The Obvious - The Disney Parks
The most obvious spot to buy Disney collectible pins is at the various parks.
Although there are some pin designs that are sold at all the parks, the majority of pins produced can be found exclusively at certain parks. This is even true within Walt Disney World. There are core pins sold in all four parks, but are also pins exclusive to certain WDW parks.
In fact, there are certain pins - Surprise Releases especially - that may only be released and sold at one specific location in the entire resort!
One of the hidden secrets of Disney pin collecting is found at the Disney hotels. Certain pins - some of them quite rare - can be found only at a particular Disney resort. Quantities are sometimes limited on these pins, since there is a smaller number of people who see them. (And in the process, you may discover some really cool resorts to lodge at in the future.)
The Disney Store in Downtown Disney brings out a pin book and lets people trade at a certain time in the afternoon. Guest Relations in each park also has a book. Even in the Confectioner's Shoppe on Main Street USA there's a book (since Cast Members there can't wear lanyards). Each resort's gift shop should also have a book for glancing. More expensive resorts also tend to have better pins (at least in my experience)...
Something new I've noticed is that at various kiosks within the park, the traditional lanyard has been replaced with a one- or two-page book. This is easier for Cast Members to deal with, and more variety for traders (though it's hard to see if they have a book).
Another great source comes with special events. Whether it be a Pin Celebration, or coordination with something like Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, special pins are regularly released in lower edition sizes.
Current parks are:
Disneyland
Disney's California Adventure
Walt Disney World (Magic Kingdom / Epcot / Disney's Hollywood Studios / Animal Kingdom)
Disneyland Paris (Previously known as EuroDisney)
Tokyo Disneyland
Disneyland Hong Kong
DisneyAuctions, DisneyShopping and Disney Catalog
For years, DisneyAuctions.com was the place to buy highly limited edition pins. In 2006, as popularity weakened though, the site was discontinued and now such items are sold through DisneyShopping.com.
Disney Catalog is now also DisneyShopping.com. For some reason, there has been a stigma against pins from Disney Catalog, but in the past 12 months that seems to have changed as more limited edition pins have been marketed through DisneyShopping. One of DisneyShopping's biggest ploys is to offer Mystery Sets, where the buyer gets four pins of various edition sizes, but the buyer doesn't know what they'll get until the package arrives. Basically, it's playing the lottery except with pins.
The Disney Store / Disney Soda Fountain / Disney Gallery / WDCC / World of Disney / Walt Disney Studios Burbank / Disney Family Museum
Different stores with a common purpose: Selling Disney products and to promote the Disney Parks.
While The Disney Store caters to the traditional mall crowd, selling predominantly children's clothing and toys (as well as some adult items, music, movies and collectibles), the Disney Galleries are more high-brow; they concentrate on artwork, figurines and collectible pins. The Walt Disney Collectors Club and Collectors Society were ran through the Galleries.
It should be noted that although the USA Disney Stores have lessened their heavy pin activity, pins at the Japan Disney Stores have really taken off. Japan also boasts the M&P stores which offer lots of rare pin sets. In addition, there are some releases of pins exclusive to the UK Disney Stores.
The World of Disney - which can be found at Walt Disney World's Downtown Disney but as famously at 5th Ave. & 55th St. in New York City - is a spot for some exclusive pins as well. It should be noted that Disney's lease at this location is ending soon, and the company will not be renewing it. It is thought that Disney will find another property closer to the theatre district to replace it.
A newer endeavor for Disney is the Disney Soda Fountain, located next to the El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, Calif. A cross between an old-time ice cream parlor and a studio store, it has become the new hot spot for limited edition pins.
Other, Less Known Pin Opportunities
There are several other places where pins are (or have been) available, often overlooked by collectors.
Disney Cruise Line - Some of the most highly sought pins are the Artist Choice pins released on the Disney Magic and Wonder ships. Look especially for pins released during pin events on these ships, where low edition sizes are king.
Company D - This is strictly a Cast Member store. Although only CMs can purchase pins there, these pins many times end up on eBay for sale.
Mickey's of Glendale - Similar to Company D, this is the Imagineering Cast Member Store (WDI). In recent years, more and more pins have come from this site.
Target - Yes, Target...the department store. A special line of pins was released there. Though these pins were originally released nationwide, it appears that Disney has cut back on the locations that carry these pins, concentrating on Orlando / Kissimmee stores.
Jerry Leigh - In 2006, Jerry Leigh became an official licensee of Disney pins. These were predominantly sold in shops in and around Orlando. I was skeptical about these pins at first, but have been pleasantly surprised by their quality. Sadly, it appears that the company has backed away from the release of pins, so it will be interesting to see how rare these low edition size pins will become.
Willabee & Ward - A new licensee as of 2006, Willabee & Ward offered 2 pins each month for a series of 50 pins. At $13.95 per pin, a bit pricy, but the trader boards seem to highly value these pins.
Other Countries - This is where the quality of pins rise or fall on the various companies that produced the pins. Most of these companies no longer make Disney pins, but in their time they were significant contributors to Disney pin collecting. Official licensees included ProPin (Germany), Bertoni (Italy) and Sedesma (Spain). In addition, questionable sources of pins are produced in South America, Russia, Yugoslavia and other countries. Most of these latter sources are considered Unauthorized pins or bootlegs.
Department Store Jewelry Lines - Disney has produced multiple lines of jewelry for sale in department stores. Some of the lines include Applause Mickey Unlimited, Ooops and Napier (to name a few).
Official Sponsors - Finally, there are several organizations which got permission to market pins with Disney characters. Though you have to be very careful on these (since there are many bootlegs), the real pins are many times quite stunning. Groups include Coca-Cola, The Lions Club, Suntrust Bank, Hallmark, Long's Drugstore, McDonald, Kodak, Eckerd Drugs, Nike, HSN, Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Disney Subsidiaries (such as Disney Channel, Disney On Ice, Adventures by Disney and Disney on Broadway) and the U.S. Postal Service (among others).
Walt Disney's influence has penetrated into virtually every area of this "Small World." And there are pins to prove it. Obviously, you can find virtually ANYTHING on eBay, no matter where it originally came from. So sharpen your pencils and start searching!
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