Does anyone know why Epcot has sponsors for their rides?

[720L]

We were just discussing how Siemans is no longer a sponsor of Spaceship Earth & the question came up why does Epcot have sponsors & not any other parks?

 

[OKW Lover]

Actually there are sponsors in the other parks as well. Epcot just has more of them. When it was first built in the early 1980's, Disney's vision of the park was a bit different than what it has turned into. However, a key part of that vision was that business would fund much of the park attractions. In return then they got a private sponsor lounge in their pavilion. Over the years sponsors have come and gone.

 

[hakepb]

There are more of the sponsors in the Food area.

Corporate sponsors were a big part of Disneyland and that additional funding was needed for WDW...back when Disney was a smaller company.

Now, Disney is the huge corporation and fewer companies feel the need (or see the benefit) from sponsoring Disney. I’m sure Disney would love to have more corporate sponsors. Disney now uses their IP to “sponsor” attractions since there are fewer other companies.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Sponsorship has been a part of the Disney parks business model from the very beginning. Disney needed financing and money to build Disneyland and corporate sponsorship was one way of doing it. EP pavilions were also meant to highlight the latest innovations and very much reflect a world's fair model of showcasing corporate innovation and international/cultural outreach. If you google the '64-'65 Worlds Fair, in particular, of which Disney was a large part of, it will give you a sense of what EP reflects. Even the layout of EP is similar.

 

[Dr.Mickey]

I do think of it mostly with Epcot - but the poster is correct in pointing out a long history of sponsors:

Space Mountain was sponsored by FedEx at some point in the 90s/00s

Delta's If You Had Wings, on the current Buzz track, was an excellent choice if you were out of E and D ticket coupons.

Living with the Land had Nestle? Maybe? Or maybe Food Rocks had Nestle?

Is the People Mover currently sponsored?

I would love to see what other sponsorships you guys can remember.

 

[Robo]

Disneyland:
Trans World Airlines
Monsanto
Kodak
Chicken of the Sea Tuna
Coca-Cola
Sunkist
General Electric
Goodyear
Carnation

 

[YawningDodo]

Space Mountain was sponsored by FedEx at some point in the 90s/00s

Early concepts for Space Mountain had it planned as a ride through the inside of a computer in order to pitch it to a computer company for a sponsorship (don't remember who it was supposed to be off the top of my head; I believe I read that story in The Disney Mountains: Imagineering at its Peak).

The other one I can recall is that I would swear that Dinosaur was originally sponsored by McDonalds, back when it was still Countdown to Extinction. I remember seeing little golden arches on the walls of the hall leading out of the preshow theaters. That was ages ago, though, so it's possible I'm imagining things.

 

[mathgeek]

The other one I can recall is that I would swear that Dinosaur was originally sponsored by McDonalds, back when it was still Countdown to Extinction. I remember seeing little golden arches on the walls of the hall leading out of the preshow theaters. That was ages ago, though, so it's possible I'm imagining things.

Yes, and I think they used to sell McDonald's fries from one of the of the kiosks in Dinoland. There are red, yellow, and white pipes in the loading area that I think still have the chemical formulas for ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise as part of the sponsorship.

 

[jeff_h]

In MK, Carousel of Progress was sponsored by GE from 1975-1985 (has GE mentioned with it on a set of Disney music CDs that I bought a while back)

 

[dbavis]

I think the PeopleMover is still sponsored by Alamo.

 

[3kidsdad]

AT&T used to sponsor Spaceship Earth before Siemans.

 

[jeff_h]

I think the PeopleMover is still sponsored by Alamo.

You're right, I just checked the MK web site and it does say "presented by Alamo"

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/a...m/tomorrowland-transit-authority-peoplemover/

 

[siskaren]

In MK, Carousel of Progress was sponsored by GE from 1975-1985 (has GE mentioned with it on a set of Disney music CDs that I bought a while back)

It was actually created for GE for the 1964 World's Fair in NY.

 

[jeff_h]

It was actually created for GE for the 1964 World's Fair in NY.

Right, I think they do say that in the intro - I was noting dates for the on-site attraction in MK.

 

[mesaboy2]

I do think of it mostly with Epcot - but the poster is correct in pointing out a long history of sponsors:

Space Mountain was sponsored by FedEx at some point in the 90s/00s

Delta's If You Had Wings, on the current Buzz track, was an excellent choice if you were out of E and D ticket coupons.

Living with the Land had Nestle? Maybe? Or maybe Food Rocks had Nestle?

Is the People Mover currently sponsored?

I would love to see what other sponsorships you guys can remember.

Eastern, actually. It was ultimately replaced with Delta Dreamflight.

 

[Syndrome]

Currently still sponsored ........

Living with the land is sponsored by Chiquita
Test Track is sponsored by Chevrolet
People mover is sponsored by Alamo

I think thats it for right now .

 

[Skippyboo]

The test track before the redo was basically modeled on the GM proving ground where they test out cars.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Some more obscure ones and ones I haven’t seen mentioned yet...

Cheshire Cafe is “hosted by Minute Maid”

Cosmic Ray’s is “hosted by Coca-Cola”

Cool Ship is “hosted by Coca-Cola”

Pizzafari is “hosted by Smucker’s” (bet you would have lost that bet...)

Colortopia is “presented by Glidden”

SpectacuLAB is “presented by Murata”

Electric Umbrella is “hosted by Coca-Cola”

Chip n Dale’s Harvest Feast at The Garden Grill is “hosted by Smucker’s”

Club Cool is “hosted by Coca-Cola” (shocking)

Liberty Inn is “hosted by Coca-Cola”

50’s Prime Time Cafe is “hosted by Coca-Cola”

Backlot Express is “hosted by Coca-Cola”

Star Wars Launch Bay is “presented by Hewlett-Packard”

Disney Junior Live on Stage is “presented by Pull-Ups”

Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster is “presented by Hanes”

Fantasmic is “presented by Pop Secret”

Happily Ever After is “presented by Pandora Jewelry”

 

[dbavis]

that's funny. i remember now seeing the Hanes signs on Rock 'n' Rollercoaster. It makes me wonder about the connection every time i see it.

 

[Dr.Mickey]

that's funny. i remember now seeing the Hanes signs on Rock 'n' Rollercoaster. It makes me wonder about the connection every time i see it.

You know, even rock stars want to be comfortable down under