EPCOT LOVERS!!!! WEIRD Rumor

[Jamesy Epcot]

I heard That They are going to take down Spaceship Earth ( Not The Sphere, Just The ride) But I don't Think It is True What do u think??

 

[2HOT2touch]

i think that it is true. I heard it aswell

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Siemens AG is taking over sponsorship of Spaceship Earth. With the sponsorship will come some sort of update to the attraction. It remains to be seen if the update is simply an updated ending and a new post-ride exhibit area -- or if the update involves remaking Spaceship Earth into an entirely different attraction.

For years, there have been rumors of remaking Spaceship Earth into Time Racers, a thrill ride through time. Perhaps the money from the Siemens sponsorship will allow this to happen. I hope not. I'd like to see an overhaul of the current attraction, but I hope pace of the ride and the show scenes during the first two thirds of the ride will remain largely unchanged.

Here's the press release, with a key part about sponsorship highlighted in red:

Siemens and The Walt Disney Company Announce Strategic Alliance; Siemens Will Sponsor Attractions and Implement New Technologies across a Range of Disney Businesses

BURBANK, Calif. & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 8, 2005--Siemens AG (NYSE:SI) and The Walt Disney Company (NYSEIS) announced today a 12-year strategic alliance -- bringing together the world's leading family entertainment company with a premier global technology and infrastructure company. While Disney already uses a range of Siemens technologies, the agreement expands the relationship and paves the way for the two companies to broaden their technological collaboration across several platforms.

"Embracing new technology is a key strategic priority at Disney because it supports our commitment to creating an outstanding guest experience and drives growth for the entire Company," said Robert A. Iger, president and CEO, The Walt Disney Company. "Our extended and strengthened relationship with Siemens is a perfect fit as we implement new forms of technology."

The agreement includes marketing and promotional rights, attraction sponsorships and a promotional presence that features Siemens products and services at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California.

"Disney and Siemens are two of the world's most recognized and respected brands, both known for their relentless commitment to innovation," said George Nolen, Siemens Corporation president and CEO. "We look forward to working with Disney to grow our relationship and realize the potential of two great innovators."

As part of the deal, Siemens will sponsor several rides and attractions at Walt Disney World Resort including the Epcot icon, "SpaceShip Earth," the nighttime Epcot fireworks show, "Illuminations: Reflections of Earth," as well as new attractions that will be incorporated into Innoventions both at Epcot and at Disneyland Resort. The Sylvania lighting division of Siemens will sponsor Disney-MGM Studio's holiday light show -- "Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights," as well as "Disney's Electrical Parade" and "Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams" at Disneyland Resort in California.

In addition, the companies will work together to develop and further apply new technologies across a range of platforms, as well as explore ways to integrate some of Siemens' technologies into Disney's current attractions and at its resorts. Siemens also will build on its existing relationship with Disney Media Network's and ESPN by sponsoring ABC's video board at Times Square in New York City.

"This new relationship creates an ideal opportunity to demonstrate Siemens' innovations to our customers while also strengthening the Siemens brand in a memorable and relevant way," added Nolen.

About The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company is a diversified, international family entertainment and media company whose operations include theme parks and resorts, filmed entertainment including motion pictures and television shows, home video products, records, consumer products, a cruise line, radio and television stations, broadcast and cable networks, Internet offerings, publishing activities and professional sports enterprises. Disney owns also ABC Inc. Founded in 1923 by Walter E. Disney and his brother Roy O. Disney, The Walt Disney Company generated revenues of $30.7 billion in 2004. It employs more than 129,000 people worldwide.

About Siemens

Siemens AG (NYSE:SI) is one of the largest global electronics and engineering companies with reported worldwide sales of $91.5 billion in fiscal 2004. Founded more than 150 years ago, the company is a leader in the areas of Medical, Power, Automation and Control, Transportation, Information and Communications, Lighting, Building Technologies, Water Technologies and Services and Home Appliances. With its U.S. corporate headquarters in New York City, Siemens in the USA has sales of $16.6 billion and employs 70,000 people throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Eleven of Siemens' worldwide businesses are based in the United States. With its global headquarters in Munich, Siemens AG and its subsidiaries employ 430,000 people in 192 countries. For more information on Siemens in the United States: [URL="http://www.usa.siemens.com/]www.usa.siemens.com[/URL].​

It's okay to post press releases. It's a copyright violation to post copyrighted articles (with the possibility of legal action against DISboards). This is a press release, not article -- so it's okay.

 

[petula]

How about not the sphere, not the ride, just the wand and hand? That would be nice.

 

[Maleficent909TL]

I don't know; I haven't heard about it. But if they don't take it out (it is a little boring, but a nice ride to take a cat-nap on), I hope they at least up-date the narrator/voice-thing-a-ma-jigg.

