McDonald's and Disney

JenniferS

When you're the leader, you don't have to follow.
Hi everyone,

I was working on a post today on my site trying to find photos of unusual McDonald's locations around the world. Of course I plugged in a few that used to be located on Disney property but it led me to thinking about why the relationship split apart between McDonald's and DIsney.

Personally I always thought it was an odd fit but there seemed to be lines at each of the locations most days.

Do you think it was because of the food? Two different brand strategies? Or just money.

I never got the story of why they broke apart...would be nice to know.

Thanks...and if you want to see the photos you can click here:
View attachment 34746
Neat link, thanks. There are some pretty funky McD's out there.

When my kids were younger, we visited the location in Epcot a couple of times - not for fries, but for McFlurries. They felt all grown up ordering their own food and paying with a Snack Credit.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Quick question...I know that the McD's in DtD is gone, but is the store on Osceola Pky. still there? At least I think it's Osceola Pky. Seems like they just remodeled that one not to long ago.
 

71jason

Well-Known Member
McDonald's and Disney were close partners, McDonald's would sponsor Disney attractions as well as promote new Disney movies through Happy Meal toys. However the child obesity epidemic took over and Disney as well as the government felt it was unethical to promote children's movies with fatty food and so Disney ended the relationship on ethical grounds.

Nice spin, if completely illogical (can't believe there is a serious debate on the healthiness of McDonalds burgers v. WDW QSR burgers). But Happy Meals were a large part of the issue. McD's was locked into using toys exclusively from Disney movies. If you're stuck trying to sell Meet the Robinsons toys while your #1 competitor gets Shrek toys (you know, back when the movies were still liked) without much of a fight, you can see how this would be a problem.
 

profscottraynor

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Neat link, thanks. There are some pretty funky McD's out there.

When my kids were younger, we visited the location in Epcot a couple of times - not for fries, but for McFlurries. They felt all grown up ordering their own food and paying with a Snack Credit.
Glad you liked them. They came out of someone sending me some photos of their travels. I rely on McDonalds in my summer travels in Europe since I miss ice the most and McDonald's is one of the places you can find it.
 

AndyS2992

Well-Known Member
Glad you liked them. They came out of someone sending me some photos of their travels. I rely on McDonalds in my summer travels in Europe since I miss ice the most and McDonald's is one of the places you can find it.
:eek: One of the pleasures of traveling is to try new food and absorb the culture. Don't tell any travel enthusiasts you travel and eat at McDonald's, you'll get lynched lol Ice isn't really a thing in Europe as it is seen as a con as with ice you only actually get a three quarters of drink in your cup.
 

profscottraynor

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
:eek: One of the pleasures of traveling is to try new food and absorb the culture. Don't tell any travel enthusiasts you travel and eat at McDonald's, you'll get lynched lol Ice isn't really a thing in Europe as it is seen as a con as with ice you only actually get a three quarters of drink in your cup.
I come pretty clean with my Euro-McDonalds. For 15 summers I've taken groups of University students to Europe to paint and draw. It's a running joke that Prof. Ray-ray (their nickname for me) will run into Micky D's to get his ice. It's also part of my tourist speech-bathroom strategy as well since they often have the most available restrooms.

When I return from Europe each year we usually take a WDW trip and its a fascinating contrast. In Europe I am 'on my toes' and always hyper-aware of my surroundings whereas in WDW I relax and just soak it in.

On a side note many of my friends and family can't reconcile how I can be such a Europe expert (I write a lot of articles for various Euro travel sites) and be a Disney aficionado as well.
 

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
I sure do miss the McDonalds at DTD! Was a welcome place to stop for a cheap meal! Eating at the parks can be expensive! Plus we would send DH over to McDonalds and he would bring back burgers to eat poolside at our resort!

The closest one from DTD now is right outside of Hotel Blvd at the Crossroads shopping center..
 

