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Changes to Spaceship Earth Descent.
- Thread starter wdw71fan
- Start date
Axle1986
Well-Known Member
maxairmike
Well-Known Member
Rode it a few times the other day, and didn't notice much of a difference. The only thing that stood out to me is that they seem to have hidden about half of the trash-filled mesh above the track with some black cloth. You can still see it towards the start of the descent and at the very end, but the rest has been covered.
aladdin2007
Well-Known Member
How commendable of them.
I guess it would have cost too much to cover all of it. uggg
pumpkin7
Well-Known Member
i just want to know one thing......
WHY THE FRIG DID THEY CHANGE IT?!?!? i've just watched the original version of the decent and it was so much cooler than the one they have now. i just don't understand why they had to change it, even from the 1994 version! WHY!!
also, i'm sure i've read somewhere on these forums that the animatronic space ship lady who controlled the robotic arm, the one in the main earth room at the top, is still there. she just be skinless (really creepy) and motionless (even more creepy). i'm sure someone had a photo too. that totally, 100% creeps me out. and the fact that i'm sure whoever posted about it said that her 'skin' had been used elsewhere!
edit: or not! according to martins video. she was given a completely new home. perhaps i'm getting confused with the actual spaceship prop. hmm. nevermind!
WHY THE FRIG DID THEY CHANGE IT?!?!? i've just watched the original version of the decent and it was so much cooler than the one they have now. i just don't understand why they had to change it, even from the 1994 version! WHY!!
also, i'm sure i've read somewhere on these forums that the animatronic space ship lady who controlled the robotic arm, the one in the main earth room at the top, is still there. she just be skinless (really creepy) and motionless (even more creepy). i'm sure someone had a photo too. that totally, 100% creeps me out. and the fact that i'm sure whoever posted about it said that her 'skin' had been used elsewhere!
edit: or not! according to martins video. she was given a completely new home. perhaps i'm getting confused with the actual spaceship prop. hmm. nevermind!
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
We'll never really know how they can make these bad decisions or why there's garbage in the ceiling and cobwebs hanging below.
ChrisFL
Premium Member
One Word: Siemens
Oddysey
Well-Known Member
Two words: Disney/Siemens
It is a Disney ride in a Disney park in spite of whoever is the sponser at the time.
ChrisFL
Premium Member
While what you're saying is true, Siemens wanted them to move a bit away from the "communications" angle that had been around since the beginning (Bell Labs/AT&T being primarily a communication company), and move on to a more general "progress" theme.
Oddysey
Well-Known Member
Where are we disagreeing or are we disagreeing at all? Are you just saying that Siemens has more influence over the ride than Disney? Siemens may have a vision, but it is under the guidance of Disney, and Siemens cant do anything without Disney's permission. Siemens is the sponser not the owner. The average park guest is not going to walk out of an attraction thinking, "the attaction that Kodak built was terrible, the attraction that Nestle built was slightly better, the attraction that HP built was nauseating, and the attraction that Siemens built was fun." etc. They are all a part of the Disney product in a Disney park, and guest will generally say things like "I enjoy the following Disney's attractions" or "I dont enjoy the following Disney's attractions." Ultimately, the responsibility of quality for any attraction or product at Disney falls on Disney.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
Went on it yesterday, the ascent looked good except for the giant wheel in the printing press scene wasn't working. There's a weird aurora borealis type thing right after the star field on the descent. I don't recall that being there before and it's not anything incredibly noteworthy other than I don't remember it. Lost of triangles and black curtains. One thing that makes the curtains worth is the blacklight shows all the dust.
Our trip on it yesterday included someone who hadn't been on the ride in 6 years, and afterwards he asked if they ran out of money.
Our trip on it yesterday included someone who hadn't been on the ride in 6 years, and afterwards he asked if they ran out of money.
The MaD Hatter
Well-Known Member
I remember the days and months following this refurb, where many of us hoped that additional funds would be allocated to make the descent as fantastic as the ascent. Sadly, years later it seems the most we can hope for is more black sheets to hide the garbage in the ceiling.
cm1988
Active Member
The late, great Ray Bradbury wrote the script and it has been tinkered and trivialized ever since. It could have been kept fresh without losing the sense of wonder. WDI was right to bring in home computing and the internet, they just didn't pay enough attention (or budget) to script. Kind of like the junk food movies today where you are knocked over by special effects, then - leaving the theater - you wonder what the heck the story was about, and really, you never felt anything for the characters.
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
The new scenes are kinda weak and feel like they "ran out of money", or something. Imagination? The idea behind these scenes really isn't bad (computers going from Adam West Batcave setups to your little desktop P.C.), they were just done poorly and that part ends up being boring as opposed to the older version where you see the kids video chatting. Obviously, that was more futuristic in the 90s, but then now was the time to introduce something even more futuristic and cooler. Instead, they went more with reality and it's kinda boring?
DarthGrady
Active Member
I wonder the exact same thing each and every time I ride SSE. The Irons version was nearly perfect, I'd even go so far as to say that it was better than the Cronkite version. They ruined the ride with Dench, her annoying voice and the rubbish they had her read. The descent is just one final insult to fans who hoped for something truly innovative.
For some reason Disney loves ruining EPCOT rides. I would have been more surprised if they would have improved it. With the exception of Soarin, every major refurb done at EPCOT has been either an even trade (WOM for TT) or a huge downgrade (Horizons for MS, TLS for NEMO, JII for JIYI/JIIwF, Communicore for Innoventions).
aladdin2007
Well-Known Member
Sad but so true, along with the loss of things like lights of winter, and now the world showcase costumes etc, the walmarting and wittling down of epcot continues.
t3techcom18
Well-Known Member
I definitely agree but sadly, Siemens was the one who initiated on this one.
Siemens wanted everyone to look at the video. Why need sets if everyone's looking at video? *Facepalm*
HMF
Well-Known Member
Are we sure that was Siemens and not WDI who came up with the decent?
t3techcom18
Well-Known Member
Taylor
Well-Known Member
What was the reason?