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VIDEO: WestJet unveils Walt Disney-themed Magic Plane for Canadian travellers

The plane took off from Calgary on Tuesday, but will Vancouver, Victoria, or Abbotsford get the chance to take part?
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WestJet unveiled its Walt Disney-themed 'Magic Plane' in the company's Calgary hangar on Monday.


WestJet unveiled its brand spankin' new Walt Disney-themed 'Magic Plane' in the company's Calgary hangar on Monday, and the vessel makes its inaugural flight today, hauling members of Canada's Boys and Girls Club from Alberta to Orlando, Fla.

The flight's passengers will spend the next three days at Florida's Walt Disney World.

The plane's custom paint job starts with Sorcerer Mickey (Fantasia) at the tail and fireworks make their way to the plane's nose. Inside, the seats are sprinkled with stars and the plane's crew will pass out Disney-shaped cookies.

"It's a flying billboard," said Gregg Saretsky, president and CEO of WestJet. "I think it just brings our whole partnership to another level."

The plane's paint job took 26 people working 24 days and required 36 different colours (CTV News).

Saretsky said the plane will carry 400,000 people to Disney's resorts over the next five years.

WestJet operates flights out of B.C. from Vancouver International (YVR in Richmond), Abbotsford, Comox, Fort St. John, Kamloops, Nanaimo, Prince George, Terrace, and Kelowna.

However, on the company's website, WestJet lists no British Columbia airports as taking off points for its winter trips to Walt Disney World:

WestJet serves Orlando, home of Walt Disney World Resort, with a total of 39 flights per week during peak winter months from Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Hamilton, London, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Moncton and St. John's, Nfld.

As of now, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and PEI are the only provinces left off Disney's magical flight list, but that doesn't mean you can't catch it from Calgary or anywhere else north of the 49th... or at least see it.

"Families and kids, they'll be in an airport somewhere and they'll look out and they will see Sorcerer Mickey," said Marlie Morrison of Walt Disney Company. "That little bit of Disney magic, you know, just might surprise them anywhere they are at any particular airport."

Below are photos posted on WestJet's Twitter page on Monday, before the flight's take-off:

General boarding has commenced! Thanks to our friends at @WaltDisneyWorld for providing goodies for our guests. pic.twitter.com/TK0lK8jpJV

— WestJet (@WestJet) December 3, 2013

#MagicPlane is on its way. Our Calgary TAC has some new toys, too. What do you think? pic.twitter.com/Z1TNFMaYoG

— WestJet (@WestJet) December 3, 2013

The #MagicPlane has departed for its inaugural flight to #Orlando. Track it here: http://t.co/acsrHUroZg pic.twitter.com/Gpno1AWbdx

— WestJet (@WestJet) December 3, 2013