Originally Posted By Roger55 Recently attended the Disney Pin Celebration 2009 - Museum of Pintiquities held at the Epcot World ShowPlace June 26-28. Early registration was held Thursday June 25 at the Yacht & Beach Club Resort Convention Center. Registered event Guests were able to get their welcome package along with their purchaced event merchandise. The welcome package included paperwork for the newest Hidden Mickey pins, a shopping list of still available event merchandise, a "4th RSP" form, event credentials, snack and parting gift vouchers, two $15 Disney gift cards for meals, a "welcome" gift pin, and a "Pin Partners" gift pin. Those that signed up early for the event were also able to pick up their "early-bird" gift pin which was a Tinker Bell holding the key to the museum pin. An event information station was set up as well as an event merchandise display area. For those who wanted to start their pin trading early, they also had a large pin trading area set up right next to the registration area. After early registration closed, the area was then opened up to the public for non-event Guests to come and pin trade. The "official" start of the event was Friday June 26th at Epcot. There was as usual, a special entrance for the event Guests to go through security. An explosives sniffing dog was on duty to help expedite the hundreds of pin traders along with their bags and bags of pins. As always, the location inside Epcot where the Pin Celebration was held was the World ShowPlace. Event Guests lined up each morning outside the gates waiting to get in. Once inside the gates, the event Guests were once again welcomed by the large statue of "Bobby Pinback", the official mascot of the Disney Pin Celebration. The inside of the World ShowPlace was of course themed to look like the inside of a museum. Right up front was a huge T-Rex. Event Guests who were not able to pre-register the day befor at the Yacht & Beach Club were able to do so inside the World ShowPlace. Also on display near the entrance were the items for the silent auction. On the main floor of the "museum", Guests were treated to museum themed trade boards. The area was superbly decorated with not only museum like pieces, but also with actual replicas of some of the pin merchandise for the event. Very nice job! There also was a "Kid's area" where children could either take part in some craft activities or watch videos on two larg flat-screen TVs. Some non-pin Disney merchandise was also being showcased. Vinylmations, Kookie pens, Club Penguine and Mickey Monsters were on display along with Disney representatives that you could talk to about these lines of merchandise. Also on display were previews of pins and pin merchandise from WDW, DLR, DCL and Disney Soda Fountain and Studios Store (DSF). In the back of the World ShowPlace was the huge trading area. Many of the people lining up early were doing so to stake claim to the prime locations in the trading area. Disney Pin Trading Project Manager Steven Miller was once again on hand to "host" all the stage events. As in years past, atmosphere entertainment was also present. Lisa Lanyard and Pindiana Jones just to name a few. Several lucky event Guests were choosen at random to participate in the pin games, "MoP Squares", "Trivia Challenge" and "Pin, Lose or Draw". Winners were given various pin prizes with the big winner getting a nice framed pin set. A little extra "Celebration" that took place at the event was a surprise proposal. This young couple had met while pin trading. With the help of the Disney staff, they arranged a "fake game" where the unsuspecting bride to be was called on stage for a game. The groom to be then came up and proposed to her in front of everyone. Needless to say she was shocked. Everyone cheered and luckily for the groom, she said "yes". Please take a look at my album for pictures of this event. Hope you all enjoy! <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/rkyam1/MuseumOfPintiquitiesJune09" target="_blank">http://picasaweb.google.com/rk...esJune09</a>#
Originally Posted By magic0214 I am so jealous! I have been the past two years and didn't get to go this year. My first year I wonm the grand prize drawing and made tons of friends. I am so happy you had a good time, i'll have to meet up with you next year at Trade City U.S.A.
Originally Posted By hopemax This was my 3rd Epcot pin event, and I had previously attended the last Spectacle of Pins event. This was the best of the 4. There seemed to be a couple more boards, 12 in total, lots of the new hidden mickey pins (which turned out to be event exclusives), and with a few less people this year, the lines seemed to go much faster. Half hour waits instead of hour waits were more common. And I must have done something really good this year, because my pin karma was excellent. Found or traded for several pins that have been on my wants list since 2000-2002. And the boards were changed out 5 people or less in front of me most of the time. 8 of the pins that I pulled off boards, because I liked them, turned out to be Artist Proofs, so that was an added bonus. In our group, everyone was able to complete there group of alphabet hidden mickey pins and the new ones. In previous years, there was always one or two of the HM's that were rarer than the others, which meant you had to be 1st or 2nd after a board switch to obtain, but like I said this year everything was plentiful. And the pins were really nice too! Loved the gift pins. And continuing with my good pin karma, on Friday, a man came up to me and asked if I was going to be there on Saturday. When I said I was, he handed me his snack and event gift coupons. This was really great, because we have one friend who normally attends this event but couldn't this year, so now she has a set of pins too. I heard a lot of people comment about how laid back and pleasant this event was, and I agree. There were a few less people, either due to the different schedule or the economy, but it seemed like the people missing were the ones that caused trouble in previous years. Normally, I see a lot of line jumpers, people who jump in when a friend/family member is near the front of the queue. This year, I didn't see that at all. Very nice change. The one not so great thing...my parents wanted to buy more of the mystery coin sets on Friday morning. When we first got there, no one knew where the line for shopping was, and Steven Miller even said, there was no shopping on Friday. Which is NOT what it said on the itinerary. Eventually, we found out there was shopping and where it was, but this is something the managers walking around should have known where and when it was occuring.
Originally Posted By magic0214 (((8 of the pins that I pulled off boards, because I liked them, turned out to be Artist Proofs, so that was an added bonus.))) Good for you! I am dissappointed I missed it! I loved the Pin Trading University. I loved the decorations up for it. Anyone looking forward to the Trade City U.S.A. theme?
Originally Posted By hopemax I am curious about the Trade City USA theme. It seems like they could do some neat stuff with it. Unfortunately, I won't be attending that event. My DH hasn't been to WDW since Christmas 2007, and he wants to go for Food & Wine. We can't do it this year because we are buying a house, so it will be next year. Can't do pin event at the end of August and then come back in late Sept/Oct for Food & Wine.
