Spaceship Earth rennovation a go?

[Genius7777]

My dad just went to Disney world a week ago and I was wondering if anyone could confirm this. A security guard he talked to said that the rennovation was definatly a go and Spaceship Earth would be closing at the end of this year. The guard also said that the rennovation would take 2-3 years.

 

[bearboysnc]

You let your Dad go to WDW without you?

 

[mickey04]

Originally posted by Genius7777
My dad just went to Disney world a week ago and I was wondering if anyone could confirm this. A security guard he talked to said that the rennovation was definatly a go and Spaceship Earth would be closing at the end of this year. The guard also said that the rennovation would take 2-3 years.

I can't personally confirm or deny this info, but keep in mind people come to these boards all the time with info they heard from a CM and assume to be true, when in reality there is no real evidence of it. I'm not sure if security is any more reliable, but I doubt it. However, I don't think that this information is unrealistic and SE may just be closed in a year to make way for some new attraction like Timeracers or whatever. But then you never really know with Disney.

 

[General Grizz]

This is not confirmed, but I will forewarn this will happen.

The attraction will more than likely stay named "Spaceship Earth."

The sphere will be internally gutted. Screen technology goes in. AAs? Questionable. But highly unlikely! :fork:

The track is CURRENTLY "planned" to leave the sphere in some form.

"Spaceship Earth: Time Racers" will more than likely be Spaceship Earth's post show.

Closing time: more than likely Early 2005.
Reopening time: more than likely by October 1, 2007.









*sigh* Why do they do this...

 

[Genius7777]

my dad was there for his business, and i didnt want to drive down with him i really hope they dont change the whole attraction, I would rather have them update and refurbish what they already have

 

[GaryT977]

Originally posted by grizzlyhall
*sigh* Why do they do this...

I dunno. I'm kinda looking foward to seeing how much they can change it internally without tearing the whole thing down. I'm also intrigued by the idea of the ride leaving the sphere. How is that possible?

I guess I'm one of the few who doesn't mind the updating of old attractions. :animwink:

 

[General Grizz]

I'm interested too - but I do NOT want to see the last AA/sets attraction gone!

Remember, when SE and Food Rocks go, Epcot would have lost 380 animatronics!

No, we don't know that SE won't put AAs in, but based on all their other AA cutbacks, and recent JIYI, Mission Space, Test Track, etc. - it just doesn't seem they'd do anything so grand.

Originally posted by Genius7777
my dad was there for his business, and i didnt want to drive down with him i really hope they dont change the whole attraction, I would rather have them update and refurbish what they already have

*sigh* It happened twice, and more than likely, never again.

 

[mickey04]

It is a real shame about the AA's. After all, they are one of the many things that make Disney so special. Hopefully, we haven't seen the last of them. But having said that, I must admit, I'm ready to see something new inside "the giant golfball."

 

[Maerj]

Why are they getting rid of all the AAs? I like em, they're cool! Some of the older ones need a little updating, sure, but its a shame they want to get rid of so many of them.

Also, why does it take them so long to build things? 2 years to build this new attraction? That's way too long, especially since it's the first thing that you see when you enter Epcot.

 

[Budke]

I'm also intrigued by the idea of the ride leaving the sphere. How is that possible?

Picture the current load area of the ride. It is a small circular room at the bottom of the sphere. The unload area is a second circular room in the building behind the sphere. So, the track leaves the sphere right now, if only for a little bit.

But, I believe it was GrizzlyHall who suggested thinking of IOA's Spiderman as the most likely future for Spaceship Earth. In that case, think of the loading area of Dinosaur. You need a much bigger area to load people 12-16 at a time into large ride pods. You need an unload area, a load area, and a dispatch area, perhaps even two lines to keep it moving. All of this would be located in a second structure (or as part of a much larger post show building) outside of SE. Ride vehicles would enter and exit the sphere.

