News Spaceship Earth Refurb - 2 Year Closure

DoleWhipDrea

Well-Known Member
You do know the name pre-dates Disney right? That it was a term cooked up by the inventor of geodesic spheres to describe how we're all in this together and we need to communicate and cooperate like a ship's crew to achieve peace and keep our planet habitable?

I didn’t know that, and I’m guessing most guests visiting don’t know that, either. It would be very helpful if this was explained in the attraction’s narration. I can’t tell you how much time I’ve spent analyzing the ride’s name...

Light playing a central role in our shared human journey? Coming to life in a celebration of magic? This usage of language is bizarre. I can’t help but be really nervous about the changes if this is the type of writing coming out of WDI...
 

MrHappy

Well-Known Member
I didn’t know that, and I’m guessing most guests visiting don’t know that, either. It would be very helpful if this was explained in the attraction’s narration. I can’t tell you how much time I’ve spent analyzing the ride’s name...

Light playing a central role in our shared human journey? Coming to life in a celebration of magic? This usage of language is bizarre. I can’t help but be really nervous about the changes if this is the type of writing coming out of WDI...
I think jr writers take a list of SEO/Disney keywords and try to make sentances. Unfortunately theres only a few words and phrases: timeless, magic, never before, craft, Walt.
 

THEMEPARKPIONEER

Well-Known Member
I didn’t know that, and I’m guessing most guests visiting don’t know that, either. It would be very helpful if this was explained in the attraction’s narration. I can’t tell you how much time I’ve spent analyzing the ride’s name...

Light playing a central role in our shared human journey? Coming to life in a celebration of magic? This usage of language is bizarre. I can’t help but be really nervous about the changes if this is the type of writing coming out of WDI...
It’s like there trying to bend some kind of truth and keep the peace and everyone happy but how confused on what the real outcome will be.
 

DDLand

Well-Known Member
Do you think "story light" is more out of place as opposed to what must have been the original pitch:


I've a great idea for the big icon of "Future World"... a giant geodesic sphere with a ride in it called "Spaceship Earth."

Oh, so this is going to be about the future of space travel and the Earth as the heart of a future galactic empire?

No, it'll be about the past.

In *Future* World.

Yeah, the history of *communication*!!

Don't you mean the *future* of communication. And by "communication," don't you mean Earth and human civilization?

No, it'll be a history of advancements in *communication*.

Oh, so that by looking at the past, we'll be able to envision the future of communication around the globe and across galactic empires. We're at the beginning of a new age of computers and we can show all the ways that computers will change communication. So, we'll need to get in touch with the best science fiction writers and futurists to help us develop just a whole bunch of scenes of the future of communication.

No, we'll just need to show that computers have been invented and then just throw up some fuzzy, sparkly projections hinting that there's a future somewhere for computers and advancements of communication with just some hand-wavy aspirational language.

And you're calling this "Spaceship Earth"?

Yeah, we'll have one scene where we can see earth from space.

But it's all about the history of communication and not at all about space travel or actual examples of the future of communication?

Yeah. Whadya think?

Well, if Magic Kingdom's Pirates of the Caribbean has shown us, if you leave a ride up long enough, people become attached to it no matter how little sense it makes, so, I'm green lighting it!!
You picked the wrong attraction to criticize on substance. Spaceship Earth is one of the masterpieces of Walt Disney Imagineering and one of the most meaningful attractions ever built. While it has aged over its existence, the themes and settings explored are still super remarkable.

Legendary science-fiction author Ray Bradbury wrote the the basic story treatment. Attached here:

Any EPCOT Center fan should read. It gives insight into what the park was supposed to be.

Fundamentally, Spaceship Earth was about information. Bradbury divides time into three broad epochs. First humanity learns to record information, then humanity learns to disseminate information, and finally humanity has the opportunity to organize or interpret information.

Thus, act one shows man initially learning to communicate and record knowledge through the cave men and Egyptian scenes. Rome and its road network are about the spread of information. Finally, Bradbury looks excitedly to the future where information can be organized into useful data to help lives (sound like a search company we know?). He knew data would become more and more abundant, and so he was excited about a future where this data could be put to use. Bradbury’s predictions have proven extremely extremely correct, as more and more companies explore data driven products. The collection of data is impacting every field in existence. It is the future like Bradbury expected.

Spaceship Earth was the thesis of EPCOT Center, because the park was supposed to be a forum where this information could be freely shared. EPCOT Center would allow everyone to experience advancements in a variety of fields. Even children could join the conversation and see what humanity was creating. Instead of dull lecture halls or long journals, EPCOT Center would educate guests about opportunities through physical stories and hands on experiences.

Like any good thesis, Bradbury built his argument methodically. His original Spaceship Earth would have included a spooky deconstruction of everything. This would be done by moving physically down. Then raising up as reality was recreated scene after scene. Finally, you would return from a panoramic view of the Earth to the very place where guests could consider the future.

Spaceship Earth, as @FigmentJedi alluded to, is our Earth. EPCOT Center was going to be a place where we could learn to pilot our spaceship. How do we take care of it? As the ride asks “where are we going” or what will we do with our spaceship. EPCOT Center was going to be a place where people could find out.

Some people mistakingly believe that EPCOT Center is a place set in the future like Pandora is set to be Pandora from the film Avatar. EPCOT Center is not decorated or set anywhere except EPCOT Center. You’re never “in” the future when you’re in Future World, you’re joining a conversation about what your Future World will be. Many Zoos and aquariums can have underlying meanings or missions (usually to raise awareness for animals) without being set in a far-away place. You’re at the National Aquarium but there is meaning to the experience. EPCOT Center would be similar. The expectation of galactic empires inside of EPCOT is much more a function of its brand dilution, than it is conceptual issues.



