Everyone has that one souvenir that they just have to have from each place they visit. For those of us that make Walt Disney World our primary vacation destination, this results in finding a favorite collectible to add each time we go. My family collects magnets. And not just any magnets – we make sure to find a magnet that highlights the year. Since we try to go once a year, this serves as a sort of means to track each time we’ve gone.
It all started during my first visit to Walt Disney World back in 2006. My wife and I didn’t intend to start a collection, and we certainly didn’t seek out a specific type of souvenir to bring home. We just happened to select a magnet bearing the year – 2006. We didn’t make it back to Walt Disney World until 2013, and when we did, we decided to continue the tradition we had inadvertently started. We now have magnets for 2006, 2013, 2014 (both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort), 2015, and 2016.
On our most recent visit in April 2016, we had some difficulty finding a 2016 magnet. When we finally found one in the style of the others, we purchased it, but then subsequently misplaced it in our luggage. After searching and thinking that we must have left it at the store, we purchased another of a different style on our way off property at Disney Springs. We wound up finding the first magnet at home after emptying our luggage, leaving us with two 2016 magnets.
Naturally, we display these magnets on our refrigerator, and we use them to hold up a photo of us from that particular trip. I’m sure that as the years go on, we will eventually run out of space, but that shouldn’t be for a very long time.
Do you collect any magnets? Feel free to share your photos with me on Twitter @JLShusterman.
(Photo from the author’s personal collection.)
Joshua Shusterman is United States Marine and has been stationed in both North Carolina and Hawaii. He is an avid Disney fan, and has taken several trips to Walt Disney World® as well as Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, and Disneyland® Resort. He has extensively researched military discount programs and offers from The Walt Disney Company, and loves to spread the word to his fellow service members. He can be reached on Twitter @JLShusterman or email at JLShusterman@Gmail.com.
