News Spaceship Earth Refurb - 2 Year Closure

[KBLovedDisney]

New just in:
Space Ship Earth will be closed May 26th.

The Reimagining of Spaceship Earth at EPCOT Begins May 26

Spaceship Earth is more than just the physical icon of EPCOT – it’s a symbol of how the park continues to evolve. The attraction is a crucial piece of the historic transformation already underway at EPCOT, and our team here at Walt Disney

disneyparks.disney.go.com

The squares of the screens are still there sadly. I'm just hoping they don't use them. It'd be nice to remove them completely instead of covering with a piece of plastic.

So...projections.

Projections everywhere...

 

[Atomicmickey]

Lots of fibre optics type effects.

I’ve said it before, I hope I’m wrong on the length of downtime. Perhaps with the budget cut it'll be shorter.

I imagine just getting things in and out of there adds a ton of time. Unless they are going to take a side off the thing and install some sort of gangway? I can see where it would almost be a new attraction's worth of work. Do you know if the cars and transport system are going to be replaced, or just refurbished?

 

[GymLeaderPhil]

Two to three years sounds like track replacement and exterior work. I know there have been some water leaks, hopefully the length is to address the infrastructure, remove the screens in the vehicles, and flesh out the descent.

 

[britain]

No more pharaoh huh?

 

[wdwmagic]

From the concept art it looks like there is going to be another big order of Panasonic projectors.

 

[trainplane3]

So...projections.

Projections everywhere...

If done right, it could be nice. There's nothing wrong with projections. The issue is when they start replacing physical elements like AAs and props/set pieces. If that happens then I'll take major issue with it.

The other issue I have is how bright some parts of the ride have gotten. It's stupid bright up in 180. To the point you can see railings, scaffolding, boxes, and speakers.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Guessing Rat opens by May 22 now.

 

[NateD1226]

Can’t wait for the IP CEO Chapek is gonna add!

 

[SSE_King]

The light effects in the concept art look WAY too exaggerated to me. I'm glad they're still using animatronics (possibly even replacing old ones by the look of the Egyptian scene) but if every inch of the scenery is glistening with the "story light" then it will really detract from everything else. I'm hoping it won't be as overboard as the concept art suggests.

 

[TrojanUSC]

Picture it. WDI Conference room:

"It's a ride about the history of communication...."

"... and light. Don't forget about light."

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

The screens are not in the concept

 

[justintheharris]

The light effects in the concept art look WAY too exaggerated to me. I'm glad they're still using animatronics (possibly even replacing old ones by the look of the Egyptian scene) but if every inch of the scenery is glistening with the "story light" then it will really detract from everything else. I'm hoping it won't be as overboard as the concept art suggests.

So what you're saying is, if the ride is too visually impressive, it will distract from the story? And therefore be a worse ride? What?

 

[MisterPenguin]

The very first scene of Spaceship Earth is a giant projection.

And the last.

 

[SSE_King]

So what you're saying is, if the ride is too visually impressive, it will distract from the story? And therefore be a worse ride? What?

I don't know if projecting light onto everything necessarily means it will be more visually impressive. I don't oppose the idea of the story light at all, I think it's a cool idea if done correctly, but based on the image, it looks like every surface is lit up. That just seems excessive to me, that's all.

And I'm just basing this all on a single image of concept art. For all I know, it will end up looking totally different in person, which I'm hoping for.

 

[Horizons '83]

Let’s remember that concept art isn’t always or rarely is the final product for better or worse.

 

[Dragonman]

The other issue I have is how bright some parts of the ride have gotten. It's stupid bright up in 180. To the point you can see railings, scaffolding, boxes, and speakers.

Ahem, and a certain space vessel

 

[CastAStone]

If done right, it could be nice. There's nothing wrong with projections. The issue is when they start replacing physical elements like AAs and props/set pieces. If that happens then I'll take major issue with it.

100% agree

 

[mgf]

Odd to pivot from the ideas that stories connect us to the idea that light connects us (what does that even mean?!?) but would be glad if that Moana integration never happened.

 

[Captain Barbossa]

First blog post of the Chapek era and they cant even spell Epcot right... ugh...

DPB doing DPB things.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Throughout the attraction, you’ll hear new narration and see how light plays a central role in our shared human journey, coming to life in dynamic ways in a celebration of the magic that’s possible when we all come together."

Now where did I hear that before?.....Ah Yes.