EPCOT Spaceship Earth Redo Shelved Indefinitely

[DreamfinderGuy]

What's happening Tuesday?

Tuesday was the original scheduled closing date. It has next to no relevance now that the parks will be closed that day as well as afterwards. Very likely that it's final date of operation was March 15th.

 

[danlb_2000]

If you don’t care then you wouldn’t be ranting about it, again.

Up to his old tricks again, ranting about what other people should or shouldn't care about.

 

[rle4lunch]

Up to his old tricks again, ranting about what other people should or shouldn't care about.

Do what I do. When I see his posts I just scroll on by. Usually it's 1000 words of ing.

 

[CastAStone]

Is anyone actually expecting a formal announcement or even acknowledgement of any kind? It's just gonna be closed until it isn't.

I dunno, they made a formal announcement last time. It seemed previously that they were trying to ensure that they minimized the gap vs or outright overlapped with Ratatouille, I don’t know why that would change.

 

[Haymarket2008]

Chris Kidder, an Imagineer (is he actually? I'm not entirely sure), who is "Producer on Spaceship Earth and the Epcot overhaul" posted on Twitter today about today's planned closure. I am assuming he wouldn't post about it if the project was definitively canned. Thoughts?

 

[trainplane3]

Chris Kidder, an Imagineer (is he actually? I'm not entirely sure), who is "Producer on Spaceship Earth and the Epcot overhaul" posted on Twitter today about today's planned closure. I am assuming he wouldn't post about it if the project was definitively canned. Thoughts?

I actually meant to share that tweet earlier today. For anyone that wants to see it:

Makes you wonder what the plan is now.

 

[DoleWhipDrea]

Chris Kidder, an Imagineer (is he actually? I'm not entirely sure), who is "Producer on Spaceship Earth and the Epcot overhaul" posted on Twitter today about today's planned closure. I am assuming he wouldn't post about it if the project was definitively canned. Thoughts?

Honestly by the verbiage he uses, he isn’t indicating any sort of update to the plans.

We have to remember that a lot is still up in the air. I don’t think anything will be finalized until after some amount of the WDW parks re-open. It comes down to money and how much Disney can recoup.

 

[DreamfinderGuy]

Another SSE imagineer was in the replies of that. Surprised nothing has come out of Zach Riddley considering he wrote the Disney Parks Blog article and is also pretty active on social media.

 

[FigmentsFangirl]

So there is no new update on if this will happen or not ?

 

[vinnya1726]

I have been thinking that maybe Disney should just keep Epcot closed longer than the other parks. Maintaining Social Distancing in a park that is half torn up might not be possible. Limiting the crowds at those restaurants to 25% sounds like a losing proposition. Maybe they focus on construction in Epcot while the other parks get back up and running.

 

[peter11435]

I have been thinking that maybe Disney should just keep Epcot closed longer than the other parks. Maintaining Social Distancing in a park that is half torn up might not be possible. Limiting the crowds at those restaurants to 25% sounds like a losing proposition. Maybe they focus on construction in Epcot while the other parks get back up and running.

Even with the construction Epcot still has the widest pathways and most open space. Restaurants are now only limited to 50%. Still problematic.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

I have been thinking that maybe Disney should just keep Epcot closed longer than the other parks. Maintaining Social Distancing in a park that is half torn up might not be possible. Limiting the crowds at those restaurants to 25% sounds like a losing proposition. Maybe they focus on construction in Epcot while the other parks get back up and running.

It’s better getting in and out of there a lot better than the MK

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Even with the construction Epcot still has the widest pathways and most open space. Restaurants are now only limited to 50%. Still problematic.

People have hinted at a F&W mode with plenty of outdoor vendors to visit.

 

[marni1971]

People have hinted at a F&W mode with plenty of outdoor vendors to visit.

Is it a trustworthy Source?

 

[Surferboy567]

I’m starting to believe this project has NOT been shelved...scaled back sure but not dead. Even the website has the attraction marked as “Starting on May 26, Spaceship Earth will be closed for refurbishment as part of the exciting transformation of Epcot. Please check back here for updates.” The imagineers tweets also have me thinking this project isn’t dead. I think we have to rethink what projects we think are going to be affecting by this pandemic. All this could mean nothing...but it makes you wonder.

Maybe Epcot isn’t as doomed as we all think. Spaceship Earth really needs this update at least in my opinion.

 

[britain]

I’m starting to believe this project has NOT been shelved...scaled back sure but not dead. Even the website has the attraction marked as “Starting on May 26, Spaceship Earth will be closed for refurbishment as part of the exciting transformation of Epcot. Please check back here for updates.” The imagineers tweets also have me thinking this project isn’t dead. I think we have to rethink what projects we think are going to be affecting by this pandemic. All this could mean nothing...but it makes you wonder.

Maybe Epcot isn’t as doomed as we all think. Spaceship Earth really needs this update at least in my opinion.

It could be scaled back to the point that it's fresh paint and freshly oiled gears, and that's it. Maybe by tying it still to the 'exciting transformation of EPCOT' they can save some face.

 

[Surferboy567]

It could be scaled back to the point that it's fresh paint and freshly oiled gears, and that's it. Maybe by tying it still to the 'exciting transformation of EPCOT' they can save some face.

Could be, but I’m trying to remain hopeful. Honestly, they just need to rip the track apart, install some new cars, and fix the finale. Unfortunately, that is very expensive and easier said then done.

 

[CastAStone]

Maybe Epcot isn’t as doomed as we all think. Spaceship Earth really needs this update at least in my opinion.

People twisted his words all sorts of ways but Chapek was incredibly clear on the earnings call:

1. The $900MM in capital spending reductions represents the stoppage of work during the park closures
2. Good (capital spending) ideas pre-COVID are still good ideas post-COVID.

My takeaway is that everything is on and nothing is off. Not permanently. And as we all know anything not complete is always subject to change with TWDC anyway.

 

[DVCakaCarlF]

People twisted his words all sorts of ways but Chapek was incredibly clear on the earnings call:

1. The $900MM in capital spending reductions represents the stoppage of work during the park closures
2. Good (capital spending) ideas pre-COVID are still good ideas post-COVID.

My takeaway is that everything is on and nothing is off. Not permanently. And as we all know anything not complete is always subject to change with TWDC anyway.

The $900M was just a cash flow manipulation to match expenses with revenues.

 

[DoleWhipDrea]

All valid points, but we also have seen a long history of Disney cancelling WDI projects after things like an economic downturn, hit to tourism, etc...all of which cannot compare in magnitude to what’s happening now, where most revenue streams have had to stop cold in their tracks for the company on the whole.

IMHO, given the company’s history, leadership’s focus on investments heavily featuring IP, and how this situation has affected the company’s bottom line, I can’t see a group of board members saying, “Sure, let’s fund the makeover of Spaceship Earth, a ride we won’t be interested in advertising to get new visitors to EPCOT!” when having to pick and choose between several projects where things are just going to have to get axed.

At this point I’m just hoping they’re willing to replace the track within the next 5 years.