Flying magic comes to Orlando

GC131202_Mickey_640x360_78542915748The Canadian airline WestJet introduced its custom-painted aircraft this Monday. The “Magical Plane” comes as result of the collaboration between WestJet, WestJet Vacations and Disney Parks & Resorts. Its first flight between Calgary and Orlando International Airport took off yesterday and brought its passengers for a three-day vacation at Walt Disney World. After that „Magic Plane” will fly on WestJet’s domestic, trans-border and international network, which includes 39 flights per week from various Canadian cities to Orlando. The special livery is designed to tell a story from tail to nose. It starts with Sorcerer Mickey, prominent on the aircraft’s tail, with magic stars coming from his hands. The magic stars swirl around the fuselage and past the wings, culminating with fireworks over the Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World. Inside, the seats are sprinkled with stars and the plane’s crew will pass out Disney-shaped cookies. According to WestJet, to paint the plane took a team of 26 people working around the clock for 24 days. The design, which features Mickey Mouse as Sorcerer Mickey in the Disney classic Fantasia, includes 36 different paint colors. The paintjob also has a little riddle – both side of the plane are mirror images, except for one detail – it left to the viewer to find out what it is exactly. “It’s a flying billboard,” said Gregg Saretsky, president and CEO of WestJet. “I think it just brings our whole partnership to another level.” WestJet and Disney have been working as partners for nearly a decade and the “Magic Plane” is designed to lead the passenger to Disney before the plane has even landed at Orlando. westjet-magic-plane-mickey-mouse-e1386022759145“Families and kids, they’ll be in an airport somewhere and they’ll look out and they will see Sorcerer Mickey,” said Marlie Morrison of Walt Disney Company. “That little bit of Disney magic, you know, just might surprise them anywhere they are at any particular airport.”