Originally Posted By Doobie This topic is for discussion of the August 9th Kim's Corner Column at <a href="News-ID120170.asp" target="_blank">http://LaughingPlace.com/News-ID120170.asp</a>.
Originally Posted By jmbostick One full page on Print-On-Demand, which has nothing to do with pins, much less a pin shop. Seven-and-a-half solid pages of pictures of Marie Osmond and Disney suits on Saturday. And not a single word about what happened Sunday? It takes TWO days to make a "Pin Mania Weekend," y'all! There WAS a mystery pin, and desperate traders baked in the sun FOR FOUR HOURS to get it the next day. What's the matter, why doesn't LaughingPlace want to cover the full story?
Originally Posted By Kimber Hi - Beacuse I'm waiting for a few answers to a few questions and when I get them I'll finish writing my column - I'd like to have all of the information before I go blasting anyone for the mess that Sunday became. Just wait - it'll be here. Thanks, Kim KPetersenNFFC@aol.com
Originally Posted By schnebs I was there Sunday and it didn't seem like this horrendous disaster that everyone has made it out to be -- but then I went Sunday afternoon; I was in the store in about 15-20 minutes, by which point I'd had my request for pins taken and the pins handed to me, and except for the "Pin Trading" LE pin, there appeared to be plenty of the LE pins available. I also heard all the complaints about availability of the Soundsation pins at the locations, but I had no problem getting all of them at the Pin Trading store. Was the line a hassle? Yeah, a little, but compared to what I've been through before (like the Walt's birthday LE pin event) it seemed like an improvememt. (Maybe they had the worst of the problems sorted out by the time I got there.)
Originally Posted By cstephens Here's something I posted elsewhere on the Monday after: ##### The line was unbelievable yesterday. And the "event" was poorly coordinated. It's amazing to me that DL management can get one event so right and then completely screw up another later, similar event. Selling pins isn't a new thing for them. Selling limited edition pins isn't a new thing for them. Having lots of people show up for said pins isn't a new thing for them. So what gives with the mind wipe? My husband and I had considered doing the sound pin thing but figured we wanted to see the pictures of them first. When we first got to DL, we stopped at the fire station to get some information, and after talking to a CM there, we decided we'd try it later in the day, when it might not be as crowded. We went off to have lunch with friends and then came back to pick up our maps at about 3pm. I hadn't realized until then that unlike prior years, you didn't have to pay to get the map, and the free pin you get for completing the map was indeed free. In years past, you had to pay for the map, and you'd get a free pin or two with the purchase and the ability to purchase other pins. We went to the first two stations (Jungle Cruise and Small World) and then made our way over to the Premiere Shop - to find at about 3:30 that there was this huge line in front of the shop. We also discovered that various CMs were giving out seriously wrong information at various locations, either because they didn't bother to find out what was going on or they'd not been properly trained. There was no way we were standing in that line just to buy pins, even if it wasn't quite warm out, and we could definitely wait to see the store at some future time. As we were standing there and overhearing others' conversations, we ascertained that the pins were actually available elsewhere in the park (none of the CMs had been particularly helpful with that information), so we trekked back to those locations, got the pins there, came back to the Premiere Shop and got our final pins from the pin cart outside. This way, we got the pins we wanted, got some exercise, and didn't spend that entire time waiting in line. I find it odd that people would wait 3 and 4 hours in a line just to buy pins (much less overnight during the character of the month Tink fiasco), but then people would probably find it odd that I would spend 3 hours waiting in line for a movie, so I guess people don't find odd the things they themselves like. I sure hope they get their memory back when the "Where's Mickey" event comes around... ##### As for the invisible handstamp for LE pins rule, the only person who said anything, which is how we even found out about it, was the CM at the place where we got the last sound pin before going back to get the completer pin. He was amazed when we told him that not one other person/CM had done or said anything. /cs
Originally Posted By leemac I guess at least they are willing to try a new system. It is so tough to please pin traders (and especially the resellers who make a living out of it) as they are often abusive and downright rude. The infamous fiasco that became the Mystery Pin for last year's Disneyana sums up the entire attitude of a small clique of people. I like the fact that the seats have gone and it will give the average guest a chance to get involved. A lot of kids felt intimidated by the traders/resellers at the Showcase. Now hopefully there will be a more rapid cycle of guests dropping by the Premiere store. You have just got to give it a bit of time to work. The new system is totally different and there is always stuff that needs ironing out.
