Spaceship in Spaceship Earth

[marni1971]

Katya; welcome! And what a thread to join in on!

and I didn't make it through the whole thread.....These particular pictures are actually of a structure that used to project lights and I THINK originally was supposed to be for a kinda mist effect.

That`s good if you havn`t seen the posts about it - you just confirmed what`s been mentioned about a laser and mist effect.

Expo; that`s a lot of writing! It sounds about right - not that I`m any authority; I`m as in the dark (!) as everyone else

To our left are stars in the distance, but in the foreground are the moonrock set pieces and behind that is the empty platform that was going to house the space station extension....all there is now is the octagonal shaft sticking slightly out of the platform.

Do you mean left or right hand side for the props and platform? I wasn`t aware of anything to the left (outside) of the track at this location? Was this a recap of the thread or someting more; it`s a very well informed bit of writing :wave:

I've spent a decent amount of time up there at 180top with work lights on (and off for that matter) and admittedly have walked the entire floor area up there and never seen any remnants of anything I seem to have seen mentioned. But mostly I'm just not surewhat everyone's talking about.

That`s good - I`ve heard from several sources there is nothing left of the props up there apart from the (pictured) abandoned moon concept. BTW - what we are talking about is the original 1982 180top layout, which was also used after the 86 rehab.

EDIT; 300 posts in this thread

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

Oops Marni I meant to say RIGHT hand side. Our vehicle is facing forward during this time as we have just exited the communications tunnel and have now entered 180top. There is nothing on our left except stars. On our right one can see stars in the background and possibly the empty platform space that was to be the space station, but in the foreground are the moonrock pieces.

This was just a recap of what I feel probably was experienced in 180top to help others understand where the set pieces where. And I am glad to hear Katya's response that there are no astronauts or satelites up there because it corrospondes well to other CM's saying the same thing.

The only thing left up there are the moonrock pieces. Empty platform that was meant to be used for the space station. The shaft sticking out of the platform. Equipment, mechanics, and the 1994 added support strucutres for the TV's etc.

And of course the window and space station overhang roof.

I just don't know why so many people keep thinking that object is a capsule, rocket jet, rocket booster, etc. IT ISN'T!!! :brick: It's THE window that the girl was in, and now I get a shiver down my spine wondering if the AA is still in there behind the covered frame!

 

[Katya]

Thanks, I did know that it was all about what used to be at 180top, but I never personally witnessed it, so I couldn't say that I would recognize much of it if it were lying in bits and pieces at the top. Even then, it's basically empty back there, nothing really big enough to look like old set pieces. I really would have loved to see it all though.

And I think I saw mentioned earlier that there was a question as to what's really up there, and it's all basically empty. I was once told that the original plans for the ride had been to continue going up and around, but the structure couldn't hold the weight.

Also kinda off topic, but I vaguely remember seeing someone mention the HoP. Some of the AA were cast from the same molds. Abraham Lincoln is the one banging out the papyrus. Also in the Egyptian scene, the guy with the fan is a president (although for the the life of me I can't remember his name right now, it's early). Thomas Jefferson is pushing the Gutenberg Press. And I believe there's a couple more, actually. Just been a long time since they got pointed out to me.

 

[beanboon]

I was a lucky guest in an evac last nite and can concur that nothing appears to be left up top. You can see the top of the tunnel you enter from, you can see the top of the old network communication scene, you can see the area in front of you (where the space station set might have been), you can see the area to your right as you begin your descent and you can (obviously) see the overhang area from the old space station. Empty!

That's not to say there couldn't be something lying flat on any of the rooftops not visible from the ride path or way back on the opposite side of the dome (what's back there, Katya?), but nothing visible from the ride path.

You CAN however see what may have been mounts for the smaller satellite as well as the old light fixture that would have illuminated the larger satellite. You can really see those just fine with a flashlight though. I think the mounts I saw for the smaller satellite may not have been substantial enough for it, the actual mount may have been covered by the aftermarket decking (there used to be flat floor there with stairs up to the platform over there, now there is a deck level with the ride cars).

The old light fixture is laying flat on the floor, and rusty. In fact a lot of things are rusty around that area from the misters that were (and still are) above. I concur with Merf, they're there, along with a lot of water stains on the overhang. The laser is still there as well. Looks like they just switched it all off one day.

