Spaceship Earth Rehab!?

[dwldzm9]

Hi eveyone,

I was reading another thread about the rehab of the ride portion of the living seas and thought it would be nice to have a discussion of opinions reguarding a rehab/redo of Spaceship Earth.

I really think sp is a good ride, but i am considering skipping it this trip (dec 6 - 11) because last time I got a headache from my head banging against the 'mover due to the choppy motion. In fact, the ride system itself was so loud that when I tried to hold my head off the back of the car I couldn't hear the voiceover. I know they worked on it a couple of years back when they changed the ending but that entire sequence faces the same problems that the original tomorrowland faced in that it is very hard to create a vision of the future (especially communication) when the present is constantly pushing to exceed and surpass it.

As far as the ride system itself goes, I wonder if they could use a new chainless system, much like the one on the millennium force at cedar point. It was installed because a chain that long simply wouldn't have cut it, and the new system is sooo smooth and extremely quiet - that is to say I didn't hear it, but when everyone on the ride is screaming in anticipation, well...

I have long thought that it was time for a new ride altogether, but I don't know the structural relationship between the sphere itself and the ride. Would a new attraction even be possible?? If so what should/could it be?

all ideas incouraged,

bob

 

[Scooter]

I just rode Spaceship Earth 2 weeks ago. Actually I rode it TWICE. Some things at Disney World should never be changed and I for one think this ride is one of those things. Everything about that ride makes me smile...the smell of Rome burning, the paper boy yelling "extra extra, read all about it!!", the view of EARTH that makes you feel like you are in outer space, the slow paced, relaxing feel of the ride...it's just a great ride.

I didn't experiance the jerkiness that you spoke of when I rode it, or maybe it just didn't bother me that much. Maybe they had recently greased the wheels or something, or maybe I'm just used to it because I ride it so much.

Perhaps they could upgrade the sound system. With todays advanced audio technology, they should be able to improve the audio portion of the ride, but even if they don't... I don't mind... it's one of my favorite rides, and I say...if it aint broke, don't FIX it.

 

[NowInc]

All they need is a big can of WD-40. The ride still rocks...and I would HATE to see it changed. Updating it is pointless...and is probobly the LAST thing on Disneys Mind (Imagination and the Living seas seem to be getting much of the attention)

 

[Tom Morrow]

Originally posted by dwldzm9
As far as the ride system itself goes, I wonder if they could use a new chainless system, much like the one on the millennium force at cedar point. It was installed because a chain that long simply wouldn't have cut it, and the new system is sooo smooth and extremely quiet - that is to say I didn't hear it, but when everyone on the ride is screaming in anticipation, well...

I have long thought that it was time for a new ride altogether, but I don't know the structural relationship between the sphere itself and the ride. Would a new attraction even be possible?? If so what should/could it be?

Well, actually, a cable/elevator system like that used on Millennium Force wouldn't be the greatest idea, because, if you might have heard, the cable recently snapped, and had to be replaced. The average coaster chain lasts about 2 seasons, but Millennium Force's only lasted a year and a half. Intamin, the designers of MF, weren't sure exactly how long it would last, since it was a prototype idea. Nobody was hurt or injured, they just had to take the lift vehicle down the hill because the car was stuck on top.

 

[Sheri]

It seems every time I've been on that ride it's had 2 stop 4 some reason...It's a good ride but maybe rehab would be good 4 it

 

[Tom Morrow]

Originally posted by SheriD013
It seems every time I've been on that ride it's had 2 stop 4 some reason...It's a good ride but maybe rehab would be good 4 it

Thats probably because a disabled person is trying to get in or out, or something like that.

 

[monorail256]

part of your head banging off the back of your "time travel" machine is the fun of it! i coulnd't see spaceship earth a different way! its a great ride. whenever i got i actually have to ride it 20 times.... im getting pretty good at memorizing it (the 20 rides are over a week long stay). its so good... i dont think i could live without it :0( its my fav besides the monorial

 

[OldKeyWest24]

i like the spaceship earth, but when i rode last may is broke down for 10 mintues as soon as we got on and it had to stop 11 times the whole ride..i counted...i thin we are a jynx..lol

Susan

 

[dwldzm9]

Thanks

thanks for all the replies!

i agree that it is a great ride, however, working on smoothing the ride system and refurbing the audio system would definitely help.

i forgot about MF breaking down, i saw that on the local news! (vivo en ohio) when I rode it it had just opened and worked like a charm, but if the life of the cable is only two years - on a roller coaster that doesn't run at least half the year - then it would not even be a possibility for disney. now that i think about it, I'm not sure how you would do on curves instead of straight up anyway.

both times i rode it last visit it stopped several times as well, but as someone mentioned above the only way for disabled persons to get on the ride is to actually stop it - the same thing occassionally occurs on the haunted mansion and other 'mover based rides.

