Spaceship in Spaceship Earth

[marni1971]

The whole satellite/spacestation is still there. After you spin and start heading backwards you pass through the old sets. There are some video screens overhead now, but as you pass through the set you can see the outline as you look towards the roof of the dome. In the 80's you actually passed through the satellite (on the outside). This is all merely in shadow now, but as you travel backwards and look towards the stars on the domed ceiling, imagine all the set pieces (they are dark now) painted white. I believe the girl looking through the window was about 30 feet down the backwards portion to the left. It actually seemed like the whole satellite/spacestation was moving, because as you travelled backwards, it seems as though the set is moving against the stars. It still appears that way, although you would never realize this was originally a set piece. It just looks like partial ceiling now.

I`m glad someone else remembers this! Can you help carify a few points?

In the 80's you actually passed through the satellite (on the outside).

Do you mean the space station? I know the satellite was very close to the right side of the track as you passed the solar pannels, but I don`t recall actually passing `through` it.

I believe the girl looking through the window was about 30 feet down the backwards portion to the left

The girl was to the right, literally just before the red strip lights on the underside of the station appeared above you. Thankfully I have this bit on video; the satellite is too murky to see detail, but the girl and station lights are quite clear when enhanced - you would look right and slightly up to see the girl (having rotated fully backwards), then only a few seconds later drift under the red lighting. Ring any bells?

 

[Pabgo]

Does anyone have a video of it back in 1994? Or did they even have video cameras in 1994? Hey, I was just being born in that year! :king:

 

[steve2wdw]

I`m glad someone else remembers this! Can you help carify a few points?


Do you mean the space station? I know the satellite was very close to the right side of the track as you passed the solar pannels, but I don`t recall actually passing `through` it.

The space station looked as though it might have had a large ring (if it had been full sized) so you passed next to and under a large portion that jutted out from what appeared to be the central structure (maybe a horizontal support to the ring).

The girl was to the right, literally just before the red strip lights on the underside of the station appeared above you. Thankfully I have this bit on video; the satellite is too murky to see detail, but the girl and station lights are quite clear when enhanced - you would look right and slightly up to see the girl (having rotated fully backwards), then only a few seconds later drift under the red lighting. Ring any bells?

You are correct about the location of the girl (I meant my other left..lol).
There were also other figures in the top portion of the central structure that looked down on you (through a window) as you went backwards. They were up to the left, almost above you (to the left of the current video screen).

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

Could this have been there in 1996? Maybe it was meant to survive the 94 rehab. Because everything you just said steve is a memory I remember well from my first ride on SSE in 1996. I remember going backwords and seeing people behind windows on my left side because I was sitting on the left side of the vehicle. I've remembered this for years and have been puzzled by it because it was supposed to be gone I thought after the 94 rehab? :veryconfu

 

[steve2wdw]

I`m glad someone else remembers this! Can you help carify a few points?


Do you mean the space station? I know the satellite was very close to the right side of the track as you passed the solar pannels, but I don`t recall actually passing `through` it.

The girl was to the right, literally just before the red strip lights on the underside of the station appeared above you. Thankfully I have this bit on video; the satellite is too murky to see detail, but the girl and station lights are quite clear when enhanced - you would look right and slightly up to see the girl (having rotated fully backwards), then only a few seconds later drift under the red lighting. Ring any bells?

I ended up editing your post (by mistake) with my answer to the space station question. I'll paraphase...After you turned around, you passed down through the space station (it was all around you). The space station (had it been full-sized) appeared to have an outer ring. As you started down backwards, you passed under what was probably a horizontal support structure to the ring that connected to the central structure. There were windows above you from the space station (where figures looked down upon you) and the figure of the girl. It was much like the underwater scene in Horizons where you passed by the window. The space station could actually have been a whole city, where we just passed by a few of the windows. When you look up (now) as you travel backwards, you can see the stars through the superstructure of the set. As you proceed backwards, all the pieces around you are outer walls to the space station. I don't recall what was in the aea after you levelled out for a few feet, but up until that point, you were in the middle of a giant "floating" object in space. They made it appear as if it passed over you.

 

[steve2wdw]

Every time I ride SSE now, and pass through this area, I can picture what a dramatic effect the whole space station area was. I don't even look at the video screens we're passing under, because I can still see the shadow of the space station against the stars in the dome, and it still appears as if the object is moving against that star studded sky. As we say in Maine, it was "wicked" cool. After the rehab, I was so dissappointed with the new ending. It wasn't until I rode SSE again, that I realized the sets were still there. Their removal would probably affect the integrity of the whole SSE structure.

 

[marni1971]

steve, this is great!

I don`t remember more than one window, but I must have missed the others. The `ring` description is most helpful - indeed this matches the concept art of 180 top. It`s funny - your description of the girl, mum and seal from Horizons is exactly how I described this scene just last week!

When you say you can see the stars through the superstructure as you pass under it, would you think this structure was the original one that has the red strip lights on it? I envisage these lights to have been on a kind of structural `frame` that you could see around / through. The only solid object I think in this area (as you are going backwards and downwards fully for the first time was the black convex dome right above the track with flashing lights in it (similar to the one in the Network Control scene)

Me thinks I`ll have to get sketching and see if the pics make sense!

