“Where’s Scoop?” It is one of the more popular questions I’ve been asked during my time as Project Manager for Disney Trading. For those who are unfamiliar, “Scoop” is Scoop Sanderson, Main Street Gazette Reporter, Town Councilman and Pin-thusiast. Fellow Disney Blogger (and awesome photographer) Gene Duncan first introduced Disney Parks Blog readers to Scoop back in May 2010. Gene also provided the great picture at the top of this article featuring Scoop holding the first Scoop Sanderson pin.
I first met Scoop on Main Street, U.S.A. when I served as a member of the 2001/2002 Walt Disney World Ambassador Team. At that time, we had a few opportunities to make some magic for Guests. But it wasn’t until I got to my current role that I realized just how much Scoop loves Disney pins. During a recent visit to Magic Kingdom, I turned the tables and interviewed him about his passion for trading.
Steven: “Why do you love trading pins?”
Scoop Sanderson: “I love the people, and I love making new pin pals. I also really love looking at pins! They are little miniature works of art. I particularly enjoy seeing pins I haven’t seen in a while. They bring back good memories, and it is great to reminisce with friends.”
Throughout the years we’ve created pins inspired by Scoop Sanderson. The first retail pin was introduced at Disney Pin Celebration 2007. It was a super jumbo sized pin and featured Mickey Mouse playing the role of Scoop. The pin was so popular that it lead to additional pin collections. In 2008, we released “The Scoop,” a collection that featured Scoop reporting on fun facts about the Walt Disney World Resort. This collection was followed by “Scoop and Friends” in 2009 that featured Scoop and other friends from Main Street, U.S.A. In 2010, we featured Scoop Sanderson on a specially designed Disney Trading Night pin. The pin was released in March 2010, and Scoop made a surprise visit to meet and trade with Guests that night.
Steven: “For someone who is brand new to Disney Pin Trading, what is the best advice you can give her or him?”
Scoop Sanderson: “The best advice I can give is collect what you like! There are so many pins to collect. Trust me, I’ve tried trading for them all. But you have to collect or trade what you like. If you find you don’t love a pin anymore, I guarantee someone else will. So trade it away – you won’t hurt its feelings.”
Steven: “Do you have a favorite trading experience from Main Street, U.S.A.?”
Scoop Sanderson: “I love when a Guest comes up to me and asks, ‘May I look at your pins please?’ It is typically a kid who has grown up but learned that phrase long ago from me. It is a good feeling to know a Guest enjoyed trading so much that she or he returned to Main Street, U.S.A. to trade pins. I only hope that the Guest will pass on the trading legacy to others.”
As part of Disney Pin Celebration – Trade City, U.S.A., I invited Scoop to join us for this annual trading event held at Epcot. We created a limited edition pin featuring Figment dressed as Scoop Sanderson (a first of its kind) breaking ground for an event in 2011.
Steven: “Do you have any final tips that Guests should remember when trading pins?”
Scoop Sanderson: “Be nice as you never know what kind of surprises or magic may happen when trading pins with others. Make magic for others as pins have the ability to make people smile. You never know who might become your next pin pal. One thing I’ve learned is there are many treasures on lanyards, but really lanyards are on the treasures – great friends.”
Pin Pals can trade pins with Scoop Sanderson on select days on Main Street, U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom Park. If you have traded pins with Scoop, I’d love to hear your stories.
Comments
I had the pleasure of meeting Scoop last winter. I was waiting for a few friends to meet me on Main Street and Scoop saw that I was alone, so he struck up a conversation. I didn’t have any pins with me but he gave me a 2009 pin that he even autographed on the back- I will never trade it. He then introduced me to his two pups that follow him around (I wish I could remember their names!) and had them do a few tricks. After coming to the parks so many times, it amazes me how much I still don’t know and haven’t seen. I look forward to seeking him out on my next visit- Scoop really knows how to spread the pixie dust.
It’s so funny to see stories from people you know here. Anyway, I always try to meet up with Scoop because he is a great person. I really wish his 1 o’clock pin talks would come back because it taught people about pins and pin trading.
