Can Spaceship Earth be converted to another ride?

Dayma

Dayma

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Basically I wanted peoples opinions on what kind of ride spaceship earth could be converted to. I am sure there are things that can and can not be done due to the structure. I keep hearing Microsoft and Time Racers which would be a roller coaster? Is it even possible to do this or would we be looking at more of a ride like Dinosaur?

Thanks!
 
CTXRover

CTXRover

Well-Known Member
I'd also like to know what SE can actually hold.

I don't pretend to be a structural engineer, but can the "ball" actually be gutted? If you look at pictures of it being built, the platform for the ride is put in place as the rest of the structure, almost as a system of support. Can these platforms be removed? If not, what can those platforms actually hold?

I just don't want them making the mistake they did with Rocket Rods at Disneyland; building a ride that the existing structure couldn't handle. That would be terrible!
 
T

TrevEG

Member
What if they could make it into a roller coaster type ride? They could build a piece of track outside of the globe kinda like how test track exits the ride building. They could form a ring around the globe... giving it a saturn-like effect. That might look pretty sweet imho. :lol:
 
ToTBellHop

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
Not so much a roller coaster as a Rocket Rods type ride. Picture the current ride, with its animatronics and some greatly improved technology, like movie screen backgrounds, and then picture the ride going at 50 mph throughout part of your time travels, slowing down for show scenes, and climaxing with a high speed drop straight through the center of Spaceship Earth--basically, it would use the current layout w/ a new track, and I'm sure you've noticed how steep the drop is at the end--just imagine going through their head first at 50 mph. It would be nearly impossible to completely gut the ride, taking out all of the floors and such.
 
M

mkfan23

New Member
Originally posted by DogsRule!
Not so much a roller coaster as a Rocket Rods type ride. Picture the current ride, with its animatronics and some greatly improved technology, like movie screen backgrounds, and then picture the ride going at 50 mph throughout part of your time travels, slowing down for show scenes, and climaxing with a high speed drop straight through the center of Spaceship Earth--basically, it would use the current layout w/ a new track, and I'm sure you've noticed how steep the drop is at the end--just imagine going through their head first at 50 mph. It would be nearly impossible to completely gut the ride, taking out all of the floors and such.
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Is this your idea, or is this what they're planning? I really like this idea. To keep the same premise and spruce it up would be a win/win proposition.
 
ToTBellHop

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by mkfan23
Is this your idea, or is this what they're planning? I really like this idea. To keep the same premise and spruce it up would be a win/win proposition.
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That's an Imagineering idea--of course they have many ideas, but that seems to be the best one, and it saves money over the other ideas, as it utilizes the current mechanics and such, and spruces everything up--Imagineers, of course, want to keep as many Animatronics in there as possible.
 
Rafiki

Rafiki

Member
Originally posted by TrevEG
What if they could make it into a roller coaster type ride? They could build a piece of track outside of the globe kinda like how test track exits the ride building. They could form a ring around the globe... giving it a saturn-like effect. That might look pretty sweet imho. :lol:
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I can see it now. "Spaceship Saturn":hammer: :lookaroun
 
M

mkfan23

New Member
I for one like this idea. I think alot of people don't want to change SE for sentimental reasons, but if disney was able leave some elements of the ride that are currently there, I think those people might be able to live with the changes. There is alot of potential to modernize this attraction to fit where all of this new technology is going.
 
DMC-12

DMC-12

It's HarmonioUS, NOT HarmoniYOU.
Originally posted by blackride
Basically I wanted peoples opinions on what kind of ride spaceship earth could be converted to. I am sure there are things that can and can not be done due to the structure. I keep hearing Microsoft and Time Racers which would be a roller coaster? Is it even possible to do this or would we be looking at more of a ride like Dinosaur?
Click to expand...

