Spaceship in Spaceship Earth

[Expo_Seeker40]

I guess the satelite is still there, but the space station must be. I can remember in January going down it backwards and looking very hard at to what was basically a shadow. Black against the starfield. I honestly thought SSE 94 was us on the surface of the moon because I thought we were going down backwards past moonrock. So these windows that I swear were working in 1996 must make the "cracks and crevices" of the rocks I swear I was going past when in reality its the SpaceStation itself.

I agree, Siemens should bring this back in some way or another. It's too dull up there w.o these little "pluses".

 

[marni1971]

I have a few night vision videos off the net of the current ride. Zilch.

The only way (for us) I guess is to get a vehicle with a dozen empty ones either side and get some flash pics.

I have heard before about some of the props still being there but covered over. I doubt the satellite would still have it`s pannels (too bulky / fragile) or the Astronaut still being there. I`d love to know.

Incidentally, for those born before 1994 , remember the AT&T Worldwide Intelligent Network scene (or even the Worldwide Network Control)? On the left of the track were 2 animatronics at desks with the 3 large wall maps. On the right of the track was another desk and another AA. Where the boy and girl are today playing video Karate. Well... apparently the right hand side set piece is still there, behind a black curtain. Don`t jump out to peek though!

 

[steve2wdw]

Having ridden SSE so many times both before and after the rehab, I am positive that the set is still exactly where it was (the space station-that is). They just slapped some paint over it, re-focussed the lighting and now that space station is just walls and partial ceilings, etc..

I've been trying to figure out how to describe the space-station and its design and I think I've found it. Think of a thick piece of Honeycomb cereal...that was sort of the shape of the space-station. The omnimover would pass through one of the holes in the honeycomb on its descent. While passing through the hole you would pass the windows, etc....If I can get my scanner up and working, I'll do a little drawing and post it here. Might take a few days, but I'll do my best.

 

[PBarton]

Ok, I am no expert by any standards but here is what we observed at Spaceship Earth between 5th and 19th May 2006.

We were staying on-site, so visited Epcot at least 5 times, riding Spaceship Earth several times in the process. Whilst riding we noticed several things we had never seen before, including the printing press steam effect (did not work every time).

A few times the BGM and sound effects were much louder than normal, to the point where the commentary was inaudiable. But along with this, the overall lighting was MUCH higher than usual, allowing us to see black curtains behind many scenes that we have never noticed before.

During the space scene, as the vehicle rotates backwards for our return to Earth, we both noticed to our immediate right an outline that we have never seen before. It was almost like the surface of the Moon (??) And if we looked upwards and over to the right as we were leaving the scene, there appeared to be a very strange shape on the wall, like a sattelite or spaceship shape. I repeat, up and to the right about 10 feet higher than the level of the vehicle.

Never seen any of this before, it was really noticable, esp the moon surface that was right next to the vehicle.

 

[Prof Ecks]

The space station and satellites with astronauts made perfect sense as the end of the story. You moved to this impressive spacescape and the "future" of communication. The development of communication and culture in outer space. I think that they should put something like that back into the scene. Right now it really doesn't end the story with a punch to see earth from outer space. It looks cool but the original narrative made much more sense and provided a more exciting end to the story.

 

[PBarton]

The only way (for us) I guess is to get a vehicle with a dozen empty ones either side and get some flash pics.

Forget the flash pictures, what we need are Arc lights! LOL

:drevil:

 

[marni1971]

Forget the flash pictures, what we need are Arc lights! LOL

:drevil:

Get a 12k up there :lol:

Your description of the shadow to the right in 180top as you descend

And if we looked upwards and over to the right as we were leaving the scene, there appeared to be a very strange shape on the wall,

corresponds with the satellite position. Interesting.

 

[PBarton]

Get a 12k up there :lol:

Your description of the shadow to the right in 180top as you descend corresponds with the satellite position. Interesting.

I am not joking, it was as clear as anything! There was a lot of light being cast over that area and it was impossible to miss.

I originally thought it was part of the structure, like a support, but on closer inspection it was about 20 feet high, and such an odd shape that it must have been part of the scene.

What do you make of the moon rock I was talking about immediately to the right of the vehicle? It was so close that you could nearly touch it. As you descended out of the space scene, there was quite an expanse of this material.

Like I said, It was much brighter than normal, we could see black curtain everywhere - esp when travelling down the tunnel with all the fibre optics.

Has nobody ever evaced from the top of the ride? How bright are the lights when then come on?

 

[PBarton]

Just found this site with a few half decent Spaceship Earth evac pictures, is the one that says "some of the unfinished looking walls of Spaceship Earth" a picture of the moon surface? Looks like the vehicles are going back down the slope?

http://www.amusementpics.com/EPCOT/epcot.htm

 

[joel_maxwell]

Just found this site with a few half decent Spaceship Earth evac pictures:

http://www.amusementpics.com/EPCOT/epcot.htm

ahhhh, the mother load. these will be nice in the collection! thanks

 

[steve2wdw]

Just found this site with a few half decent Spaceship Earth evac pictures, is the one that says "some of the unfinished looking walls of Spaceship Earth" a picture of the moon surface? Looks like the vehicles are going back down the slope?

http://www.amusementpics.com/EPCOT/epcot.htm

Just checked these out....cool....but none of the area in question....bummer.

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

No it looks like the vehicles were going up. Notice how they got stuck in the cave man scene and then worked their way down to the load station.

 

[PBarton]

No it looks like the vehicles were going up. Notice how they got stuck in the cave man scene and then worked their way down to the load station.

Yeah, makes sense! :brick: LOL

 

[joel_maxwell]

Just checked these out....cool....but none of the area in question....bummer.

just noticed that too...... at first they looked like the decline part.

 

[Burgstressera]

Alright, who lives in Orlando?!?!

You're mission - should you choose to accept it - is to gather some heavy duty photography equipment and head over to Epcot. Gather as many pictures of the area in question as possible and meet back here to review your findings...:lol:

 

[planet7]

SSE Artifact

Sorry to keep you all waiting. Martin was waiting on permission from me to post this photo, which I was happy to grant him. But I just now got his email, and I assume he's in bed by now, so I'm going to do the honors.

The clarity isn't great--it's a digital photograph in low light (only a flash), but it does clearly show an artifact of the orignial spaceship/space station.


http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/planet7/sse_artifact.jpg

G7

 

[Pabgo]

It kinda looks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

 

[Number_6]

I'm enjoying reading this thread. I know I will find my self going back to Epcot at least once in the next couple of weeks, possibly twice. If I am able to, I will see what I can get with my digital camera. Not promising anything, since half the time in low light, I get great pictures and the rest of the time, not so great. I may have to ride through a couple of times and see what I come up with.

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

Thank you Number 6 for doing this, we hope it all works out..satelites and all LOL. :sohappy:

Planet7 thinks for that pic, I;m surprised I guess by how it looks from that persepctive. I thought the majority of the hexagonal room was still intact...

 

[planet7]

see what I can get with my digital camera. Not promising anything, since half the time in low light, I get great pictures and the rest of the time, not so great.

Unless your digital is dramatically better with low light than mine (Canon A510), you're going to be disappointed. I used a flash for that photo with the ride stopped, and I still had to lighten it a lot to make it even viewable.

What we really need are photos with the ride stopped and worklights on, though even then, it can be a mixed bag.

If I'd known this stuff was there, I'd at least have taken more photos with the flash. I'm now vigorously kicking myself.

G7