📌 The Unofficial Beginner's Guide to Pin Trading at Disneyland Paris

🏰 What Is Pin Trading?

Pin trading is an official Disney hobby where you collect enamel Disney pins and trade them with cast members (CMs) or other guests. You pick up some pins, then swap them for ones you like better. Disney makes this easy throughout the parks: cast members wear lanyards loaded with tradeable pins, and most shops have trading boards you can browse and swap from.

The hobby can be as casual as trading a couple of pins with a CM during your visit, or as involved as chasing limited editions, attending dedicated events, and building a collection around a specific theme. Both are completely valid, and most people find their own level somewhere in between.

You don't need to read a guide like this to get started. Grab a booster pack from the park, find a cast member wearing a lanyard or working behind a board, and ask to trade. Some tips can make the experience more rewarding though, like knowing you can ask for the trading board in most shops even if it's not on display. So, here we go!

1 📋 Types of Pins

Before diving into how trading works, it helps to know what kinds of pins exist. Disney produces several distinct categories, each with their own trading rules and relative value. Here's a quick overview of what you'll encounter at Disneyland Paris.

2 🗺️ The Basics: How Pin Trading Works in the Parks

Now that you know the types of pins you'll encounter, here's how the actual trading works. There are a few different ways to trade at Disneyland Paris:

🎫 Cast Member Lanyards

Cast members in many areas of the park wear lanyards loaded with pins. You offer one of your pins, you pick one of theirs. Almost any legitimate Disney pin is fair game. It's not just retail CMs, custodial staff sometimes have lanyards too.

🏪 Small Boards

Most shops have a small trading board, a panel with pins available for trade. If you can't see it displayed, you can ask for it. Don't ask right after a parade ends when shops are busy. Trading doesn't take much longer than a regular transaction.

Note: I've asked for a board at the Marvel hotel shop multiple times and haven't found one, it may not have one. This list is based on personal experience and isn't exhaustive.

📌 Big Boards

Larger trading boards with a wider selection. No set times but tend to appear in the afternoon, around 2PM or 4PM.

Big boards at most shops carry OEs, HMs, and cast refresh pins. The Pueblo's big board also carries limited editions, the most varied in the parks.

On nicer days, keep an eye out for boards set up outside shops too, easy to walk past without noticing.

3 ⚠️ Pin Backs, Licensed Pins, and How to Identify Fakes

This section covers three categories people often mix up: official Disney pins, licensed third-party pins, and fakes.

Official Disney Pins

Pins designed and sold directly by Disney, in the parks, the Disney Store, or official Disney channels. These are what cast members trade on lanyards and boards, and what most of this guide is about.

Licensed Pins (and Why They're Different)

Some pins are officially licensed by Disney, meaning Disney has authorised a third party to produce them, but they're not made by Disney itself.

• Loungefly: Best-known licensed brand. High quality, real Disney merchandise, but not accepted for CM trading at DLP. Identifiable by the crown pattern on the back.
• Pink a la Mode (PALM): US-based licensed brand. Not accepted at DLP, not especially popular in the Paris trading scene.
• Artland / Pulse Gallery: UK-based licensee, fine art quality pins. May come up in the European collector community.

Licensed does not automatically mean tradeable at DLP. If it didn't come from a Disney park or the Disney Store, check before assuming.

The Backs of Official Disney Pins

Backs you'll commonly encounter

• Mickey Waffle Pattern: The most common back on modern Disney pins, a repeating grid of Mickey head silhouettes alternating upright and upside-down. Your standard authenticity indicator.
• Diamond Back (Mickey Icon Stone): From early 2023, a small cubic zirconia gemstone set in a Mickey head shape near the FAC code. On genuine pins the stones are neat and clearly recognisable. Fakes exist, ears often too far apart or wonky. Not all newer pins have this.
• Pebble Back: Older textured back, common on pre-2009 park pins. Normal and not a red flag.
• Older Pins (no pattern): Earlier era pins sometimes have a completely plain back.
• "Resort" Pins: Older DLP pins may say "Disneyland Resort Paris" on the back.

