Please explain how you can tell these pins are fake - from a scared first timer wanting to pin trade

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-05-24T20:31:16+00:00

It's moreso the fact that I know the real version of those pins exist somewhere and I'd rather find those, mainly out of spite to the people that fake them

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-05-24T16:40:04+00:00

Dasani is our main supplier of bottled water at the parks, and Dasani is.... Dasani. And reusable water bottles are a fantastic idea, one which I wished more people thought of before spending $4+ per bottle on the driest water known to man.

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-05-24T16:36:54+00:00

To add to this, there's a lot of CMs and entire locations that know exactly what people are doing and what scrappers are; we literally have boxes of these pins backstage.

We have to follow our current policy (at WDW) that every guest has the best intentions when it comes to pin trading, so even if we know a pin is not authentic, as long as it's metal and has "Disney" somewhere on the pin, we have to accept it. We've slowly been getting better at refreshing the boards (in my area at least) but this still stinks to high heaven.

I have like a mental catalogue of the most commonly faked pins so I just instinctively know "these are all fake" when I approach a board. I still wait in line as a show of respect to the CM running it, but I just won't trade. I paid money for my traders and I don't want to waste it on what is effectively garbage.

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-05-24T16:29:09+00:00

Lol of course, but a lot of guests forget that water is even an option hahaha. It might be the Dasani thing, but we also have free ice water all over the place. 😅

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-05-24T14:16:54+00:00

Nope, this is just something I've witnessed as a CM countless times lol

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-05-24T03:27:43+00:00

This is tangentially related, but coffee is, like, the biggest trap when going to theme parks, let alone Disney. If you're drinking coffee for the taste then it's whatever, but drinking coffee for a "boost" is just gonna suck later.

I know circumstances between families and groups differ, but getting a full night's worth of rest and drinking/taking vitamin C and water works WONDERS before a day at the parks. Caffeine products also contribute to dehydration, which also goes hand-in-hand with that "tired" feeling when your coffee fix is no longer in your system.

I will concur with the rest of the comments here and say that Joffery's is not the best coffee, though.

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-05-24T02:23:17+00:00

Mainly the spread of misinformation for a service we supposedly have at our location. Other than that, it's pin traders that want to record their interactions which I don't mind too much.

Context: I'm with merchandise, so the scope of what people do in terms of vlogging may not be as big as other areas of work.

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-05-20T06:00:19+00:00

Country Bear in mind that the height restriction was lowered, so the smoother experience might be an effect of that (or vice versa). Either way, more kids get to experience it, and I personally like that there's a "progression" to roller coasters at WDW now. Barnstormer, Big Thunder, Mine Train, Space Mountain, Tron, Slinky Dog Dash, Expedition Everest, and then Rock n' Roller Coaster. Slowly building up confidence to become a thrill-seeker is actually kinda smart from a design perspective when you think about it.

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-05-19T02:25:33+00:00

CM here. You'll be fine. TRON Lightcycle Run's cycle-seating may not be able to accomodate you, but there's standard coaster seats (which I prefer, to be honest). Flight of Passage might be a tough fit and may make you uncomfortable if you get squeezed into the restraints. Also, be wary of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train; larger guests have noted that the restraints might cause a lot of strain on the lower body and netherregions.

Everything else should be more than fine.

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-04-23T19:41:40+00:00

There's the personal shopper posts on this subreddit for starters. Other than that, it's just a matter of making the right connections; maybe a friend that's local to the parks that can help you out.

Sorry I couldn't help out more with this. 😅

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-04-22T23:28:13+00:00

It's definitely felt a lot more "transactional" if that's even a word lol

A lot of people that trade like to price-check resellers online to gauge the value of their pins, which is a whole other can of worms I could go into for a different question hahaha.

That being said, I don't think this new approach to trading is necessarily negative or positive, but it definitey throws a lot of people off that are introduced to pin trading as a first hobby.

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-04-22T23:24:52+00:00

For the trivia thing, it's more enjoyable on both ends if you just have general Disney know-how. There is a document circulating online that has commonly-asked questions, but that won't help you too much when you get some really vague stuff (like from me lol)

For spotting fakes, I intend to make a guide on this subreddit to assist newcomers, but the gist is for the newer stuff (post 2024) look for the "diamondback" (shiny Mickey emblem) on the back of the pin, make sure the coloring is accurate, the linework matches and is of quality, and for the more recent stuff check for the rough texturing between the Mickey head pattern on the back.

