Spaceship Earth Revamp - Wonderful AND Woeful

[crazeedizneefinatic]

I am optomistic. I think Disney will unveil a ending after all once everything is complete. Seems to me the ride is open some days some days not? Maybe they are collecting feedback and are going to WOW us in the end. At least this is what I hope. SSE was one of our favorite rides in Epcot.

[Ian]

I am optomistic. I think Disney will unveil a ending after all once everything is complete.

I'm not sure if you read this entire thread or not, but that's not going to happen. INTERCOT sources have confirmed that, basically, what you see is what you get. There's no major surprise coming ... the end is the end.

[Disney-lovin' Dutchman]

The first half was very cool, felt like the original..I have to say, I liked Jeremy Irons better than Dench.

The music is terrible and you really miss the old music at the top of SE, the descent is boring, the movie you see was funny ONCE but it doesn't warrant repeat riding..

So 10 minutes is superb, waiting for 5 minutes until the "movie" is over,was terrible..what a waste of space

[DigitalDaredevil]

I was listening to the Jeremy Irons version tonight and I realized that not only do I like it because it was the version I first experienced, but I also found that I can listen to it again and again. The Judi Dench version is not something that can comfortably be listened to again and again. I agree with other's posts that her narration is set to children.
Besides Horizons, this is my favorite attraction. I loved how I could ride it again and again and still get all excited about it. But now, I don't have those feelings. I am glad that they did not remove SSE like the rumors were a couple years ago, and the animatronics are amazing, but it is missing that magic. If they are not going to put anything at the end of the ride they should change the narration to make it more tolerable.

[Donald A]

I saw it a couple weeks ago at the "soft opening." I did not think it was that bad. The decent is long IF THE VEHICLE STOPS. I am not sure why it does, but it was a soft opening. I thought the movie was funny, and once again if the ride doesn't stop the movie takes up a lot of the "downtime" during the decent. I rode it 4 or 5 times last trip and still list it as one of my favorites.

[WEDTOPIA]

I've been away from these boards for the last 2 months , so thought my first reply should be on this hot topic.
Spaceship Earth is my 2nd favorite attraction in WDW and I've been dreading it's rehab since the day it was announced. I wasn't ever that worried about the ascent portion , but I was totally afraid of what they might do to the descent . It appears my worst fears have been realized. I always enjoyed the fiber optics and the music , but at the same time I knew that the Imagineers were capable of doing more. But I also watched as they threw out all the storylines in the other pavilions and created - an unimaginative Imagination , an excluded version of the future ( Mission Space ) , and a thrill ride in lieu of history ( Test Track ). Not to mention , a closed pavilion ( Wonders of Life ) , a celebrity attraction ( Ellen ) , a Sealife pavilion that isn't so concerned with actual living sea-life ( just the animated variety ) , and a Land attraction that takes you.......in the air ?

Don't get me totally wrong . I enjoy some of this stuff , but not as much as the stuff that made you think a little. Not to mention all that incredible detail that Disney is (was) known for.

At least they kept the story and the detail in most of SSE. But if I want to stare at a video screen I can go to an arcade ,or better yet ,sit here at my computer and type out rambling messages into cyberspace.

If what is being said about the ending of this ride is true ( and I don't see how you could mis-interpret black curtains and a cartoon ) then the Disney folk have hit rock bottom. Am I wrong , or hasn't Disney been making movies for about 80 + years ? A hook in the beginning, a storyline to cling to in the middle , and a big finish at the end( read: happy ending ). Isn't that the key to a successful movie ? Just the way Walt carried over that principle when he built Disneyland. The whole park was like a movie , as was each attraction . And that formula carried over to WDW and worked very well until about 12 years ago when things changed.

All I can say is ...huh?????? What is going on ? The centerpiece of Epcot and you can't figure out how to end the ride ????? Interactive is good for things like Buzz and Toy Story Mania where you actually are interacting with colorful and imaginative surroundings. But not when all you are basically doing is taking a test while traveling through an empty warehouse .
I won't get into the Judy Dench thing until I hear it , but I can't imagine it being in a league with Jeremy Irons.

I am definately putting in my 2 cents to corporate .Thanks for the addresses John.

[Crow]

I've been away from these boards for the last 2 months , so thought my first reply should be on this hot topic.
Spaceship Earth is my 2nd favorite attraction in WDW and I've been dreading it's rehab since the day it was announced. I wasn't ever that worried about the ascent portion , but I was totally afraid of what they might do to the descent . It appears my worst fears have been realized. I always enjoyed the fiber optics and the music , but at the same time I knew that the Imagineers were capable of doing more. But I also watched as they threw out all the storylines in the other pavilions and created - an unimaginative Imagination , an excluded version of the future ( Mission Space ) , and a thrill ride in lieu of history ( Test Track ). Not to mention , a closed pavilion ( Wonders of Life ) , a celebrity attraction ( Ellen ) , a Sealife pavilion that isn't so concerned with actual living sea-life ( just the animated variety ) , and a Land attraction that takes you.......in the air ?

