Since the dawn of Disney Pin Trading way back in 2000, there’s always been some type of a pin quest be it for that one Hidden Mickey Lanyard pin or an official quest done by the parks. Magic Kingdoms latest PinQuest falls into the latter category. For those of you not familiar with a Pin Quest, it normally entails going to multiple locations throughout a Disney Park and either purchasing or collecting something to lead you to a final destination where you get a completer pin.
For the Disney PinQuest at Magic Kingdom Park the quest can either start at any of the locations that sell the lanyard set. Preferably this would be Curtain Call Collectables near the entrance of the park because that is technically the first location. The starter kit with lanyard map and decoder medal costs $14.95, which is not bad for a nice set…but that is just the start!
This PinQuest takes you all over the park to different shops — seven in total. In each of the first six shops you have to purchase a “clue card” for $10.00 each.
Each of the clues involves something in that shop that helps answer the question. Once you have answered the question, you go back to the counter and show them your card AND do something silly, like dance like a robot or sing a bit of a song. Then the Cast Member will give you the pin and stamp your map. Once you have gotten the pin, you use your decoder medal to find your next location on the map.
**Warning Slight Spoilers Ahead**
As I said, for this quest you end up going all over the park. Starting at Main Street USA, we were sent to the Storybook Circus area where you have to use your powers of observation to solve the puzzle.
Once done there, it was all the way over to the Briar Patch near Splash Mountain for the next and hardest clue. This answer was a bit tricky to find.
After the Briar Patch, we took the trek to Fantasy Faire, the shop at the exit of Mickey’s Philharmagic, to do some counting!
After going a little quackers counting, the next stop is the Frontier Trading Post for the easiest of the clues *Hint it is in the sign*
Now that we were on our last clue, we head from the Old West to the Land of Tomorrow and a long walk during the Main Street Electrical Parade!
And after all the back and forth in the park, the last pin leads us right back to Curtain Call Collectables to show we have completed the map and purchase, yes purchase, the completer pin.
I have been pin trading since 1997 when Disneyland first put out pins to see if there would be a market and a trend for us guest to spend money on these little pieces of art. I have also done countless pin quests and, while this one was fun and had a good twist, if you add together the starter kit, each of the clue cards, and the completer pin it comes out to roughly $80.00! As I said the starter kit is nice, but the pins are just okay as they are more of a clue than a piece of art. The completer pin is also nice but just a plain copper looking pin. Overall I don’t feel the entire set and experience is worth $80.00.
One thing that most of the Cast Members did hammer home with guests is that it doesn’t need to be done in one day, more or less encouraging them to do a little at a time because it is so pricey. What do you think: are seven pins and a few hours running around the park worth 80 dollars?