Originally posted by CTXRover
I don't pretend to be a structural engineer, but can the "ball" actually be gutted? If you look at pictures of it being built, the platform for the ride is put in place as the rest of the structure, almost as a system of support. Can these platforms be removed? If not, what can those platforms actually hold? [/B]
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HI there.. we had a rather lengthy debate about Time Racers, SE, and the structural integrity of SE a while back... I could post my views, opinions, and info about the backbone structure about SE again... But I dont want to debate this again right now...lol :lol:


So I will just give ya the link :http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthre...perpage=15&highlight=helix spine&pagenumber=1 Happy Reading :) :wave:
 
darthdarrel

darthdarrel

New Member
Personally I hope it doesn`t go fast,cause one thing about the current spaceship earth is that it is nice and slow thus everyone can ride it! if it goes too fast some people will not be able to ride it.My oldest brother cannot ride rollercoasters and he`s just 42 and what about the elderly? that would just be driving them right out of the park alltogether.
 
D

DarkMeasures

New Member
I am sure that a ride like a combination of Test Track and dinosaur will be used.

Oh, they can just re build the current track and the ride will work but there is a problem.

To go back down through the steep fall, how will Disney manage to keep the cars in control, on track and maintain full power?

At 50 mph, I am sure the negative Gs will try to tear the cars off.
 
CaptChris

CaptChris

New Member
Originally posted by mkfan23
I for one like this idea. I think alot of people don't want to change SE for sentimental reasons, but if disney was able leave some elements of the ride that are currently there, I think those people might be able to live with the changes. There is alot of potential to modernize this attraction to fit where all of this new technology is going.
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I agree.

There was another ride in Future World that was a sentimental favorite. It was my favorite ride in Future World. It was Horizons. We all know that Horizons was demolished to make room for the new Mission Space. These boards are totally inundated with threads for Mission Space. With all of the hype and talk, you don't hear much about Horizons anymore.

Just think. If Walt Disney Imagineering can come up with something totally awesome to fill Spaceship Earth, we will all be scratching our heads in a few years saying, Spaceship what?
 
D

DarkMeasures

New Member
Save spaceship Earth?

You want a ride that is so terribly outdated that it does not even mention the internet to be saved?

And then they have those magical Translating Videophone things instead.
 
ToTBellHop

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by CaptChris
I agree.

There was another ride in Future World that was a sentimental favorite. It was my favorite ride in Future World. It was Horizons. We all know that Horizons was demolished to make room for the new Mission Space. These boards are totally inundated with threads for Mission Space. With all of the hype and talk, you don't hear much about Horizons anymore.

Just think. If Walt Disney Imagineering can come up with something totally awesome to fill Spaceship Earth, we will all be scratching our heads in a few years saying, Spaceship what?
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Exactly. People are saying the same things now "Save Spaceship Earth!" and they will have forgotten it by 2006...
 
monorail256

monorail256

Member
Originally posted by DarkMeasures
Save spaceship Earth?

You want a ride that is so terribly outdated that it does not even mention the internet to be saved?

And then they have those magical Translating Videophone things instead.
Click to expand...

I do.. :( I love that ride. I understand that you want an update and that certain things must be done in time.. Im just going to miss it when, if it does leave.

:wave: MoNoRaIl256
 
CaptChris

CaptChris

New Member
Originally posted by DarkMeasures
Save spaceship Earth?

You want a ride that is so terribly outdated that it does not even mention the internet to be saved?

Exactly!

21 years ago, the year Epcot opened, I remember going with my grandfather to buy a new car.

The car was a brand new 1982 Ford LTD. He thought it was the greatest thing in the world. It had an AM/FM radio, vinyl seats, and an automatic overdrive transmission. The car was loaded by the standards of the the day. He thought this car was great! He was bragging to all of his friends what a great car it was.

Friends of Spaceship Earth, hear my cry!

The ride was good and exciting 20 years ago, like my grandfather's car. But people no longer come to Epcot to ride Spaceship Earth among other things. Disney needs to do something with Epcot including Spaceship Earth or the park that Walt said would "never be completed" will share its destiny with the ghost towns of the old west!
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