Spaceship Earth Revamp - Wonderful AND Woeful

[PirateLover]

all those scenes going down were about communication, fitting for AT&T but not exactly for siemans..

Actually, Siemens is a major conglomerate and one of their six divisions is in fact communications. Also, the ride was always about the history of communications....

[Marker]

Regardless of the comments I've read, and the abundance of negativity about the changes, I'm looking forward to seeing the revamped Spaceship Earth.

I love ready people's opinions, but take what a read not just with a grain of salt, but a whole block of salt. There are always al lot of people who simply are never going to like anything that changes. There as also folks who are just intent of find fault whether it's justified or not. I think I'll continue to look forward to riding it, and make my judgement AFTER I see it for myself, AFTER the refurb is complete.

Guess I'm just not into advance negativity or pre-judging. I'll wait for the actual thing.

I'm also ok with the fact that they changed it. I know the ride is going to be different, and I know it's always been a favorite. But if we never change anything, we'll always just have the same old thing. What it was is now a fond memory, but what it is will be a new adventure. I'm ok with letting go and judging new based on what it is rather than comparing it to what it was. As was, though I thoroughly enjoyed it, I rode it as mainly a nostalgia thing. There was nothing new about it, it was not a high energy or overly entertaining experience. It was (and I've heard others say this) a relaxing break, a cool spot, that honestly sometimes resulted in a momentary doze. Living on nostalgia is all fine and good, but I'm looking forward to seeing something different.

Sorry to not be negative, but it's just not in me here. I'll ready all the opinions, but I'll hold off on making my assessment until I've ridden the final version for myself.

[Mackflava99]

[QUOTE
I'm also ok with the fact that they changed it. I know the ride is going to be different, and I know it's always been a favorite. But if we never change anything, we'll always just have the same old thing. What it was is now a fond memory, but what it is will be a new adventure. QUOTE]

I agree 100%- There is good change and I look forward to seeing it- and its not like they took the Sphere and made it a Triangle- or replaced it with a "History of Table Salt" theme.

I remember when the Tiki Room was upgraded, or test track took over for World of Motion- Hesitant at first but now its a new part of our experience.
If they removed it, then I would complain, but upgrading it is a good thing,

[Ian]

Guess I'm just not into advance negativity or pre-judging. I'll wait for the actual thing.

Just so we're clear, I'm not "pre-judging it."

I rode it. It stinks (IMO). I'm post-judging it.

Honestly, you're more than welcome to wait and form your own opinions (in fact, I'd think less of you if you didn't), but I'll frankly be shocked if even the most "rose colored glasses" among us are happy with this revamp.

It seriously looks like they just flat out ran out of money once they hit the top of the ride. It's nothing short of an embarrassment.

[John]

...and I was looking forward to riding the revamped Journey Into Imagination too after reading about the redo in Disney Magazine... and then I rode it and realized everything everyone was saying was correct.

Imagineering failed.

Sometimes "upgrading" is a bad thing. Just look at Windows Vista for proof!

[Red Randal]

I REALLY wanted to withhold judgement on it until I rode it but I have no idea how long it's going to be before I get to Florida again (March is a pipe dream, summer 2008 is unlikely, and 2009 or 2010 seems the most realistic, sadly.) So, being the resident ride reviewer around here (self-professed, of course, haha) I think it's time I chime in.

The animatronics scenes seem basically unchanged, which is a good thing, since everyone feared they might be "ruined." I'm glad that the earth and the stars remained at the top of the ride (which some early reports had gone, as I understand it.) I don't necessarily have a problem with the descent being "nothing" except the screen portions (though it wouldn't have killed them to put in some fiberoptic lights or something) except for the fact that the screen stuff looks terrible. I only saw the 10 second clip on Intercot but it seems like some really cheezy Horizons-level hokieness. A FLYING CAR. C'mon. Could they have picked a more ridiculous cliche?

It doesn't seem to have been made worse (since the scenes they removed from the old ride were awful in and of themselves) but it's not really an outstanding improvement. I'll withold final judgement until I ride it but, hey, let's count our blessings. At least it's not a roller coaster.

[Ian]

II only saw the 10 second clip on Intercot but it seems like some really cheezy Horizons-level hokieness. A FLYING CAR. C'mon. Could they have picked a more ridiculous cliche?

You really have to experience the video segment in conjunction with the blankness around you to actually get the full feel for how terrible it really is.

There is not one shred of creativity or imagination used from the top of the ride to the end. The entire video sequence is one ludicrous, Jetsons-like cliche after another. Horrific.

[WriteDisney]

Sorry to not be negative, but it's just not in me here. I'll ready all the opinions, but I'll hold off on making my assessment until I've ridden the final version for myself.

I agree completely. Well said.

[DizneyRox]

Jim "Consider the Source" Hill has eluded to the fact that it's only open now to help with park capacity issues (meaning profits as I stated earlier). Which may mean there are some changes coming.

