Last-minute trip to Orlando with no park tickets

[kpop]

I have to visit SW FL to help my dad with some things, but the flights to MCO were a very good price so I'm flying to Orlando.  I'll have one or two afternoons/evenings on my own before I fly out. But I don't currently have an AP, so I won't be going into the parks.

 

Is there any pin trading other than Epcot? Debating if I should bring some traders or just small pins to trade with CMs at Disney Springs and resorts. (I checked the event calendar and there aren't any hotel events while I'll be there.)

Edited January 3, 2024 by kpop
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[sithathoriunet]

There is trading at Disney Springs and all of the on-property Disney resorts!  @TheTwins have experience with the type of visit you're talking about, maybe they would like to chime in with more details?

[TheTwins]

Oh, you can trade at Disney Springs and the resorts! Now, we've never pin traded at the Parks, so I don't know how to compare that. However, we love the trading at the resorts and DS. In March, there was a pin board at the Toy Store across form Pin Traders in Disney Springs, as well as one that came out periodically at Pin Traders. Each Resort had at least one . . . our favorite thing to do is go to Disney Springs and boat out to Riverside. There is a pin board at the DVC counter and in the Gift Shop. about a five minute walk (or one boat stop down) from Riverside is French Quarter and they had a board at their front desk and one in the gift shop, as well. Most resorts have one at the main desk and/or gift shop and one at the DVC counter. If there are any resorts you are particularly considering, let me know and I can tell you what we found in March if we went there!

[kpop]

5 hours ago, TheTwins said:

Oh, you can trade at Disney Springs and the resorts! Now, we've never pin traded at the Parks, so I don't know how to compare that. However, we love the trading at the resorts and DS. In March, there was a pin board at the Toy Store across form Pin Traders in Disney Springs, as well as one that came out periodically at Pin Traders. Each Resort had at least one . . . our favorite thing to do is go to Disney Springs and boat out to Riverside. There is a pin board at the DVC counter and in the Gift Shop. about a five minute walk (or one boat stop down) from Riverside is French Quarter and they had a board at their front desk and one in the gift shop, as well. Most resorts have one at the main desk and/or gift shop and one at the DVC counter. If there are any resorts you are particularly considering, let me know and I can tell you what we found in March if we went there!

 

Oh that's a great idea! My plan was to start at Disney Springs and hop a bus to a resort, but the boat to RS/FQ sounds perfect. French Quarter is such an awesome resort... maybe I'll treat myself to a beignet too

[bellesenchantedrose]

Not sure if you already had your trip, but when my sis in law and I went to MK in October a CM from the Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe in Liberty Square was sweet enough to circle all the store locations that had pin boards! I definitely recommend asking a stores CM when you get there! There were at least 6 of them if I remember correctly. We pin traded in every single park when we went and probably traded over 100 pins during our visits at the parks, some resorts, and DS. 

[TheTwins]

As far as pin trading at Disney Springs, I know that CMs were happy to tell us where the boards were in March. Some of the boards were there all the time, and then there were some at Pin Traders that only came out certain times of the day. From watching YouTube walkthroughs, it appears that more boards are coming out down there (like at the Disney Style store down near the AMC and Marvel Store) --- and some hip lanyards have been spotted on CMs, apparently. Disney Springs is a great place to trade. 

 

@bellesenchantedrose That's neat about how many you guys got to trade over your stay. Cool! Trades can really add up like that, over all the boards. I know there are a lot of scrapper pins around, but by just plugging away when we go, we always find some neat stuff. Sounds like you guys did great!

 

~ Sarah