Future of Illuminations and Spaceship Earth in Question with Siemens Announcing End of Partnership

[Disney_and_Wine]

They may not overhaul something when they don't have extra money to do so.

Upkeep and overhaul of attractions is not funded by the sponsorship. At least not in a straight line as you suggest. It's not as if Disney is short of cash for operating or updating Illuminations because Siemens ended its sponsorship. It would be foolish of Disney to interlock its revenue and overhead in that way for precisely the reason of not wanting to find itself over a barrel by such a pullout.

 

[Babs1975]

There was more than just the VIP center which was awesome, with a front of the ride line to Spaceship Earth. Crying on having to burn a FP on Spaceship Earth now. We also received discounts on tickets and cruises and sometimes even comped tickets. We had great contests for free trips and cruises, which I never won. One year the grand prize winner got an overnight stay at the room in Cinderella's Castle. That will be the closest I ever got to having a chance to stay in that suite. Needless to say as a Disney super fan, I am really bummed to see all of this come to an end.

But I went online today and got pre-approved for my Disney Visa card, so I have another lovely lounge area in Epcot to chill out in.

Don't worry about a fp...everytime we ride the wait is 5 minutes.

What Disney Visa lounge??

 

[MickeyWaffles]

Upkeep and overhaul of attractions is not funded by the sponsorship. At least not in a straight line as you suggest. It's not as if Disney is short of cash for operating or updating Illuminations because Siemens ended its sponsorship. It would be foolish of Disney to interlock its revenue and overhead in that way for precisely the reason of not wanting to find itself over a barrel by such a pullout.

Totally. I just wondered given that MetLife's Wonders of Life's sponsorship ended and Wonders of Life continued on for a while (years if I remember right) without sponsorship and without closing. But .... It seemed that when we traveled over those sponsorless years, that area received little to no attention until it finally closed. And perhaps it was abandoned for reasons other than being sponsorless. I may be remembering this incorrectly though.

Even given that, I do think WoL and Illuminations/SE are vastly different - Illuminations/SE are obviously both a much bigger draw than WoL was at the time. They won't treat these two things as a sponsorless WoL, IMO. I think SE & Illuminations will be safe.

 

[Dismama2boys]

Don't worry about a fp...everytime we ride the wait is 5 minutes.

When did you visit last? I think FP+ pretty much killed a lot of the 5 minute waits, unfortunately.

 

[disneydreamer781]

When did you visit last? I think FP+ pretty much killed a lot of the 5 minute waits, unfortunately.

We've waited longer than than that with a FP. Perhaps later in the day it's a walk on.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Upkeep and overhaul of attractions is not funded by the sponsorship. At least not in a straight line as you suggest. It's not as if Disney is short of cash for operating or updating Illuminations because Siemens ended its sponsorship. It would be foolish of Disney to interlock its revenue and overhead in that way for precisely the reason of not wanting to find itself over a barrel by such a pullout.

i think it depends on the sponsorship contract. I believe the one MetLife had for the Wonders of Life it included that the the pavilion would be maintained and updated, etc. It might not be explicitly that the company pays X for the new attraction or Y for maintenance, but it sort of goes hand-in-hand as a sponsor wouldn't want a run down attraction with their name on it

But when MetLife pulled out they decided it wasn't' worth it, I guess, to pay the bill for keeping that pavilion running without a corporate sponsor contractually obligating them to. So I could see that happening to SSE - not that they gut it but the level of maintenance goes down (that if an animatronic stops working they just leave it not working, etc.)

 

[FastPasser.]

As been posted previously, Siemens is not pulling out, the contract is ending as agreed to by both parties. Disney has known this, so I'm sure whatever ramifications result from the contract expiring has been factored and accounted for in whatever plans are in the works for the Epcot makeover. But now that it's official, we'll wait to see if there is another shoe to drop. Which, if any, corporation(s) will sponsor SSE and, or, whatever takes place at the World Showcase Lagoon? I don't see this development to be of that much significance.

 

[Disney_and_Wine]

As been posted previously, Siemens is not pulling out, the contract is ending as agreed to by both parties. Disney has known this, so I'm sure whatever ramifications result from the contract expiring has been factored and accounted for in whatever plans are in the works for the Epcot makeover.

This. This. This.

 

[teacher31]

There was a time when Sylvania sponsored it around 2003-5. I know that because as Sylvania cut all the jobs, they continued sponsoring it. I was thrilled the same year they shipped my husband's job to Mexico they dropped the sponsorship.

 

[DoleWhipAndHubGrass]

OK you ... get over and give me a big hug. RIGHT NOW.

Well how can I NOT accept that offer?!

 

[ucfknight]

And, amid all the "Siemens dropping IllumiNations so what will happen to the show" discussion, remember that Siemens was not a sponsor involved with Epcot, much less IllumiNations, when the current IllumiNations was composed, designed and implemented.
Reflections of Earth premiered in the year 1999, and had been running nightly for about 6 years before Siemens came into the picture.

Right. The the original sponsor of IllumiNations 2000: Reflections of Earth was GE.