Mr Bill

Well-Known Member
Nice spin, if completely illogical (can't believe there is a serious debate on the healthiness of McDonalds burgers v. WDW QSR burgers). But Happy Meals were a large part of the issue. McD's was locked into using toys exclusively from Disney movies. If you're stuck trying to sell Meet the Robinsons toys while your #1 competitor gets Shrek toys (you know, back when the movies were still liked) without much of a fight, you can see how this would be a problem.
Ding ding ding. Disney's deal with McDonald's required them to run 11 promotions a year. Seemed like a great idea in 1996 coming off of hits like the Lion King and Toy Story. Not so great when the future has Treasure Planet, Home on the Range and Chicken Little in store for you. Disney did a great job of spinning the breakup to be about them trying to be health-conscious and concerned about childhood obesity but I'm sure McDonald's was just as eager, if not more eager, to end the relationship.
 

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
Ding ding ding. Disney's deal with McDonald's required them to run 11 promotions a year. Seemed like a great idea in 1996 coming off of hits like the Lion King and Toy Story. Not so great when the future has Treasure Planet, Home on the Range and Chicken Little in store for you. Disney did a great job of spinning the breakup to be about them trying to be health-conscious and concerned about childhood obesity but I'm sure McDonald's was just as eager, if not more eager, to end the relationship.

I will say that their DL 50th Anniversary kids meal that had the figure and card for all the different parks was really decent. The figurines were really detailed..
$T2eC16VHJI!E9qSO8wtlBRl9DRWeJg~~60_57.JPG


Then you have the Last and final Disney Theme park related Happy Meal which was more on promoting the Ill-Fated Pirates & Princess Party...
McDonalds-PP-Happy-Meal-Sku.jpg
McDonalds-PP-Happy-Meal-Mir.jpg

You can read more about this from Jim Hill's site..http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_c...gers-want-to-walk-the-plank.aspx#.UlN-nCSsjfM
 

Bparso87

Well-Known Member
Why does Mcd get a bad rep on getting kids fat. Look at Wendy's and Burger King calorie count is way worst in kids meals. And for adults they let ppl have triple burgers Mcd does not have a triple burger. I know Mcd is not the healthiest place but we can go to subway and get over 1000 calories in a meal
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Why does Mcd get a bad rep on getting kids fat. Look at Wendy's and Burger King calorie count is way worst in kids meals. And for adults they let ppl have triple burgers Mcd does not have a triple burger. I know Mcd is not the healthiest place but we can go to subway and get over 1000 calories in a meal
Bigger company with far better brand recognition. Ronald McDonald is one of the most recognizable brand icons amongst children.
 

jkl2000

Well-Known Member
Behold: The least-appetizing McDonalds ad in the history of ever.


mcdino_3poster2007ww.jpg


Not sure what is worse....the fact that it more-or-less implies that McDonalds is the equivalent of eating a lizard carcass, or the "speckled" look of the poster...which happens to be in red and thus looks like blood splatter.


And I especially love the Carnotaurus one that looks like he just had his mind completely blown.
mcdino_2poster2007ww.jpg

Only reinforces my belief that the Carno was intentionally designed to look like a total pothead from his inception. Perhaps a better title would be "Food, Fangs, and Four-Twenty".

LOL! He makes a good companion for Disney's other pothead: Crush!
 

DaveN1996

Active Member
I figured it was more along the lines of what happened with McDonalds in Six Flags where Six Flags wasn't too crazy about the amount of profit that McDonalds was getting to keep while selling in their parks (this was from a convo at Six Flags over Texas with just regular workers so.... a for what it's worth but it'd make sense)
 

Soarin' Over Pgh

Well-Known Member
Behold: The least-appetizing McDonalds ad in the history of ever.


mcdino_3poster2007ww.jpg


Not sure what is worse....the fact that it more-or-less implies that McDonalds is the equivalent of eating a lizard carcass, or the "speckled" look of the poster...which happens to be in red and thus looks like blood splatter.


And I especially love the Carnotaurus one that looks like he just had his mind completely blown.
mcdino_2poster2007ww.jpg

Only reinforces my belief that the Carno was intentionally designed to look like a total pothead from his inception. Perhaps a better title would be "Food, Fangs, and Four-Twenty".


You, sir, win the internet for the day.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom