WestJet, Disney Make More Magic With New Plane
It’s hard to believe that anything Disney and WestJet – two of the savviest marketers around – do could be kept under wraps so thoroughly, but the two travel partners combined to amaze several hundred guests on Sunday at WestJet’s hangar in Toronto with the unveiling of a new Disney-themed aircraft.
Guests included WestJet rewards members (and their kids) plus a full complement of both WestJet and Disney staff and media, including PressToday.
The plane is WestJet’s second sporting a Disney theme, coming two years after the “MagicPlane” was unveiled.
Unlike the Magic, which features Sorcerer Mickey Mouse, this time around the theme is “Frozen,” with characters from Disney’s all-time highest-grossing animated film and a storyline that sees snowman Olaf being taken to the beach.
The tail of the aircraft shows Anna and Elsa celebrating sisterhood and “the magic of snow.” Moving along the aircraft from back to front, the magic travels to warmer climes where Olaf can be found enjoying a summer day on the beach.
The theme carries through to the interior of the aircraft with images on the overhead bins, bulkheads, lavatory mirrors and headrests.
“We wanted to tell a story… you can’t just paint characters on a plane,” Marlie Morrison, managing director, marketing and sales at The Walt Disney Company (Canada) Ltd. Parks and Resort, told PressToday, adding, the plane is the only one she’s aware of that is decorated inside too.
WestJet Vacations VP Tim Croyle noted that the plane’s inaugural flight will be today to… Orlando, of course! After that, it will go into regular rotation, joining the Magic to help WestJet “inspire people to head down to Disney World.”
