Memory of > Pins

Before the TDL became the TDR, in other words, in that time there was only one Disney park in Japan, the Pin Trading began. It was in 2000.

The right picture was handed out to the guests who came to the fist day of the TDL Pin Trading.


All kinds of pin generally between 400 and 500 yen was sold in TDL. The pics above are the TDL attraction and the show pin, and the calender pin which launched in every month. These calender pins are quantity limited.






Here are the nice Kabuki series pin. Sukeroku Mickey, Fujimusume Minnie, and Benkei Donald.



In addition to, there are the special, not for sale, a pin handed out who came to the special day like the TDL anniversary or the first day of the season event, and the opening day of the new attraction or something. As below, these are the handed out pin after the TDL Pin Trading.

This pin was handed out to the guests who came to the fist day of the TDL Pin Trading.



Thease pins were handed out to the guest every day between 26DEC 2000 and 31DEC 2000.



This handed out pin on 19JAN 2001 of the first day of the "Disney's Party Express" the winter-spring season event.



This pin was handed out to the guests who came to the TDL anniversary day on 15APR 2001.

Since back then, the clouds began to gather over in TDL's Pin Trading.


Start by talking a result, the TDL Pin Trading was abolished in just a few short years. (the TDL Pin Trading final day was 28FEB 2002.) I don't know the reasons why the Pin Trading baned in TDL. Nothing official has been said.
And then, the pin as things which handed out on the special day have disappeared in TDR. Alternatively, the things which looks like pin were handed out on the special day in TDR.

It looks like a pins at least on the surface, however it is a clip. It's a alternative present on the special day of the TDS.



In TDL, the present which came to the park on the special day farther apart than the pin-like appeared. These are the collectable button.

I'm guessing that the prohibition of TDL Pin Trading was caused by lurge number of the complaints. The complaints mainly seem that an unscrupulous trading between a general guest and a Japanese Disney maniac, the buying up all the quantity limited pin by some heartless guest, and an uncontrollable rocketing premium prices of the not for sale pin which had handed out in the special day.

However, as for the unscrupulous pin trading, it seemed that the OLC did not announced a clear-cut rule in each situation. And as for the limited pin, the OLC did not set the number of pins that can be purchase per person. I'd like to say that these circumstances might be contributed to the end of TDL Pin Trading. The another reason that not penetrate the entire guest about the pin trading at that time.

At that time, I think that there were really only a few TDL guests who experienced or knew so well the Pin Trading in WDW or DLR, and the guests who know the Pin Trading as the common practice in abroad. I think that the most guests just felt delight that can buy the reasonable, adorable, and easy to collect Disney thing, therefore all of them who love Disney park in Japan welcomed the TDL's Pin Trading.

And still, many kinds of pin launch under the banning pin trading in TDR, such as Monthly pin, season event pin in TDR. During the TDL 25th anniversary year, TDR re-focused on the pin merchandise.There were 2 pins each park every month, a pin was sold and the other pin was presented, and these pins were together themed.The face pins are presented, the character holding a pencil pins sold for 1000 yen in TDL.



The pins started Tinker Bell which handed out on 15APR is TDL anniversary. The Dushess & Marie pin handed out on the Mother's Day, 11MAY 2008. The rightmost on 25MAY is the Goofy's debut day.



The main theme was "The Dream Goes on" during TDL 25th anniversary. And the main motif is Key for Dream, therfore every pin have dangled silvery key which embossed "25". However only the Goofy's was unpainted. Is it rare?...



The leftmost given away pin on 9JUN is the Donald's debut day. The king Triton pin handed out on the Father's Day.



The third pin from the left is Shiriki Utundu the main character of Tower of Terror in TDS. This pin handed out on 4SEP which the day of the attraction opening day. The pluto pin handed out on 5SEP is his debut day.



The rightmost pin handed out on 18NOV the Mickey's birthday.



The Mickey pin handed out on 5DEC the Wald Disney's birthday.




Currently...
There are a sign in the "Pirate Treasure" the pin shop in Adventureland. I deeply regretful abut the "just buy and collect, that's it" situation.





I really hope that the Pin Trading will come back soon.



The inside this store had changed as below...




The biggest shelf of the shop had changed other items from the pins, on 6. MAR. 2011. The cast member said that the pins will be reduced.

Oh, my...
but in my opinion, OLC was a flip-flopper, so I hope that they will change their plans about pin merchandising and still longing for restarting of the pin trading.