new sponsor for Spaceship Earth?

[disneyholic family]

I heard that Siemens will be the new sponsor for Spaceship Earth. I was sure it would be SBC/AT&T (so they could push IPTV), but i guess I was wrong.

The main thing is it will be nice to have an exhibit in that exit area, rather than how it looks now....abandonned....

 

[jimmytammy]

Out of curiosity, where did you get this info. from. My DD loves SE, it is her fav ride in all of WDW. So it would be nice to see that it get the sponsorship.

 

[disneyholic family]

Out of curiosity, where did you get this info. from. My DD loves SE, it is her fav ride in all of WDW. So it would be nice to see that it get the sponsorship.

i just tried posting the URL for you, but it seems that the disboard blocks the site (since it's the website of competitors)....
all you have to do it go into google and type in: "spaceship earth" + siemens
and you'll get this website below....

http://www.*************/general_epcot_news.htm

3 November 2005: Siemens and Spaceship Earth

Further to the update on the 27 Oct below, there is continuing talk inside Disney that the deal with Siemens for the sponsorship of Spaceship Earth is done. However, there is still no official confirmation or announcement.


27 October 2005: Spaceship to get new sponsor?

There is word coming from Epcot that a new sponsor has been found to replace AT&T at Spaceship Earth. The corporate lounge in the attraction has been cleared, and is being prepared for the arrival of the new sponsor. What is not yet clear, is who the new sponsor is to be. However, Siemens (one of the world’s largest electrical engineering and electronics companies) appears to be a possible candidate. More information to come as things become confirmed.

 

[Onceuponatime]

Helloooo..... any Converts out there who can shed a little lite ?????

 

[Cricket2]

I know this has absolutely no real bearing on this at all, but in an old article from a Siemens webzine there was this:

...What will the future look like? The future will look like a Walt Disney movie. In a Walt Disney movie, you say: "Mirror, mirror on the wall." And the mirror accesses the entire intellegence space of the earth...

Oddly, they spelled intelligence wrong, but I won't hold that against them as long as they keep their mitts off the ride part of SSE

 

[jimmytammy]

We agree...hands off the ride. Only enhance, dont change!!

 

[Horizons16]

Though I wouldnt mind if they brought Walter back...

 

[hAm53]

its official . . from the orlando sentinel website:

Siemens inks sponsorship deal with Disney

By Jerry W. Jackson | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted November 8, 2005, 9:55 AM EST

Walt Disney Co. has signed a 12-year marketing agreement with technology giant Siemens AG that includes rights for Siemens to sponsor a number of attractions at Walt Disney World in Orlando.

Siemens will have its brand on 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 companies said today.

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.

Disney already uses a range of Siemens technologies, but the agreement expands the relationship and paves the way for the two companies to broaden their technological collaboration across several platforms, Disney officials said.

"Our extended and strengthened relationship with Siemens is a perfect fit as we implement new forms of technology," Robert A. Iger, president and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, said in a statement.

Embracing new technology is a "key strategic priority" at Disney, Iger said, because it "drives growth for the entire company,"

The dollar value and other details of the agreement were not announced.

Siemens AG, based in Munich, Germany, is one of the largest global electronics and engineering companies with 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 United States has sales of $16.6 billion and employs 70,000 people in 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.

Siemens employed about 3,600 people in Orlando last year, making it one of the top employers in Central Florida and the fourth largest technology employer. Walt Disney World employs 56,800 in the Orlando area, including 38,500 full-time workers, by far the leading employer in the region and thought to be the largest single site employer in the nation.

AT&T sponsored Epcot's SpaceShip Earth ride from the time it opened in 1982 until 2003, giving no official explanation at the time for why it was not renewing the longtime marketing agreement. The ride inside the huge geodesic dome is a popular slow-moving ride in which guests are transported through the history of communications, from animatronic cave people drawing on walls to the latest high-tech gadgetry.