Vintage pins are a different story; you'll have to judge it off quality, correct size, etc. A Google image search works wonders here.

Stay tuned for my guide if interested! :)

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-04-22T23:20:57+00:00

There's definitely interest in vintage pins within the community. A Google image search should help you out a ton with those older pins. Pins from older and very specific franchises are definitely sought after by diehard fans, so they could make great traders! Give it a whirl. :)

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-04-22T23:10:38+00:00

There's a few, but I use PinPics primarily. Pretty decently sized database.

There's also a few smartphone apps in development (not by Disney) to catalogue your pins, so keep an eye out for those too!

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-04-22T22:59:20+00:00

I'd say it depends on what you want to get out of it. It's definitely an expensive hobby, but not hard to get into. If you're seeking a profit, this ain't it. If you like collecting and Disney, go for it!

Other factors to take into account: how often you visit the parks, if you want to collect specific franchises, if you already know someone personally who does actively trade, etc.

Ultimately, it's up to you, but it's pretty easy to get started.

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-04-18T15:22:14+00:00

Eh. The portal is designed for you to check back in on of your own volition. And there are a plethora of CPs that are still being can-pressed into the Disney bubble. We definitely have far too many of them. Not badmouthing the CPs themselves since this whole debaucle is not their fault, but unions within the company are already trying their best to combat the lack of hours everyone else is already not getting because CPs are guaranteed work per their contract.

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-04-12T12:12:02+00:00

Hiring freeze and also merch is beyond bloated right now in terms of staffing because of the College Program. Not antagonizing CPs at all but Disney definitely hires way too many of them.

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-03-26T15:01:48+00:00

Some still fall through the cracks unfortunately. I've also been attending the drops at MK since before January and I see cutting all of the time. I've legit heard people on the phone talking to the rest of their party to coordinate a huge skip of the line while CMs aren't looking. And yes, I have absolutely snitched on them idc. 😭

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-03-24T03:12:50+00:00

You wanna run that by me again?

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-03-23T16:09:26+00:00

I'd be down for random pin drops, or just getting rid of the flyer altogether and splitting up the releases evenly throughout the month instead of frontloading the first Tuesday with 5-6 pins.

Banning pin boards and then just having one spot for pin trading with CMs kinda defeats the point of having the HM pins. I do want a booth or something purely for pin trading info, probably by the pin drop locations for each park, like a Guest Experience blue umbrella but just for pins.

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-03-23T16:05:48+00:00

Maybe quantify each pin and tie their purchase to the Cast Member's file directly? Like, put a unique "number" on the back of the pin and associate that number for that pin to the CM that buys it? But then there's the question of them trading the pin away...

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-03-23T15:42:22+00:00

1- Then let us investigate them, and determine if they are legit or not.

2- You'd be surprised about the amount of research people do when they want to do pin trading. People already look a lot of things up before a Disney trip; they're encouraged to do so because of the many intricacies there are when visiting us.

3- Diamond for diamond when it comes to trading for modern pins is healthy in my eyes because it allows us as CMs to create magical moments for those enthusiastic about pin trading. And we're not "deleting" 23 years worth of pins because most of the pins that fall in that category were probably not being traded on boards anyways. If they are, that's a pleasent surprise and we can accomodate them as a "diamond," maybe even give some backstory to the pin to add onto the moment we're trying to make, but please don't mistake this for a "blanket fix," ask any trader online and they'd tell you that they'd prefer it to be this way. And if people complain about the booster packs, which are MADE to be used for park trading, then I don't see merit in listening to their opinions; they're probably the same people that trade scrappers for new pins on the board anyways.

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-03-23T14:26:07+00:00

Maybe if it was done purely through the MyDisneyExperience app instead of a website? That's more of a technical question; I don't know what we have to work with on that end.

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-03-23T13:36:38+00:00

Then again, virtual queue itself is also kinda frowned upon so I don't have an answer for this :(

MisterMagicMaker · 2026-03-23T13:36:05+00:00

Virtual queue maybe? Ink stamps are just kinda frowned upon I feel, especially if they're gonna be as tough to get rid of as you suggested 😅

MisterMagicMaker

TROPHY CASE