And to continue the debate about where this girl was, that "window" in the capsule if AWFUL big in person. I'd say it looks to be 6-8 feet tall. The space she was in was much shorter than that I thought.

 

[Katya]

I was a lucky guest in an evac last nite and can concur that nothing appears to be left up top. You can see the top of the tunnel you enter from, you can see the top of the old network communication scene, you can see the area in front of you (where the space station set might have been), you can see the area to your right as you begin your descent and you can (obviously) see the overhang area from the old space station. Empty!

That's not to say there couldn't be something lying flat on any of the rooftops not visible from the ride path or way back on the opposite side of the dome (what's back there, Katya?), but nothing visible from the ride path.

Nothing. The only thing really up top that I recall is that lift that's in there which they used to get a Mickey on top for a fly-by commercial thing sometime. Other than that, it's really empty.

Granted, I have still only been up there in the dark. There might be something up there that I missed, but unfortunately it's not like I can really just go climbing up there to look again. A shame really. I would love to.

 

[Captain Hank]

I was able to go to the very top of the 180 top during a cast walking tour. I can back up Katya in saying that there's really nothing up there. The only things are the scissor lift used to access the top of the dome (used by Mickey for various commercials) and two projectors for the Earth effect. One projector shows a static image of the Earth, and the second projects rotating clouds. There's also the planetarium projection apparatus.

As for the ride continuing out of the sphere and down, the tour guide pointed out a row of bolts and grommits in the floor that were supposed to be used for securing the track structure. They run from where the track starts down the sphere, continue to spiral all the way up to the top, and reach a dead end right into the wall of the geosphere.

Unfortunately, being unfamiliar with the original setup of the scene, I really can't identify any old support structures from the old props. However, the guide did pull back a curtain to show the support structures for the old Network Operations Center. Also, the mirrors from Tomorrow's Child are still there, just covered by curtains.

And regarding "Presidential" appearances in the ride, I believe Andrew Jackson shows up in the cave scene. Also, the gas station owner from American Adventure is in the telegraph office, and the guitar player from the same scene in AA is inspeciting the page from the Gutenburg Bible.

 

[marni1971]

Wow! What a lot of info!

You CAN however see what may have been mounts for the smaller satellite as well as the old light fixture that would have illuminated the larger satellite. You can really see those just fine with a flashlight though. I think the mounts I saw for the smaller satellite may not have been substantial enough for it, the actual mount may have been covered by the aftermarket decking (there used to be flat floor there with stairs up to the platform over there, now there is a deck level with the ride cars)......And to continue the debate about where this girl was, that "window" in the capsule if AWFUL big in person. I'd say it looks to be 6-8 feet tall. The space she was in was much shorter than that I thought.

Can you say where abouts what look like the satellite mounts were? I was told the smaller sat mounts were on top of staircase 11 (to the right as the track staightens for the descent) - though this always seemed too close to the inner wall to have anything ontop of it and not hit the ceiling. Can you elaborate where the flat floor, stairs and platform are? Do you mean the area on the otherside of the room (the top of the ceiling from below?) And what `deck level with ride cars`? You mean unused, off the track ride vehicles? Where abouts?

Sorry to ask so much but this is a huge insight and a big leap forward in our quest!

Finally, as for the girls window, yes, the shape is too big to be a boarded up window; this one is tall and thin, the window is wider than it is tall. It`s my guess the window is behind this board - the board was cut to fit in with the cone shape and look part of it, not to match the shape of the window.

 

[marni1971]

I was once told that the original plans for the ride had been to continue going up and around, but the structure couldn't hold the weight..

Katya; can you try to find more info (any info) about this from anyone you work with? Nothing confidential of course - we`ve heard talk of some unused track up there actually looking as if it were going to carry on and not descend. You seem to confirm this. Can you at least try to find out if there was going to be another loop upwards in 180top before the descent? None of the plans I have pre-construction show this. Very interesting... thank you!

Omnimovers have a maintainence spur and a way to get individual vehicles out of the building if need be. I don`t see any way they could be removed off track and taken out between unload and load. Could the vehicles BeanBoon saw in 180top be sitting on a maintainence spur? If so, could this mean the extra track I mentioned above be the spur off, around the back of the central core, to this area? And would that mean the central service elevator (that exits at ground level, within the silver reflective cylinder outside the ride entrance) is the way vehicles can be removed from the building?

