Rumor Siemens is going to end their sponsorship with the parks - Spaceship Earth and IllumiNations

[DrewmanS]

We don't know anything about the details of the negotiations, but let's for a minute assume the offer to supply Disney with a new fleet of monorails is correct. There are still lots of reasons Disney would turn down this offer.

- Does Siemens currently build monorails? Perhaps Disney did not want to be the beta test for a new vehicle
- Control of project/product. When you sign a contract to purchase a product or service, there are conditions stipulating the deliverables and remedies if the customer is not satisfied. That becomes more complicated when you are talking about "in kind" agreements where a party is providing products or services in lieu of cash.
- Time frame. The delivery of new vehicles may not have coordinated with Disney's timeline (either sooner or later than planned).
- Conflicts with other sponsorships or contractual obligations (announced, planned, or existing)
- Disney worried about the inevitable NSFW jokes regarding a train pulling into a station with an unfortunately sounding name it.
- There is a better offer on the table.

Of course, it will be judged as the worst decision in the history of the company unless some time in the future there is obvious evidence that proves it to be a brilliant move by the company. Even then it will be second guessed until the next worst decision in history.

 

[Gabe1]

Of course, it will be judged as the worst decision in the history of the company unless some time in the future there is obvious evidence that proves it to be a brilliant move by the company. Even then it will be second guessed until the next worst decision in history.

Turning away free money is never a corporate bottom line brilliant move. Well of course 'we' at the moment would see this as worst decision by Disney where Epcot is concerned. We have a clear track history to form these thoughts. Wonders of Life. Imagination Pavilion. Lack of WS pavilions added due to lack of sponsors. We learn from history and history at Epcot is a proven derailment. The monorails are a fail for reliability. Chunks fell from the Epcot one this month. A fix for a mere naming of a sponsor is a sticking point? Crazy. Now lets see if Disney rises to fund the fix. I'm doubtful.

 

[Daveeeeed]

Well of course 'we' at the moment would see this as worst decision by Disney where Epcot is concerned. We have a clear track history to form these thoughts. Wonders of Life. Imagination Pavilion. Lack of WS pavilions added due to lack of sponsors. We learn from history and history at Epcot is a proven derailment. The monorails are a fail for reliability. Chunks fell from the Epcot one this month. A fix for a mere naming of a sponsor is a sticking point? Crazy. Now lets see if Disney rises to fund the fix. I'm doubtful.

Epcot could easily be the best Disney park in the world too, beating out Disney SEA, but it seems they refuse.

The crazy thing is imagine if EPCOT was viewed so highly by people like @WDWFigment, it would go a very long way as people read those websites.

Billions would have to be invested yes, but the Magic Kingdom would have competition from within, and EPCOT could really help crowding there, and grow the resort tremendously.

 

[Gabe1]

Epcot could easily be the best Disney park in the world too, beating out Disney SEA, but it seems they refuse.

The crazy thing is imagine if EPCOT was viewed so highly by people like @WDWFigment, it would go a very long way as people read those websites.

Billions would have to be invested yes, but the Magic Kingdom would have competition from within, and EPCOT could really help crowding there, and grow the resort tremendously.

For 30 years Epcot has always been my favorite park though I wrestle that with the MK. I raised my kids with Epcot in their hay days, both in their 20's. Blessed to have experienced the best of Epcot with my young family.

But the Disney original model of sponsors to showcase themselves in a Worlds Fair type of environment has expired. It was way back when great advertising. Now not so much and the reason why Disney sponsors have declined rapidly as has most attractions that had sponsors. Siemens was one of the last biggies. Heads should roll for this one.

 

[ford91exploder]

I swear, they are idiots if they retheme Spaceship Earth. There ARE AT LEAST A DOZEN THINGS IN EPCOT THAT NEED CHANGING.

To be honest I'm guessing it is going to have an update.


Disney is bigger than Siemens, but your point is still valid.

Thats true if you go by Market Cap alone.

However Disney is #108 on the Global 2000 largest companies and Siemens is #50

So im not sure using market cap is the best metric of size

 

[marni1971]

Put another way, it will not not not go away simply because the German behemoth is deciding not to renew its sponsorship. Either a sponsor will be found or it will continue on without a sponsor..

Only the uneducated would say it's "going away". As in being demolished.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Ah, another 'expert' observation and yet you couldn't even google without all the details on a silver platter to put into the search engine? It came out in an emailed letter to staff, they announced it to their staff at the convention ahead of the announcement. Successful firms communicate so the staff are not blindsided during a convention that media is also attending. Communications 101. With firms as large as Siemens they cannot reschedule a convention because of a termination announcement. The world doesn't always revolve around Disney World.

