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Disneyland launched with 65 sponsors
Corporate sponsorship was another addition Walt brought to the flywheel, and the park used it to help pay for lands and rides. At opening, Richfield Auto sponsored Autopia, Bank of America sponsored Fantasyland, and Coca-Cola was a sponsor. Pepsi also had a sponsorship in Frontierland, and Coke did not become the exclusive supplier until 1990. American Motors, the Santa Fe Railway, TWA for the rocket to the moon, Monsanto, Carnation, and Kodak were on the list too.
The National Rifle Association appeared in Frontierland. Inside the Davy Crockett museum there was a shooting gallery, and the rifles were real and provided by the NRA, though the historical records do not make clear whether that counted as a formal sponsorship.
Why did sponsors pay for attractions?
Sponsors paid for exposure to millions of visitors who would see their names on rides and signs. Walt got money to build attractions without borrowing more. The arrangement turned the park into a showcase for brands. Companies like Kodak and Carnation ran exhibits for decades.
What was TWA's Moonliner?
The Moonliner was a rocket 76 feet tall that stood in Tomorrowland for TWA's Rocket to the Moon attraction. Wernher von Braun, Willy Ley, and Heinz Haber consulted on Tomorrowland's space designs. The ride opened with the park in 1955. The rocket was replaced in later years.
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