Disneyland cuts ties with McDonald's

allentownguy

New Member
Original Poster
Disneyland cuts ties with McDonald's
Aug 8, 2008

September 2 marks the end of Disneyland's association with McDonald's. The California theme park is closing the three McDonald's kiosks operating there. Disneyland spokeswoman Lisa Haines indicated they will reopen "with other theming and branding."

It is not known what will be replacing McDonald's or what date the kiosks will reopen. Haines has stated "we are considering a number of different concept options."

The last Disney tie-in with McDonald's was in 2006 for "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest."

Disney has been focusing on offering healthier options at its theme parks. While fast food outlets have also been making efforts to do the same, a recent report criticizes McDonald's for having too much salt and fat in 90% of their high caloric kid's meals.

The three McDonald's outlets in Walt Disney World are expected to remain in operation at this time.


http://www.reuters.com/article/pressReleasesMolt/idUSN0736406620080808
 

DTM93

Member
What is the point in trying to get a healthier message across?
For example, if you went abroad are you honestly going to care where you eat healthily or eat a salad?
And Disney could just carry on continuing it's normal unhealthy food and people would maybe still buy that more.
 

comics101

Well-Known Member
What is the point in trying to get a healthier message across?
For example, if you went abroad are you honestly going to care where you eat healthily or eat a salad?
And Disney could just carry on continuing it's normal unhealthy food and people would maybe still buy that more.


I'm with you. I don't understand why everyone hates McD's so much. Not only is it a great company with a very charitable history, but they have very good burgers, and the most delicious fries anywhere around.
Personally, I'm kinda sick of hearing about how everyone has to be healthy. Especially being in High School. (I swear they cram it down our throats. It's all anyone ever talks about.) Leave people alone and let them have a varaity of options.

And I guarentee you Disney will continue to carry unhealthy food. From my observation, when people go on vaction, they like to eat whatever they want (especially when in Disney, 'cause they figure they'll just walk it off), and I can just imagine the amount of complaints Disney would get if they chose to not serve fries.
 

DisneyMusician2

Well-Known Member
I centainly think it sends an interesting message.

If you can prove they don't monetarily benefit from this decision, I would commend the company, human vacationers eating habits or not.
 

hpyhnt 1000

Well-Known Member
Hm. Interesting, yet at the same time, its not interesting. I really have no preference on this issue. I do agree that blaming corporations for having unhealthy food is silly. If its that bad, then why do we eat it? You have a choice when it comes to what you put in your body. Nobody said you had to eat Mickey D's food. Don't blame them for making you fat or giving you diabetes; take a look in the mirror instead. :shrug:
 

sbkline

Well-Known Member
I think it's pretty hypocritical of Disney to eliminate McDonald's from it's parks over health reasons, when they serve their own greasy burgers and fries all over the place. And then, of course, there is the famous "Kitchen Sink" which isn't exactly a healthy choice, along with the slew of other fatty foods they serve all over the resort.

And the fact that it is hypocrisy is what kind of scares me. I'm afraid Disney is going to realize the same thing and decide to eliminate all the good food from the entire resort. I can see a day when all that's on the menu is unleavened bread and water. :shrug:

Obviously I'm exaggerating slightly, but I do fear a day when I can't get a good thick steak and buttered baked potato, or when I can't get a big hunk of cake or whatever, all because the health police have deemed it too "un-PC" or whatever to have that stuff served to the public.

I've never eaten at the McDonald's locations on Disney property and I couldn't care less if they are there or not. But if they get rid of them, it's not that they are getting rid of them that bothers me...it's why.
 

Wilt Dasney

Well-Known Member
Obviously I'm exaggerating slightly, but I do fear a day when I can't get a good thick steak and buttered baked potato, or when I can't get a big hunk of cake or whatever, all because the health police have deemed it too "un-PC" or whatever to have that stuff served to the public.
I wouldn't lose much sleep worrying about that. Disney's still a business, not an activist group. As long as they can make money off of burgers and fries while offering salads and carrot sticks as an alternative, that's exactly what they'll do.
 

comics101

Well-Known Member
I centainly think it sends an interesting message.

If you can prove they don't monetarily benefit from this decision, I would commend the company, human vacationers eating habits or not.

You're right, maybe they're severing ties because it's cheaper to make Disney Hamburgers instead of having McD's kiosks everywhere, I really don't know. And I agree with sbkline and alot of other posters who really don't care if McD's is at Disney or not. What I care about is the message. I'm afraid Disney may take that message too far, and eliminate burgers and other fast-food items all togeather. I don't know how taking fast-food of the menu would benifit the company, but Disney's made some really stupid judgment errors before.
 

GenerationX

Well-Known Member
I'm a McDonald's fan, but I don't care to see them in the parks. There are so many other food choices that are good and themed to the area that I don't find myself wanting McD's while I'm there.

I appreciate that Disney has added more healthy foods to their menus, and I appreciate that they've kept some unhealthy (but tasty!) foods on their menus.
 

sbkline

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't lose much sleep worrying about that. Disney's still a business, not an activist group. As long as they can make money off of burgers and fries while offering salads and carrot sticks as an alternative, that's exactly what they'll do.

Disney may not be an activist group, but they pander to the latest PC crusades as much as any other business. They changed Dixie Landings into POR when the PC police deemed it too "offensive". Now that smoking is becoming increasingly unacceptable in our PC society, Disney conformed to the latest cultural trend by banning smoking almost everywhere on property. Now apparently, with McDonald's being a current target of health police, Disney is severing their ties with this establishment. So what happens at some point down the road when "junk food" in general becomes as taboo as smoking and McDonalds and when the health police succeed in swaying public opinion against fatty foods, such as steaks, burgers and fries, ice cream sundaes, etc? Disney, not wanting to be seen as noncompliant with the latest dictates of the Politically Correct, will surely conform. Hence my fear that at some point in the future, we will be confined to choosing between salad with no dressing, baked chicken or unleavened bread..and choosing between grapes or apples for dessert. I hope that day doesn't come, but it wouldn't surprise me at all. Of course, if the animal rights/vegetarian movement makes its way into the PC agenda, then I guess the baked chicken may not even be an option on the menu anymore.
 

Wilt Dasney

Well-Known Member
sbkline:

I think your fears are unfounded (and you should hope I'm right). ;)

The Rebel flag and cigarettes are easy targets, and taking them on holds absolutely no financial threat for Disney. If they were to eliminate fatty foods and sweet desserts, people would leave property in droves to eat somewhere else...and I'm sure Disney knows it.

You might be right that Disney tends to side with "PC" positions, but they also gots ta make money. Their idealism is going to stop at the point of being unprofitable. Fried chicken and french fries are immensely more popular and woven into the fabric of our culture than cigarettes. Disney would have a true revolt on their hands, and absolutely HEMMORHAGE money, if they ever tried to eliminate them. It's just not going to happen. Not in the foreseeable future anyway.

If, 50 years down the road, eating unhealthy foods is something a small minority practices (like smoking today), that might be the time to start worrying. :lol:

All just my opinion, of course, but I think the above reasoning is pretty sound.

(By the way, I'm a vegetarian and I support your right to have a juicy steak if you're so inclined.) ;)
 

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