Who asked for this? We just wanted a new descent and new Animatronics! Just do a refurb like all the others were...
This is absolutely correct. Though I’d add a new track too... It is getting really bad.

This is classic Disney. They build a fantastic ride and then leave it basically in its 1980s state and don’t maintain it. Even the best films from 1982 are probably not going to resonate with audiences like they did 40 years ago. Updates to effects, lighting, and figures were desperately needed. Instead they scrap this amazing concept.

From the concept art it looks like there is going to be another big order of Panasonic projectors. :(
I’m banking on this. I also expect fewer audio-animatronics when it returns.
 

aladdin2007

Well-Known Member
You picked the wrong attraction to criticize on substance. Spaceship Earth is one of the masterpieces of Walt Disney Imagineering and one of the most meaningful attractions ever built. While it has aged over its existence, the themes and settings explored are still super remarkable.

Legendary science-fiction author Ray Bradbury wrote the the basic story treatment. Attached here:

Any EPCOT Center fan should read. It gives insight into what the park was supposed to be.

Fundamentally, Spaceship Earth was about information. Bradbury divides time into three broad epochs. First humanity learns to record information, then humanity learns to disseminate information, and finally humanity has the opportunity to organize or interpret information.

Thus, act one shows man initially learning to communicate and record knowledge through the cave men and Egyptian scenes. Rome and its road network are about the spread of information. Finally, Bradbury looks excitedly to the future where information can be organized into useful data to help lives (sound like a search company we know?). He knew data would become more and more abundant, and so he was excited about a future where this data could be put to use. Bradbury’s predictions have proven extremely extremely correct, as more and more companies explore data driven products. The collection of data is impacting every field in existence. It is the future like Bradbury expected.

Spaceship Earth was the thesis of EPCOT Center, because the park was supposed to be a forum where this information could be freely shared. EPCOT Center would allow everyone to experience advancements in a variety of fields. Even children could join the conversation and see what humanity was creating. Instead of dull lecture halls or long journals, EPCOT Center would educate guests about opportunities through physical stories and hands on experiences.

Like any good thesis, Bradbury built his argument methodically. His original Spaceship Earth would have included a spooky deconstruction of everything. This would be done by moving physically down. Then raising up as reality was recreated scene after scene. Finally, you would return from a panoramic view of the Earth to the very place where guests could consider the future.

Spaceship Earth, as @FigmentJedi alluded to, is our Earth. EPCOT Center was going to be a place where we could learn to pilot our spaceship. How do we take care of it? As the ride asks “where are we going” or what will we do with our spaceship. EPCOT Center was going to be a place where people could find out.

Some people mistakingly believe that EPCOT Center is a place set in the future like Pandora is set to be Pandora from the film Avatar. EPCOT Center is not decorated or set anywhere except EPCOT Center. You’re never “in” the future when you’re in Future World, you’re joining a conversation about what your Future World will be. Many Zoos and aquariums can have underlying meanings or missions (usually to raise awareness for animals) without being set in a far-away place. You’re at the National Aquarium but there is meaning to the experience. EPCOT Center would be similar. The expectation of galactic empires inside of EPCOT is much more a function of its brand dilution, than it is conceptual issues.




This is absolutely correct. Though I’d add a new track too... It is getting really bad.

This is classic Disney. They build a fantastic ride and then leave it basically in its 1980s state and don’t maintain it. Even the best films from 1982 are probably not going to resonate with audiences like they did 40 years ago. Updates to effects, lighting, and figures were desperately needed. Instead they scrap this amazing concept.


I’m banking on this. I also expect fewer audio-animatronics when it returns.

probably....I worry its going to be more barren, kind of like frozen's ride scenes on the second level. A large pretty backdrop with a figure and not much else.
 

Lirael

Well-Known Member
At this point I'll just be thankful if the new show doesn't include shoehorned in IP, like the GoG gang narrating and princesses in every scene
 

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
You picked the wrong attraction to criticize on substance.

No, I didn't.

All the high falutin' things SSE was *suppose* to represent wound up just being a book report on historical advances in communication. As a pedagogical device for highlighting the advances in communication, it did a fine job. Aspiring to higher ideals? Nope.

Perhaps the failure was in execution. But telling me all the things it was supposed to do but never demonstrated doesn't get me on board with those ideals. The ride should have communicated those ideals. How ironic that a ride on the history of communication failed to communicate well its thesis.
 

CastAStone

5th gate? Just build a new resort Bob.
Premium Member
I think it looks....like a nice update to a dated ride that is supposed to be the parks key attraction. Maybe it will be terrible and ruin every nice thing about the attraction, but it looks like from the concept art they’re just trying to make it visually impressive again.🤷‍♂️
 

Epcot82Guy

Well-Known Member
In original EPCOT Center terms, I had always found SSE was the gateway to Future World. It was the history of communication (although more connection, I found as a kid), culminating with a push for all of us to inspire Tomorrow's Child. You then entered the post-show which showed cutting edge technology and was the final scene - about the future.

So, I don't find it out of place at all - and picked up on that story and fit from a pretty young age. It was something my family talked about, in fact, as memory serves.

With that, there is a way for the story light to be done tastefully. I am looking at the updates to the DL classic attractions. If it becomes a subtle, ever present narrative where small parts of the existing scenes are illuminated. Then you have a more dynamic ending where the light brings stories together (ala screens admittedly), that could actually be a really cool upgrade that gives full reference to its predecessor versions.
 

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