Celebrating 50, Southwest and Disney unveil new livery; We have some thoughts
In case you haven't heard by now, the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort is upon us (Oct. 1) and Southwest Airlines, which marked its 50th anniversary as a company in June, decided to join in on the celebration by unveiling a new livery on its Boeing 737-700 aircraft, and its design has sparked quite a reaction among aviation fans — or, dare I say, AvGeeks.
Let's back up a bit. If you are wondering what a livery is, as I was when my editor assigned this story to me this morning, a livery, in addition to being a new word in my vocabulary, refers to the identifying design features of a specific aircraft, whether it be a certain color, graphic or another typographic element, featured by airlines on special jets.
Airlines often introduce new liveries to mark celebratory occasions, such as Alaska Airlines' Pride livery, Southwest's Freedom One livery or even new versions of the presidential jet Air Force One.
"This partnership has been in the works for...more than a year! We’ve had a longstanding partnership with the Walt Disney World Resort, as we’ve hosted sweepstakes and promotions with them over the years," a spokesperson for Southwest told me via email. "We know many of our Orlando-bound Customers (and Employees) are big Disney fans and visit the park, so it’s a very natural collaboration. What great timing that we each turn 50 this year."
Southwest and Walt Disney World Resort announced the cobranded aircraft on Sept. 28 at Houston's William P. Hobby International Airport (HOU), where cast members from Disney sent the aircraft into service to Orlando International Airport (MCO).
"The aircraft design was a partnership between the two brands, with teams on both sides providing direction and input on how to make the creative really pop and to highlight the 50th anniversary elements of each company. This is the first promotional aircraft we’ve unveiled that brings the design into the interior of the aircraft, as the window shades and overhead bins feature EARidescent creative," the SWA spokesperson said. "Each window shade onboard features a Disney character, and then the overhead bins feature both logos and the pixie dust treatment from the exterior of the aircraft. It’s fun to spot your favorite character onboard!"
Read more: 18 airline liveries that will catch any AvGeek’s eye
Symbolizing "50 Years of Memories and Magic," the livery showcases a stencil outline of the Magic Kingdom, with Walt Disney himself walking toward it, with the famous Walt Disney World script prominently centered. Inside the aircraft, the overhead bins are marked with the same design, along with "Walt Disney World 50," and there are character shapes on the window shades as well.
Related: Southwest unveils new ‘freedom’ livery, gives workers 50,000 points for 50th anniversary
“As Walt Disney World Resort kicks off The World’s Most Magical Celebration commemorating our 50th anniversary, we are thrilled to bring even more magic to guests’ vacations and to the sky with the help of our friends at Southwest,” Claire Bilby, the senior vice president of Disney Destinations, said in a press statement. “Both Walt Disney World Resort and Southwest Airlines share an incredible 50-year legacy."
When it comes to this Disney-SWA livery collaboration, reviews seemed to be mixed, even among the biggest Disney and Southwest fans of them all.
"This could have been done so much better. I wanted to see something like WestJet’s 'Frozen' plane or Alaska Airlines’ Disney plane," said Benét J. Wilson, a self-proclaimed Southwest expert and senior editor at TPG. "With both brands celebrating their 50th anniversaries, this was a missed opportunity by Southwest. Go big or go home!"
The Southwest queen is certainly not alone, as TPG senior writer Zach Griff noted he's seen "a ton of hardcore AvGeeks say that they don’t like it."
TPG's Madison Blancaflor (travel editor) and Summer Hull (director of travel content) are both currently in Orlando covering the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort. They are some of the biggest Disney fans I have ever met, along with those adults who get engaged at Disney.
Related: My ride on the 'Star Wars' plane
"It’s hard to top the 'Star Wars' livery Disney worked with United on, but it’s still amazing to see these two companies who are celebrating their 50ths team up for this collab," Blancaflor told me on a break in between rides. "Summer and I would have both loved a Disney version of the 'Star Wars' collab; this was a bit underwhelming comparatively. But regardless, I hope I get the chance to fly with it!"
As a "Disney freak," Hull agrees. "The 'Star Wars' plane this is not."
Related: First look at the 'Star Wars' plane
While TPG senior aviation reporter David Slotnick says "special liveries can be hit or miss," this one hits the mark for him.
"Even some of the 'good' ones can be tacky or poorly executed. That said, I think this one is excellent. Even though I’ve never been to Disney World, I obviously grew up with the brand and characters," Slotnick told me. "I think it’s well integrated along with the existing livery, is tasteful, and I love to see the integration of the cabin interior! Such a cool idea, really well done."
Clint Henderson, a senior news editor at TPG, said, "I love the Southwest livery with a couple of big caveats. The decals on the plane's exteriors are a weird color and hard to see. It would have been amazing to have a little more effort put into the interior of the cabin like decals on the seats or even mouse ears on the back of all the seats."
"There's a certain amount of Disney magic missing here," Henderson continued, "That said, I love when airlines do special livery. Check out how thrilled I was with a 'Star Wars' plane I lucked into on a recent trip to Puerto Rico."
Whether you love it or hate it, look for this Southwest-Disney livery, which will be hitting the skies through March 2022, next time you fly.
Read more: Alaska Airlines shows its Pride with LGBTQIA+ livery
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.