Anne Geggis
Disney magic can now follow you wherever you go with the first-ever Walt Disney World-inspired specialty plate. The new plates have been delivered to tax collector offices and license plate agencies statewide, the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle (FHSMV) Department announced Friday.
Already, more than 10,000 Floridians have pre-ordered the $25 plate depicting the Cinderella castle since it became available for presale last October. It has sold almost three times as the next-most-popular plate offered for presale (the Blue Angels), according to the FHSMV.
“With the more than 10,000 presale orders alone, it’s already performing better than plates that have been on the road for years,” said Jessica Kelleher, spokeswoman for FHSMV.
The state requires specialty plates like this one to get at least 3,000 presale orders before it actually gets produced; 4,000 presales are required for out-of-state university plates. Friday’s announcement means the Disney plate will be on cars just before the official date of the Disney World Magic Kingdom’s 50th anniversary on Oct. 1.
Already the plate inspired by the most magical place on earth has overtaken the “Go Fishing” plate and the Jacksonville Jaguars plate.
Revenue from the Disney plate fees will go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Northern Florida. It funds activities and programs for families with critically ill children.
“Disney has a longstanding relationship with Make-A-Wish, dating back to 1980, and since then, more than 140,000 Disney-inspired wishes have been granted, including thousands taking place at Walt Disney World Resort,” wrote Tajana Ancora-Brown, Disney’s director of external affairs in a news release.
Since the specialty plate program started, tens of millions of dollars have been raised for charity. The most popular plate is the “Endless Summer” plate, which is affixed to 101,180 vehicles, followed by the University of Florida plate, which has been ordered 95,100 times, according to state data. The Florida State University plate pulled in 71,904 orders, the fourth-most popular plate, according to state figures.