 

[Lofatrules]

Re: Re: Spaceship Earth Rehab!?

Originally posted by Tom Morrow


Nobody was hurt or injured, they just had to take the lift vehicle down the hill because the car was stuck on top.

Thank God for Anti-Rollbacks. Although I wonder what type they used since the anti rollbacks are usually the part of the lift that makes the clacking noise not the chain itself.

As for SE it is definately one of my favorite attractions in WDW and I wouldn't want to see it changed I think though that the end of the ride is something that will have to be altered slightly periodically as long as it stays in operation because of the changing technology in communications but the historical part should always stay as is.

 

[FutureImagineer]

Jeremy Irons is the man..........

 

[PrincessK]

SE is one of my favorites. It doesn't feel like I'm "in Disney" til I get on that one. It was my fave as a kid and still is today.

However, I totally agree that it needs new audio.

Ok, here's a funny one for you. I had to be about 12 and my cousin was 6ish. We were both riding with our mothers that day. Now this was when they still had "Tomorrow's Child" for the ending. Paul looked to his mother and said "You know, when I'm tomorrow's child, Kristin will be dead!" Gee...that made me feel good. LOL...love the inner workings of a 6 year old!

Kristin

 

[zonguy]

I too, miss "Tomorrow's Child", as well as the Walter Cronkite dialog.

I understand that the Walter dialog was on old style tape carts (radio station version of 8-tracks), and that the new version is a solid state playback system. I am not sure why Disney could not get Walter on the new audio system, but at least the dialog plays all the way through the ride now, where the older system had frequent maintenance problems.

Oh well, that's what memories are for....

 

[castmember]

I love Spaceship Earth because it is a really good example of the classic Epcot attraction. The show sets are detailed and there is a strong storyline throughout the ride. Plus, it actually incorporates learning into the fun of the ride. I hope Team Disney doesn't forget what makes Epcot such a unique park. As for the ride-system problems, a padded headrest and new sound system would probably go along way.

Also - someone with a good memory- right now at the very top show scene of SE, it is totally black except for the projecion of the earth on the ceiling. Didn't there used to be a show scene in the center which is now black? I can't remember.

 

[dwldzm9]

Top of the globe

castmember,

if I remember correctly the final part that is now black WAS a huge open space with lots of lighting and fiberoptic effects showing the interconnection of information in between a city or cities (can't remember that specifically). I do remember that it was my favorite part of the ride when I was younger, but I missed going to WDW from prob. 94 - 98 and by the time I got back it was gone

 

[Maria]

Re: Top of the globe

Originally posted by dwldzm9
castmember,

if I remember correctly the final part that is now black WAS a huge open space with lots of lighting and fiberoptic effects showing the interconnection of information in between a city or cities (can't remember that specifically). I do remember that it was my favorite part of the ride when I was younger, but I missed going to WDW from prob. 94 - 98 and by the time I got back it was gone

I hope we are talking of the same thing... That part with the interconnection between cities is still there! It´s actually very cool!

The highest point of SE is that part in which you see the Earth from space and it has always been black around it. At least that is how I remember it, and this and the cities are totally different areas of the ride.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

Astonaut....?

I seem to remember when I younger... seeing an animatronic astronaut flying around the projection of earth... or maybe the astronaut was a projection too?

 

[dwldzm9]

now that i think about it...

maria i think you might be right...

except I still think that there was something in that space... either that or there was something on the other side that held my attention so I didn't stare at the big black wall!

as far as the city thing goes, I thought i remembered seeing the city last time but I thought there was another large thing in the black space that was similar to it... maybe i should just be quiet given that I was probably only like 13 when I saw it... if it was ever even there!!!

i don't remember an astronaut.....

 

[Maria]

dwldzm9 (wow..that was hard to read aloud! hehe ),

The earth as I remember it, is not exactly in the middle of the ceiling, so I think there are satrs around it (not sure though), and you only get to see it once your "car" kinda turns to start descending, so that´s probably why it doesn´t catch your attention right then.

I don´t remember an astronaut either... wasn´t that in Horizons?

 

[NowInc]

The astronaut was definatly horizons...SSE has only the earth...and very faint stars surrounding it