The Coca-Cola Refreshment Corner opened at Disneyland in 1955.
At the Refreshment Corner, you could sit down and eat, and also listen to a pianist play songs on a Ragtime Piano. (they still have this it's just a different piano)
For a few years they only sold coke. In 1958 they began offering sandwiches too. But they phased out the use of Coca-Cola bottles and switched out to serving the popular soda pop in Dixie brand cups. Soo mid.
In 1960, DJ Jerry Dexter would host the program Coca Cola Side Walk Cafe nightly on radio station KMPC - 710, from 10pm-12am. On Fridays and Saturdays he would host directly from Disneyland.
Coca-Cola sponsored elements were (and some still are) everywhere. Including something called Discover Disneyland in 1969, where you could win prizes by finding and collecting Coke caps
Above: A 1969 map. The Haunted Mansion, one of Disneyland's most popular attractions, opened that same year. The attraction's building sat vacant for years in New Orleans Square before opening in 1969.
Walt Disney said the ghosts would take care of the inside, while the disney imagineers (artists/engineers that worked on developing the rides for the park) would work on keeping the outside looking nice.
The Creels moved to their home in 1959, coincidence?
⬆️The aforementioned bottle caps you could collect from each area.
4. Corner for Coke (Coke Corner)
4. Mark Twain (Riverboat)
2. Mine Train (Through Nature's Wonderland)
4. Mr. Lincoln (Great Moments)
3. Pirates of the Caribbean
1. Sleeping Beauty Castle
5. Swiss Family Tree House
Caps not shown in picture:
-Snow White -Tiki Room -Mad Hatter -Monorail -Haunted Mansion -Goofy -Tom Sawyer Island -Columbia -Indian Village
*Any of the attractions I have put in bold are attractions referenced, intentionally or unintentionally, in ST, whether it be the attractions themselves or the films they are based on
In 1985, the same year Coca Cola released New Coke, Disneyland and Coca-Cola partnered to welcome the park's 250 millionth guest and this artwork was made to promote it:
You see the 250 Million? Look closer: you'll see a bunch of stacked Coca-Cola cans 😩 and the guy in the middle is holding a New Coke can 😠 pretty sure
In a 1990 issue of Disneyland LINE Magazine, it was announced that Disney signed an agreement that would allow Coca-Cola “worldwide marketing rights involving Euro Disneyland,[now known as Disneyland Paris], tie-ins with motion pictures, Consumer Products and more,” (Vol. 22, No. 12, March 16th). And we know where Finn Wolfhard was recently 🙃
⬆️ some Coca Cola Disney pins from the 90s (including my little meow meow figment, and space mountain, which finn mentioned recently per @misspracticallydelulu 's post)
This is what the Refreshment Corner looks like today, checkered tiles and all.
To expand further on this would require some time, but the concepts of radio dj's, coca-cola, checkerboard floors, red, scavengerhunts, 50s americana...the parallels to the haunted mansion in the creel house... the owner of the mansion in the 2003 film named Edward... ghosts... an interracial relationship that isn't accepted in the time period it takes place in (Edward/Elizabeth, Henry/Patty)... this could just continue forever.