EPCOT Spaceship Earth Refurb - 2 Year Closure

Surferboy567

Surferboy567

Well-Known Member
So...I have an interesting story...tidbit? I don’t know what to call it. Now this is a RUMOR and goes against everything insiders like Marni has said about this being a long close and a full update. So let me stress what I’m about to say is a rumor and should be taken with a massive grain of salt. That being said...let’s go

On the latest episode of Disney Dish, Jim Hill stated that the plans for this update have changed. He said at one point their was a huge sweeping updates planned for this attraction. That kinda sounds remarkably similar to what Marni has been describing. But has since been scaled back a great deal. Apparently the higher ups have decided they want Spaceship Earth for the 50th. I think the analogy Jim used was imagine if the focal point of the 50th was MK and they decided to have the castle closed for 2-3 years. They want Epcot ready for the 50th...which to be honest doesn’t make much sense to me because it just doesn’t seem likely given the current speed of things.

Apparently the new plan is to close for 6 months and have it open ASAP. Expect fairly minimal changes with the finale and other scenes being the only scenes being changed out. This whole “story telling” thing would be downplayed if this is real.

Then, after the 50th is over they would close it for the 2-3 years and do the massive update.

Personally, I’m not sure about this rumor. I don’t think it seems right it just seems off. Stranger things have happened though so here we are and I’m simply reporting with that I heard.

Insiders...care to comment? I’m assuming this isn’t accurate but has anything changed?

EDIT: Oh, and he said they were AIMING for Memorial Day weekend to open Rat to offset this. He didn’t seem confident in that though.
 
UNCgolf

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
Surferboy567 said:
Then, after the 50th is over they would close it for the 2-3 years and do the massive update.
Click to expand...

I certainly don't have any inside info, but that sounds insane. Close it for 6 months, reopen it for a year, then close it again for another couple of years? That would be incredibly inefficient -- they'd be much better off not closing it at all until after the 50th. Doing a 6 month closure for some minor changes would be a waste of time if they're going to then shut it down for more major changes shortly thereafter.

I doubt it's true just based on that.
 
Surferboy567

Surferboy567

Well-Known Member
UNCgolf said:
I certainly don't have any inside info, but that sounds insane. Close it for 6 months, reopen it for a year, then close it again for another couple of years? That would be incredibly inefficient -- they'd be much better off not closing it at all until after the 50th. Doing a 6 month closure for some minor changes would be a waste of time if they're going to then shut it down for more major changes shortly thereafter.

I doubt it's true just based on that.
Click to expand...

Same here, but you never know. I also think this is just the kinda thing Chapek would do...but yea seems insane. What seems even crazier to have EPCOT as a whole ready for the 50th. Construction has a LONG way to go.
 
UNCgolf

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
Surferboy567 said:
Same here, but you never know. I also think this is just the kinda thing Chapek would do...but yea seems insane. What seems even crazier to have EPCOT as a whole ready for the 50th. Construction has a LONG way to go.
Click to expand...

There's no chance they could have the legs building finished by the end of the year. They haven't even started it (they're not even finished with destruction). I suppose if they really rushed it they could finish it sometime in 2021 and have it open before the year was over, but with Disney's current construction times that would be surprising, even considering that it's not a ride and doesn't have all those extra elements to implement.
 
UNCgolf

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
DreamfinderGuy said:
At the tabletop site, yes they are. Ground has been clear for over a month now.
Click to expand...

I can see how it came across that way, but I meant they weren't finished with destruction overall; not that at specific site. They haven't started any construction there though.

I'm also not sure if they can start construction there without finishing the rest of the demolition first.
 
FigmentFan82

FigmentFan82

Well-Known Member
I hope ol' Jimmy H has really missed the mark on this one. I hate the thought of such short sighted decision making. So many things could have been better in the long run if they had just taken the time and resources to do it. (looking at you Na'vi River Journey)
 
jt04

jt04

Well-Known Member
UNCgolf said:
How would that possibly support the idea of more virtual queues? There's no reason to have interactive elements in a queue if no one is going to be standing in line to use the interactive elements.
Click to expand...

It is simply further proof that guests do not like queuing and Disney is always testing alternatives. Some more successful than others.
 
Surferboy567

Surferboy567

Well-Known Member
Hey @marni1971 have you seen anything to suggest this is real? Normally I don’t like to tag you...but given this story I feel it’s appropriate.

