Trares
Without really knowing it, Anthony joined a special club last week.
This fraternity values creativity, artistry, camaraderie and originality. Their members are easily recognizable, and even complete strangers can bond over their shared interest.
Anthony has become a Disney pin trader.
Despite some last-minute changes to our itinerary, we were able to travel to Orlando last week for our fall break vacation. Though the week included plenty of swimming, visits to the zoo and a chance to play in the sand, the centerpiece of the trip was a few days at Disney World.
My wife is a lifelong Disney fan, and she’s passed on that fandom to Anthony. In the weeks leading up to vacation, they watched movies, played Disney music around the house and planned which Mickey Mouse ears they’d be taking along.
I’m mostly along for the ride, but even I’ll admit it can be a magical place.
When we got down to Orlando, my wife posed a question to Anthony: Would you like to start collecting the pins?
For those not completely immersed in the Disney lifestyle, pin collecting is a massive subculture at the parks. Stores throughout the Disney properties sell pins in any style you can imagine: classic characters, newer Disney properties such as Star Wars and Marvel, special holiday-themed designs and just about anything else you can imagine.
Fans wear their collections on lanyards around the necks — an easy-to-identify signifier for other pin collectors that you’re open to trade.
The more hardcore keep their eyes peeled walking around the Disney parks, stopping strangers to see if they can make a deal. But even beginners can stop at essentially any cashier stand, look at the displays they have set out and request a trade. And the cashiers make the switch, no questions asked.
We could tell Anthony was interested in getting involved, but he was hesitant. He didn’t know if he could go up to strangers and ask about trading. How would he approach them? What would he trade? What if they said no?
My wife assured him that everyone would be pleasant and happy to trade with him. Why don’t we get a starter set — a lanyard and four pins — then give it a try? If he didn’t like it, we could forget about it, we said.
Anthony agreed. He picked out a Star Wars-themed starter pack, carefully arranged the pins on his lanyard, and prepared for his first trade. Walking up to a pleasant young cashier in one of the gift shops, we could tell his shyness was ramping up; he kind of froze at the counter.
Luckily, the cashier was a pro. In a cheerful voice, she asked if he wanted to see her pins, which she presented on a display tray. He nodded, and looked around. When he found one he liked — a stylized Jiminy Cricket — he offered one of his Star Wars in exchange.
“It’s his first trade,” my wife casually mentioned to the cashier.
You would have thought it was his birthday. The girl got very excited, pulling out a special celebration pin and writing “I’m Celebrating Pin Trading” on it.
Other pin traders caught wind. While Anthony was admiring his new acquisition, a fellow collector came over, explaining that she overheard that this was his first time trading. As a special gift, she gave him one of her own pins — no trade required.
Anthony walked out of that store with a smile a mile wide, fully immersed in the trading life. For the rest of the trip, he was on a mission, wheeling and dealing all over the parks. Other Disney employees offered him free pins in celebration of his new hobby. He showed off his collection with pride, and talked with other collectors about where he got them.
Every trading experience we had was a positive one. We could tell Anthony felt like part of the cool kids with every exchange he made.
We returned to Indiana with a lanyard full of pins. For the time being, Anthony’s collection is on display in our living room, where he can stop and admire each one. There will be no more trading for a while; we don’t foresee a Disney trip again anytime soon.
But no matter what, Anthony will always be part of the club.
Ryan Trares is a senior reporter and columnist for the Daily Journal. Send comments to [email protected].
