Wait...what? SSE opening tomorrow?

[EpcotServo]

only lasting 2 years, before they go back to something like Tomorrow's Child.

I doubt it...though I would love an amazing light show during the decent with a hard-rock version of Tomorrow's Child by Me First and The Gimme Gimmes.



What??? I can dream! Oh, how about Guitar Hero in the cars and on the screen as it plays, while I'm at it?
:lol:

 

[DisneyAnole]

Because it is a way to garner early responses to the new attraction, plus another way to bring guests in to the park.

So the feedback from guests during the "preview" stage wasn't enough to garner early responses to the new SSE?

Minor changes are just that, minor. That means the descent remains screen-based, with the current content. A minor change is putting your face on the animated character's body. It doesn't mean producing something more realistic than a "smart suitcase that can pack for you" and a "robot to take care of your pets while you're away on vacation".

By the way, what happens if the pet-care robot breaks? Do your pets starve?

 

[jakeman]

Wierd...

This thread is logical and polite. Not what I expected from a SSE thread.

Merf, I apologize if you have posted this in another of the dozens of "SSE ate my baby" threads, but what exactly do you want to see done in the finale?

I have been on the new version and, in my opinion, your passion about the last 1/3 of the ride is coming dangerously close to the Land fiasco several years back involving another poster.

It would be nice if the screen was a little better in some way, but I don't understand ignoring the amazing job they have done with a majority of the attraction.

This is the equivalent of ignoring Soarin because the fountain is gone.

 

[WDWGoof07]

Two things:

1. I watched Jose's video again, and I noticed that when the descent video ends, your vehicle is just a few feet from unload. The timing of it all gives me the feeling that the "quiz" before your video starts may just be temporary filler for something else...Mind you, I have no idea what they mean when they say "minor changes", but I'm keeping an open mind until February and it seems like WDI should have something more planned for this segment.

2. On that same note, is the video the final product, or is it WYSIWYG? Not saying that the current animation is bad, but there has been speculation that this is temporary as well. And what's the word on the face recognition?

 

[mousermerf]

Because the fountain (or lack of)/balloons/seating pods/etc all tie together in a cohesive manner.

The ending sticks out like a sore thumb. I was so enamoured with the globe and it's little silhouette people and sparkly spots on the map. They didn't continue any of that in the ending of the ride.

The post-show has nothing to do with the ride stylisticly or in content. The cartoon on the screens has nothing to do with the post-show or the first half of the ride.

It's a jumbled mess. If it was just an animation, i'd be dissapointed, but the animation it has is horrible and just ridiculous in SSE.

Maybe it's the people who got the self-packing suitcase who are most annoyed (as i commonly see that in complaints) but it really cheap and crappy and doesn't even make sense. Epcot is about somewhat realistic futurism.. not Jetson randomness.

Horizons had futuristic venues, that though they never came about, they are within the realm of reality. We have undersea hotel, we're doing spaceflights for tourists, and we can crossbreed fruits and veggies (I got mne a Grapple just the other day).

Self packing suitcase? Jetson's style hovercraft? No no no.

 

[jakeman]

Just curious, is there anything they can do with the screens to appease you?

Not attacking, just truely curious.

 

[DisneyAnole]

Because the fountain (or lack of)/balloons/seating pods/etc all tie together in a cohesive manner.

The ending sticks out like a sore thumb. I was so enamoured with the globe and it's little silhouette people and sparkly spots on the map. They didn't continue any of that in the ending of the ride.

The post-show has nothing to do with the ride stylisticly or in content. The cartoon on the screens has nothing to do with the post-show or the first half of the ride.

It's a jumbled mess. If it was just an animation, i'd be dissapointed, but the animation it has is horrible and just ridiculous in SSE.

Maybe it's the people who got the self-packing suitcase who are most annoyed (as i commonly see that in complaints) but it really cheap and crappy and doesn't even make sense. Epcot is about somewhat realistic futurism.. not Jetson randomness.

Horizons had futuristic venues, that though they never came about, they are within the realm of reality. We have undersea hotel, we're doing spaceflights for tourists, and we can crossbreed fruits and veggies (I got mne a Grapple just the other day).

Self packing suitcase? Jetson's style hovercraft? No no no.

That's exactly my problem with the screen-based content. You've got Judi Dench telling you at the beginning of her script that you are going to get a chance to design/create your future later on. Something along those lines. And then you get to the screens and they aren't even slightly based on current views of what the future might hold.

 

[jt04]

The ending is missing fiberoptics and lighting.

If they kept all the old show elements and even allowed guests to turn their screens off if they wanted to, I bet more of you people would like it.

Interesting idea as long as something interesting is added to the descent. I still don't believe it will stay the way it is. Afterall they are still upgrading the Laugh Floor and not just the show. New signs, flat screens etc. indicates to me they will make changes until standards are met. If not, Merf should be applauded for raising his voice on this issue IMO.

 

[DisneyAnole]

Just curious, is there anything they can do with the screens to appease you?

Not attacking, just truely curious.

Yes, present a version of the future based on what is legitimately possible. The Magic Highway episode of "Disneyland" from 1958 would be a good place to start if you want to see an animated version of the future that was based on well-conceived optimism. Did the future actually turn out the way Magic Highway predicted it? Hell, no. But it at least was a reflection of what scientists and engineers thought would be feasible.

The current screen animation isn't feasible by anyone's notions, unless you're talking to someone who expects a suitcase to pack their clothes for them. Or someone who expects a medical scanner that can scan your entire body in five seconds and tell you that you're healthy.

