Over on the Sundance Vacations Travel Blog, we recently released the Ultimate Guide for Disney Pin Trading and Collecting, a perfect resource for people who are looking to get started or are looking for some tips in the realm of Disney pin trading.

Now that you have purchased or traded for your first pins, or have expanded your already large collection, it’s time to start thinking about how to display all of these amazing little pieces of Disney memorabilia.  And trust me, there are no shortage of ways to do so.

From shadowboxes to scrapbooks and cork boards to lanyard displays, there are plenty of options, no matter what your style, budget or creative flair allows.  Some of these ideas can be store bought, but generally the do-it-yourself (DIY) options can end up saving you money and have you come away with something that is truly unique.  Be sure to watch our video below to get step-by-step instructions that you can follow to create yourself an awesome Disney shadowbox to help display your favorite Disney pins!

Consider your theme

With so many Disney pins out there, over 100,000 actually, collectors may have a plethora of pins in their assortment, but experts are quick to tell you to select a theme when you are first starting out.  Why?  Because it can help save your wallet and budget from overspending on pins.

When you select a theme, such as a character you like or a movie or two that you love, it limits your potential choices when looking to purchase new pins.  While it’s okay to break this rule once in a while to get something you really like or to commemorate an event that you were at in Disney, sticking to a theme or two can generally save you money and help keep the addictive side of Disney pin trading in check.

As you decide how you are going to display your ever-growing Disney pin collection, it’s a good idea to keep your theme in mind.  While Lilo & Stitch pins may call for a Hawaiian theme, Disney pins that are 101 Dalmatians themed may require a canine touch to make them look great!  The same can be said for resort and theme park pins, as they are all different and have something that makes them stand out from each other, your display could cater to those differences which will only enhance how they look on display.  Perhaps a galaxy far, far away for your Star Wars pins, or a comic book theme for your collection of Marvel Superhero pins.

Before you get started on your display, whatever method you may choose, you may want to sit down and brainstorm some ideas for backgrounds, stickers and other enhancements that will make your pins stick out!  A few minutes of planning can make the difference between and average pin display and a great one.

Shadowboxes

A shadowbox can be the prefect way to display those Disney pins you have saved up over the years.  Although this may not be enough space to display all of the pins that you have amassed over the years, it is a great way to show off all of your special or favorite ones.  Shadowboxes, which can be as small as 5″ x 8″ or as large as 30″ x 40″, provide plenty of space inside for pins that may have a little more detail or are more than your run of the mill flat pin.

With added depth in the frame, thus making it more of a box, shadowboxes are a dynamic and interesting way to show off those pins that are 3D, have moving parts or may be larger than other counterparts.  You can create a background for the inside of it, or just go with the store-bought selections, but either way you’ll come away with something that is great for hanging on the wall.

Watch the DIY video below from Sundance Vacations to get an idea of how you can make a super fun and simple version of a shadowbox in literally minutes!

Check out this great video on how to make your very own shadowbox to display your Disney pins!

Scrapbooks

If you have a large number of Disney pins in your collection, scrapbooks can be a great way to display them.  You can organize the pins by themes in separate books or have multiple books featuring the same characters or movies.

PinPics.com, a website that has over 50,000 registered members, allows Disney pin traders and collectors the chance at cataloging their collections online.  They also have tips for beginners and forums for chatting with fellow pin traders.  Linda Rice, PinPics.com Ambassador, tells me that scrapbooking is her choice when it comes to displaying her over 10,000 Disney pins.

“When Scrapbooking became the rage I thought, why not scrapbook my pins?” Rice said.  “I bought three-ring binders that have the presentation covers and bought mat board from a framing shop to mount my pins on.  I then lay my pins out so that they tell the story, such as the scenes in a film.  I finish the pages with pictures and embellishments so that others enjoy looking at them as much as I do, or at least I hope that they do!”

Rice, a 58-year old from Georgia, finds that her love of collecting is what got her started with the idea of Disney pin trading.  While her catalog of Disney pins may feature a number of different themes, she said that scrapbooking is a way to help her add some more flair to displaying them.

One slight drawback to scrapbooking however, is that you would end up with a number of books laying around, especially when you have a large number of pins like Rice does.  It may be a good idea to consider this and think about a shelf or place where you can put your scrapbook collection.

Disney Scrappers — and not the pin variety — is a great resource for people who love to combine the Disney pin trading and scrapbooking hobbies together.  While the website is not entirely focused on pin trading, there are a few good threads that give examples and pictures of how users scrapbook their pin collection.  A good one to start on would be this one that has over five pages of responses.

Cork Boards

One of the easiest and most inexpensive ways for Disney pin traders to display their catalog of pins is by using a cork board.  Available at most stores, including places like Target and Wal-Mart, for as little as $10, cork boards come in multiple sizes and are easy to hang on most walls, providing you, or your kids, with a perfect place to stick, and re-stick, Disney pins.

While a basic cork board may be a little bit of a bland way of showing of all of your Disney swag, a little creativity can go a long way when working with this material.  Something as simple as taking a framed photo or even a poster of your favorite Disney movie or character in the middle of the board and then pushing your pins in around it can really add some flair to your basic board.

With the ability to buy cork board in sheets at most craft stores, the more crafty pin traders can use it to make something truly unique and all their own.  Using a similar technique to that of the one in our Sundance Vacations Disney Pin Display video from above, travelers can cut out shapes from the cork board, such as a Mickey Mouse head or the iconic Disney “D” symbol, and use that for mounting on a wall or in a frame to make something cool!

Examples like the ones to the right are exactly what is possible when using either basic or sheets of cork board.  Another substitute for the board itself would be foam, using the same exact concept.  It’s easy to cut and relatively cheap to buy at the craft store, much like the cork board, but comes in a variety of colors, which could make it easier to fit into a theme or looks a little bit better with less work.

Lanyards

Using the lanyards that you purchased when you pin trade can be another cool and unique way of displaying your collection.  Most pin traders can fill up a lanyard pretty quick with pins, but you can consider retiring that lanyard when it gets filled up.  You can do this by putting the lanyard and its pins on display in a frame on the wall.

Plus, the lanyards can serve as a piece of history or as a way of organizing certain pins.  You can keep the lanyard as-is to honor a certain trip to the theme parks for that year, or rearrange them when you get home to make each lanyard themed with a certain character, movie or other theme.  Disney also has a ton of lanyards out there for sale, with lot of different themes and characters on them, so you’ll be able to find a special one for just about every movie, place or character that you want to showcase.

Other options for displaying the lanyards, rather than putting them in a frame, include hanging them on hooks or from other Disney memorabilia.  Just like the scrapbooks, this method can get a little clunky as you will have a number of lanyards with pins attached to them, so it may be a good idea to consider display space when thinking about this option.  Also, consider investing in the locking pin backs for Disney pins as they will ensure that your pins stay on the lanyard and don’t fall off or get lost.

Other Methods

There are a ton of other methods available to Disney pin traders.  The only real limit that is set is as far as your creativity will take you.

In my travels around the internet I’ve seen pin displaying options made from paint canvases, frames and even regular belts that you’d use to hold up your pants.  No matter what your budget is, there are plenty of options out there to ensure that your Disney pin collection that you worked so hard to amass will be on display in style!

Be sure to read our “Ultimate Guide to Disney Pin Trading and Collecting” article over on the Sundance Vacations Travel Blog to get more tips and information about the Pin trading craze.  It features tips and information that is perfect for people who are just starting out or for those that have been collecting for a number of years.

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Russ Hryvnak
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