Oh I saw it, but it just seemed so unlikely a place to announce they are ending their sponsorship, that I dismissed it. Maybe you're telling the gospel truth, but it seems extremely strange that Siemens would feel the need to "prepare" their staff at a technology workshop mostly attended by customers with news about a very minor deal that will be ending three months from now. How the heck would the people at the convention be blindsided by news about the Disney deal ending when the e-mail announcing it to the staff is itself the source of the news? "Blindsided" by news that a deal will not be renewed three months from now? If someone asks about it at the convention, they could just say, "I don't know anything about that." It's not as if the CEO is going to be indicted or anything. It's a big deal to us Disney fans; I doubt it's a big deal to Siemens overall.

Again, maybe you're telling the complete truth, but it's strange and the way you jump down my throat just for asking a question doesn't help.

 

[Gabe1]

Only the uneducated would say it's "going away". As in being demolished.

So true. WoL exists as a special events venue, opinion if that is better or worse for the consumer. Imagination still exists in a downgraded type of form, dollar for dollar for the consumer not what it once was. SSE will go on raining on our heads with every major thunderstorm, will the powers of today make it more amazing without the sponsor remains to be seen. Illuminations will be replaced likely for worse vs better. We've seen the MK eliminate a nighttime parade and consolidate a projection and a fireworks show to a single version. It is a pattern. Now they could slap an IP on SSE, like the one time Mike on SSE and leave it to opinion if IP is better than the original conception.

 

[Gabe1]

Oh I saw it, but it just seemed so unlikely a place to announce they are ending their sponsorship, that I dismissed it. Maybe you're telling the gospel truth, but it seems extremely strange that Siemens would feel the need to "prepare" their staff at a technology workshop mostly attended by customers with news about a very minor deal that will be ending three months from now. How the heck would the people at the convention be blindsided by news about the Disney deal ending when the e-mail announcing it to the staff is itself the source of the news? "Blindsided" by news that a deal will not be renewed three months from now? If someone asks about it at the convention, they could just say, "I don't know anything about that." It's not as if the CEO is going to be indicted or anything. It's a big deal to us Disney fans; I doubt it's a big deal to Siemens overall.

Again, maybe you're telling the complete truth, but it's strange and the way you jump down my throat just for asking a question doesn't help.

Sorry you are so sensitive, I didn't realize. I did not start it. I did not jump down your throat, you questioned everything I posted as questionable.You couldn't find the convention as you stated a simple google search on your own but I walked you through that simple google search. Time to let it go man, it is confirmed by many beyond me, here and elsewhere.

 

[DisneyJayL]

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Sorry you are so sensitive, I didn't realize. I did not start it. I did not jump down your throat, you questioned everything I posted as questionable.You couldn't find the convention as you stated a simple google search on your own but I walked you through that simple google search. Time to let it go man, it is confirmed by many beyond me, here and elsewhere.

Do I believe the sponsorship is ending? Sure; sponsorships are a dying breed, and I honestly don't know why companies go for them. But I'm skeptical that it went down the way it's being reported.

 

[Gabe1]

Do I believe the sponsorship is ending? Sure; sponsorships are a dying breed, and I honestly don't know why companies go for them. But I'm skeptical that it went down the way it's being reported.

So how did it go down then? Waiting with anticipation of your expertise.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

So how did it go down then? Waiting with anticipation of your expertise.

Somebody did the math from when the 12-year partnership was announced in 2005, and wanted to break a story.

 

[Gabe1]

Somebody did the math from when the 12-year partnership was announced in 2005, and wanted to break a story.

Ahh....so you got nothing. And the story was broken long before I piped in.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Of course they're keeping the giant sphere. But I have it on good authority the ride will be changing to something similar to this...

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Ahh....so you got nothing. And the story was broken long before I piped in.

I didn't mean to imply that you were the one looking to be internet famous. No, I don't have any insider info. Martin makes me doubt myself, but I'm just hoping his sources are hearing from the same places we're hearing.

 

[alphac2005]

Chapek certainly seems to be a sort of second coming of Paul Pressler. An utter lack of understanding of the theme park business as everything is designed to move more licensed product and enhance the endless properties that the company has in its library.

 

[Movielover]

The amount of freak out in this thread is laughable...

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

Welp, here's to hoping we get a solid update on ride and/or night show.

Ok so sponsorship is leaving, no word on replacement or if it'll go un-sponsored for a period of time. The ride needs general maintanence and upkeep and could use a new ending. That said, if they touch the Phoenicians, we riot.

Nothing really to add, just that I've read this entire dumpster fire thread to this point and the above is basically what I'm taking away from it.

 

[marni1971]

Welp, here's to hoping we get a solid update on ride and/or night show..

Careful what you wish for. Sometimes better the devil you know.