 

[rotary2808]

I say leave it alone, or at least put it back to the original version with Walter Kronkite as narrator and "Tomorrow's Child" as the theme song.

 

[RAD]

I say update it, rip out the insides and start over. Yes, I liked the ride but it's in need of an update. IMHO you don't see the long lines like it used to have anymore so there must not be that much interest in it anymore.

 

[Jamesy Epcot]

How about not the sphere, not the ride, just the wand and hand? That would be nice.

I like The wand and the hand!

 

[Cinderella94]

Wait, sorry, Im a total blonde, so I am a little confused here.

Are they taking the ride down? The sphere? Both?

And if yes to any of those, when?

 

[ChrisFL]

#1, I don't believe they'd EVER take the sphere down, it's like taking down Cinderella's Castle, it's THE icon of the park

#2, the thrill ride idea apparently was legitimate, until it was in the news (IIRC) that the Spaceship Earth ride is part of the support of the building, so it would be very difficult or nearly impossible to "rip out" the current ride.

As for my own thoughts, I think Spaceship Earth is probably the only remaining truly educational Epcot attraction and I don't want to see it gone. We no longer have Horizons, World of Motion, or Journey into Imagination (the original)

I DO want to see if they could rehab it to make it smoother, the bumps and creaks really give away the age of the ride.

 

[Jamesy Epcot]

Wait, sorry, Im a total blonde, so I am a little confused here.

Are they taking the ride down? The sphere? Both?

And if yes to any of those, when?

They are Thinking of taking the RIDE down not the bulding it self and it's just a rumor so I don't know

 

[Jamesy Epcot]

I agree!

 

[Cinderella94]

They are Thinking of taking the RIDE down not the bulding it self and it's just a rumor so I don't know

Thanks!!!

We are going back to WDW in January.......so I am sure that then it will still be there if they take it down at all.

 

[MrsToad]

Does anyone else find the ride cars uncomfortable for their heads? The speaker/headrest portion seems to be too short and the top edge hits me just right in the back of the head so that it almost hurts. I like most of the ride "as is" but would like to see new vehicles, maybe a new ending, and something in the deboarding area.

 

[figments407]

Personally, I would be just devestated if they laid a finger on that ride. Someone made the point that it really is the only true educational ride left in the park and I agree. I know a lot of kids nowadays aren't like me, but when I was a girl in the 80s and 90s, I simply loved Epcot. It's so nerdy but today I was talking to my friend about how I learned about the hypothalamus in Cranium Command!
Though I like the new rides and ideas they have introduced, I really miss Horizons and World of Motion and Kitchen Kabaret. Imagination used to be my favorite ride, but since that 'renovation' of sorts, I really don't trust them with re-doing Epcot rides. (I miss Dreamfinder )
I know I'm not supposed to live in the past, but really, that ride is cool. And, in a way, sacred.

 

[makinorlando]

Spaceship Earth was originally sponsored by AT&T, therefore the communication theme - AT&T ended it's sponsorship about 2 years ago, so it is good to know that there is new sponsorship, and hopefully some updates. Among many other things, part of Siemes business is communication technology as well. Communication has come so far since the 80s - when when computer, cell phones and the internet in their infancy or still being developed! I think it is a very educational ride, and that is the first thing we do each time we enter EPCOT. For sure the sphere is EPCOT.

 

[graygables]

When I was on the Undiscovered Future World tour last May, I asked about SE being revamped and was told by the CM (who was an uppity-up) that, yes, it is possible and just a matter of time. The infrastructure of the geosphere is NOT dependent on the ride. There has been talk of taking over the whole back of the building (where the offices/exit area are) and having that be the loading/beginning part then shooting up into the sphere. I expressed my dismay and got lectured on how Walt was all about change and the parks have to update to the modern audience, yada yada yada. Whatever. Take the hand down, leave Spaceship Earth alone and add a Siemens exhibit to the exit. My Dad would LOVE that...he's a telecommunications prof!

 

[Jamesy Epcot]

Does anyone else find the ride cars uncomfortable for their heads? The speaker/headrest portion seems to be too short and the top edge hits me just right in the back of the head so that it almost hurts. I like most of the ride "as is" but would like to see new vehicles, maybe a new ending, and something in the deboarding area.

Yes I do and even when u lay ur head back the loudness of the speakers huts my ears.

 

[MinnyGranny62]

I sure do hope that SE stays. This is the first thing that
we go on in Epcot and the last as we leave. I love it and hope it
stays as is.

 

[mitros]

I'm with you. The previous version, with Cronkite and Tomorrows child was great. Did you know there was another version before that? I was suprised to hear that myself, but we have only been going to WDW since 1988, so we never saw that one. Remember when the newsboy said "extra! extra! New York Daily"?