Spaceship Earth "basement"

[beanboon]

Just as interesting would be up at the top on the projection decking. Even better would be at the top on the projection decking with the original music.

If you look out across the planetarium room at track level you can see they sometimes store stuff in the dark. I think I saw what looked like a gas welding setup with a tank and gauges but couldn't tell for sure. Oddly enough the short wall in front of you as you turn sideways is not cut straight across, rather it's broken up. Maybe they originally intended on having the stars project over everything up to the track and thought that the broken up wall wouldn't be as obvious as a straight wall.

 

[FatBoy976]

I grew up in Miami, and you can't have a basement in Florida. I guess it being the "basement" of the sphere clears up my confusion.

 

[beanboon]

I grew up in Miami, and you can't have a basement in Florida. I guess it being the "basement" of the sphere clears up my confusion.

That's why I put quotes around the word basement, I didn't mean it literally as an underground basement.

 

[MissM]

Isn't Florida below sea level? Or is that just Louisiana? I know we can't have basements without water pouring in them.

The lowest point in Florida is sea level itself. The highest is only 345 feet (you can find more Florida Geography facts here).

We don't have basements though because our soil is mainly sand, is often wet below the surface and just too weak to support it. Heck, we have problems enough with foundations for homes above ground, let alone anything below. Our cemetaries can and do burry below ground, but that's really about it.
-m

 

[Foolish Mortal]

I'm sorry, I know this is OT, but when I read the subject I couldn't help but think of ______ WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE.

"There's no basement at the Alamo!"

Me too :lol: For some reason I always think about that scene whenever I hear or read about some well known attraction or building followed by the word basement. I love the idea of joining one of the scenes to watch the reactions.

 

[syddisney]

I know there is/was an office in there somewhere. A few years ago, when AT@T was the sponsor for the ride, they had a small office in there. My dad works for AT@T and we got to go in there. it looked like a normal office. They had a waiting area where we could get a drink, then a man took us down to the boarding area. We got on with no wait, even though there was no line any ways. It was pretty neat.

 

[SirNim]

Yes, the former AT&T corporate VIP lounge and office area is located in the "base" building of Spaceship Earth, on the floor above the load/unload area and the former New Global Neighborhood. I incidentally have a business card that I took from the reception desk in the VIP area - it's quite unique now in that it has the big bold AT&T logo on it in addition to the word "Epcot." One of these days I might put it up on eBay (or just post a picture of it if you would like to see).

 

[999Ghosts]

AT&T lounge?

Are you guys talking about the lounge area that used to be for AT&T employees? It had an entrance where you got off the ride and play with their future technology. There's an elevator with a camera & an intercom. You hold up your AT&T badge, and they let you up in the elevator to a small area that has an office, a free cold soda fountain, and a beautiful glass conference room that faces the fountain area. Not mention the private clean bathrooms! And they sold AT&T/Spaceship Earth merchandise you could only get there. (Mugs, t-shirts, mousepads, etc). I don't think it's used for AT&T offices anymore, since they don't sponser it anymore, but maybe that's the area you are talking about? My favorite part was when you got done with your cold refereshments, they put you on the ride where everyone else got off, so you didn't have to wait in line! Sigh... the good 'ole days!

 

[beanboon]

Are you guys talking about the lounge area that used to be for AT&T employees? It had an entrance where you got off the ride and play with their future technology. There's an elevator with a camera & an intercom. You hold up your AT&T badge, and they let you up in the elevator to a small area that has an office, a free cold soda fountain, and a beautiful glass conference room that faces the fountain area. Not mention the private clean bathrooms! And they sold AT&T/Spaceship Earth merchandise you could only get there. (Mugs, t-shirts, mousepads, etc). I don't think it's used for AT&T offices anymore, since they don't sponser it anymore, but maybe that's the area you are talking about? My favorite part was when you got done with your cold refereshments, they put you on the ride where everyone else got off, so you didn't have to wait in line! Sigh... the good 'ole days!

The corporate lounge was entered through the post show of Spaceship Earth and is not located inside the golf ball. The door was/still is located on the east side of the post show area right next to the doors leading outside.

The office I refer to is inside the ball below show level. The entrances to it are via the elevator or walking up into the ball and going through a doorway.

 

[tigger248]

I think I may have been in there once. A long time ago, when I was in middle school, my eighth grade trip was to Disney World and we did the YES program. Our class got a behind the scenes tour of Epcot and part of it was in spaceship earth. I don't remember a lot of details but I remember being in a room you entered from the ride's post show area. Inside the room was a lot of the controls used for the ride and the audio tracks and computers that controlled the ride and stuff. I just remember that everything was in boxes and some were from old rides that weren't in operation anymore (I think). I also remember them saying that if the room ever caught on fire, you had like 90 seconds or something to get out, then they would suck all the oxygen out of the room to put out the fire. I don't have any pictures because I don't think they let us take them. Is this the room you guys are talking about, or is it something totally different? Just curious of whether or not it's the same place. The one I saw was really cool, but I just don't really remember a lot of the details because I was in 8th grade then and now I'm a senior in college so it's been a little while.

 

[marni1971]

I have stuck a portion of the SE lower interior blueprint in my album here:

http://photoalbums.wdwmagic.com/sho...be6c92c58a93317b2f12c75&sort=1&cat=500&page=1

As you can see, there is quite a lot of space backstage, complete with several rooms, that may have been used as an office - this blueprint is from May 1982.

Tigger - regarding the fire supression system. This sounds like a Halon system. Interesting. Halon gas literally consumes oxygen - and with no oxygen, fire can`t survive. Its great merit is there are no foams or water involved, hence no damage at all to the building or the attraction. Of course,as you noted, the only downside for us humans is our air supply also disappears! There must be a way of compartmentalising SE`s interior - the area in question would need to be airtight to be turned into a vacum for the Halon to be fully effective. I`ve often wondered how the parks handle fire protection. Can anyone shed any light on this?