I am convinced that pull-ups are an absolute hindrance to potty-training. As a cross between diapers and real underwear, pull-ups make the "transition" period much less dramatic for toddlers. The problem is that they NEED the drama. They NEED to see and feel a huge difference in what they're wearing so that they recognize on some level that things have changed and what used to work will no longer be okay. Pull-ups just add confusion to what has (historically) been a black and white process. Are there messes for a while when you go straight from diapers to panties? Absolutely. But getting that over with when they're smaller (and produce smaller "messes") is really the preferrable option.
But that's really more for your next child, of course, since your daughter has already used pull-ups and is firmly in the "confused" stage. At this point, though, I would definitely throw out every last pull-up and make a big production out of it like she's SUCH a big girl and doesn't need them anymore, etc. (As an aside, this is also something you should do with your next child when you first make that switch. Really play up the idea that it's a "graduation" of sorts and let him/her call all the relatives and tell them about it.) Also, when my kids were training, we made a huge production (for the first few weeks, anyway) out of every successful toilet use. We did a little dance and sang a special song and yes, we called all the relatives and bragged about it. It sounds silly, I know, but it really works. Also, Oreos are a fantastic motivator. ;-)