Spaceship in Spaceship Earth

[articos]

What I mean is that the software behind the SSE Descent / Project Tomorrow is almost definitely custom, and Disney probably owns the source code to it, unless they contracted it out. Either way, if a software-based system worked for many years, I don't really buy the argument that because the software is 10 years old, it has "parts" that they are having trouble replacing. If the SSE descent really hasn't been working properly for several months, that reflects pretty poorly on TDO in my opinion. Old computer systems can still work — plenty of banks still use mainframes, for example.

There's plenty of hardware involved in the photo capture; servers, wifi networks and infrastructure, the camera, lighting.... but you'd imagine it could be replaced for something comparable.

The hardware is a combination of adapted off the shelf hardware (meaning custom, and mostly not produced any longer) and products sourced from Siemens. The code is proprietary for the attraction, but the software is rarely the problem, unless it's a new piece of hardware that's not playing nicely for some reason. They do have issues getting parts for the system because Disney doesn't keep stocks of supplies the way they used to. It may be a specific piece of hardware that has an interface that's not used any longer, or it may need to be ordered from Siemens in Germany. If it's new, it needs to be tested overnights to make sure it works reliably. You'd be surprised how often it's difficult to get new parts for attractions and the process that's involved in specifying and certifying new parts.

 

[Siren]

Of course! Then he can have the whole park to himself! The crafty devil.

LOL, this is just too funny. Thank you for revealing his dastardly plans, I almost fell for it. *NOT*

I'm sure that it's overall a custom software installation, but likely a lot of bits of it are based on 3rd party components/modules that Disney stopped getting outside support for years ago.

Given CM-translation, LOL, I don't think it's going to be about physical parts. If it was, it would likely not be "on and off" but broken. The issue sounds like software components ("parts") that Disney cobbled together into one platform in-house that performed add-on functions like photo overlay, etc. It would have been much more cost-effective (short-term) to just buy off-the-shelf software that does that and then integrate it in. This is really common practice in IT.

Given the recent changes in their IT structure, it makes perfect sense that they are having issues and don't know how to fix it. When you have Frankenstein'd systems like that many things can happen - the original company goes out of business, Disney stopped paying for on-going support, the platform may no longer have support available, period, etc. - and the "institutional knowledge" of how to jury-rig it back up is lost with turnover in IT. Code like that is usually ridiculously messy and completely undocumented - because it's likely been hot-fixed countless times.

This is one reason that so much infrastructure runs on 1980's computer code...because it works, and has worked for 30+ years, because it was much more simple. Now, I would bet that nothing at WDW is actually based on unique code - aside from perhaps whatever runs the animatronics. Anything else, dealing with everything from cash registers and ticket booths to audio and video in shows/rides/etc. is likely based on a lot of different bits bought from many different vendors (which explains a lot, doesn't it? LOL).

This is usually cheaper in the short-run (though in the case of MM+ and it's implosion, at this point it would have been cheaper to hire Bill Gates and Steve Wozniak to come in and write it in machine code from scratch, LOL), but in the long run often becomes a problem when you try to upgrade or change anything because it's not based on internally documented code.

LOL. This is funny. It makes Disney sound so bad, like they just patched this ride together with stuff from Walmart or something.

I don't care if SpaceShip Earth is old and all "Frankenstein'd" (LOL) -- I will always *love* this ride. Thanks for sharing all the details -- just knowing about how much work it takes to run this attraction has given me a whole new perspective and makes me appreciate it much more, too. I can't wait to ride this again.

 

[marni1971]

Gee, Who would have thought basing the entire ending of your ride on technology that will become dated was a good idea?

If true, there is an irony that we can't choose our future due to obsolescence....

At least now they have an excuse to ditch the cartoons

 

[marni1971]

... The people who designed Carousel of Progress?

Not quite.

One is still working.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Not quite.

One is still working.

Ouch!

 

[garagely]

Can anyone confirm, does the AA hawking newspapers "Extra...Extra" actually have a face anymore? Why was the kid turned around anyway?

I know this is a very old question (yes, i've been slowly reading this whole thread for days) and I actually have an answer regarding the paperboy.

Bob Zalk was a guest speaker on one of the DCL cruises I took last year. He was actually involved in the 2007 refurb (gave a lot of cool info and tidbits about the inspiration behind every animatronic's clothing, stuff like that) and at the end of the session took questions.

I had wondered about that paperboy for years, mostly because he used to frighten me as a kid. So I asked Bob why he was turned around, and he chuckled and said it was because "the paperboy was very very annoying".

He also mentioned the animated horses were taken out of the Rome scene because they were too cartoony, in case anyone ever wondered about that too.

This thread is amazing. I've worked at WDW and UO, and I just love backstage photos and the history behind rides. I've managed to do track walks in a lot of attractions. Knowing those space station structures were still there, but painted black, gives me chills. Kind of like the hidden Dementors in Forbidden Journey over at UO. Just knowing something is there and so close but i can't see it.

I have often wondered what used to be in that descent hallway that looks to be full of garbage and dust. I was 5 the first time we went to Epcot, so I don't remember everything.

Thank you all for this, I enjoyed it immensely <3

 

[AEfx]

Gee, Who would have thought basing the entire half of a theme park about technology that will become dated was a good idea?

Fixed.

 

[marni1971]

Knowing those space station structures were still there, but painted black, gives me chills..

