The free perks of being an annual pass holder at Disney World have dwindled since 2019. Gone are the Food and Wine specific gifts and while discounts are still available, pass-holder magnets are the one big freebie.
Over the years, Mickey and Minnie have been featured on the magnets, Figment, Tinker Bell, and even Oswald the Lucky Rabbit made his debut. Disney fans all have their wish list from princesses to animated characters but there are two specifically that are missing and should make an appearance in 2024.
Steamboat Willie will become public domain when the calendar changes from 2023 to 2024 but he was the first true "Mickey Mouse" and has yet to be featured on an AP magnet. With the 100th anniversary celebration going on, why wouldn't Disney roll out Willie before it is over?
Willie makes sense but if Disney World really wants to make a splash, there is only one image that should appear on the first AP magnet of 2024.
Yes, Disney World needs to give AP holders a magnet with Walt Disney himself.
Walt the Dreamer (part 2) pic.twitter.com/2It66opYIR
— Somewareatdisney (@somewareatdiz) December 18, 2023
At EPCOT, Disney unveiled the new Walt Disney statue in the Celebration Gardens area. Walt the Dreamer is a magnificent addition. The backdrop of the EPCOT ball (Spaceship Earth) and the World Showcase in front of it, Walt Disney has never been more prevalent than he is right now.
Last month we celebrated along with Disney the 100th Anniversary of Walt Disney signing the papers to make Disney Animation Studios a reality. This year-long celebration will continue through the early parts of 2024.
It would be a perfect tribute to Disney's founding father and an incredible keepsake for Disney fans who spend their hard earned money on annual passes.
Will Disney take this route to feature a real person on a magnet for the first time? Probably not. Disney tends to take different routes with their AP mags. From changing styles to bringing back characters that have already had magnets, it would be almost shocking if Walt Disney was featured on one.
That being said, if they did, Disney shouldn't make it a park priority for AP visits. That would be something they send to AP holders in the mail like they did with the Tinker Bell release. Still, as great as it would be, it won't likely happen.