I have been a fan of Scoop since the start of pin trading and the 1’oclock pin talks at Exhibition!! Wish they would come back in some sort of way!! I learned so much from Scoop’s talks and met many pin friends that I only knew via a pin site (sueze) that I have been on for quite a few yrs!! Including Winnie above. I too have many many memories of Scoop. I have collected all the Scoop pin with the exception of 2 and that is the super jumbo pin above and his Scoop pin also above.
to quote Winnie above “Scoop is the the “Pin Ambassador” of WDW”
I only get to see him on my once a yr trip to WDW but he always remembers me and says Hello Sueze!!! Miss ya Scoop hope to see you in 2011!!!
Idea for Disney…if you don’t already have it? Trade virtual pins on Disney or FB? Let me know if it works…I know some kids that would be super excited to do so…
Wouldn’t that be something? 🙂
Scoops is an intrigal part of the Disney experience. Both my wife and myself always enjoyed spending an afternoon listening to Scoops “Pin Talks” that have since been discontinued. It would be nice to bring back the pin talks, and let Scoops dazzle us with his pin knowledge.
Hi Natalie from PA! I am not an official pin trader, but I do have some tips. I would not have ANY pins showing that you want to keep. You can trade with other guests as well and they may want the same one you want. However, a Disney Cast Member is required to trade you the pin you desire. There are a few rules for pin trading. Anyone with a green lanyard can ONLY trade with children. Cast Members with a black lanyard, blue lanyard, or a pin holder on their belt can trade anyone. One final rule is that you can only trade one pin at a time with a Cast Member. This keeps people from taking all of the good ones and leaving a Cast Member with unwanted pins. I hope you enjoy your trip and have a magical time!
To tag onto Heather’s response… you can find a .PDF of Disney Pin Trading guidelines on our http://www.disney.com/pins website:
http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/DisneyPinTrading_PinFormationGuidelines_April2009.pdf
One small clarification – Guests may trade up to two pins per Cast Member, per day. We have thousands of Cast Members trading pins so the choices are amazing!
The most important things to remember are:
1) Have fun – I can’t stress this point enough. There are a lot of pins to trade and collect. But you need to have fun doing it.
2) Focus – Find a favorite character, attraction, theme, etc. and try collecting those pins. I met a Guest who only collected Mickey Mouse pins that show Mickey’s feet (think beach scene). The reason? She was a podiatrist. That’s focus!
3) Turn it into a game – Being a father of a little one, trading gives a great opportunity for the little ones (and big ones) a chance to explore, interact and have fun. Many of the kids that I’ve seen just like the experience of exchange. Trading also gives a great opportunity to teach “please” and “thank yous.” I’ve received many letters about this from Guests.
I played Scoops “pin game” on August 23rd to match his hidden suspender pins. I got lucky, and immediately chose a Figment Jumbo pin off his special lanyard. He thanked me for “lightening his load” Thanks Scoop, best CM trade ever!
We are going on our 1st Disney vacation in Feb 2011. We just got a bunch of Disney pins at a yard sale! We just dont know where to start? There are ones that my daughter likes, and of course ones that are not princesses or tinkerbell, so she is not a fan of those ones. So, how do we start? are there any resources out there so I can read up before our trip? Like, do we just put the ones she is wanting to trade on her lanyard? Sorry for all the questions, we jsut dont know where to begin. She is 5 and wants to collect minnie’s tink and pricesses! We got a lot of villians on bowling pins!!!
Thanks!!
Natalie
Our family, including my daughters McKenna (5) and Riley (2) will be at WDW Oct. 24th-30th and we plan to search for Scoop. When we were at Disney 3 years ago we saw people trading pins and decided that it would be a fun, memorable way to get souvenirs from our trip! We went on eBay and purchased 40 official Disney trading pins for $20 – we are set and ready to trade when we get there! We look forward to meeting Scoop and many other new “Pin Pals”!