 

[marni1971]

As for the ride continuing out of the sphere and down, the tour guide pointed out a row of bolts and grommits in the floor that were supposed to be used for securing the track structure. They run from where the track starts down the sphere, continue to spiral all the way up to the top, and reach a dead end right into the wall of the geosphere.

Really? As I noted above, this is really interesting. Do you mean the track seems to have been intended to run up and around the edge of the ceiling before the turn into the descent ramp; that is it would have gone straight on and upwards instead of turning? Or instead of going down the ramp it would have gone up and over the roof of the core?

However, the guide did pull back a curtain to show the support structures for the old Network Operations Center. Also, the mirrors from Tomorrow's Child are still there, just covered by curtains..

THANK YOU for confirming the Network Ops curtain! Was this on the left or right of the track? The well known Network Ops wall maps and console were on the left, but there was a female AA, a console, and 3 overhead projection screens of data on the right of the track too; behind the cinema screen show scene, in the inside of the curve opposite the boys bedroom and the office scenes. Me thinks I`ll have to do a short vid of the layout of these scenes... :ROFLOL:

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

Marni this also confirms my view in January of seeing curtains covering up what I thought to be those peg board mirrors at the finale of SSE used in both the 1982 and 1986 versions.

I can't really remember if there were curtains on the right side of the track where the small model of SSE is hanging from the ceiling, but the left side of the track certainly has black curtains covering the peg board mirrors. It was too obvious that something was hidden since it is brighter in there now and the fiber optics only were on the right side and ceiling of the descent track leaving open this dark space. :wave:

 

[Captain Hank]

Really? As I noted above, this is really interesting. Do you mean the track seems to have been intended to run up and around the edge of the ceiling before the turn into the descent ramp; that is it would have gone straight on and upwards instead of turning? Or instead of going down the ramp it would have gone up and over the roof of the core?

The bolts and grommits more or less followed the curve of the sphere up a ramp, and then dead-ended directly into the wall of the sphere. Note that this wasn't actual track, but, according to the tour guide, the support structure for track.

THANK YOU for confirming the Network Ops curtain! Was this on the left or right of the track? The well known Network Ops wall maps and console were on the left, but there was a female AA, a console, and 3 overhead projection screens of data on the right of the track too; behind the cinema screen show scene, in the inside of the curve opposite the boys bedroom and the office scenes. Me thinks I`ll have to do a short vid of the layout of these scenes... :ROFLOL:

It was on the right side of the track, pretty much opposite of the boy's bedroom. Being unfamiliar with the way the scene was set, I couldn't identify any particular structures, but there really wasn't much to see--just a few wooden frames.

 

[jcowens2000]

Hi,

This whole Spaceship Eart debate has been so fun to read.

There are some clips of the ride at YouTube.

Here is the link to a clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFcKCia4PpU

This is part 2 of a 2 part clip. Its not the best quality and it very dark, but it might give some of people some bearings on some of the objects at the top of the dome. This clip is apparently from 1986.

good luck.

oh yeah, this is not my clip.

 

[Katya]

Katya; can you try to find more info (any info) about this from anyone you work with? Nothing confidential of course - we`ve heard talk of some unused track up there actually looking as if it were going to carry on and not descend. You seem to confirm this. Can you at least try to find out if there was going to be another loop upwards in 180top before the descent? None of the plans I have pre-construction show this. Very interesting... thank you!

Omnimovers have a maintainence spur and a way to get individual vehicles out of the building if need be. I don`t see any way they could be removed off track and taken out between unload and load. Could the vehicles BeanBoon saw in 180top be sitting on a maintainence spur? If so, could this mean the extra track I mentioned above be the spur off, around the back of the central core, to this area? And would that mean the central service elevator (that exits at ground level, within the silver reflective cylinder outside the ride entrance) is the way vehicles can be removed from the building?

There's only one person really left that I know would be able to answer any questions of that caliber, and I haven't seen him in a while. But when it was originally mentioned to me (and now that I've spent quite a bit of time thinking about it the last few days) the idea for the track to run up and around was scraped decently early in the process because they knew it wouldn't support the ride. So while the spiral platform up started, it never managed to have track put to it.

