Category: Disneyland Resort

Looks like “it’s a small world” at Disneyland has a permanent sponsor:

Siemens is pleased to announce that its SYLVANIA lighting brand will be the sponsor of the classic “it’s a small world” attraction at Disneyland Resort.

“We are thrilled to be associated with such an icon of the Disney experience. At SYLVANIA, we are creating ways to see the world in a new light. Our association with ‘it’s a small world’ is a perfect fit for our own vision,” said Rick Leaman, president and CEO of the Siemens lighting unit, OSRAM SYLVANIA.

“‘it’s a small world’ is a celebration of the hope we all share for peace on Earth,” said Walt Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter, who is the creative lead for Disneyland. “It’s an illuminating global message, so it’s fitting that this classic attraction should be sponsored by a company that literally helps illuminate the world.”

A new illuminated marquee, the only change to the attraction, will brighten the overall experience for guests and is slated for installation in early 2010. The design is a visual celebration of what the attraction represents, the happy spirit of children everywhere.

This sponsorship is part of a 12-year agreement between The Walt Disney Company and Siemens. 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. Siemens also is the sponsor of the Epcot icon, SpaceShip Earth.

“it’s a small world” originally was created for the 1964 New York World’s Fair as an exhibit that would benefit UNICEF, which is dedicated to the welfare of children all over the world. The attraction moved to its Anaheim home in 1966.

Considered a quintessential Disney theme park experience, “it’s a small world” contains more than 300 Audio-Animatronics® figures, representing children around the globe. It also features more than 250 toys and 80 animated props. After a full year of work, an enhanced version of the attraction opened in February 2009, including stylized dolls and toys dressed as several classic Disney characters seamlessly integrated and geographically located in the lands where their stories take place.

About Siemens

Siemens AG is a global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering, and operates in the industry, energy and healthcare sectors. For more than 160 years, Siemens has built a reputation for leading-edge innovation and the quality of its products, services and solutions. With 405,000 employees in 190 countries, Siemens reported worldwide revenue of $104.3 billion in fiscal 2009. With its U.S. corporate headquarters in New York City, Siemens in the USA reported revenue of $21.3 billion and employs approximately 64,000 people throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico. For more information on Siemens in the United States, visitwww.usa.siemens.com

About OSRAM SYLVANIA

OSRAM SYLVANIA is a leader in lighting solutions that feature innovative design and energy saving technology. The company sells products for homes, businesses and vehicles primarily under the SYLVANIA brand name, and also under the OSRAM brand. Headquartered in Danvers, Mass., OSRAM SYLVANIA is the North American operation of OSRAM GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Siemens AG. For more information, visit www.sylvania.com.

According to D23:

“Courage,” the National Thanksgiving Turkey, received his presidential pardon from President Barack Obama today at the White House’s Rose Garden. “Now, today I’m pleased to announce that, thanks to the interventions of Malia and Sasha — because I was planning to eat this sucker! — Courage will be spared this terrible and delicious fate,” the president laughed during the ceremony. “Later today, he’ll head to Disneyland, where he’ll be grand marshal of tomorrow’s parade. And just in case Courage can’t fulfil his responsibilities, Walter [National Turkey Federation Chairman Walter Pelletier] brought along another turkey, Carolina, as an alternate, the stand-in.”

After receiving his presidential pardon from President Barack Obama today, Courage — and Carolina — will be transferred to Dulles International Airport. Then they will “fly” on United Airlines Flight “Turkey-1” to their new home at Disneyland Resort in Southern California.

The trip from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles will mark the fifth consecutive year that the National Thanksgiving Turkey has celebrated his pardon at a Disney resort. Accompanied by Pelletier, of Butterball LLC, Courage, a 20-week-old, 45-pound tom turkey, will be the honorary grand marshal in the “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” Thanksgiving parade down Main Street, U.S.A. Following Thursday’s parade, Courage and Carolina will find a home at Santa’s Reindeer Round-Up at Big Thunder Ranch in Frontierland, where they’ll remain throughout the holidays and the rest of their lives.

Joining Courage and Carolina in the Disneyland Park parade on Thanksgiving Day will be 200 volunteers who, as part of National Family Volunteer Day on Saturday, Nov. 21, packed 20,000 boxes of food for Thanksgiving for those in need. Marching behind a Thanksgiving banner, the volunteers are being celebrated for their spirit of community service, the focus of Disney Parks’ “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” program in 2010. Disney Parks hopes to inspire 1 million people to perform a day of volunteer service for a participating organization by giving them a free one-day admission ticket to a Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort theme park.

“It is a tremendous honor to represent the turkey industry at the White House and to continue this 62-year-old tradition,” said Pelletier. “Like all Americans, the men and women of our industry faced a very challenging year economically, so it will be gratifying to be at the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation and then participate in Disney’s Thanksgiving event to reflect on the true meaning of Thanksgiving and the holiday season.” Added Captain Bob Hart of United Turkey-1: “Flying from coast to coast is a 2,288-mile journey and would be exhausting for a turkey. United is going to make sure that this flight is the most enjoyable and smooth cross-country journey these birds will ever take and a memorable experience for all customers onboard.”

U.S. President Harry S Truman was the first commander-in-chief to be presented with a Thanksgiving turkey (in 1947) by the National Turkey Federation. This year’s presentation marks the 62nd anniversary of a tradition that has continued through 11 successive White House administrations. The 2009 National Thanksgiving Turkey was raised under Chairman Pelletier’s supervision on a farm in Goldsboro, N.C.

UPDATE: Here’s a video from the Disney Parks Blog showing President Obama pardoning Courage and Carolina at the White House, as well the two turkeys boarding Turkey-1: