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

[mightynine]

My guess - Siemens needed the sponsorship money elsewhere, like a last-minute acquisition.

They would almost have to leave the screens in place because....what the heck else are you going to have for the descent?

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Please don't give them any horrible ideas like this.

I honestly felt really bad after writing that.

 

[Lad]

Wonder if Disney would decide to ultimately discard SSE as its Epcot icon and rebuild another..........

Regardless of what they decide to do with SSE I can't see them ever removing the actual structure. Too iconic and seems like it would be too much of a hassle to remove both construction wise in addition to its location within the park.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

a new article from Laughing place about it...http://www.laughingplace.com/w/news...-partnership-spaceship-earths-future-unknown/

 

[Grimley1968]

This ride has had multiple sponsors already, and has not been gutted for anything different yet. I could do without those screens at the end of the ride, but I think most of the updates were fine. It seems to have been fairly well maintained. My money's on it remaining pretty much what it is now, even if it goes sponsorless for some time or even forever. I just hope they continue to maintain it to the standard they have been so far.

ETA: I'm curious, though, about the reasoning behind Siemens discontinuing their sponsorship. In terms of their overall revenue, I can't imagine the sponsorship was a large percentage of that, and there are tons of benefits that can accrue from such a sponsorship.

 

[RustySpork]

It makes sense to me, would any company continue to subsidize another multi-billion dollar company?

 

[ford91exploder]

SSE 'being refurbished for your future enjoyment'

 

[misterID]

Could somebody explain to me the thinking that no sponsor = end of SSE? I understand that the attraction has never operated without a sponsor, but why does that necessarily have to mean its closure? Is Disney 100% dedicated on not up-keeping it under its own dime?

Horizons. Hopefully they don't discover a "sinkhole" soon.

 

[ford91exploder]

Disney saying NO to a 'free' set of monorail trains speaks volumes as to the future of the monorail system as well. I imagine Siemens was insulted and decided it was time to pull out.

 

[ford91exploder]

Welcome to IPcot. Now they have a custom built Death Star...

I'm glad I'm no longer visiting now I don't have to see the parks I loved being torn apart for short term profit.

 

[Lad]

Is it confirmed Disney actually said "no" to Siemens regarding the Monorail or that it was even really offered in the first place?

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Horizons. Hopefully they don't discover a "sinkhole" soon.

Yeah, I thought Horizons too. It's like wanting to keep a dead mall around, but even though it is popular, you really can't because you've lost all of the big name brand owners that keep bringing in the dough (well, just my 2 cents on that anyways).

 

[disney1023]

I honestly see a huge money making opportunity for Disney when this happens, honestly. Disney could have a promotional time period in the future where they do temporary EPCOT Center overlays for certain attractions! For example, use the now sponsor-less Spaceship Earth and add in an altered version of one of the two other narrations, and have the on-board screens used to help with lost effects or to play "Tomorrow's Child." This is just an idea though, and we all know that Disney would rather put two mouse ears on the building rather than doing this.

 

[ABQ]

No one has confirmed that monorail tidbit.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

use the now sponsor-less Spaceship Earth and add in an altered version of one of the two other narrations, and have the on-board screens used to help with lost effects or to play "Tomorrow's Child."

I'm for this.

 

[misterID]

I thought when Time Racers was proposed it was discovered that the SSE structure wouldn't be able to handle the stress of a thrill ride.....or is this an urban myth?

 

[danlb_2000]

It makes sense to me, would any company continue to subsidize another multi-billion dollar company?

Multi-billion dollar companies make deals with each other all the time. It's not really a subsidy, it's paying for advertising.

 

[RustySpork]

Multi-billion dollar companies make deals with each other all the time. It's not really a subsidy, it's paying for advertising.

Sure, but it sounds like it's much less enticing now or they'd still want to do it.

 

[danlb_2000]

Sure, but it sounds like it's much less enticing now or they'd still want to do it.

Yes, something has clearly changed, but it's probably not as simple as one billion dollar company not wanting to subsidize another. Disney just entered a sponsorship deal with the Orlando Magic, pretty much the same thing.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Im guessing this is from another site? Probably incorrect. I'm hearing a bit more about what happened now. It seems it was last minute decision with reasons that will possibly become apparent.

WDW wants the S:E lounge to be Epcot's Club 33?

 

[RustySpork]

Yes, something has clearly changed, but it's probably not as simple as one billion dollar company not wanting to subsidize another. Disney just entered a sponsorship deal with the Orlando Magic, pretty much the same thing.

It could be that simple, but I'll admit it's unlikely. It's probable they just allocated the funds to another marketing strategy.