I do know, though, that there's no real spur for cars to be taken off. I've been in the room within the confines of the building where they work on the cars currently off the track, but I can't tell you anything about the process of getting them in and out. But because every one of the 231 cars on the track are linked together, there's not the possibility to have one guide off separately. As it's a maintenance thing, we have no knowledge of it mostly as regular CMs. Said room, though, is right next to the second level elevator stop, so I'm sure that has something to do with it. And the service elevator actually doesnt go quite to 180top. Close, but not quite there at all. It's last stop is actually in the tunnel before you enter the planetarium.

 

[joel_maxwell]

ok, im caught up from the weekend debates.... Katya, if the flatfrom is above the tunnel, is there a standard scissor lift to the hatch? special designed lift? i really wish we had a picture of this (platform and lift mechanism)

you tube movie: it is hard to tell since there are cut aways and fade ins. looks like a martin video

it is nice to see the TC mirrors again.

 

[PBarton]

This thread is great!

Surely Spaceship Earth has to be the best engineering achievement created by the Walt Disney Company - simply awesome..

:sohappy:

 

[joel_maxwell]

This thread is great!

Surely Spaceship Earth has to be the best engineering achievement created by the Walt Disney Company - simply awesome..

:sohappy:

this is why i have the blueprints framed in my office.

 

[marni1971]

Hi,

This whole Spaceship Eart debate has been so fun to read.

There are some clips of the ride at YouTube.

Here is the link to a clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFcKCia4PpU

This is part 2 of a 2 part clip. Its not the best quality and it very dark, but it might give some of people some bearings on some of the objects at the top of the dome. This clip is apparently from 1986.

good luck.

oh yeah, this is not my clip.

Yep, it`s an older version of my video. No credit posted (as I ask for) - typical. And at C***** YouTube Quality. GRRR!

If you want more (and better quality) please get "Spaceship Earth `86 & Commnunicore - Martins Ultimate Tribute" from www.mousebits.com (for free of course)

(no offence to jcowwns :wave: )

 

[marni1971]

The bolts and grommits more or less followed the curve of the sphere up a ramp, and then dead-ended directly into the wall of the sphere. Note that this wasn't actual track, but, according to the tour guide, the support structure for track..

Interesting about this higher track idea.... of course that`s opened up a whole new load of questions :lol:

It was on the right side of the track, pretty much opposite of the boy's bedroom. Being unfamiliar with the way the scene was set, I couldn't identify any particular structures, but there really wasn't much to see--just a few wooden frames.

Brilliant. That`s confirmed what I was 99% sure about. I have full video of it from 1990, though from the angle I shot it at it`s hard to tell which side of the track it`s on. It`ll be the short video I`m planning, mentioned a few posts ago.

There's only one person really left that I know would be able to answer any questions of that caliber, and I haven't seen him in a while......Said room, though, is right next to the second level elevator stop, so I'm sure that has something to do with it. And the service elevator actually doesnt go quite to 180top.

When and if you see him can you ask him for an obsessed geeky Brit?

My mistake... of course it dosn`t go all the way up. And I should know! I`ll have a look at my materials for the room on 80-115 level.

ok, im caught up from the weekend debates.... Katya, if the flatfrom is above the tunnel, is there a standard scissor lift to the hatch? special designed lift?

I'm informed it`s a Genie boom lift (imagine a small version of a cherry picker)

 

[Vernonpush]

this is why i have the blueprints framed in my office.

I would LOVE to see your blueprints sometime!

Yep, it`s an older version of my video. No credit posted (as I ask for) - typical. And at C***** YouTube Quality. GRRR!

If you want more (and better quality) please get "Spaceship Earth `86 & Commnunicore - Martins Ultimate Tribute" from www.mousebits.com (for free of course)

(no offence to jcowwns :wave: )

I wonder if Disney has Archive videos (or film) of their rides? It would be great if they released their "Rides of Yesteryear" DVD. Can you imagine: Mr. Toads Wild Ride,20,000 leagues Under the Sea, Imagination I, Horizons, World of Motion, Spaceship Earth, Energy I, etc. How much would you pay?
$39.99? $29.99? How about $19.82?
Come to think of it, what a great tribute to Epcot, a DVD of the original attractions of Epcot.

 

[joel_maxwell]

Yep, it`s an older version of my video. No credit posted (as I ask for) - typical. And at C***** YouTube Quality. GRRR!

If you want more (and better quality) please get "Spaceship Earth `86 & Commnunicore - Martins Ultimate Tribute" from www.mousebits.com (for free of course)

(no offence to jcowwns :wave: )

i thought i knew your style.

*high fives self*