If you see a pin with a small maker's mark that doesn't match the above, it's likely a fantasy pin, an original unofficial design, not a fake copy.

Less common backs (good to know)

Ice cream cones (DSSH, US store exclusive); Sorcerer Mickey hats (WDI pins, typically LE 250); diagonal gavels (Disney Auction pins); Kermit heads (some WDI Muppets pins). All legitimate, just very niche.

Scrapper Pins: What They Are and How to Spot Them

Disney outsources pin manufacturing to factories, mostly in Asia. "Scrappers" are quality-control rejects that leave the factory through unofficial channels, or unauthorised overruns using the same moulds. They're bad copies of real pins, which makes them tricky to spot.

What to look for

• Hard vs soft enamel: Real pins use hard enamel, smooth, glass-like. Ridges or texture means soft enamel, almost certainly a fake. Lightly scratch near your ear: a real pin sounds smooth, a fake sounds like sandpaper.
• Colour accuracy: Google the pin or check pinandpop. Off colours, wrong skin tones, or bleeding colours are red flags. Some variation is normal across years and parks.
• Missing details: Eyes not filled in, missing pupils, bare metal showing through, signs of a quality control reject.
• Hidden Mickey silhouettes: On HM pins, the Mickey head should have clearly defined, well-separated edges. Blurry or merged shapes are suspicious.
• Weight and thickness: Genuine pins feel solid. Scrappers often feel lighter or thinner, almost tinny.
• The back: Waffle pattern with a border around the edge where there shouldn't be one is a red flag. Also check for typos or missing copyright info.
• Pin posts: Real Disney pins (especially HMs) often have two small nubs beside the main pin post. Fakes often only have one. Pins with multiple posts tend not to have nubs, this test only applies to single-post pins.
• Price: Suspiciously cheap, or a seller with dozens of the same "limited edition"? Red flag.
• Listing language: "Tradeable" or "for trading" in listings often means scrappers. Arriving in zip-lock bags is another red flag.

If you're ever unsure, look for a cast member wearing a pin trading expert badge. At Pueblo's or Thunder Mesa Mercantile, look out for CM Franck, he trains other CMs and is happy to help.

If offered a suspicious pin by a guest, a polite way to decline: "these can only be traded in America."

Fantasy Pins

Fantasy pins are original, unofficial designs featuring Disney characters, things Disney never actually produced. Made by independent creators, not copies of existing pins. Most reputable makers include a clear maker's mark on the back. Not necessarily cheaper than official pins, individual production is often more expensive per pin. Cast members at DLP will not accept fantasy pins for trading. Be transparent if offering one to a guest trader.

4 🎒 Carrying Your Pins

Pin Bags (In-Park)

Disneyland Paris sells pin bags in the parks: Small ~€25, Large ~€45. Not always in stock, and the pocket design can be fiddly.

Pin Boards and Pinfolios

GoPinPro (US brand) makes well-regarded pin boards and pinfolios (folders designed to display and transport pins). Pinfolios let pins attach directly to the backing, no rubber pin backs needed, convenient for frequent swapping.

• In Europe: Available through StewPins in the UK. Factor in potential import costs from the EU.
• Second-hand: Sometimes listed on Vinted.
• Budget options: Search "pin trading bag" on AliExpress. Quality varies but functional options exist.
• Trading card folders: Many OE pins (with cardboard backers) fit neatly into card sleeves. Often much cheaper.

A Note on Pin Backs

Even with a pinfolio, keep a supply of pin backs on hand. When trading with a guest, your pin needs a back for their lanyard or bag.

• Standard rubber backs get stiff in cold weather and wear out over time.
• Metal pin backs grip more securely and last longer.
• Locking pin backs (sold by Disney in the parks) prevent pins falling off lanyards. Genuinely worth it for valuable pins.

What to Do With Backer Cards

For open edition pins still in shops, the backer card isn't essential but guest traders appreciate it as an authenticity indicator.

For limited edition pins, the backer card is worth keeping. LEs with original cards are considered more complete and worth more. "MIP" (Mint In Package) commands a premium on the secondary market.

