Pressed Pennies are one of those classic things that people just go ape over. Especially Disney Pressed Pennies!
And I can’t blame them, I had hundreds of them growing up, and I saved every penny I ever got in case it would be shiny enough to be squished into a fun disney world pressed penny design!
I mean, what did parents do before pressing pennies? It’s the most creative thing. It’s low cost, and it keeps the kids totally entertained (though, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like doing it, because as an adult, it’s still my jam)
Does Disney World Have Pressed Pennies?
Yes! Disney World and the resorts still have pressed pennies, and they are still being updated for special events. There are a number of 50th Celebration pennies,and other fun options like for the holidays. Prices and locations have changed frequently in the last few years.
How much are pressed pennies at Disney World?
Pennies are now One Dollar, but it will depend on the machine. Some machines allow you to use a dollar bill, or a credit card/mobile pay for the one dollar fee. Other machines are strictly card only (at 3 dollars), and then there’s even more machines where it’s 5 dollars for 8 coins card only, or One physical dollar for one coin.
Can you use Magic Bands on the New Digital Pressed Penny Machines that no longer take coins?
No, you cannot use magic bands. The Payment Terminal will accept 1 and 5 dollar bills, Mobile Wallets, Contactless Debit/Credit Cards, but not the Magic Band.
Confused? Me too. It’s a lot to handle especially when you are in the parks enjoying the vacation, let’s dive into it more below.
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Pressed Pennies at Disney World are what exactly?
Real quick- for the folks that may not know, let me dedicate two sentences to explaining a pressed penny machine.
It’s exactly what it sounds like- you get some pennies and you pick a design and you squish them into a piece of metal that will forever carry your design.
Cool and kinda creepy- but we love it.
We store them in these little pressed penny binders and suddenly, smooshing change is hella cool. Who knew having a Disney World Pressed Penny Book would be such a prized possession?
OH and I got this super cute pressed penny picture frame (!!!!!) for my son for his birthday coming up- so now he gets to pick the pennies, press them, bring them home, pick the picture, and store them as a keepsake all for less than 20 dollars!
So why do we press pennies? Because they are such a fun and cool souvenir. They’re cheap, they’re unexpected, and they keep everyone entertained. Sometimes it’s the little things in life!
Disney World Pressed Penny Changes for 2022
Previously, you’d gather up your quarters and pennies and hunt for the machines around resorts and the parks. Or you’d have one of those fancy pocket finders.
But two things are new that could impact your trip.
Pressed Penny Change Number 1- Going Digital
No longer do you have to hunt for your pennies- because it’s gone DIGITAL.
I KNOW ITS 2022 AND FINALLY WE HAVE AN ONLINE MAP. thank you lord because it’s annoying to come across the same machine when you really just want a new design!
There are so many new designs (and some classic ones that pop up unexpectedly!)
So you can go to the My Disney App and search for ‘coin machine’ and find yourself a full view of where they are located on the resort property. WOOOO. It’s a party yall!
I know you paid 100 dollars to step foot into Disney World but sometimes the real joy is finding a new 51 cent souvenir 🤣🤣🤣
My Kiddos are legit obsessed with pressed pennies and take great joy in finding new characters. Sure it’s decently ‘cheap’ souvenir, but showing them off is the best part… until they loose them!
The other day we were at Test Track in Magic Kingdom when my oldest had a legit fit. Like stomping, crying, I LOST MY PENNY fit. (Ya know, the kind NO parent wants to hear at Disney World) He had placed his Olaf penny in his pocket (and that’s not where it’s supposed to go FYI because he has a penny book) and lost it when he fiddled with it in line.
So we had to walk all the way back to the bathrooms over by adventure land and get a SECOND Olaf penny. Yeah it’s cheap, but what if He lost it at home and there was no replacement?
Thankfully we used our trusty pennybandz since he wanted to keep it safe on him. He already had one in his bracelet so I pulled out a necklace for him to store his prized Olaf penny. I highly recommend getting the bandz before you go (they come in adult and youth sizes) and they have the necklace from the picture online in a bunch of different colors.
Needless to say- Olaf made it home safely!
Number 2 Pressed Penny Change- Price Changes
They’ve gone digital TIMES 2.
Not once- but twice!
How do you go digital twice?
with payment of course!
Yes- you can finally order them with a debit card and with dollar bills. No more having to carry around change which is blowing my mind!
You can purchase with a card, or with mobile pay on all devices (but not gift cards!)
I feel like so much time is spent looking for the perfect penny (anyone else go and get new rolls from the bank 🤣🤣) and this takes some of the fun out of it- but also some of the stress and preplanning. It does make it easier to do this as a vacation and not something you have to lug change around for!
How much does it cost to press pennies at Disney World? Full list of Price Combinations and Options.
There’s the 1 dollar bill (not card) or all 12 for 10 dollars.
The 1 dollar bill (not card) or all 8 for 5 dollars.
There’s buying all of them for 3 dollars (card only), or 1 for 1 dollar.
Then there’s buying all of them for 1 dollar (cash or card)
Confused? me too!
