Rumor Spaceship Earth Redo Shelved Indefinitely

[Bocabear]

This is one attraction that turning back to a previous version would be an improvement... The screens were cute for a while... but now it is time to refresh the effects in the scenes, add some new magic, and bring the narrative back on track. Imagine how amazing the 360 top could be with new technology...

 

[Dragonman]

My biggest fear is they close SSE for three years and when it reopens we get something less than we had before,

I wish they would bring back the return trip to what we had before. The sets are still there behind the black scrim I think.

Most of that was removed long ago. The only known thing still there currently are the graduation silhouettes for the effect.

Obviously the remains of the space station and scrapped moon cutouts are still at the top as well.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Most of that was removed long ago. The only known thing still there currently are the graduation silhouettes for the effect.

Obviously the remains of the space station and scrapped moon cutouts are still at the top as well.

That's too bad.

 

[HMF]

Most of that was removed long ago. The only known thing still there currently are the graduation silhouettes for the effect.

Obviously the remains of the space station and scrapped moon cutouts are still at the top as well.

Actually, most of the Peppers Ghost diorama was still intact as of a few years ago. Whether they have been removed since then is unknown.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Actually, most of the Peppers Ghost diorama was still intact as of a few years ago. Whether they have been removed since then is unknown.

I always assumed they just put up the black scrim (the least costly way to do it) and added the infinity lighting.

 

[Dragonman]

Actually, most of the Peppers Ghost diorama was still intact as of a few years ago. Whether they have been removed since then is unknown.

Based on the presence of a ladder in this 2019 evacuation photo they were working on removing the figures a few years ago.

 

[Dragonman]

I always assumed they just put up the black scrim (the least costly way to do it) and added the infinity lighting.

The infinity lighting is well before where the dioramas were. Those happened during the descent.

The infinity lights occupy the space of the former space station scene, many people have posted photos of the remnants of that if you check out the “Spaceship in Spaceship Earth” thread.

 

[Disstevefan1]

The infinity lighting is well before where the dioramas were. Those happened during the descent.

The infinity lights occupy the space of the former space station scene, many people have posted photos of the remnants of that if you check out the “Spaceship in Spaceship Earth” thread.

Wow, I thought the infinity lighting was added when the touch screens were added for the Siemens make over. I gotta go on YouTube to refresh my memory.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

This is one attraction that turning back to a previous version would be an improvement... The screens were cute for a while... but now it is time to refresh the effects in the scenes, add some new magic, and bring the narrative back on track. Imagine how amazing the 360 top could be with new technology...

My pass expired this week, and I popped into Epcot on my last day. I actually got stopped in the dome for a few minutes due to a technical issue. (Silver lining, I guess.). I was thinking the same thing. It's one of the most impressive areas of all of WDW if you sit back and just view it.

If they did the "story" narrative right, focusing on how sharing ideas has been the central idea of all human achievement (or something like that), it could be a really nice way to call back to the original theme of communication while making it something new. Sadly, it would take some elegance and restraint I'm not sure current Disney has. But, the potential is incredible.

 

[DreamfinderGuy]

Most of that was removed long ago. The only known thing still there currently are the graduation silhouettes for the effect.

Obviously the remains of the space station and scrapped moon cutouts are still at the top as well.

Some stuff is still there, most isn't. A lot more was intact a few years ago, but they started removing things ahead of the refurb closure that never happened. I know at least one static figure is still installed, but pretty sure most everything else is gone.

 

[Mickeynerd17]

Wow, I thought the infinity lighting was added when the touch screens were added for the Siemens make over. I gotta go on YouTube to refresh my memory.

They were.

Pre-2008 that area featured a futuristic "classroom" with a teacher watching her students create things on a digital screen. The infinity lights were added in 2008 with the touch screens.

Which side of the track that classroom scene was still eludes me. Even most recent footage doesn't show it well since it was pitch black.

 

[Dragonman]

They were.

Pre-2008 that area featured a futuristic "classroom" with a teacher watching her students create things on a digital screen. The infinity lights were added in 2008 with the touch screens.

Which side of the track that classroom scene was still eludes me. Even most recent footage doesn't show it well since it was pitch black.

The classroom was in front of the riders in the same former space station room that the lights are in now, mounted to the back wall.

 

[Epcot81Fan]

My pass expired this week, and I popped into Epcot on my last day. I actually got stopped in the dome for a few minutes due to a technical issue. (Silver lining, I guess.). I was thinking the same thing. It's one of the most impressive areas of all of WDW if you sit back and just view it.

If they did the "story" narrative right, focusing on how sharing ideas has been the central idea of all human achievement (or something like that), it could be a really nice way to call back to the original theme of communication while making it something new. Sadly, it would take some elegance and restraint I'm not sure current Disney has. But, the potential is incredible.

I’m confused - how does that sell merchandise or Disney+ subscriptions?

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

I had a long conversation with a CM working attractions in Future World. They said as far as they had heard the SSE refurb is effectively dead. According to them, they had planned to make use of the closed spine to store necessary construction equipment and now that the spine is back open it makes the refurb much more difficult.

I mentioned the rumor that a refurb was needed sooner or later to address structural aging issues and the CM declined to comment.

Realize this isn’t a groundbreaking source but just passing on what I heard.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I had a long conversation with a CM working attractions in Future World. They said as far as they had heard the SSE refurb is effectively dead. According to them, they had planned to make use of the closed spine to store necessary construction equipment and now that the spine is back open it makes the refurb much more difficult.

I mentioned the rumor that a refurb was needed sooner or later to address structural aging issues and the CM declined to comment.

Realize this isn’t a groundbreaking source but just passing on what I heard.

I am happy to hear this. I dread the three year closure for the SSE refurb.

 

[Bocabear]

I am happy to hear this. I dread the three year closure for the SSE refurb.

Just three? lol that would be lightning fast for them....

 

[DreamfinderGuy]

I had a long conversation with a CM working attractions in Future World. They said as far as they had heard the SSE refurb is effectively dead. According to them, they had planned to make use of the closed spine to store necessary construction equipment and now that the spine is back open it makes the refurb much more difficult.

I mentioned the rumor that a refurb was needed sooner or later to address structural aging issues and the CM declined to comment.

Realize this isn’t a groundbreaking source but just passing on what I heard.

The refurb as it was originally planned is 100% dead, and yes they did need the spine closed to work on the new Earth Station building. That said, it will not take a spine closure to actually refurb the ride once they decide to. They needed it for a refurb as extensive as originally planned, but with the inevitable one almost certainly requiring less work they can do it with minimal park impact.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Just three? lol that would be lightning fast for them....

Its only funny because its true.

 

[aladdin2007]

The refurb as it was originally planned is 100% dead, and yes they did need the spine closed to work on the new Earth Station building. That said, it will not take a spine closure to actually refurb the ride once they decide to. They needed it for a refurb as extensive as originally planned, but with the inevitable one almost certainly requiring less work they can do it with minimal park impact.

this,,,and the ride has been reburbished 3 times now in the past? out of guest view or any outside closures.

 

[AKL2003]

I rode SSE tonight and WOW its in really rough shape…the ascent was actually embarrassing and the descent was equally as bad…surprisingly most of the scenes weren’t in terrible shape, but what a shame!!! Refurb can not happen soon enough… i may catch flack for this take but its in worse shape than Imagination IMHO