• Guest, Help The DPF Community Thrive - Join Our Donation Drive Today!

    We're launching a special DPF Donation Drive to ensure our beloved forum continues to flourish. Your support is vital in helping us cover essential server costs and keep our community running smoothly — This is more than just a donation; it's an investment in the future of our community.

    Join us in this crucial drive and let's ensure our forum remains a vibrant and dynamic place for everyone.

    Please visit the DPF Donation Drive Thread for details and instructions on how you can make your donation today!
  • DPF Member Pins NOW AVAILABLE!
    Head on over to the Official Announcement to secure your pin today!

QUESTION How long have you been collecting Disney pins?

How long have you been collecting Disney pins?

  • Newbie, I have been collecting less than one year

    Votes: 9 13.8%

  • 1-2 Years, I've learned a lot but still getting my feet wet

    Votes: 8 12.3%

  • 3-5 Years, getting comfortable

    Votes: 4 6.2%

  • 6-10 Years, in the groove

    Votes: 10 15.4%

  • 11-20 Years, Long hauler

    Votes: 17 26.2%

  • 21-25 Years, I got in early, but maybe or maybe not at the beginning

    Votes: 13 20.0%

  • I'm old, I have been collecting longer than there has been Official Disney Pin Trading

    Votes: 4 6.2%
  • Total voters
    65
QUESTION How long have you been collecting Disney pins?
I started on my first trip to WDW, which I think was 1999? I can’t really remember exactly but it was hot and I do remember the 2000 sorcerer Mickey wand on top of Spaceship Earth. It may have been 2000 because my parents wouldn’t take my brother or I out of school so it had to be during summer break. The first pin I bought with my own money was PP132 WDW - Ezra - First Ever WDW Haunted Mansion Pin. I really just thought they were a cool memento to all the rides and experiences I had at the park. I also collected PP846 WDW - Falling Mickey - Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, PP466 Star Tours Logo - Triangle, PP337 WDW - Mickey Mouse - Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, PP280 WDW - Alien Encounter Monster Logo. Though I didn’t ride Tower of Terror or Rock n Roller Coaster until I was an adult, I liked Mickey on the attractions. At the end of the trip, my parents bought me PP869 WDW - Donald, Mickey, Goofy - Hand in Hand 2000 - Name Pin, and PP7 WDW - Fab 4 - 2000 Set - Outfit Icons. I still have all the pins and I wouldn’t get more pins until my next trip in 2004. I didn’t get back into it until 2018 on a trip with my wife and she gifted me PP123035 Bat - Haunted Mansion - Wallpaper, which is such a simple pin, but it meant a lot to me.
 
Last edited:
Great story. Love the pin list... I had to go look them up to see what they were.
 
It was 3 years ago this month that I decided to buy one pin every trip to the park to keep track of the number of visits with my magic key. Then I moved about 5 miles from the park in July and realized I couldn't really buy a pin every trip anymore (although I totally buy at least one pin every trip now!), but I was hooked so I started thinking about a themed collection. Then I saw the Lady in a basket and knew Lady was going to be THE collection. Cinderella and LATT were my favorites as a kid, but Lady is much much much cuter than Cindy. After buying the 2 or so LATT pins they had (I really just wanted Lady - no other characters), I ventured online to see what else was out there. I hadn't even realized at that point that LE pins existed. Boy was I in for a surprise. My first Tuesday pin drop was the first Tuesday in May 2025 when I was looking for the LATT 70th anniversary pins. I walked into the park and saw the long lines (Pooh and Tiki Window dropped that day). I had no idea what I was getting into. I still feel that way a lot!

I have so very much to learn still and am so incredibly grateful to have such a supportive and knowledgeable community here!
 
Technically, I got my first pins in 2019 when I went to Disney in Paris - but most of the ones I brought there were for my long haul collecting friend in the USA (I'm from England) I picked up a few Groot ones back then for myself. I didn't really start collecting until 2020 when I was stuck at home in the pandemic and picked up a couple of hobbies Pin Collecting, Crystal and Wood puzzle making were the top of the ladder.
 
Crystal and Wood puzzle making sounds really interesting. 🙂
 
Started when I first went to Disney in 2002, but have started getting more "serious" in the last year. I'm learning the new ropes. And looking for tips on how to be more active even tho I live away from the parks.
 
mleeliu said:
Started when I first went to Disney in 2002, but have started getting more "serious" in the last year. I'm learning the new ropes. And looking for tips on how to be more active even tho I live away from the parks.
Click to expand...
Pinandpop.com

Have you checked it out? Trading for those not near the parks is one of the things they promote.
 
I started in 2002 (I think) when I went on a trip with my extended family to WDW. I think I was in 2nd grade. It was my first trip but my aunt/uncle/cousins went yearly & had already started to trade in the parks.

So before the trip, we picked up some pins at the Disney Store - they were selling the 100 Years of Magic & Magical Musical Moments series pins in-store at the time - and got a lanyard from a mail-in promotion that Kellogg’s was running (that I still have lol). And I just had a blast trading on that trip & got hooked.

It was years later when I was older that I discovered the concept of limited edition/higher value pins, which led me to online spots like PinPics & DPF. That’s when I really felt like I started having a “collection” & really developed an idea of what I wanted to collect/focus on.

I still have the first pin I got from the Disney Store before that first trip, even though I don’t really collect Pooh & Friends:

 
I started collecting pinsback in 2008...short lived becaused we moved out of California in 2010...My family and I were pass holders for a few years and with our boys we just picked up some laynards and off we went...My husband and I have been going to Disneyland for years...As a small child, I believe my first experience was in 1962...( im old) i was there to see the electric light parade open on its first day!!! I was in awwwhhhh...but as for pins, Cheshire is my go too...I have quite a few, My Hubby is a Tink fan...so, i found my pin bag in the attic, 17 years or so later and here I am... I bought a few here and there on line on e bay, but its not the same as going to Disneyland...I'm hoping finding you all here will be as close as I can get to Disneyland, cuz I live in Maine....
 
Another Chesire fan??? @Connies_Hobby You've got a new friend. Tink is a fun choice too. Glad to hear a little about your story and hope you have a lot of fun here. If you happen to work out adding photos to your intro I would love to see what you have collected over the years! I'm a BIG Christmas fan and try my best to only add Tinkerbell when she's helping to brighten the season. Chesire's gotten a lot of love over the years and this year is no exception. Ton's of Alice fans on the Forum; I have a lot of faith you will be able to trade for all the kittens you need in the future!
 
Reactions: Ajk
Thank you for your message! I am so bad on computers...I will have to have my hubby show me how its done, and get my pins posted....I look forward to seeing everyones pins and trading sounds like a lot of fun...so hopefully I can get it done this weekend and get this pin party going...😀
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register