Japan Airlines (JAL) has unveiled its latest Disney-themed special livery to mark the 40^th anniversary of Tokyo Disney Resort. The Japanese flag carrier has announced that a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft will start flying with the new look on June 9, 2023.

A Disney-Themed Experience

The special livery will feature popular Disney characters in front of a colorful background. Tokyo Disney Resort’s two theme parks, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, will also be represented by images of the parks’ centerpieces, Cinderella Castle and Mount Prometheus. The aircraft will be named “JAL Colorful Dreams Express” and will celebrate the resort’s “Dreams Go Round” 40th anniversary celebration.

Rendering of Japan Airlines’ special livery for the 40th anniversary of Tokyo Disney Resort. (Photo: Japan Airlines)

Not only will the aircraft feature a special livery, but passengers traveling on board the plane will also receive to themed amenities and service items. Passengers can request a special boarding certificate, which features one of three designs depending on when they travel during the year-long anniversary event. Once on board, travelers will find headrest covers featuring 40th anniversary artwork as well as themed paper cups during beverage service.

Themed cups, headrest covers and special boarding certificates for Japan Airlines’ themed aircraft for the 40th anniversary of Tokyo Disney Resort. (Photo: Japan Airlines)

The aircraft that will receive the new special livery is a 17.5-year-old Boeing 767-300ER, registered as JA614J. Japan Airlines is scheduled to make its Disney-themed debut on June 9, 2023 with a two-hour commemorative flight departing and arriving at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

The aircraft was first delivered to the airline in 2005 and currently has a domestic configuration with five first class seats, 42 “Class J” business class seats and 205 economy class seats.

According to the airline, the aircraft will serve domestic routes between Haneda Airport and destinations throughout Japan including Sapporo, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Osaka and Okinawa. The livery and experience will remain in service until the end of the anniversary celebration at the end of March 2024.

A Decades-Long Partnership

Japan Airlines has had a long-standing partnership with Tokyo Disney Resort. For instance, it has been a sponsor of Tokyo Disneyland, since the park opened in 1983. The carrier was a longtime sponsor of StarJets, an aerial carousel-style ride similar to the Astro Jets attraction found at Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Florida. The Japanese version of the attraction closed in 2017.

A Japan Airlines Boeing 767-300ER (JA615J) in 2022 with a “Disney 100” special livery. (Photo: Japan Airlines)

Since the early 1990s, Japan Airlines has had over a dozen special liveries themed for various aspects of Tokyo Disney Resort. Over the years, aircraft had special paint jobs and decals to mark special occasions such as Tokyo DisneySea’s opening and the 30th and 35th anniversaries of the resort, which helped promote the resort.

The Disney-themed aircraft have mostly been domestically-configured jets. Additionally, The resort’s success over the years has largely relied on Japanese visitors.

Japan Airlines Boeing 747-400D (JA8908) with a “Disney friends” special livery in 2001. (Photo: Ken Fielding (Wikimedia Commons), licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0)

• Author
• Recent Posts

Andrew Chen

Andrew is a lifelong lover of aviation and travel. He has flown all over the world and is fascinated by the workings of the air travel industry. As a private pilot and glider pilot who has worked with airlines, airports and other industry stakeholders, he is always excited to share his passion for aviation with others. In addition to being a writer, he also hosts Flying Smarter, an educational travel podcast that explores the complex world of air travel to help listeners become better-informed and savvier travelers.

Latest posts by Andrew Chen (see all)

• JetBlue Introduces New Inflight Entertainment Platform - April 25, 2024
• FAA To Require More Rest Time for Air Traffic Controllers - April 19, 2024
• Inside Look: United Debuts America’s First Airline-Owned Early Baggage System - April 17, 2024