Pin Sharks Get Caged!
Ok, here goes
another chapter in the continuing saga of Pin Guppy vs Pin Sharks. My monthly
swim into the sea of LE Pin Purchasing.
Disneyland finally
solved the problem of Profiteering Pin Sharks getting more than their fair
share of Limited Edition highly prized pins. Disney found a way to hold ALL
guests to the stated limit of two pins per person. I do believe you will find
fewer of the Piece of the Movie Pins on EBay and other sites for hundreds of
dollars.
I must say Disney
got it at least 90% correct. As I’ve shared in the last few months when going
to purchase a highly treasured LE pin that is limited by Disney to 2 pins per
person I’ve been angry and frustrated that Profiteering Pin Sharks have been
able to purchase 5-20 pins while many others, myself included couldn’t even
purchase 1. Within a couple of hours of the parks opening these pins would be
on EBay and other sites at a greatly inflated price, providing these sharks
with an unjust profit. I’ve written letters to Disney and posted here in my
blog and other places my frustration and suggestions on how Disney could solve
the problem.
Here are links to
my past posts:
I
know that many people have suggested Disney give out wristbands to people
wishing to purchase items such as the Piece of the Movie Pin. I know I wrote
Disney with the suggestion several months ago. I must give Disney praise for
finally going to the wristband policy to get these pins. I saw many Pin
Profiteers walk away upset and even more happy guests able to add to their
collection this coveted pin at a just price.
Here
is how the program works. You go to a location and pick up a wrist band. This wristband
guaranties you will be able to purchase the item you wish as long as you get to
the designated location before a set time. In this case we were given the
choice of 1 of 3 stores to go to (Star Command in DL, Fly N Buy in DCA and Pin
Traders in DTD) and we had to get there by 1 pm. With general LE items sold
like this there is no problem with you going at the last moment. All the items
are the same. With the Piece of the Movie Pins you need to get there early so
you can look at them. Each pin is different. You want your choice of pin and
don’t want to be left with whatever you get.
Now
here is the problem with the wonderful system Disney came up with.
There
was little warning that wristbands would be given out. On the Official Disney
Pin Site, where at a glance you can see the date and location of a pins release
there was nothing on the main post to show that this pin had special pickup instructions.
You had to click on the picture and open a second page to find out there were
wristbands. They could have put something on the main page to let you know to
look further for new instructions. Disney could have put notice in their Disney
Parks Blog or even tweeted it.
The
wristband pickup location was at the far end of Downtown Disney. They started
giving out the wristbands at 6:45 am and the park opened at 8 am. So when we
went to the store we normally get the pins at they did not have any, they were
not one of the shops designated to have it. My husband, who has a heart
condition and has had 3 open heart surgeries had to run from the store in
Frontierland all the way through Downtown Disney to the pin shop near the
Rainforest Café to get a wristband. Then he had to hurry back to the pin store
in Tomorrowland in Disneyland to get the pin. By the time he got back his heart
was racing and hurting. We did stop in First Aide to get him checked out after
getting the pin. (I was in line and at the counter waiting when he got to the
store so no delay there.)
As
I said I’m glad Disney decided to enforce the limit of 2 pins per person and
found a way to do so. I do wish they had better notified people of the change
and that the wristband location was at a better location and they did not start
giving them out quite so early. I believe this new system of release will make
it fair for all who wish to get this wonderful pin and future highly priced
treasures. I hope they continue to use this system or maybe a modified and
better system to keep it fair. I know Disney loves to “plus” things and make it
better. I can see the minor flaws in this system and know Disney can improve
it.
I’m
writing Disney a letter suggesting locations where the wristbands can be handed
out that are not as far from the park as the ESPN Zone or the Pin Traders in
Downtown Disney. The Information Desk just outside security, picnic area in the
Esplanade or even a table set up in the Esplanade. I know there are other places
inside and outside the parks for wristband distribution.
I
do wish to say Thank You to Disney for finally getting a handle on this problem
and stopping the Sharks from ruining the fun for others.