If you remove pins from their cards, store the cards safely. You may want them later.

5 ⭐ Limited Edition Releases and Monthly Posters

📅 Monthly Pin Posters

Each month, DLP releases a series of pins tied to a themed "poster", a unified design often featuring a classic Disney character in a vintage poster style. Popular with collectors and tend to sell out quickly.

Bookmark the official DLP pin trading page for the current month's poster as a downloadable PDF: disneylandparis.com/en-int/events/disneyland-paris-pin-trading

For past posters: passiondlp.com/pins/pins.php has an archive with years and original retail prices.

✨ Other Limited Editions

• Disney Store: disneystore.eu releases LEs online with little advance notice. Check the Offers page before buying.
• Instagram: Follow @DisneylandParisFoodandShop for merchandise announcements.

6 🎉 Pin Trading Time (PTT) Events

PTT (Pin Trading Time) events are dedicated pin trading sessions held at DLP, most commonly at Pueblo Trading Post in Frontierland, but occasionally elsewhere including Disney hotels (the May 2026 event was at Newport Bay Club). Always check the monthly poster for the exact location.

🎟️ Who Can Attend?

PTT events are open to everyone with regular park entry. When held at a hotel, access is generally still open to day guests, but check official communications for any specific requirements.

🎪 What Happens at a PTT Event?

• Cast Refresh Pins: A new cast refresh collection is released, sold alongside a drink or snack combo. Open to all guests, no Lineberty ticket needed. PTT pins have a distinctive brownish-red border on the backer card with "Pin Trading Time" printed on it.

• Limited Edition Pin Release: Released via Lineberty queue. See the next section.
• The Big LE Trading Board: A large board loaded exclusively with LEs for trading. 2 pins per person per trade session. Bring LEs you're not too attached to!
• Games and Special Exchanges: Sometimes additional activities where OEs can be exchanged for LEs.

During PTT events, the event itself takes place at the Cowboy Cookout Barbecue nearby, but pins are sold at Pueblo's. Tables are first-come-first-served, use early park access (Disneyland Pass) if you have it.

7 📱 Lineberty: How It Works and How to Get a Ticket

⚙️ Setting Up

Lineberty is a website, not an app: web.lineberty.net. Fill in your profile before release day, your name must match your Disney park ticket or Disneyland Pass exactly. The profile occasionally erases itself, so check before each release.

Finding the DLP Pin Trading Page

1. Go to the Search tab and look up "Disneyland Paris." Click the heart icon to pin it for future visits.
2. You'll see options for Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios (old name, not yet updated).
   Most releases are under Disneyland Park.
3. Look for Produit Trading dropdown. Pins are listed here.
4. You'll see "Pin Trading (date)" and "Last Chance Pin Trading (date)" entries.

Getting a Ticket: The Main Release

Tickets typically go live two days before the sale date, at 18:00 Paris time. Check the poster or Lineberty itself for exact times.

1. Check your profile is filled in.
2. Navigate to the Disneyland Park pin trading page.
3. At exactly 18:00, the "Book a Ticket" button turns from grey to purple. Click the moment it turns, no need to refresh.
4. Complete the captcha as fast as you can.
5. If you got a ticket, you'll be notified within minutes, sometimes seconds.

Tickets sell out within seconds. If the page keeps loading after you submit, don't close it, tickets do get redistributed. If Chrome gives you trouble, try Firefox.

Getting a Ticket: Last Chance

If you missed the main release, there's a Last Chance window the day before the sale at 12:00 Paris time (noon). Same process. Last Chance holders join a separate queue once the main line clears, the shop generally reopens around 11AM. Any leftover pins may be sold without a ticket, but this is rare and first-come-first-served.

✅ On the Day

8 🤝 Trading with Guests and at Pueblo's

🤠 Pueblo Trading Post (Weekends)

Pueblo's is only open on weekends. Guest-to-guest trading at the tables happens Saturdays and Sundays only, first-come-first-served with no reservation. Opening hours are roughly 9AM–4PM (check the DLP app for current hours). Use early park access if you have it.

