After watching Disney for nearly two decades, SeaWorld Orlando decides to finally get in on the pin trading craze

After nearly two decades of pin trading at Disney World, SeaWorld has decided to get in on the act. Pin trading is rolling out at SeaWorld Orlando this month. The brand-new pin trading program will begin at five retail stores in the park and the SeaWorld store at the Orlando International Airport. Select park employees, known as Ambassadors at SeaWorld, will also be wearing pin trading lanyards. Guest can trade up to three pins per employee per day.

At Disney, pins have proven to be popular even while other collectibles fall out of favor. The small size of the pins means they’re easy for guests to carry via lanyards, pouches, and small books. Pin trading booths and stores are now found in all four Walt Disney World theme parks and at Disney Springs. Nearly every special event and holiday also have special pins released for it. Universal started pin trading a few years after Disney and while not as popular as it is at Disney it has stuck around for years with many fans still actively participating in it.

At SeaWorld Orlando, the pin trading will launch with the same level as intrigue as Disney and Universal’s thanks to a number of more difficult to get pins. Five different categories of pins are being created at SeaWorld. The Core pins will feature various SeaWorld focused animals. Some pins will be part of collections where other related pins will be added over time. Collections aren’t to be confused with Series, which are sets of pins in a group together.

There are also Limited Edition and Special Edition pins.

New pins will be added over time, and old pins will be retired. Prices for the pins range from $7.99 - $13.99, with a set of 4 pins and a lanyard costing around $29.99. Pass Members will receive their 10% retail savings on the pins and pin accessories.

Pins released so far include everything from retro-looking postcards to cartoon versions of popular characters, including numerous pins with sea turtles.

One of the primary locations for the pins will be in the gift shop formerly known as Shamu’s Emporium. That shop is currently in the midst of a thorough remodeling. On SeaWorld Orlando’s website, the gift shop is listed as the “Emporium Gift Shop” with no mention of Shamu’s name though the name “Shamu's Emporium” was used in the pin trading announcement blog post on the SeaWorld Orlando official blog. No official name change has been announced, but as the park chain shifts to downplay the orcas, we’re seeing fewer and fewer mentions of Shamu.

The pins are now available throughout SeaWorld Orlando with displays currently found at the Waterfront Shops, Coconut Bay Traders, Fins Gifts, and the Wild Arctic Store.