I’m pretty sure they don’t have their usual cast members there for Grad Night. I got to have mine there 10 years ago. Doesn’t feel like its been that long, but it was back when Destiny’s Child was just starting out and we got to see them and Jessica Simpson in a private concert. That was pretty cool. You’re going to love Grad Night. *sniffle, smile* Ahh the memories…. I’m a huge WDW fan, and can’t wait to one day take my husband to Disney Land, California. He has never been and I haven’t been there since I was 10 years old. That would be Fall of 1992. Ever since they even spoke of building the California Adventure park, I’ve wanted to see it for myself. Sorry, my comment hasn’t really pertained to anything about pin trading. I will say, though, that I have thought of starting my own collection. So far, I’ve just been collecting cups and glasses from Disney. Every time I go, I try to make a point of buying one or just saving one from the drink stands that dot all around the parks.
I don’t think I’ve ever met Scoop, unfortunately. But I went to the Magic Kingdom back in July and during my few days of running around pin trading, one of the Hidden Mickey pin sets I completed while I was there featured a Mickey-as-Scoop pin, and it’s one of my favorite pins I have (and I have quite a few). By any chance will Mr. Scoop be at the 2011 Grad Night celebration at Magic Kingdom in May? My school goes there for our senior trip, and I would be very honored if I could meet Scoop there.
Scoop is the Willy Wonka of Pins but he is so much more as well. He lights up Main Street USA spreading joy and fun wherever he goes. If you want to have an interesting conversation Scoop has the scoop!
My wife and I visit as often as we can and some of our fondest memories (and pictures!) have Scoop in them. Laughter and tears of joy. Walt would be proud!
Keep up the good work Scoop!
Patrick & Renata from Texas
have too many memories of Scoop to count. But a few are quite special. He awarded me my first CTT, “Continuing The Tradition” pin. And then I was fortunate to be awarded a “Scoop” pin by him. It is the pin that I treasure the most, mre than any of my Pooh pins. And they are very special!! But one day we went to the Magic Kingdom one day after church. We looked for Scoop, and City Hall said he wasn’t going to be there. So we went out to Main Street and there he was. We played a couple games with him. And then he took a pin off his vest and gave it to Fred. It was a pin that he said he had every intention to keep, but that he felt led to give it to Fred. It was his last “Scoop Pin”, #750 of 750!! I just started crying. It’s so funny. I remember tearing up a bit when he gave me mine, but I out and out cried when Fred was awarded his. Scoop’s middle name should be “magic”! He gives it out everyday on stage with all the guests he meets. He is and always will be to myself and many others, the “Pin Ambassador” of WDW!! Love U Scoop!!
What is the difference between collecting physical pins and having a discount pin? Are those related?
My husband is an AVID pin trader…he just loves it. In 2006 we went to Scoop’s pin talk at Exhibition Hall (MISS IT & wish they would bring it back!). Scoop was informative & highly entertaining. At the end of the talk, we waited to meet Scoop & when it was my turn, I asked him why so few Nemo pins. He proceeded to sing me a “Nemo song” I believe he had written. It is a memory I will ALWAYS treasure. I cried while he sang this beautiful song (there weren’t too many dry eyes among those that were still in the auditorium too) as it struck an all too familiar cord of words that my father had told me growing up. I wish with all my heart I had it on video but it is a memory forever implanted on my heart…THANKS SCOOP for giving me one of the most incredible Magic Moments I’ve ever had at Disney…even still 4 years later, when we walk by Exhibition Hall, I think of my friend Scoop. Would LOVE to find him on Main St. one of these days and thank him personally!!
Sorry this didn’t directly involve pin trading but it’s one of my favorite WDW memories. 🙂
Heh….”pin pals” *grin*
Great article! I met Scoop about 10 years ago shortly after I started collecting pins and I try to catch him every time I’m on Main Street, U.S.A. He’s always friendly, fun and loves looking at my pins as I love to see his, too. If no one else is waiting, he will sit and talk as long as you stay. It’s easy to forget that he’s a cast member as he plays his role perfectly!
I love collecting pins, but have never met Scoop in person. I will definitely look for him the next time I’m in WDW.
I have a question about Vinylmation, though. Steven, on a previous blog article of yours, you said that the Toy Story 3″ series would be released on DisneyParks store today, Sept. 8th, but the series is not up on the website. When will it be released to purchase online???
Lauren,
I just spoke with the http://www.DisneyParks.com/Store team. Unfortunately, the release of the Vinylmation – Toy Story series was delayed a week. It will now release on September 15. I’m so sorry for any confusion this may have caused.
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