Changes to Spaceship Earth Descent.

aladdin2007

Well-Known Member
It use to be a must see for me, everytime I was in the park no matter how often as it was a triumphant finale to the day or a majestic start. Now it just depresses me and I only go on it once in awhile. When will they learn if its not broke dont fix it. But with that being said, we all probably would have liked it fine if they had followed through. To a few posts back that said Siemens Sucks, I agree.

From what I understand those triangles were to have been a kaleidoscope of exploding colors (see the Imagineering Guide to Epcot for a description), along with some new scenes apparently. There were people in Siemens who were interested in Tomorrows Child and a new version was suppose to have been recorded, but I guess those few didnt get their way.

Its looking worse and worse in there all the time, falling apart, dust, grime, and we all know the rest of the sad details. Interesting that theres maybe some movement again. Siemens and Disney, please finally come through with at least something or at least clean up all the crap lying around and over head.
 

jaques21

Active Member
Dench: "It Turns out there are copies of some of these books in the libraries of the middle east being watched over by Arab and Jewish scholars. Call it the first back-up system. The books are saved and with them, our dreams of the future."


Vs.

Irons: "But all was not lost. For far across the land, from Cairo to Qurtaba, Jewish Teachers and Islamic Scholars continued the quest for knowledge. In libraries of wisdom, they debated ideas and shared new discoveries with all who would listen."

:(

I'm pretty sure its Cordoba, Spain not "Qurtaba". I agree though, IRONS is the best..... didn't we take a pole on this already :ROFLOL:
 

pmaljr

Well-Known Member
Shoot me. I like the new narration just fine. It's the least of the ride's issues, in my opinion.

I agree. I don't have a problem with any of it actually. I like the descent at the end, reminds me of the multiple endings scenario like Horizons except a new digital version of it and a personal one. :lookaroun
 

pixargal

Well-Known Member
Perhaps they could give you the option of turning off the monitors on the ride vehicle. I do not like the "create your future" feature and prefer to descend the way it used to be before the refurb. Watching the earth come in to view is one of my favorite parts.
 
I like the idea of the "build your own future" but other than the few seconds of amusement as I watch the latest ridiculous photograph of mine go through an episode of The Jetsons--what does it have to do with communication? What does Seimens have to do with it? There's no repeat value in it, too, once you've done it a dozen times (at least) like I have. I've tried changing my answers and seem to always get the same animation. When Horizons had the "choose your own" adventure at the end, it at least enveloped you and made it feel like you were actually zooming in space, underwater, or over the desert.

If they ever do complete their plans for the descent and if it's awesome, I'll probably fall over from shock. All the attention is on Fantasyland now, though.
 

MickeyPeace

Well-Known Member
Ive only been on Spaceship Earth with the Judi Dench narration. It is a one of my favorite attractions and a must do in Epcot.

Two things that irk me though are-

1 "call it the first back up system" stupid.

2 The earth coming into view always confuses me. What am I looking at exactly? The earth projection looks cheap and then below it there is shadowy equipment? or something. I can never make out what is going on in that scene.

The descent is fine to me because I don't know what I'm missing. Never having scene a better descent, I'm not at all bothered by the video.

I'm glad to see some people on here defending concepts and grammar that aren't dumbed down.
 
I thought the ending was good and orginal. The touch screen ending is based on the riders answer. The future i what we make it. I don't see the descent changing as long as they keep the touch screen computers on the ride vehicle aka the time machine.

I think they should get a new narrator! Someone with more feeling.
 

ChrisFL

Premium Member
The earth coming into view always confuses me. What am I looking at exactly? The earth projection looks cheap and then below it there is shadowy equipment? or something. I can never make out what is going on in that scene.

Originally you were going through a space station, then they removed it during (or before?) the 1994 refurb. It made a bit more sense back then.

Anyway, I'm still tied between Irons and Cronkite narration. I am still sad we didn't get Patrick Stewart to narrate the current one.
 

beachlover4444

Well-Known Member
I too am not a fan of the interactive descent. I want to view something that I cannot see anywhere else. I remember the first time I rode it back in 1989 and was blown away. Love Dame Dench but Irons chatter was much better. Sometimes changing it to update it makes it worse. Take it back to the beginning. Why try fixing something that is good and mess it up? They've done that with alot of rides where they are missing the mark of what makes it special to begin with.
 

aladdin2007

Well-Known Member
At this point I'd be fine if they threw a bunch of C-9 Chrstmas lights up there.

Yeah all for that at this point, Ill even go up in there for free and hang them up, want to join me?

Thanks to the original poster by the way, wdw71fan, for the update, Im not holding my breath but hoping this time maybe something comes of it soon.
 

Mimi

Active Member
I'm with you on this. I didnt think it was bad at all. Sure it's different, but every narrator has been different because.. well... every person is different.


I doubt she wrote the new narration herself.

This has probably already been discussed to death in another thread but why did they change it? If it ain't broke don't fix it, IMO. Was there a real flaw they can point to or did they just change it because someone said, "uh, hey man, let's like change the talking while we're doing the refurb." It was almost poetic before.
 

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
I doubt she wrote the new narration herself.

This has probably already been discussed to death in another thread but why did they change it? If it ain't broke don't fix it, IMO. Was there a real flaw they can point to or did they just change it because someone said, "uh, hey man, let's like change the talking while we're doing the refurb." It was almost poetic before.
While I do not know what officially happened, the attractions theme changed from one focusing solely on communication to more of a Horizons 2.0. My understanding is that this was at the request of the sponsor, Siemens. Some of the original script would work with this change some simply would not and it needed to be rewritten. I can somewhat understand the logic behind of making the script something that a younger audience would understand however, I think they pushed the needle a bit too far. We now have a script that borders on insulting the intelligence of anyone with more than an 8th grade education. The poetry and magistracy present in the last 3 versions are gone.
 

Vader2112

Well-Known Member
While I do not know what officially happened, the attractions theme changed from one focusing solely on communication to more of a Horizons 2.0. My understanding is that this was at the request of the sponsor, Siemens. Some of the original script would work with this change some simply would not and it needed to be rewritten. I can somewhat understand the logic behind of making the script something that a younger audience would understand however, I think they pushed the needle a bit too far. We now have a script that borders on insulting the intelligence of anyone with more than an 8th grade education. The poetry and magistracy present in the last 3 versions are gone.
Where I agree with you here on the history aspect "dumbed down" being I do have to point out that Disney keeps things little simplified in the scripts because English is not the primary language of all the their quests.
 

amazingwdw

Member
Where I agree with you here on the history aspect "dumbed down" being I do have to point out that Disney keeps things little simplified in the scripts because English is not the primary language of all the their quests.

It seemed to work just fine for 25 years with big words and required the riders to actually pay attention to what they were hearing :shrug:
 

Vader2112

Well-Known Member
It seemed to work just fine for 25 years with big words and required the riders to actually pay attention to what they were hearing :shrug:

The world is a lot smaller than it even 10 years ago! More people have access to WDW thatn ever before. Plus there is the lovely PC movement this country has been under going to an extreme during the same time frame.
 

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