But, it doesn't matter how much they gut the interior, it is still a spiral structure, and actually fairly small (compare to any of the other pavilions from overhead -- even those in the world showcase). The cars are still going to have to go up or down the center to get out.

So, let's start a rumor that Disney will one-up Spiderman's sensory fall by actually dropping their ride vehicles 10 stories at the end. "Communicate faster than gravity!"

 

[General Grizz]

This BETTER NOT have a height restriction.

As for AAs...it depresses me so much. Disney is really going to regret it...

 

[Budke]

This BETTER NOT have a height restriction.

As for AAs...it depresses me so much. Disney is really going to regret it...

Completely agree with the first part, wonder a little bit about the second part. It was the closing of America Sings that allowed imagineers the opportunity to pack Splash Mountain with AA figures. Perhaps this change will create a simiilar opportunity elsewhere.

 

[Lee]

As Grizz said, look for this in 2005.
It's not in the budget for 2004.

Here's how I'm conflicted:
AAs...I say keep them. They're unique.
Upping the thrill factor...yeah, baby!
Height requirement...won't affect me at all. But, alas, the Walt side of me says the little ones do need to go on a ride once in a while.

 

[Mikejakester]

This BETTER NOT have a height restriction.

It probably will...

Does space have a hieght restriction?

 

[bearboysnc]

Originally posted by Budke
Completely agree with the first part, wonder a little bit about the second part. It was the closing of America Sings that allowed imagineers the opportunity to pack Splash Mountain with AA figures. Perhaps this change will create a simiilar opportunity elsewhere.

Don't forget Star Tours too.

It does sadden me that they take out these detailed emersive attractions, and replace them with wiggling cardboard, and simulators.

The pesimist in me predicts they'll find their way to Hong Kong, long before they find a home stateside.

Look how very few AA's there are at DCA.

 

[mickey04]

Originally posted by bearboysnc
Don't forget Star Tours too.

It does sadden me that they take out these detailed emersive attractions, and replace them with wiggling cardboard, and simulators.

I'm confused. Star Tours was never a replacement for any sort of AA attraction.

 

[Just A Big Kid]

Basically ya'll, this is the end of an era as bad as i hate to admit it. SE has 2 things Disney seems to want to kill.. AA's and the omnimovers. Notice, it's the last of the breed. WoM got killed, Horizons well enough said, they even took the ride section out of Living Seas. Unfortunately, it seems as if the "thrill idea" is going to consume Epcot whether we like it or not. It just seems odd to me that the property named after Walt himself specifically is loosing some of the things he liked the best such as the AA's. Depressing times folks...

 

[General Grizz]

Originally posted by Just A Big Kid
Basically ya'll, this is the end of an era as bad as i hate to admit it. SE has 2 things Disney seems to want to kill.. AA's and the omnimovers. Notice, it's the last of the breed. WoM got killed, Horizons well enough said, they even took the ride section out of Living Seas. Unfortunately, it seems as if the "thrill idea" is going to consume Epcot whether we like it or not. It just seems odd to me that the property named after Walt himself specifically is loosing some of the things he liked the best such as the AA's. Depressing times folks...

Not to mention sets!

Even though full-scale sets was ALWAYS a Disney tradition since Disneyland in 1955, the Orlando Sentinel once praised Spaceship Earth for its detailed sets in 1994; since this detailed quality style of attraction is quickly dropping out, you tend to see things in a different perspective.

The quality of "BEING THERE" with sets and animatronics is the essential Disney experience. Screens could never come close to this, until a 3-D effect is convincingly produced - with no goggles. Otherwise, it's a HUGE downgrade - - and isn't this all supposed to be an upgrade???

The ultimate end of the Disney attraction is to physically be at the setting. If this is not possible, steps are taken through time to make this sensation more convicing. When the sensation of "being there" (ala Horizons, unlike M:S, which is even supposed to be a test flight simulation), we are detracting from the purpose of Disney quality risings.

And not a single thrill can compensate for this kind of loss.