Spaceship in Spaceship Earth

[Dragonman]

I remember the steam in the printing scene, and the smoke in the ashes scene. I The boat used to have a low fog around it, really added to the scene.

There used to be a lot more fog / smoke in the "Ashes" scene.
Tons of steam effects in the printing scene, you at times could "FEEL" the humidity from that area.

Load area, used to have fog (turned off not long after the ride opened..) (I wish there was video of that one)

Off the top my head.

The ascent smoke can be seen in @marni1971 ’s video here:


As for the chariot projection I’ve heard it was just covered up rather than removed as Siemens thought it looked “hokey” or something like that. Technically they could easily add it back if they wanted to if it’s just covered up.

 

[Fsunolekrw]

Does anyone have a complete list of the scenes and each of their individual animatronics/effects in the original incarnation of SE?

Does anyone have this info? Would be interesting to see.

 

[marni1971]

Does anyone have this info? Would be interesting to see.

Give me a month to write one.

 

[Fsunolekrw]

Give me a month to write one.

Will be looking forward to that!

 

[bcoachable]

Marni- I think you sent me one about two years ago for a project I was working on- I’ll see if I can dig it up...

 

[marni1971]

Marni- I think you sent me one about two years ago for a project I was working on- I’ll see if I can dig it up...

If you find it run it by me and I’ll see if i missed anything.

 

[bcoachable]

Credit Marni for this:

Okay.... not complete but...

Dawn of time 30000 BC
Cave people 10000 BC
Egypt 1567-1085 BC
Phoenicians 9th century
Greece Circa 428 BC (possibly pre 2007 version specific)

Gutenberg 1456
Renaissance Italy 1500s
New York 1863
Telegraph 1869
Switchboard 1900s
Cinema 1930s
Radio 1928
Television 1969
Computers 1970s
Garage 1977

so it’s not exactly what you (@Fsunolekrw ) were requesting, but it is a great starting point!

 

[Fsunolekrw]

Credit Marni for this:

Okay.... not complete but...

Dawn of time 30000 BC
Cave people 10000 BC
Egypt 1567-1085 BC
Phoenicians 9th century
Greece Circa 428 BC (possibly pre 2007 version specific)

Gutenberg 1456
Renaissance Italy 1500s
New York 1863
Telegraph 1869
Switchboard 1900s
Cinema 1930s
Radio 1928
Television 1969
Computers 1970s
Garage 1977

so it’s not exactly what you (@Fsunolekrw ) were requesting, but it is a great starting point!

Wow it’s cool seeing the scenes listed out. That is a good starting point. The original ride had so much detail and lots of different effects that brought so much to the experience. I have memories of a lot of them but over time have forgotten plenty. That is why I think it would be really neat to see all of the little things the imagineers put into the original version of SE.

 

[marni1971]

Off the top of my head and certainly not exhaustive:

Load:
Crackle neon

Ascent vortex:
Smoke field
Burst projection
Disc projection

Dawn of time:
Smoke and fire fx
Rear film projection
AAs 7

Egypt:
Torch effect
AAs 6 (technically the AA on the scaffolding wasn’t an AA)

Phoenicians:
Smoke effect
Twinkle star lights
Torch effect
AAs 3

Theatre:
Twinkle star lights
Smoke and fire effect
AAs 3

Rome:
Animation projection
Smoke and fire effects
Steam
AAs 5

Islam:
AAs 9 (2 library, 4 meeting, 1 with sextant and 2 monks)

Renaissance:
AAs 13 (4 printing, 3 learning, 2 musicians, 3 artists, 1 Michelangelo )

Modern age:
Steam
Rear film projection
Rear Shadow projection
AAs 14 (1 printer, 1 paperboy, 2 telegraph, 3 telephonists, 1 hostess, 3 radio, 3 TV)

Today:
CRT displays
Rear film projection
Liquid neon
AAs 3 (or 4) (1 (or 2) computer station, 2 Network operations)
Crackle neon

180top:
Liquid neon
Starfield projection
AAs 1 plus 2 mannequins (one had motion)

Descent:
Gobo projection
Laser / fibre optics
Rear video projection (Barco or similar)
Infinity mirror with embedded lighting

 

[Thelazer]

I so miss the liquid neon and the infinity mirror stuff.

