Disney should find a better way to get annual pass holder magnets to guests

Being an annual pass holder for Disney World comes with some benefits but getting the AP magnets isn't always easy.
An assortment of Disney AP magnets
An assortment of Disney AP magnets /
facebooktwitterreddit

There are only a few ways Disney World Annual Passholders can get magnets. Show up at the designated park and visit the handout location or hope Disney sends one in the mail.

For many APs getting to Disney World isn't a big deal. It might be a 30-60 minute drive. For guests that live three or four hours away, it may get a little harder but not impossible. Then there are out-of-state guests and the "snow-bird" AP owners who are not in Florida 24/7/365.

The next AP magnet will be coming soon and will feature Hei Hei from Moana. It's an odd choice given the large character stockpile that Disney has but it will be a sought-after magnet for APs.

Sadly, the only way to get this next magnet is to show up at the park. I live half of the year in Florida and the other half up north. Mine isn't a matter of avoiding the snow as I live near the coast of North Carolina. Mine is a choice because I like to travel to Florida and having a place to live makes more sense because I have family in the Orlando area.

Still, jumping in the car for an 8-hour trip to pick up an AP magnet makes little to no sense. Sometimes it is an excuse to steal away for a day or two but you manage to regret the drive time about halfway back home.

Is there a better option? There are other options but they are not perfect ones. Disney could mail one magnet to each AP but that is extra money that Disney shouldn't have to spend even though they could afford it.

The easiest way is to ask guests to register for a magnet and then have that magnet held for them at a customer service location or other location designated by Disney. Disney could ask for a 2 or 3 month pick up window and then pull the hold if not picked up.

This would make a lot of sense for guests who may not be able to make the short one or two-month window to get the magnet. What sucks is that many AP families with multiple passes on the household will pick up as many as they can and then sell them on after-market sites. This isn't what Disney intended for their magnet distribution but also nothing they can control without doing away with them altogether.