I don't know if I mentioned this, but the 1994 peppers ghost scenes are still there too.

The sets that were to the right are behind black curtains, falling apart.

The items that were reflected by Peppers Ghost still sit above the ride path on their balcony, similarly abandoned.

 

[Big C 73]

I don't know if I mentioned this, but the 1994 peppers ghost scenes are still there too.

The sets that were to the right are behind black curtains, falling apart.

The items that were reflected by Peppers Ghost still sit above the ride path on their balcony, similarly abandoned.

Would you happen to have any photographs of these?

 

[marni1971]

Would you happen to have any photographs of these?

Nothing I can share I'm afraid.

 

[HMF]

[QUOTE="garagely, post: 7250486, member: 92297"
I had wondered about that paperboy for years, mostly because he used to frighten me as a kid. So I asked Bob why he was turned around, and he chuckled and said it was because "the paperboy was very very annoying".

He also mentioned the animated horses were taken out of the Rome scene because they were too cartoony, in case anyone ever wondered about that too.
[/QUOTE]
So basically the justification is because Bob Zalk personally didn't like it. As for the Horses being too cartoony, What about the "Future" depicted during the descent?

 

[hobovampire]

I made an account because of this thread last night and woke up to finally ask my question only to find ya'll already answered it while I was asleep.

So the horses WERE animated at one point! Agh I loved that. I do miss the previous descent. I was born in '92 so I have only seen two version of SSE but I loved the Skype call between the two people with auto translate.


Very very awesome thread, a real treat and thank you Marni, you made it just fantastic.

 

[garagely]

I made an account because of this thread last night and woke up to finally ask my question only to find ya'll already answered it while I was asleep.

So the horses WERE animated at one point! Agh I loved that. I do miss the previous descent. I was born in '92 so I have only seen two version of SSE but I loved the Skype call between the two people with auto translate.


Very very awesome thread, a real treat and thank you Marni, you made it just fantastic.

Yes, there was a horse and chariot that used to run down the street in front of the animatronic horse. You're not imagining things! XD And I hear you about making an account just for this. I've been a lurker for years, but this thread made me feel compelled to start posting again.

ETA - I quoted you both but only one seems to show. I apologize, I'm not sure how I did it wrong.

 

[hobovampire]

Yes, there was a horse and chariot that used to run down the street in front of the animatronic horse. You're not imagining things! XD And I hear you about making an account just for this. I've been a lurker for years, but this thread made me feel compelled to start posting again.

ETA - I quoted you both but only one seems to show. I apologize, I'm not sure how I did it wrong.

Yep. I'm one of those who read most of the thread then just started to remember.

When did Siemens take over again? This last refurb happened in what year?

Tho I do love love listening to Judy Dench jus sayin

 

[ShoalFox]

Yep. I'm one of those who read most of the thread then just started to remember.

When did Siemens take over again? This last refurb happened in what year?

Tho I do love love listening to Judy Dench jus sayin

Siemens started in 2005. Renovation happened from 2007-08

 

[hobovampire]

Siemens started in 2005. Renovation happened from 2007-08

Thank you!

Wow already 8 years. Or vey.

 

[aaronml]

The hardware is a combination of adapted off the shelf hardware (meaning custom, and mostly not produced any longer) and products sourced from Siemens. The code is proprietary for the attraction, but the software is rarely the problem, unless it's a new piece of hardware that's not playing nicely for some reason. They do have issues getting parts for the system because Disney doesn't keep stocks of supplies the way they used to. It may be a specific piece of hardware that has an interface that's not used any longer, or it may need to be ordered from Siemens in Germany. If it's new, it needs to be tested overnights to make sure it works reliably. You'd be surprised how often it's difficult to get new parts for attractions and the process that's involved in specifying and certifying new parts.

Part of me wonders if TDO management even knows about this issue with SSE, and if they don't know, whether them finding out about it would change anything. For EE in DAK, people who haven't ridden it before might not realize that the Yeti is 101, but SSE is pretty obvious that something is wrong since it takes your photo in the beginning and nothing happens with it. That, and the fact that the post-show stuff where you can e-mail your video home doesn't work, since the ride photos aren't sync'd.

 

[articos]

Part of me wonders if TDO management even knows about this issue with SSE, and if they don't know, whether them finding out about it would change anything. For EE in DAK, people who haven't ridden it before might not realize that the Yeti is 101, but SSE is pretty obvious that something is wrong since it takes your photo in the beginning and nothing happens with it. That, and the fact that the post-show stuff where you can e-mail your video home doesn't work, since the ride photos aren't sync'd.

They know. Unfortunately, unless Siemens complains or Guest Satisfaction surveys come back with a drop, this is just the way things are with today's Disney. Been this way for a long time, due to structural changes in the way WDW does things due to management, logistics and finance decisions. Today's management is fine with delays in items being fixed because that's just the way it is.

 

[articos]

So basically the justification is because Bob Zalk personally didn't like it.

It would have been a group creative decision between the execs overseeing and the show team producers, not just Bob. He may have brought up the idea, or someone else may have mentioned it. What we now miss (and I think was a mistake) may have seemed like a good idea at the time in the context of the larger changes to the attraction. Hopefully it will be restored in the next redo of the attraction.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Just to recap... what's broken in SSE besides the lousy descent? I saw someone say that the photos aren't used anymore is the entire descent Jib Jab video now broken?