 

[Dragonman]

Off the top of my head and certainly not exhaustive:

Load:
Crackle neon

Ascent vortex:
Smoke field
Burst projection
Disc projection

Dawn of time:
Smoke and fire fx
Rear film projection
AAs 7

Egypt:
Torch effect
AAs 6 (technically the AA on the scaffolding wasn’t an AA)

Phoenicians:
Smoke effect
Twinkle star lights
Torch effect
AAs 3

Theatre:
Twinkle star lights
Smoke and fire effect
AAs 3

Rome:
Animation projection
Smoke and fire effects
Steam
AAs 5

Islam:
AAs 9 (2 library, 4 meeting, 1 with sextant and 2 monks)

Renaissance:
AAs 13 (4 printing, 3 learning, 2 musicians, 3 artists, 1 Michelangelo )

Modern age:
Steam
Rear film projection
Rear Shadow projection
AAs 14 (1 printer, 1 paperboy, 2 telegraph, 3 telephonists, 1 hostess, 3 radio, 3 TV)

Today:
CRT displays
Rear film projection
Liquid neon
AAs 5 (or 6) (1 (or 2) computer station, 1 boy, 1 office, 2 Network operations)
Crackle neon

180top:
Liquid neon
Starfield projection
AAs 2 plus one mannequin

Descent:
Gobo projection
Laser / fibre optics
Rear video projection (Barco or similar)
Infinity mirror with embedded lighting

Wonderful list sir. It should be mentioned that (although most of us know, for those who don’t) the bedroom and office AAs were only present in the Cronkite version and were originally in the Gutenberg and Network Ops scenes in the Perrin version. In their place originally was a large blinking mainframe computer behind glass according to available footage.

Also I didn’t realize one of the astronauts had movement, I thought Window Girl was the only AA in that scene. Do you have information about the additional computer station AA?

 

[Fsunolekrw]

Off the top of my head and certainly not exhaustive:

Load:
Crackle neon

Ascent vortex:
Smoke field
Burst projection
Disc projection

Dawn of time:
Smoke and fire fx
Rear film projection
AAs 7

Egypt:
Torch effect
AAs 6 (technically the AA on the scaffolding wasn’t an AA)

Phoenicians:
Smoke effect
Twinkle star lights
Torch effect
AAs 3

Theatre:
Twinkle star lights
Smoke and fire effect
AAs 3

Rome:
Animation projection
Smoke and fire effects
Steam
AAs 5

Islam:
AAs 9 (2 library, 4 meeting, 1 with sextant and 2 monks)

Renaissance:
AAs 13 (4 printing, 3 learning, 2 musicians, 3 artists, 1 Michelangelo )

Modern age:
Steam
Rear film projection
Rear Shadow projection
AAs 14 (1 printer, 1 paperboy, 2 telegraph, 3 telephonists, 1 hostess, 3 radio, 3 TV)

Today:
CRT displays
Rear film projection
Liquid neon
AAs 5 (or 6) (1 (or 2) computer station, 1 boy, 1 office, 2 Network operations)
Crackle neon

180top:
Liquid neon
Starfield projection
AAs 2 plus one mannequin

Descent:
Gobo projection
Laser / fibre optics
Rear video projection (Barco or similar)
Infinity mirror with embedded lighting

That is a great recollection from the top of your head. It is amazing seeing all of the depth they put into each scene and how they decided to use certain effects for each. Everything about the original EPCOT was so cutting edge and pushing boundaries. You just don’t see that much anymore.

 

[marni1971]

Wonderful list sir. It should be mentioned that (although most of us know, for those who don’t) the bedroom and office AAs were only present in the Cronkite version and were originally in the Gutenberg and Network Ops scenes in the Perrin version. In their place originally was a large blinking mainframe computer behind glass according to available footage.

Also I didn’t realize one of the astronauts had movement, I thought Window Girl was the only AA in that scene. Do you have information about the additional computer station AA?