Expo; the windows weren`t meant to be seen in the Irons version, but as steve says, are still there. Maybe you got (very) lucky and they were lit. I have a picture from a 101 in 180top taken this year that shows the station detail right above the descent track, but painted black.

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

oh please show us this picture.

 

[Pabgo]

Can you show us the picture?

 

[steve2wdw]

steve, this is great!

I don`t remember more than one window, but I must have missed the others. The `ring` description is most helpful - indeed this matches the concept art of 180 top. It`s funny - your description of the girl, mum and seal from Horizons is exactly how I described this scene just last week!

When you say you can see the stars through the superstructure as you pass under it, would you think this structure was the original one that has the red strip lights on it? I envisage these lights to have been on a kind of structural `frame` that you could see around / through. The only solid object I think in this area (as you are going backwards and downwards fully for the first time was the black convex dome right above the track with flashing lights in it (similar to the one in the Network Control scene)

Me thinks I`ll have to get sketching and see if the pics make sense!

Expo; the windows weren`t meant to be seen in the Irons version, but as steve says, are still there. Maybe you got (very) lucky and they were lit. I have a picture from a 101 in 180top taken this year that shows the station detail right above the descent track, but painted black.

To be honest, I just don't remember....that was way too many brain cells ago. Part of getting older I guess.

 

[dolbyman]

Does anyone have a video of it back in 1994? Or did they even have video cameras in 1994? Hey, I was just being born in that year

m dad had one in 1992 on our trip .. so I guess they had video cameras back than (huge monsters .. but you can still play the tapes .. it's vhs-c) I took that camera once again in 2000 when I spend some time in CA .. and went to Highschool ... it still made recordings .. but looked somewhat dated :lol:

 

[marni1971]

oh please show us this picture.

I`ll ask permission (it`s not mine)

 

[steve2wdw]

Marni-is the video that you're talking about online at Disney Central? If so, I'll have to check it out. Maybe it will shake a few of those brain cells around so I could answer a few more questions.

I still remember my first trip aboard SSE in Nov. of '82. Being a college kid at the time, I felt very "un-hip" at being so excited about EPCOT. The place just overwhelmed my mother and I (We just decided spur of the moment to stop at WDW as we were driving my grandparents car from Maine to Florida for them). Lines were incredible. SSE actually used every bit of queue and much more. For UoE we waited 1 hr and 45 min., and the Imagination Ride Through was yet to be fininshed.

A friend of mine actually played trombone in the all-college band they put together for the opening ceremony. I was actually quite jealous of her, as I had just switched colleges and had I stayed at UMaine (I also played trombone), I would have gone instead of her.

Sorry for getting off topic....EPCOT was great back then and it's fun to reminese (sp?) (Is there spell check on this thing?)

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

Here's a flash photo edited from last year of inside the dome of SSE. You can see the earth projection right ahead, along with the "rockwork" sets. There are also cables holding up an object (Martin and I discussed this a few months ago, possibly it is a support) there is also a proejction screen in the background.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/464736429/1464752081056276878LwfIeM

In my honest to god opinion I think you can see the faint image of the satelite to our viewing right. In the photo. See that "X" on the right side of the photo, doesn't it;s edges resemble solar panels. It would also be where the satellite should be since the omnimovers are going backwards over there.

 

[joel_maxwell]

I`ll ask permission (it`s not mine)

this would be killer!

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

Here's a better picture. The cable's just a support structure.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/549213863/2439592920086494912wjcBTk

 

[Pabgo]

^ I don't see anything. :hammer:

 

[marni1971]

Expo,

I`ve been corrected by an ex CM who knows 180top quite well. I should have mentioned this earlier; the pic you linked above is probably part of the station support structure. According to him, at this moment you are looking out over the station, with the `up` ramp to the right and the descent ramp down to the left. This being the case, the windows would also be to the left, and the satellite further left than these. In the video this pic is from, this makes sense, as the support drifts left to right as the Omni is moving right to left (at this stage it has completed half of its turn around)

BTW; these pics I`m awaiting permission for do show an (unlit) window type shape right above the descent track once enhanced.

 

[Burgstressera]

I'm on overload right now!!! Between those old photos, talking about an old section of Spaceship Earth (which I remember), and the fact that one of you was born in 1994 - I think I could cry!!! I can't remember ever feeling so old and I'm really not that old!!!

Anyway - are we saying that there is a possibility that the old Space Station is still there and is just covered up? Is this confirmed? Because if so I might have to get on a plane today and fly down there to have a look for myself. Why haven't I ever noticed this and why do I have to wait until October to check it out for myself!!! AHHHH...

Someone get me some more pictures or a video stat!

Also - who knows someone at Siemens? We've got to get them to bring it back!!!! :sohappy:

 

[joel_maxwell]

Expo,

I`ve been corrected by an ex CM who knows 180top quite well. I should have mentioned this earlier; the pic you linked above is probably part of the station support structure. According to him, at this moment you are looking out over the station, with the `up` ramp to the right and the descent ramp down to the left. This being the case, the windows would also be to the left, and the satellite further left than these. In the video this pic is from, this makes sense, as the support drifts left to right as the Omni is moving right to left (at this stage it has completed half of its turn around)

BTW; these pics I`m awaiting permission for do show an (unlit) window type shape right above the descent track once enhanced.

sounds good to me..... i am waiting sooo patiently

i wish someone could video the inside with a night vision filter on a high-end camera. does such a thing exist?