New Sponsor for Imagination Pavilion About This Page:

[unewillow]

With the news of Kodak filing for Chapter 11 Bankrupcy today, I can only wonder if Disney is actively looking for a new sponsor for the Imagination pavilion. Last time I was there the majority of the "What If" lab was malfunctioning and TBH, what was there wasn't all that interesting to start with. This pavilion could use some TLC and updating to draw more people onto both JttI and into Captain EO as well as into the pavilion itself. I know I'm more than likely to just walk through and out, than hang around and spend any money in there.

[Dave Marx]

GM went through Chapter 11, and it's still the sponsor of Test Track, though I guess Chevrolet Motors Division is going to be getting the bills from now on.

Much is going to depend on what happens during the course of Chapter 11. If Kodak wants out of the contract, they ask the bankruptcy judge to approve cancelling the deal, and the judge has the power to do it. Court-appointed bankruptcy administrators tend to keep advertising/marketing agreements in place, on the theory that the company isn't going to survive Chapter 11 if it does no advertising. If they want to continue with the existing contract (the plan, with Chapter 11, is to emerge as a going enterprise), it just keeps going. I don't think Disney can shop this around in any serious way until it has an indication that Kodak does want to pull out. After all, if they find someone and then Kodak decides to hang on, it wouldn't be good for Disney's prospects with that potential new sponsor in the future.

Disney's relationship with Kodak is one of its longest and most extensive. It goes well beyond the Imagination Pavilion - the Kodak-branded Photo Spots, the Kodak name all over the guidemaps, the Kodak merchandise in the gift shops and camera shops... If Kodak ultimately is liquidated, or if they sell off the consumer products and license the Kodak name to someone else (Fuji Film?) as part of the reorganization, the relationship with Disney is going to be considered an asset that enhances the saleability of the company/division/brand name. So, I don't think Kodak is likely to let it go, and Disney is likely to honor that long-standing relationship by holding the door open unless and until the corporate corpse is in the ground.

[pago]

But whether or not Kodak continues the sponsorship of Imagination Pavillion, Disney needs to consider what to do to beef up this Pavillion or we may be facing another closed building.

[Dave Marx]

Originally Posted by pago

But whether or not Kodak continues the sponsorship of Imagination Pavillion, Disney needs to consider what to do to beef up this Pavillion or we may be facing another closed building.

They don't close sponsored attractions, except when the sponsor is paying for a rehab. Wonders of Life closed after Met Life pulled its sponsorship, not before, and that's just one example.

Attractions have a planned life span, and the sponsorship contracts tend to last the length of that planned life. In general, buildings are depreciated over 40 years, so even if the attraction inside the building is considered equipment with a shorter life (15-20 years), the building generally won't come down before 40 years is up, as long as it can be re-used. Horizons (current site of Mission: Space) is one that did come down early - there were maintenance problems rooted in the building's design. Considering the unique properties of the glass pyramid housing Journey into Imagination with Figment, that part of Imagination might come down early, too. I don't expect they'd tear down the theater - those are far too easy to re-use. A new film replacing Captain EO? Seems pretty likely, at some point. Considering that Kodak's economic woes have been going on for a while, it may be that Kodak rejected the idea of producing an all-new film to replace HISTA.

One way or the other, Kodak is not getting the promotional bang out of Imagination Pavilion that they ought to, so if they emerge from Chapter 11 as a healthy business that still produces consumer products, we may yet see a new film. Something to consider is that, if Kodak survives as an industrial/research organization and spins off all consumer products (one of the possibilities being discussed), then Kodak may have little interest in investing in a reinvigorated attraction. If a new owner for the consumer products doesn't want Imagination (and/or the rest of the Kodak presence at Disney's parks worldwide), all bets are off.

[chezp]

Very interesting response Dave - thanks for that. It raised a lot of points I hadn't thought of.

[bfth]

The pavilion is so beautiful and sadly is underutilized (2nd floor anyone?). It could use some serious refurb (I'm no EO fan and let's face it HIStA is getting old). With Kodak in Chapter 11 I doubt as if that will happen.