I muddled up the Gutenberg AA - let me amend it to match 1982.

Regarding 180top I was told the larger satellite AA had arm movement - which would make sense from the D+ Imagineering Story shot of the solar panel having a hinge. For the right side computer station additional AA, I videotaped the ride in 1990 and we got a ride stop in that area. Looking at my footage there appears to be a second seated AA in the dark background. When I get access to my archive again I think I’ve an AA plot plan for that area on one of the hard drives. The list is definitely a work in progress!

 

[Dragonman]

I muddled up the Gutenberg AA - let me amend it to match 1982.

Regarding 180top I was told the larger satellite AA had arm movement - which would make sense from the D+ Imagineering Story shot of the solar panel having a hinge. For the right side computer station additional AA, I videotaped the ride in 1990 and we got a ride stop in that area. Looking at my footage there appears to be a second seated AA in the dark background. When I get access to my archive again I think I’ve an AA plot plan for that area on one of the hard drives. The list is definitely a work in progress!

You’re right, there definitely appears to be something there. This is one area where I feel flash/camera light would be an exception as it’s quite mysterious. I’ve only seen maybe one other video showcasing this area although it’s a quick pan by.

You can hear them talking about this scene in the 1996 tour video stating some of it was still there behind a curtain at the time.

 

[Dragonman]

Rotated these Jeff Lange photos to their proper positions. The big satellite astronaut was always facing upside down to simulate floating.

You can see the hinge in the second picture which @marni1971 previously mentioned. I believe the whole panel section moved up and down being pulled by the wires on the astronaut’s leg rather than the astronaut’s arm itself moving (all evidence points to them being solid figures with no animation joints).

You can even see the smaller satellite astronaut moving in the recent 1991 video which backs up my theory of the wires moving the figures:

 

[marni1971]

Rotated these Jeff Lange photos to their proper positions. The big satellite astronaut was always facing upside down to simulate floating.View attachment 554369
View attachment 554370

You can see the hinge in the second picture which @marni1971 previously mentioned. I believe the whole panel section moved up and down being pulled by the wires on the astronaut’s leg rather than the astronaut’s arm itself moving (all evidence points to them being solid figures with no animation joints).

You can even see the smaller satellite astronaut moving in the recent 1991 video which backs up my theory of the wires moving the figures:
View attachment 554393
View attachment 554394

I did some digging - the smaller satellite figure didn’t move. He was fixed to the satellite by his arms. The images above must be a trick of the camera angle as it passed. The satellite itself was hug by rods from the roof and was only around six foot from it.

I’ll amend the larger figure data in my list - he was also a mannequin but did indeed move up and down via being suspended by a vertical rod from his foot. Being attached to the hinged satellite panel would give the appearance of a floating movement.

 

[Figments Friend]

So i gotta treat for ya'all...

Last month i re-found my long lost EPCOT Center photos that were taken during my first visit in April of 1983.
They contain some cool images, but the one i knew i had to share here in this thread is a decent shot of the famous 'spaceship in Spaceship Earth'.
I immediately thought of all of you here....

Will add to the thread once i have a chance to digitize the print.



-

 

[marni1971]

So i gotta treat for ya'all...

Last month i re-found my long lost EPCOT Center photos that were taken during my first visit in April of 1983.
They contain some cool images, but the one i knew i had to share here in this thread is a decent shot of the famous 'spaceship in Spaceship Earth'.
I immediately thought of all of you here....

Will add to the thread once i have a chance to digitize the print.



-

Waiting with baited breath.

 

[Figments Friend]

Looking over the photo prints again now, i am struck by how SLEEK and beautiful the Park was back then.
Not the cluttered mess of the last 20 or so years.

I visited six months after the Park opened at age 12, and it was still brand spankin' new.
The 'new paint' smell inside the Pavillions was intoxicatingly wonderful.
I clearly remember that era, and the years that followed, but it is cool to see it again in these candid photos.
Miss the 'original'.

Will share soon....have to rush off to work at the moment.

-

 

[Dragonman]

@Figments Friend Do you have any other SSE on ride photos? If so feel free to post them here as well.