When most people go to Disney World, they plan to ride the dazzling attractions, meet the characters, and enjoy the delicious food that the theme park has to offer.
But for a select group of people, there’s something else that they go to the Happiest Place on Earth for: to trade or collect pins.
The world of Disney pin collecting is something that began decades ago, but has grown into a massive phenomenon in recent months that has stretched way beyond the parks.
There’s now dozens of Facebook groups dedicated to the activity, meetups are held every few months in cities across the globe so people can compare and swap pins, and some have even turned the hobby into a booming business.
Take Richard Summers, for example. He first came across Disney pin trading during a vacation in 2003, and now, 21 years on, he has now earned more than $1 million from reselling the small, shiny momentos to others.
The world of Disney pin trading and collecting is something that began decades ago, but has grown into a massive phenomenon in recent months that has stretched way beyond the parks
Richard, 43, from Devenport, Florida, told DailyMail.com exclusively that he now has 75,000 different pins in his collection, and he spends around $2,000 to $5,000 every other week on Disney pins.
He specifically focuses on completing sets and getting his hands on limited edition ones that are no longer available so he can resell them online through livestream events that he holds multiple times a week.
‘Earlier this year we passed $1 million in sales in two years,’ he dished. ‘It is crazy how it has taken off.
‘During a vacation in 2003 I caught the pin trading bug and started trading in the parks.
‘Then [me and my wife] created the group Pin Trading Disney [on Facebook] about three years ago.
‘We now have 50,000 members. They buy/sell/trade pins with each other on a daily basis.
‘Two years ago we started livestreaming on [the platform] WhatNot and that is when it [really] took off.’
Richard explained that there’s an entire ‘community’ of people who have bonded over their mutual love of pin trading.
There are now dozens of Facebook groups dedicated to the activity and meetups are held every few months in cities across the globe so people can compare and swap pins
Some have even turned the hobby into a booming business. Take Richard Summers, for example, who has now earned over $1 million from reselling the small, shiny momentos
Richard, 43, from Florida, told DailyMail.com that he currently has 75,000 pins in his collection, most of which he plans to sell. Some of his collection is seen
There are ‘pin boards’ placed all around the parks, where guests can leave a pin from their collection and take one that was left by someone else
‘[Everyone is] so supportive. They’re so encouraging,’ he gushed. ‘I met some of my absolute best friends at the pin trading walls at Epcot.
‘Once you get into it and get into the community aspect of it, you’re hooked.’
Over the years, Disney has released hundreds of thousands of pins. There are sets for every ride, character, and movie – and there are over 7,000 different Mickey Mouse pins alone.
New pins are released at Disney every Tuesday to keep the buzz going – with prices ranging from $12.99 to $16.99.
In addition, there are ‘pin boards’ placed all around the parks, where guests can leave a pin from their collection and take one that was left by someone else.
According to Richard, who said he visits the park three times a week, he still gets excited when he comes across a new pin he’s never seen.
‘I’ve seen thousands of pins, but then you see one that you never saw before,’ he explained. ‘These are a little pieces of art.’
Another Disney pin enthusiast, named Robin Pomatto, told DailyMail.com that she has spent tens of thousands of dollars on her collection over the years.
She explained that as a ‘naturally shy person,’ she fell in love with the hobby while in college, after noticing that it helped her ‘connect with people.’
Flash forward two decades later, and Robin, who is now in her 40s and lives in New York City, said she spends time engaging with the pin trading community online ‘every day.’
Over the years, Disney has released hundreds of thousands of pins and there’s sets for every ride, character, and movie. A recent Mickey Mouse pin released for Halloween is seen
Richard told DailyMail.com that he spends around $2,000 to $5,000 every other week on Disney pins. Some of his collection is seen
For Amber Elliston, 37, from Columbus, Georgia, Disney pin trading is even more than a hobby – it’s something she and her family do to keep the memory of her late son alive
She said her son Anderson passed away in September 2022 at age three due to pneumonia. Just months before his death, they had taken him to Disney World and bought him a pin
‘I’m online checking out the databases all the time, checking out what folks are selling and trading, clocking my collection, assessing it,’ she explained.
‘And about once a month, I’ll spend a few hours with my new acquisitions out on table, putting things into their place in my books.’
Similarly to Richard, she said her favorite part is discovering a new pin that she’s never seen before.
‘And it’s great to make people’s day with a trade that’s meaningful for them. Sometimes I genuinely like that just as much as getting a trade for myself,’ she added.
‘Seeing how folks can light up when they get something they’ve been hunting for a while – it’s a great feeling.’
As for those who ‘don’t get it,’ she added, ‘It’s a hobby same as fishing or hiking or stamp collecting. Let folks enjoy things.’
‘After he passed, we began collecting in his memory,’ she shared. ‘It’s been something that our family has used to bond.’ She’s seen with her husband and older son
Amber added: ‘Reconnecting within a new dynamic has been difficult, but pins have bridged the communication lines.’ Her collection for Anderson is seen above
For Amber Elliston, 37, from Columbus, Georgia, Disney pin trading is even more than a hobby – it’s something she and her family do to keep the memory of her late son alive.
She explained that her son Anderson passed away in September 2022 at age three due to pneumonia.
Just months before his death, they had taken him to Disney World and bought him a Monsters Inc. pin.
‘After he passed, we came across that pin and began collecting in his memory and hunting down pins of his favorite movies,’ she shared.
‘Not only has it been a hobby, but it’s been something that our family (myself, husband, and Andy’s big brother) have used to bond and spend time together.
‘Reconnecting within a new dynamic has been difficult, but pins have bridged the communication lines.’
