As we celebrate Have a Coke Day today, May 8, we wanted to take a bubbly deep dive into Disney’s storied history with Coca-Cola.

History

When Disneyland first opened on July 17, 1955, Coca-Cola was one of the original brand sponsors. Because of that, the Coca-Cola Refreshment Corner (now just Refreshment Corner) on Main Street was an opening day eatery. After that, Coca-Cola spots were opening day locations at both Walt Disney World in 1971 with Casey’s Corner and Tokyo Disneyland in 1983 with the Refreshment Corner.

Park guests at Disneyland shouldn’t have been surprised by Coca-Cola’s presence, given the company’s sponsorship of The Mickey Mouse Club. But the relationship between Disney and Coca-Cola actually began in 1942 when Walt Disney appeared on the company’s “The Pause That Refreshes on the Air.” After that, in 1950, Coca-Cola sponsored a Disney television special entitled “One Hour in Wonderland.”

Ever since those first moments in the relationship between Disney and Coca-Cola, the brand has popped up elsewhere as well—beyond Casey’s Corner. That includes branding throughout the park, like the sign atop Tomorrowland Terrace at Disneyland, seen above. To this day, guests can still only purchase Coca-Cola beverage products in Disney World and Disneyland, there is no Pepsi to be found.

“The Walt Disney Company is one of our company’s most strategically important customers and alliances given their highly visible media presence, influence on popular culture and place in the hearts of consumers,” Brad Spickert, senior vice president of innovation and commercialization at Coca-Cola, told Forbes in 2019.

Club Cool

The fan-favorite EPCOT location first opened as Ice Station Cool in July 1998. By November 2005, it was rebranded to Club Cool, but with the same premise of sampling Coca-Cola beverages from around the world.

The shop’s original theming was around a polar expedition, as indicated by the ice block theming and Snowcat vehicle on the outside. While the look has changed through the years, guests can still sample international Coke products and buy merchandise here.

After closing in 2019, the refurbished Club Cool reopened in September 2021.

Modern Collaborations

Over half a century after their original partnership, Disney and Coca-Cola are still going strong. The beverage company still has a big presence in many of the parks—except Shanghai Disneyland, which serves Pepsi products. But the partnership goes beyond the parks and is still being utilized for modern partnerships, such as the “Refresh Your Galaxy” campaign in the summer of 2025.

“A cornerstone of Disney’s collaboration with Coca-Cola continues to be creating campaigns in honor of fans,” Mindy Hamilton, senior vice President of global marketing partnerships at The Walt Disney Company, said in a release at the time. “Star Wars is a powerful cultural force around the world, with millions of fans across generations who carry these stories off the screen and into their lives. This custom campaign is for them and inspired by them.”

Did you know about Disney and Coca-Cola’s history? Let us know on social media.

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