Disney Synergizes the Oscars With ‘Simpsons’ Marathons and Chocolate Milkshakes at California Adventure Park (EXCLUSIVE)

Michael Schneider

The Walt Disney Co. is once again leaning heavily into synergy across its divisions as it aims to bolster awareness and tune-in for Sunday night’s 95th Oscars. That includes pop-up events at Disney parks and resorts; special program marathons on Disney-owned networks including FX, Freeform and Nat Geo; and Oscar-branded programming on ESPN, ABC News and ABC-owned stations.

That includes everything from an Oscars-themed chocolate brownie milkshake at the Disney California Adventure eatery known as “Schmoozies,” to a binge of “The Simpsons” episodes featuring Oscar-winning guest stars, Hollywood and movie homages and more on FXX.

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“We are so proud to be the home of the Oscars and are incredibly fortunate to have the power and reach of The Walt Disney Company to help drive to Sunday’s show,” said Craig Erwich, president, Disney Television Group, in a statement. “With Jimmy Kimmel hosting, there has been a renewed energy surrounding the telecast, and our Disney networks and partners across the organization have made a massive effort to ensure that the anticipation is continuing to build with fans at every Disney touchpoint. From Walt’s one-of-a-kind honorary Academy Award featured at the parks to Oscar winning movie marathons airing across our networks, we’re doing everything possible to celebrate Hollywood’s biggest night and the excitement is palpable.”

Here’s a roundup of this year’s Disney/Oscars synergy:

Disney Parks & Resorts

Oscars-themed food and beverage items across parks and resorts include an Oscars-themed chocolate brownie milkshake at “Schmoozies” and three themed funnel cake fries at “Award Wieners” in Disney California Adventure. Oscars-branded popcorn will be sold at select carts throughout Disney’s Hollywood Studios, plus a tropical tart topped with Oscars-branded chocolate coin will be available at the ABC Commissary.

Branded photo momentsinclude a photo opportunity for guests with Walt Disney’s honorary “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” Academy Award on display through March 20 at Disney California Adventure’s Carthay Circle. (The Oscars are on loan from The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco.) An Oscars-themed photo wall will be found at Disney Springs, and a giant Oscar statue and red-carpet photo moment in Grand Californian Hotel lobby (where hotel guests will also take part in a watch party).

Additionally, an Oscars promo featuring Mickey and Minnie will run prior to movie screenings and in all resort and cruise ship rooms.

ESPN

Among ESPN partnerships are an Oscars statue on set of “SportsCenter LA” and “NBA Today” leading into Oscars weekend. ESPN has also launched a free-to-play Oscars pick ‘em game on ABC.com and ESPN.com, ending before the Oscars begin on Sunday. Players will compete by picking who they think will win the Oscar in each of the 23 categories and watch their scores in real-time as winners are announced. Those with the highest score will win a grand prize that includes a three-day/two-night trip for two to Los Angeles and tickets to the 2024 Oscars Watch Party at the Academy Museum, as well as $2500. An additional ten First Prize packs will be givn out with official Oscars swag such as a tote, water bottle, notebook, pen and beanie.

ABC News

ABC News Oscars coverage includes the pre-show “Countdown to Oscars 95: The Red Carpet Live” Sunday, March 12 at 1  p.m. ET/10 a.m.-1:00 p.m. PT, featuring Variety’s own Clayton Davis and Elizabeth Wagmeister. ABC News Live will stream “ABC News Live Presents…“Countdown to Oscars 95: The Red Carpet LIVE” starting at 1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT.

Stations/Syndication/ Digital

“Live with Kelly and Ryan After Oscars Show” returns on March 13. Meanwhile, O&O digital platforms will feature a live stream of red carpet and pre-show coverage on ABC.com, ABC app and ABC News Live, while the main telecast will be live streaming on ABC.com and ABC app.

And the ABC stations’ “On the Red Carpet” will hold a contest for three viewers to win the opportunity to sit on the red carpet. ABC affiliates will air “On The Red Carpet – Oscar Nominee Special,” “On The Red Carpet Countdown to Oscars” and “On The Red Carpet Oscar Sunday Preview.” On Sunday, March 12, “On the Red Carpet” will feature more than seven hours of live coverage. Post-Oscars, “On The Red Carpet After The Awards” recaps the night, and “On The Red Carpet After Dark” closes out the evening.

Streamers

Disney+ in Norway, Hungary, Philippines (Hotstar), India (Hotstar), and Indonesia (Hotstar) will air the Oscars live. On Hulu, the Oscars ceremony livestream will be featured on the Live Now and Spotlight placements on Hulu + Live TV. And “On The Red Carpet: After the Awards” and “On the Red Carpet: After Dark” will stream live in the TV for You placements on Hulu SVOD.

Disney Music Group 

A “Disney At The Awards” playlist will be featured on music streaming platforms Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music and Amazon Music, highlighting music from current Oscar-nominated Disney movies.

Cable Networks

FX will feature a weekend movie marathon of Oscar-winning and Oscar-nominated films on March 10 to March 12. FXM is running a full week of Oscar-winning and Oscar-nominated films from March 6 to March 12. FXX will include an Oscar-weekend “The Simpsons” marathon featuring Oscar-winning guests on series as well as the Oscar-winning Simpsons short “The Longest Daycare” and encounters with Hollywood and movies homage. Freeform’s “Oscar Funday Weekend” includes Oscar-winning and Oscar-nominated Disney movies on March 11 and March 12. National Geographic will re-air the Oscar-winning documentary film “Free Solo” on March 12.

Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the 95th Oscars airs Sunday, March 12, live from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on ABC.

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