around under unknown conditions.
My very next trip, I suddenly began to see the armies of Disney visitors who wore their lanyards filled with pins. Everywhere I turned I saw lanyards filled with different unique assortment of pins. And they were not just kids, there were men and women of all ages. I remember the tough guy who boarded a shuttle with his lanyard clanking with Pirates of the Caribbean themed pins and another guy who was all decked out with his Nightmare before Christmas pins. And you start to appreciate how versatile and truly ageless Mickey and the gang are; they are just as cute for kids as they are cool for adults to wear either on a tshirt, hat or pin on a lanyard. The selection of pins that each individuals has or buys is very special to them and you really start to see their personalities emerge. I find myself taking an extra look at anybody who is wearing these pins as it is an avenue of expression that tells me something about them that I otherwise wouldn't get to see.
Well the first time I stepped into one of the pin stores, I was drawn to all the wall to wall cute pins. I quickly decided on trying to collect attractions pins. As anyone who has started any collection knows, to get a collection off the ground you have to initially inject it with some quantity. So the first trip I must have come home with at least 10 pins. Pins can go for anywhere from $9 to $150 for some framed pins (just depends what features the pin has, moving pieces, hanging ornamentation, etc - all add to the price).
Since that time, I have been back twice and each trip have found more pins to buy. The picture I have posted is of my Pirates of the Caribbean page. In the sea of lanyards at the park, you also notice the travel agency names emblazoned on many of them. As we learned from our latest trip, travel agencies give out a free starter pin to their guests. You soon learn what a great idea this is. For you never see a lanyard with just one sole pin on it. On the contrary, most of these get filled quite quickly as visitors want to add companions to their cute starter pin. We received 3 pins this way. 2 were of Chip and Dale. We soon realized just how much our son loves these 2 chipmunks. This certainly made it fun to try to collect more pins to add to this new theme that has now become special to us.
My trips to Disneyland have certainly become a little more expensive. But the added fun of this new hobby outweighs the added costs. The fact that we have found another way to express ourselves and immerse ourselves in the Disney experience when we are there and take our own piece of the magic home is priceless.
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