Before I kick off this awesome new feature of the World of Dreams Blog, I would like to start by quickly telling the story of how I came to be the avid collector of Disney Pins I am today...
I first discovered Disney Pins back in 2005, when I was on my first ever Disney Trip, to the stunning Disneyland Paris. I vividly remember beginning to walk down Main Street from the Central Plaza with my family, on our way to leave the park for the day. Much like the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Disneyland Park in Paris has little kiosks at each end of Main Street selling awesome Disney merchandise. Just as we were entering Main Street, I spotted one adorned with the colourful pins, which are ubiquitous at Disney Parks around the world.
Intrigued, I asked my parents if we could go take a look, and they agreed. I remember being fascinated by the beauty and detail of every pin, and made up my mind immediately that I was going to buy one. But which one? There were so many! However, as I got out my wallet, I realised that I had spent all my money on buying a Mickey Mouse notebook and pen the previous evening at our resort. Just as I was about to walk away, my Dad kindly offered to buy me a pin of my choice, as something for me to remember the trip by- a truly magical moment. Excited, I carefully selected a beautiful pin depicting Mickey and Minnie Mouse walking together, which is one of my favourite pins to this day.
And the rest is history! On our first trip to Walt Disney World, in 2011, I specifically saved money to be able to buy more pins. I bought a pin for each park, amongst others, and also purchased my first lanyard. On our trip last year I bought several more pins and pin accessories- it would be fair to say that I have become somewhat obsessed with Disney Pins- but in a good way, of course!
However, no matter how much my collection grows, the first pin I bought will always have a special place in my heart, simply for being my first pin, the one that started my collection. Not only that, it also brings back the memories of the very first time I visited a Disney Park- something I will never forget as long as I live. And for these reasons, that pin is the one I am focusing on in this post. Whilst it's not from Walt Disney World, it's incredibly significant, and is the only pin I can imagine starting this series of articles with.
Like I mentioned, the pin features Mickey and Minnie Mouse walking along together. I can't remember exactly why I chose it, only that I loved it the moment I set my eyes on it, and still do today. It's a perfect example of how the 'Disney Difference' is even evident in the merchandise, with the detail it boasts being unrivalled by the offerings of any other company. I apologise, but I have no idea whatsoever if this pin is still available to purchase. My advice to anyone wishing to buy one for themselves is to check out eBay. If it helps, I bought it at the Pin Kiosk on the right at the end of Main Street nearest the Castle, when facing towards the Castle. I have no idea if this is still there either!
That's it for the first World of Dreams Pin of the Fortnight! I hope that you enjoyed reading about my pin collecting story, and the first pin in my collection. Don't miss the next Pin of the Fortnight, when I will be looking at a pin from Walt Disney World, and don't forget to check out my latest Attraction Review, where I looked at Downhill Double Dipper at Blizzard Beach!
I would love to hear your take on Disney Pins! If you have a pin collecting story like me, have a special pin, or anything else for that matter, please share in the comments below or on the Blog's Facebook Page- I love hearing from my readers!
Apologies for the lateness of this post- we've had a power cut, which was only just fixed!
I hope you have had a magical weekend, and I wish you a successful week! Thanks for reading!