The problems I have in believing that, as much as I want to, is that with this being the busiest time of the year, you're going to dissapoint a lot of people. Word of mouth will travel like a California wildfire and then the Internet will get up in arms over the whole thing. So, to risk all the bad press, and it is getting a lot of bad press, doesn't make a ton of sense.

Who knows, maybe they will be able to finish the other 1/2 of the ride in a couple of months. Maybe the elves will stop by once XMas is over and lend a hand. It appears they need all the help they can get.

[lindique]

You really have to experience the video segment in conjunction with the blankness around you to actually get the full feel for how terrible it really is.

There is not one shred of creativity or imagination used from the top of the ride to the end. The entire video sequence is one ludicrous, Jetsons-like cliche after another. Horrific.

I concur totally. And I saw it twice, just to make sure I wasn't imagining anything. (Actually, that was the problem - they didn't imagineer ANYTHING!!)You cannot believe the letdown after the great things they did on the first half of the ride. I exited in total disbelief and shock at what they had done to the ride.

[Ian]

Jim "Consider the Source" Hill has eluded to the fact that it's only open now to help with park capacity issues (meaning profits as I stated earlier). Which may mean there are some changes coming.

I certainly don't mean to disparage Jim Hill's credibility, but John has a pretty darn good source in Imagineering and it's been basically confirmed to us that what you see is what you get.

I think we can say with above 90% certainty that what you're seeing is what you're getting, barring maybe a few tweaks here and there.

[DizneyRox]

I too think that what's currently there is what we get. I found it interesting though. I do know they need the capacity or risk turning folks away at the busiest time of year. And it's just so darn hard to beleive they would let it end with such a let down.

The animatronics up to the 1/2 point are fantastic! I don't mind anything up until there really (besides the narration), and then... darkness! An endless void of uncreativity.

Not surprising, but disappointing nonetheless.

[CareBear_04]

Disney, sadly, seems to have repeated itself with ride revamps. When I was little, Journey Into Imagination was my favorite ride, that is until they decided to change it. People were disappointed with that version, and so they changed it again. Now, it's completely lost the "spark" it had. I liked Spaceship Earth just the way it was. Why did they have to go and change it?

[Celestria]

Actually, Siemens is a major conglomerate and one of their six divisions is in fact communications. Also, the ride was always about the history of communications....

i truthfully do not know what type of company siemans is. i just guessed it didn't have anything to do with communication, since i never heard of it.

[Red Randal]

You really have to experience the video segment in conjunction with the blankness around you to actually get the full feel for how terrible it really is.

There is not one shred of creativity or imagination used from the top of the ride to the end. The entire video sequence is one ludicrous, Jetsons-like cliche after another. Horrific.

Like I said, I haven't been on it yet but now I'm more curious than anything else. Would you compare it to that part of the new Journey into Imagination where it just has a sign that says "Figment, This Way -->" before you get to the "house" because they wanted to use the scene from the old ride but couldn't come up with something to put right before it? Because that's how it sounds. "We really want to do this video screen thing, hopefully people won't notice they're in a GIANT EMPTY ROOM and just focus on the little thing we want them to look at."

[Spaceship Tigger]

I think what they've done is to try and avoid what has happened before in Horizons and Spaceship Earth - create new scenes of the future that become outdated and in need of replacement in a few years. They created video scenes that they could easily change inexpensively instead of actual ride scenes.

But I hate the thought of the descent now being an empty black tunnel. If they were to re-add some lighting and sound effects and improve the video then the rehab would be much better.

[Ian]

The animatronics up to the 1/2 point are fantastic! I don't mind anything up until there really (besides the narration), and then... darkness!

I agree. I think that's one of the things that makes the ending so bad ... the first 1/2 is so good!

Would you compare it to that part of the new Journey into Imagination where it just has a sign that says "Figment, This Way -->" before you get to the "house" because they wanted to use the scene from the old ride but couldn't come up with something to put right before it?

It's worse ... at least that segment has a sign on the wall. SE is just blank, black curtains.

[PawleyPlatoon]

Oh, man!! This whole thing just sounds completely awful. It seems the more reports we get, the worse it gets.

And to top it off, there doesn't seem to be one darn thing we can do about it!

[goofy for pluto]

Disney, sadly, seems to have repeated itself with ride revamps. When I was little, Journey Into Imagination was my favorite ride, that is until they decided to change it. People were disappointed with that version, and so they changed it again. Now, it's completely lost the "spark" it had. I liked Spaceship Earth just the way it was. Why did they have to go and change it?

Welcome To INTERCOT
CareBear_04

[lindique]

And to top it off, there doesn't seem to be one darn thing we can do about it!

Well, maybe there is - John posted the names and addresses of executives at the Walt Disney Company a few pages back on this thread somewhere. Why not write (snail mail is better) and let the company know exactly what you think? I did!