Surferboy567 said:
So...I have an interesting story...tidbit? I don’t know what to call it. Now this is a RUMOR and goes against everything insiders like Marni has said about this being a long close and a full update. So let me stress what I’m about to say is a rumor and should be taken with a massive grain of salt. That being said...let’s go

On the latest episode of Disney Dish, Jim Hill stated that the plans for this update have changed. He said at one point their was a huge sweeping updates planned for this attraction. That kinda sounds remarkably similar to what Marni has been describing. But has since been scaled back a great deal. Apparently the higher ups have decided they want Spaceship Earth for the 50th. I think the analogy Jim used was imagine if the focal point of the 50th was MK and they decided to have the castle closed for 2-3 years. They want Epcot ready for the 50th...which to be honest doesn’t make much sense to me because it just doesn’t seem likely given the current speed of things.

Apparently the new plan is to close for 6 months and have it open ASAP. Expect fairly minimal changes with the finale and other scenes being the only scenes being changed out. This whole “story telling” thing would be downplayed if this is real.

Then, after the 50th is over they would close it for the 2-3 years and do the massive update.

Personally, I’m not sure about this rumor. I don’t think it seems right it just seems off. Stranger things have happened though so here we are and I’m simply reporting with that I heard.

Insiders...care to comment? I’m assuming this isn’t accurate but has anything changed?

EDIT: Oh, and he said they were AIMING for Memorial Day weekend to open Rat to offset this. He didn’t seem confident in that though.
Click to expand...
 
aladdin2007

aladdin2007

Well-Known Member
Surferboy567 said:
So...I have an interesting story...tidbit? I don’t know what to call it. Now this is a RUMOR and goes against everything insiders like Marni has said about this being a long close and a full update. So let me stress what I’m about to say is a rumor and should be taken with a massive grain of salt. That being said...let’s go

On the latest episode of Disney Dish, Jim Hill stated that the plans for this update have changed. He said at one point their was a huge sweeping updates planned for this attraction. That kinda sounds remarkably similar to what Marni has been describing. But has since been scaled back a great deal. Apparently the higher ups have decided they want Spaceship Earth for the 50th. I think the analogy Jim used was imagine if the focal point of the 50th was MK and they decided to have the castle closed for 2-3 years. They want Epcot ready for the 50th...which to be honest doesn’t make much sense to me because it just doesn’t seem likely given the current speed of things.

Apparently the new plan is to close for 6 months and have it open ASAP. Expect fairly minimal changes with the finale and other scenes being the only scenes being changed out. This whole “story telling” thing would be downplayed if this is real.

Then, after the 50th is over they would close it for the 2-3 years and do the massive update.

Personally, I’m not sure about this rumor. I don’t think it seems right it just seems off. Stranger things have happened though so here we are and I’m simply reporting with that I heard.

Insiders...care to comment? I’m assuming this isn’t accurate but has anything changed?

EDIT: Oh, and he said they were AIMING for Memorial Day weekend to open Rat to offset this. He didn’t seem confident in that though.
Click to expand...

uggg, that sort of reminds me of the 07 mess, remember when it reopened and it was unfinished? and the decent was all brightly lit with work lights and curtains, then there were so many complaints or what not that they closed again, reopened, and then they had went back in again (to do more of much of nothing) and it returned with the lights finally off (yet with no clean up of messes, only newer black sheets.. something like that....but reading that makes me fear of another piecemeal half baked project open to the public while they are working...please no lol....def an interesting read there though.
 
Surferboy567

Surferboy567

Well-Known Member
aladdin2007 said:
uggg, that sort of reminds me of the 07 mess, remember when it reopened and it was unfinished? and the decent was all brightly lit with work lights and curtains, then there were so many complaints or what not that they closed again, reopened, and then they had went back in again (to do more of much of nothing) and it returned with the lights finally off (yet with no clean up of messes, only newer black sheets.. something like that....but reading that makes me fear of another piecemeal half baked project open to the public while they are working...please no lol....def an interesting read there though.
Click to expand...

Jim even described it as a Journey into YOUR imagination type refurb...we know how that went.
 
Surferboy567

Surferboy567

Well-Known Member
Family_Man said:
But I would not be surprised if they recently wanted to cut back on capital expenses with the adverse climate.
Click to expand...

Yeah, this is the part that seems possible. Wouldn’t the budget already have been allocated though? We have seen projects slip...Mary Poppins is a prime example. Should of been a dark ride, then carousel, then meet and greet and now we have no idea.
 
Family_Man

Family_Man

Member
Surferboy567 said:
Yeah, this is the part that seems possible. Wouldn’t the budget already have been allocated though? We have seen projects slip...Mary Poppins is a prime example. Should of been a dark ride, then carousel, then meet and greet and now we have no idea.
Click to expand...
Maybe they cut budgets where they could?
 

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