Some Secrets of Main Street
In October 1999, when I first arrived on Main Street at the Magic Kingdom in the guise of the enthusiastic Main Street Reporter, Scoop, it was my job to put a big smile on my face and greet everyone as long-lost friends and family. In addition, I would act as a de facto “guide” sharing the "secrets" of Main Street. Secrets like the party line recording on the phone in the Chapeau (that's the store where they used to emboider your name on the back of the Mickey ears in yellow thread). I'd sneak Guests in like little kids and tell them to put their hand over the receiver to listen in on the conversation!
Since most folks were visitors, another part of my routine was to direct visitors to the mailbox on Main Street just outside The Emporium. Scoop lived back at the turn of the century in a time before e-mails and mobile phones, so he figured Guests should know how to send mail back home to let their folks know they'd arrived safely (whether they'd come in on the steam train or the "single rail" aka Monorail). Did you know you can still mail Disney postcards or anything else straight from the Most Magical Place on Earth using that Main Street mailbox? Mail posted from that box used to get a custom Disney World postmark, but nowadays you'll want to take your postcard over to City Hall for a special rubber stamp instead to add that Disney Magic to your mail.
Pretty soon, I became another Main Street secret (or rather, Scoop was) as a sort of "secret pin trader". The secret didn't last long, though, since Scoop was the only official Disney character out there trading! Over the years, I talked a lot about pin-trading etiquette for trading in person at the Parks or while attending an event, and the first thing you start with is a smile. Working as a Disney Cast Member teaches you that, even when it feels like a thousand degrees outside, most people respond positively to a smile or friendly gesture. I taught traders how to introduce themselves and offer a closer look at their pins, but the most important piece of pin trading advice I shared is what I call Scoop’s Golden Rule of Pin Trading: “Trade unto others as you would have others trade unto you.” You know what goes around comes around, and more often than not, when you make it easy for someone to trade something they want from you, they’ll return the kindness. Sure, there are times it’ll be a one-way street, when you can’t agree on the trade at the time. If that’s the case, consider exchanging contact info. Maybe you can complete a trade by mail. After all, the fun doesn’t have to stop with in-person trading!
Whether you're new to the Disney pin trading hobby or a seasoned “PinAddict”, it's a good idea to remember that Disney pin collecting isn't just about the shiny piece of enameled metal. It's also about the personal experiences and relationships that we make while trading our treasures. More than when buying, trading often produces memories which are easily recalled whenever we catch sight of a certain treasured pin in our collection. If it’s an especially meaningful trade (like scoring a grail or discovering an amazing pin you never knew existed), you might also remember the "pin angel" who traded with you.
So much junk mail!
Nowadays, when your mailbox is mostly used as a receptacle for junk mail, it always feels great to open the mailbox and find “pin mail” inside!
Pin mail can come in everything from an LBE (Little Brown Envelope) to a colored bubble mailer or even a box. Beyond the delight of holding your new pin for the first time, you might possibly enjoy finding out where the package came from, too. I just got some WDW park pins that came all the way from Utah, and it's fun to wonder how they got there only to end up with me back in Florida. Whether it's from an old Pin Pal or a new one, they packed those pins up just for you. And they're checking their mailbox at the same time for the package you sent to them.
Smiles for Miles
Since you can’t do it in person, a great way to start your trade by mail with a smile is a with a ZAP. When someone includes a little something extra in a trade package, then you've been ZAPPED. When you receive a package from someone that has nothing to do with a trade, you've been ZAPPED. To us Disney Pin Traders, a ZAP is always a surprise, and just one of the ways to add a little Pixie Dust to pin trades in the mail. It doesn't have to be a pin, either. If you've gotten to know the person you're trading with, it's easy to toss in a little cheer -- maybe a pressed penny, stickers, or even a piece of candy. ZAPPING someone is sending smiles across the miles; and you'll find yourself smiling, too!
For me, the most meaningful thing anyone can include is a handwritten note. It doesn't have to be an epistle; even just a "thank you" for the trade spreads the Pixie Dust. Tell them where they can find you, if they’re out trading: a park, the next trading event, the next Disney event, etc. Tell them what you collect or what you're looking for. Who knows, you might end up with a brand new Pin Pal!
Have you had a zaptastic experience you want to share? Do you have any special ways you personalize your trades? I'd love to hear your ideas, so please just post a reply. End your comment with the answer to the riddle/question: What are you sending across the miles? (Hint: the answer is hidden somewhere in this article.) Top it off with a big exclamation point and answer this riddle before Saturday, November 30, and you could be randomly chosen to get a ZAP!
If you're looking for a way to enjoy pin trading with a personal touch, why not check out the five-pin package exchanges that are usually running in the PinPics forum? Sign-ups are limited, but there's always a package going around and/or one starting up (and the more interest there is, the more packages get started). Of course, there's always the option to start one yourself. It's a great way to meet other traders, discover what they like, and enjoy a fun personalized trading experience.
Let's play a ZAPPING game!
Because ZAPPING is so much fun, guess what . . . ? We're going to play a game called "ZAP-It Forward"! @TheTwins told me about this, so we're going to try it here. To start the fun, reply to this post with answers to the questions above. After one week, @TheTwins will randomly select a response, and I'll ZAP a pin to that person. After that, the game begins . . . but they're going to respond here and explain how it all works!
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