• None of these traders are Disney employees, they're private collectors with their own criteria.
• French traders can come across as direct or uninterested, often a communication style, not actual rudeness. A "merci!" and move to the next table is fine.
• Assuming you have nothing anyone wants will get you zero trades. Asking might get you something.
• If offered a suspicious pin, a polite line borrowed from a CM: "these can only be traded in America."
• No selling pins on the premises. DLP takes this seriously, you may be asked to leave.

💬 General Guest Trading Tips

• A mix of characters, series, and rarities gives you more to work with.
• Unwritten rule: Cars pins trade Cars-for-Cars. Otherwise, if you see something you like, just ask.
• Guest trades don't have to be one-for-one. Offering two or more OEs for one LE is perfectly normal if values align. Whether a trader accepts is entirely up to them.
• Guest trading has no 2-pin limit.

9 🔥 Trading at DLP: What Works and What Doesn't

What Cast Members Will and Won't Accept

CMs will trade almost any legitimate Disney pin. The DLP-specific restriction: no Loungefly.

Older DLP pins (with "Disneyland Resort Paris" on the back or a plain back) are technically eligible, but think twice: they tend to hold more value, and some CMs may not recognise them, you may get a refusal even on a perfectly valid pin.

Trading with Guests

• American park pins: Not commonly seen in Paris, Disney World, Disneyland, and park-specific designs attract interest.
• Asian park pins: Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, uncommon in Europe and often well-received.
• Mystery bag pins: Paris doesn't sell mystery pin bags, making these rare and good trade bait.
• Older limited editions: Vintage LEs in good condition are interesting to serious collectors.
• Fantasy pins: Less popular in Paris than some other communities. Be transparent.

10 💰 Determining Pin Value

📊 What Affects Value

Edition size (smaller = rarer); condition (chips, scratches, missing backs reduce value); character popularity (Villains, Stitch, and classic characters hold value well); availability (sold-out pins command more); and market timing (values shift over time). Personal or sentimental value is real too.

🔍 How to Check Value

pinandpop.com, pin database with front and back images, and eBay sold listings. Check recent sold listings before buying or trading anything.

Google Lens (or equivalent), photograph a pin and search by image. Often pulls up pinandpop pages or eBay results. Handy in the park.

MagicPin (magicpinapp.com), iOS and Android app: scan to identify, catalogue your collection, marketplace. Free basic version; full features ~€1.99/month or €9.99/year.

Pin Trading - Scan & Collect (pintrading.io), iOS only currently. Subscription ~€14.99/month or €39.99/year. I haven't personally used it; pinandpop covers value-checking well for free.

• Check multiple sold listings, one outlier can skew your sense of value.
• Factor in condition when comparing.
• Older pins with few listings are harder to value, community groups can help.
• Prices shift over time, a year-old price check may be outdated.

11 🛒 Buying Pins Online

• Disney Store (disneystore.eu), carries pins including LEs. Little advance notice on new releases. Check the Offers page before ordering.
• Vinted, good for second-hand pins including older LEs. Always check value first; don't hesitate to make an offer.
• eBay, wider selection, but EU import costs can add up. Know your total before committing.

12 💶 A Word on Budgeting

Pin trading is a genuinely fun hobby, and that's exactly what makes it dangerous for your wallet. OEs run €9, €12, or €15; LEs start at around €18 and go up. It adds up fast.

• Know your ISOs (In Search Of). A list of pins you're actively looking for makes it easier to walk past the ones you don't need.
• Pick a theme and stick to it. Villain pins, Haunted Mansion, a specific character, having a theme makes it easier to say no to everything else. Without one, every nice pin becomes a candidate for keeping, and things snowball fast. (Unless that's what you're going for. No judgement.)
• Trade for your ISOs where you can. Getting a pin through a trade is always more satisfying than buying it.
• Set a rough budget per visit. A booster pack plus one or two intentional buys is a reasonable starting point.
• Check value before buying second-hand. The pinandpop eBay sold listings take 30 seconds and can save you from paying twice what something is worth.

13 📖 Common Terms and Abbreviations

🌐 Useful Communities