 

[mousermerf]

Just curious, is there anything they can do with the screens to appease you?

Not attacking, just truely curious.

Two things would make me happy.

1) Integrate it into the rest of the ride. I don't care if it's a little dot representing me moving across a timeline so i know what year i'm in, or just little random factoids from a swirly blue void every so often. It'd be nice if the content was different each time. Nothing annoying, just little factoids i can look at if i want to, and my little traveling timeline.

2) Hitting "Delete" on the current ending and starting over. Base it on the animations that are on the globe for the style - ditch esurance. Have it tie into the post show, aesthetically/visually/audibly.

For the set of the descent, they could extend the blue dots the whole way and make me happy, though tying it to the post-show by adding more arches like in the first lift hill would be nice. Put the SSE sphere back, and put some "windows to the future" in with the style of the graphics in the post show - those swirly light vortex blurr things that adorn all the signs.

See, simple fixes, wouldn't cost much, and i wont hate it.

 

[wdwjmp239]

I rode SSE 3 times last week. I LOVED it....:sohappy:

Last weekend was the first time back to Disney in a little over a year. The reason for the delay (even though we live in Naples, FL) was because:

1. We got married
2. We went on a honeymoon
3. I was in the middle of going to school
4. We started an e-bay business
5. During our honeymoon, our annual passes expired

Well, we made the trek to Disney and got our annual passes at Epcot, stayed at the All-Star Sports, and went on the new SSE. Even though we rode it once, I think it has some potential for it to grow on us. Will we go back to Disney? You bet...after the holidays. We're lookng at the 2nd weekend in January!

 

[SweetMagic]

If return riders don't like the attraction... just don't ride. Thats what I've been doing with Universe of Energy for years! :lol:

Sad, but true. It is easier to skip a ride buried in the corner though, than the one that's front and center and placed within the icon of the park.

The ending sticks out like a sore thumb. I was so enamoured with the globe and it's little silhouette people and sparkly spots on the map. They didn't continue any of that in the ending of the ride.

The post-show has nothing to do with the ride stylisticly or in content. The cartoon on the screens has nothing to do with the post-show or the first half of the ride.

If the plan is to have the answer to the question 'where are you from', that is on the touch screen, appear in the form of a sparkly spot or pin of some sort on the large globe in Project Tomorrow, and the picture that is taken of you early in the ride is woven into either the cartoon or Project Tomorrow, then at least there will be a bit of a tie-in there.

Maybe it's the people who got the self-packing suitcase who are most annoyed (as i commonly see that in complaints) but it really cheap and crappy and doesn't even make sense. Epcot is about somewhat realistic futurism.. not Jetson randomness.

While I agree with not being a fan of the Jetson randomness, I did like the reference to 'the great big beautiful tomorrow' that I got a couple of times

 

[Horizons1986]

So does this mean that it will be opening for good?

I am just curious since I will be there 2nd week of January and would really like to see this new version for myself!

 

[echoscot]

So does this mean that it will be opening for good?

I am just curious since I will be there 2nd week of January and would really like to see this new version for myself!

I am guessing that it will only be for the holidays and then reopen just prior to the soft opening.

That is a geuss however...

 

[wdwowner]

I have a question. For those of us who will not be in WDW this weekend, who will be there on Friday to give everyone the blow-by-blow of the ride? This is the only way we will know about the decent and any changes that have been made but were hidden for the pre-previews.

 

[echoscot]

I have a question. For those of us who will not be in WDW this weekend, who will be there on Friday to give everyone the blow-by-blow of the ride? This is the only way we will know about the decent and any changes that have been made but were hidden for the pre-previews.

I think most of us here agree that for the Holidays it won't be all that different from what you already saw.

 

[Horizons1986]

I am guessing that it will only be for the holidays and then reopen just prior to the soft opening.

That is a geuss however...

Oh, ok.

Yeah it does seem like it would be for the holidays. How long do they keep the holidays going at WDW? We will be there on the 5th so hopefully we will get to see it on the early part of our trip!

 

[mousermerf]

Funny disneyworld.com update:

On the SSE attraction page, "Attractions Like This" has only "Fossil Fun Games" listed.

By golly, SSE is just like a stupid ring toss!

 

[Maerj]

It's spreading..

It's Showtime For Epcot's Spaceship Earth
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (CBS4) ― Epcot's Spaceship Earth will reopen to the public Friday, ready to wow visitors with a new story line and digital enhancements.

The show's producer Bob Zalk says the new story is about innovations and how they inspire the next generation.

The ride, which closed for six months for the enhancements, features new show scenes, lighting effects and costumes with a new musical score narrated by Judy Dench. The ride's vehicles remain the same, but include new touch screens. There will also be an interactive component.

Disney officials expect to make minor changes before the ride's formal reopening in February.

http://cbs4.com/entertainment/epcot.disney.disney.2.615426.html

The embelishments by the different affiliates is my fave part of these articles.

So, the Merf was right, unfortunately. I have yet to ride it but the idea of ending a great attraction by taking my pic and pasting it on a cartoon character is not what I would call inspirational or futuristic. It would have been better to do 3 different show endings using AAs and have your car rotate to face the end that you chose, then have one big score at the very end to tie it all together.

 

[echoscot]

Ahhh, we discussed this earlier. This isn't different from what everyone has been saying. They were planning to open it for the Holidays...then make changes ("minor changes" according to the article, and subject to interpretation) before the official opening in February.