Disney, Southwest Launch 'Kids Fly Free' Promo

By James Zoltak
Disneyland, Anaheim, Calif., and Dallas-based Southwest Airlines are teaming up on a "Kids Fly Free" promotion that emphasizes key Western U.S. markets.
The promotion offers package vacations at the Disneyland Resort that start at $234 per adult and $50 for each child (between 2-11 years of age) per traveling adult. The $50 is for ground-based expenses. Two adult bookings are required in order to take advantage of the deal. The cost is slightly higher for single adults.
The package includes round-trip airfare, two nights hotel accommodations, two days car rental and a Disneyland Flex Passport, which offers up to five consecutive days of admission and one day of early admission 90 minutes before the general public.
The promotion is available from all cities serviced by Southwest, but advertising will target the following markets: Seattle, Portland (Ore.), San Jose (Calif.), Oakland, Sacramento, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson (Ariz.) and Salt Lake City.
Bookings must be made between Jan. 12 and May 13. Travel may begin Jan. 16 and must be completed by May 20.
"We think Disneyland is a perfect partner for us," Dave Ridley, Southwest"s vice president of marketing and sales, said during a conference call with reporters. "Southwest Airlines is the No. 1 air carrier in the state of California and up and down the West Coast. Disneyland is the top theme park in the western part of the U.S. (and is a) brand that needs no introduction at all."
Said Bob Gilbert, vice president of sales and travel operations for the Disneyland Resort: "It"s a program we"ve developed with Southwest that is fun and flexible."
He said the advertising emphasis in the Western U.S. is to target and give more support to (the resort"s) "key feeder markets." q

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