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the interesting thing is that it also includes Illuminations. all of the Innoventions stuff is just extra, its really easy to throw that into the contract to make Siemans think they're getting more than they are.
However with the fireworks partnership, maybe this will bring back a Tapestry of Dreams type parade, since the last time Illuminations had a sponsorship (since GE brings good things . . . ) they also had a parade, except for the last few months of the deal after the millenium celebration ended.

 

[All Aboard]

Of course, this begs the question about the attraction inside. How much is Siemen's paying and what more do they get than a name plaque on the outside of the geosphere? AT&T = Communications Company, that was a perfect fit - with the end of the attraction spotlighting the future of wireless global technology (Classroom, video communication, satellite communication, web-based communication, etc.) all stuff that AT&T was marketing at the time.

Siemens makes mobile phones and computers, but also markets much more. There is a fit with the current attraction, but it is a bit looser. Siemens is a producer of products more than a seller of communications services.

I suppose that they thought the fit was right and only get name recognition. But, that attraction will be 35 years old at the conclusion of the contract. Not exactly the original plans for Future World that called for the complete makeover of pavilions each 10-15 years.

 

[Bstanley]

Hopefully SE could be updated to cover 'technology' a bit more than purely 'communications' so that the basic 'time travel' theme from caveman to near-future could be maintained without major change.

 

[vacationwoman]

Of course, this begs the question about the attraction inside. How much is Siemen's paying and what more do they get than a name plaque on the outside of the geosphere? AT&T = Communications Company, that was a perfect fit - with the end of the attraction spotlighting the future of wireless global technology (Classroom, video communication, satellite communication, web-based communication, etc.) all stuff that AT&T was marketing at the time.

Siemens makes mobile phones and computers, but also markets much more. There is a fit with the current attraction, but it is a bit looser. Siemens is a producer of products more than a seller of communications services.
I suppose that they thought the fit was right and only get name recognition. But, that attraction will be 35 years old at the conclusion of the contract. Not exactly the original plans for Future World that called for the complete makeover of pavilions each 10-15 years.

Siemens is much more advanced in communication technology than AT&T.
You just don't hear about them as much because their home base is in Europe. I have been working with their PBX switches for some years and have gotten to know how diversified and advanced they are in many areas. The range of their capabilities is far greater than AT&T.

As the article states "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.

 

[disneyholic family]

this is great news....
now that Siemens has signed on, maybe it will encourage more companies to join up....

 

[fan of the TTA]

i love spaceship earth!

it would be nice if it got it's sponsor

 

[ohanafamily]

Siemens is a big company, and I think they want a bigger US presence. I think it will be good advertizing for them, and AT&T will have a big loss here. JMHO, but I am biased.

I think the ride will get an update and overhal; there are so many references to AT&T on so many items, The logo needs to be swept out of the ride for the new sponsors...

I also wonder if the new Sprint Deal had anything to do with the sponsorship...

Just a few thoughts...

 

[fan of the TTA]

i hope they don't destroy the ride! they may update it but i do think it's nice how it is!

and what's that deal about?

 

[YoHo]

If nothing Else, Seimens has a huge presence in Railroad technology both in the EU and in th eU.S. Maybe it will lead to new monorails.

Seimens is much more of a technology company whereas AT&T post lucent is a service provider. Much like the difference between Disney and ABC.

 

[ohanafamily]

Sprint is teaming with WDC to sell Disney cell phone service

 

[disneyholic family]

If nothing Else, Seimens has a huge presence in Railroad technology both in the EU and in th eU.S. Maybe it will lead to new monorails.

Seimens is much more of a technology company whereas AT&T post lucent is a service provider. Much like the difference between Disney and ABC.

actually AT&T will soon no longer exist.....it's being acquired by SBC.....although rumor has it that SBC will retain the AT&T name....

so Cingular bought AT&T Wireless...
Sprint bought Nextel...
SBC bought AT&T (the baby buying the mommie)....

if it continues like this, pretty soon we'll be back to one gigantic phone company....

 

[jeanylaser]

disney and siemens is a great team to sponsor of space ship earth and illumnations: reflections of earth.

 

[mitros]

Hopefully we can now look foward to some exciting changes.