But if you want pennies, plan to bring one dollar bills and also a card/mobile pay option for your collection.
But there’s some pros and cons to this new method like there is with any change.
Big CON is that you have to purchase the whole set of coins for 5 dollars if you pay with a card in most places. Some places are 4 dollars, and some places will let you purchase one penny for one dollar (talk about a huge markup!)
If you use a dollar you can purchase one. But this means that you now pay 1 dollar for a pressed penny (the irony here) instead of 51 cents.
IF you purchase with a card, that means you get EIGHT pennies for five dollars (again- a few places are 4 dollars for 5 to 8 pennies- the consistency is not there). Still not the same as using change, and you might end up with some designs you don’t want.
Plus, you aren’t able to select the pennies (and this can be a big deal if you like having new and unblemished pennies to get pressed!) We’ve tried it out several times and the pennies are all in good to excellent shape BUT we really like to find those quality clean pennies and some of the ones we’ve purchased are just ‘ok’. Not horrible, but certainly not top quality.
BUT THE PRO- is that you no longer need to carry change! You can just use a debit card or pop a dollar in the machine and tada! You’ve got some great souvenirs.
Number 3 Change for Pressed Pennies started in 2020 and never went back- Removing the Analog Machines
I know I said two changes, but I had to update because of the changes that happened in 202
I’m sure you’re totally over hearing about it, but I’ve got to share about pennies in post pandemic Disney World!
But it seems that the Analog pennies (where you have to hand crank the penny) are being replaced everyday at the parks. One day it’s there, and the next day it’s been replaced with a fully automated penny pressing machine.
There are still some machines that are hand crank, but these are a small percentage. Most places are now the automatic cranks.
With all those changes, what’s still the same with pressed pennies?
Valid question and important to share for some of you that might not have been to the parks lately.
Pressed Pennies are still a great (and frugal!) souvenir and one of the cheapest ones even with the price increase for going digital (See number 2 above)
there’s still an incredible number of machines around the parks – and there’s still a map (it’s just digital in the app) and there’s still lots of fun characters and some super rare pennies too!
And there’s still some manual crank penny machines around Disney World.
So how much change do I need to bring to get these pressed pennies?
Let’s just say friend, you’ve got options!
You can do the traditional change method (but the new ones don’t accept change)
Or you can bring dollars or a debit card (but the old ones only take change)
My word of advice, bring 10 dollars in quarters, a roll of pennies, and some 20 dollars in 1 dollar bills. 30 dollars and 50 cents will get you quite a few pennies to choose from!
ALL of the coin pennies at Disney World have been replaced with digital. Bring 1 dollar bills plus a card.
This last trip I made, I spent 13 dollars in electronic penny purchases and then less than 5 dollars in quarters and penny’s I brought in with me!
Best Hacks for getting the prettiest pennies
On the old crank machines, anyone will tell you, the slower you crank, the better the image. The new ones, you aren’t able to control as well- but they seem to turn out pretty decent.
However- the new ones that choose the penny and press it without a crank can and do turn out ‘crappy’ 1/20 times. Don’t be upset if they aren’t ‘perfect’.
Once you get home, you can clean any pennies that are less than pretty- and it’s not hard! Simply use an eraser, or put them in some vinegar and you are good to go!
Pressed Pennies at Disney World- are you planning to press soon?
There’s a lot of new additions to the pressed penny adventures, but there’s also a lot of things that have stayed the same. Pressed pennies are still a ‘thing’ and it’s a joy to be able to share it with a new generation of penny pressers!
Leave a comment below if you have any pressed penny questions or tips for those visiting Disney World Soon!
Thanks for the updated info as we are heading to WDW soon! If you do the cash option on the new machines, are you able to select the design you want? Or will it randomly pick one of the 8 on the machine?
The Cash options you can still select which one you’d like. You’ll get all 8 options if you swipe your card.
Thank you so much for all the information! It is hard to search for all the machines just by sight, so the app is a bonus! My son loves pressed penny machines, and we cant wait to use the app and get some new pennies when we go in November!
They are hidden sometimes- but I think the hidden ones have the best designs for pennies! I hope you get lots of new ones on your trip in November!
are there machines that don’t take the 2 quarters and penny? Only digital?
Hi Sandy! Some machines take coins, some machine do not. Some machines are ONLY digital and require a credit card or cash (no coins)
I found my pressed penny collection from when I was a kid, so I got a bunch of quarters and pennies together for our trip yesterday. I was so bummed out that the crank machines are gone! and most now only take dollars or cards. What happened to the good ol days where you had to crank the machine to get the imprint your wanted before inserting your penny. super bummer… My boys though had dollars and we’re starting a new collection from our trips but they’ll never know the struggle.
Hi Victoria! It is strange that they’ve gotten rid of the crank in most places, especially in Epcot. Here’s a few places I know you can still crank the wheel to get the penny:
Epcot in the Seas Pavilion in the Gift Shop (there’s a digital and a crank- requires dollars)
Animal Kingdom Entrance to the Safari (pennies and crank)
Magic Kingdom bathrooms in Adventure Land (pennies but no crank)
Magic Kingdom train station (crank)
Hollywood Studios Indiana Jones area (crank)
You do have to look for them as the digital ones are becoming more popular- I hope they keep a few of those crank options for old times sake. There’s also seaworld and universal that have ‘old fashioned’ crank machines too! I hope you enjoy your trip and get lots of shiny pennies!
Cna you use Disney gift cards on the digital machines?
I’m 99% sure it has to be a credit card.
We have a collection and need to know where to sell?
Larry, there is a lively market on Ebay, and in some Facebook groups related to Disney budget planning. They don’t hold much value but to nostagalic collectors, so do some research on the pressed pennies to see which ones have been discontinued!
Hello.
Is there a 2020 penny press at EPCOT? If so where, because I can’t get into MK before the end of the year.
Yes! There in several places, I’d look mostly around world showcase in each of the pavilions, and then in the shops at the head of the world showcase. There’s also one over by Journey to Figment out in the open and another in the Seas Pavilion. Hope you find lots of pennies!
I spent today at Disney Hollywood. I was looking for Star Wars penny machines, but never found any. Do you know where one is?
Hi Wendy! The new relaxation station in the Animation Courtyard (previously had meet and greets) should have a penny machine. I also believe there was a pressed penny machine in the gift shop at the exit of star tours! I need to look back through my collection, but I don’t remember a lot of star wars themed pennies- many of them are tributes to Galaxy’s Edge and Star Tours ( so not a ‘true’ star wars pressed penny, but a Disney Star Wars penny none the less)
We just returned from Disney World and I have to say pressed pennies are probably a thing of the past for our family.
In order to get a good pressed penny that won’t turn black over time, you need to use pennies that are all copper – not just a coating of copper over a zinc slug.
We did not encounter a single machine that let you use your own pennies. Instead they provide the penny for you which doesn’t allow you to use a good quality penny. And no, a brand new penny doesn’t make for a good pressed penny. The zinc will show through after being pressed and eventually turn black leaving you with a black ugly mess.
It is a bummer Kate, that they don’t let you insert your pennies at many of the machines. I’ve found that the one’s at the resorts in Disney World (and most of the ones in Universal) allow you to still place your own pennies in the slots. But at the parks, they are quickly being overrun by machines that provide the pennies. We’ve certainly had to modify our collection, but the kids enjoy putting the pennies in their pennybandz to wear and I try to remember that it’s not the same as when I was a kid. I hope you’ll still try to find pennies on your next trip- try the resorts!
We just returned from Walt Disney World (and Universal Studios). Only getting home did I realize I never got any pennies for either Star Wars or the Harry Potter places! My kids, who were on the look out for machines for me, also realized this and said they don’t think they ever saw any! We also forgot that the app has a map for the machines:( Bummed to now realize this.
As to the debit/CC payment thing. It’s only good if its working. I missed entirely Jungle Cruise pennies as the machine just wasn’t working (CC or cash). A year ago I missed Haunted Mansion as the machine didn’t work either. SOMETIMES if the debit/CC card didn’t work, I’d get lucky that the machine still accepted cash.
I have to agree with you Nicole! The debit card machines don’t always work, and sometimes they glitch (ended up with an entire thing of 8 pennies once in animal kingdom when all I wanted was one penny for my son!) If you have the option to contact a cast member early in the day, and have a park hopper (I know the passes are wonky right now!) I’ve found that they can fix the machines by that evening or the next day.
We’ve been doing pressed pennies for decades, good cheap fun. While shiny pennies look pretty my husband has always said the old copper pennies press better and cleaner so we always make sure to have older ones!!
I just returned from Disney World and was saddened to see the change of the machines. Nowhere in the comments do I see that these aren’t actually pressed pennies, but sadly they are no longer real currency. I don’t mind not using my own money (paying a bit more to have convenience of using credit is ok), but it’s sad to see that we’re just pressing pieces of copper now instead of pennies. I won’t be continuing a collection if you can’t get real pennies!
Interesting Julie! I have not had pieces of plain copper, I’m still getting pennies (as recently as last week). I know their pennies because they are dropped into the slot, and then the way they are pressed and how much I dislike the machine (instead of the crank!) because it really smooshes the design.Going to keep my eye out for plain copper discs!
In the original hand crank penny machines… If you used pennies dated before 1982. They work best… All you do is clean them up with ketchup to make them shiny. I do that before pressing them. Learning of this new digital age is kind of sad for me. I really do think it takes the whole fun out of it. I printed out the list from pressed pennies.com and it’s pretty extensive. Most of them probably are the new digital ones. I’m still going to look for the hand crank ones. They really should bring those back if enough of us complain about the machines not stamping the penny properly which is very important if we’re paying a dollar each… Then maybe they’ll go back to the hand crank ones.
there are still a number of hand crank ones, like the crank by Buzz lightyear in MK, and the one by Backlot express in HS… BUT they don’t allow you to supply the penny. So the hand cranks exist, just no ability to put in your own penny.
Do you need to bring Pennie’s with you? Or does the machine provide them?
The machine provides them!