Don't get me totally wrong . I enjoy some of this stuff , but not as much as the stuff that made you think a little. Not to mention all that incredible detail that Disney is (was) known for.

At least they kept the story and the detail in most of SSE. But if I want to stare at a video screen I can go to an arcade ,or better yet ,sit here at my computer and type out rambling messages into cyberspace.

If what is being said about the ending of this ride is true ( and I don't see how you could mis-interpret black curtains and a cartoon ) then the Disney folk have hit rock bottom. Am I wrong , or hasn't Disney been making movies for about 80 + years ? A hook in the beginning, a storyline to cling to in the middle , and a big finish at the end( read: happy ending ). Isn't that the key to a successful movie ? Just the way Walt carried over that principle when he built Disneyland. The whole park was like a movie , as was each attraction . And that formula carried over to WDW and worked very well until about 12 years ago when things changed.

All I can say is ...huh?????? What is going on ? The centerpiece of Epcot and you can't figure out how to end the ride ????? Interactive is good for things like Buzz and Toy Story Mania where you actually are interacting with colorful and imaginative surroundings. But not when all you are basically doing is taking a test while traveling through an empty warehouse .
I won't get into the Judy Dench thing until I hear it , but I can't imagine it being in a league with Jeremy Irons.

I am definately putting in my 2 cents to corporate .Thanks for the addresses John.

Thats a pretty good way of putting things!

[Ian]

Thats a pretty good way of putting things!

[JPL]

I was on SSE about 5 times this past week and there are some major problems I feel Disney is going to have with this rendition.

1. People don't like being talked down to and that is exactly how I felt with the new narration.

2. The PC police are going to be all over the ending movie. I played around with the choices and on 2 occaisions I chose cooking and cleaning as things I didn't like to do and it put my head on the body of the woman. Leaving me on my voyage with a guy. It won't take long before people realize the sexist view of the ride. And certain groups will really make a stink.

3. The photo on the cartoon looks like a really bad photshop cut and paste job.

4. I saw several cars with the computer screens offline already.

5. When the ride stopped it lost audio sync and the screen had to reboot leaving me without audio through several scenes.

Overall unless they really decide to do more major changes I will be skipping this attraction more often than riding. It fell off my muss see list to my I have some time kill and there is no line list.

[John]

Finally got the chance to ride it myself this week after reporting on it for months.

Like Jeff, the ride has now moved from my MUST DO list to the likes of Imagination - where I only will do it if I have time.

This is really saying something as formerly - it was my favorite attraction in all of the parks - hands down.

The narration didn't bug me that much but the end of the ride is a total piece of garbage. The first half of the ride was fine though I wouldn't call it an improvement - more a refreshing which I am ok with.

Oh, and the mono color, cheap "star" lighting overhead is something to be ashamed of. Yes ASHAMED OF - Imagineering - hang your head low on this one.

I get the idea of interaction and it could have been interesting if done well and the surroundings interacted with the screens but this just stunk.

My kids 11 and 13 and wife agreed. None had the desire to do it more than once.

[sorarail]

Wow, I think it's been awhile since I was on this ride. I seem to remember Robin Williams and Walter Cronkite! I don't remember a Jeremy Irons' voice over at all! How long was his voice used?

[Ian]

I don't remember a Jeremy Irons' voice over at all! How long was his voice used?

From 1982 until the first refurb in 1986, the attraction was narrated by actor Vic Perrin. In 1986, Perrin was replaced with the Cronkite narration. Cronkite was replaced by Jeremy Irons in 1994.

[Carol]

Here's the official press release on the change;

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Spaceship Earth, the iconic centerpiece of Epcot, relaunches in February with changes and refinements installed during more than seven months of construction and detailing.

Presented by Siemens, the relaunched Spaceship Earth looks on the outside like it did when Epcot opened a quarter century ago. But on the inside, Spaceship Earth has undergone changes since summer 2007 that will treat guests to an innovative "interactive" attraction with many new scenes, new costumes and set decorations, new lighting and special effects, a new musical score and narration, and a totally re-themed interactive post-show.

On a trip through time inside the Spaceship Earth attraction, guests discover how each generation of mankind has invented the future for the next generation, and how the spirit of innovation has moved people from caves to the cosmos.

During the journey, new scenes depict: a family in the late 1960s viewing the moon landing on television; a massive, two-story computer room of the late 1960s with reel-to-reel-computers; a garage of the early 1970s where the "personal computer" is born; and a "tech tunnel" in which guests become part of a digital data stream.

Even scenes that guests have experienced since 1982 have been touched by the project. "Practically every Audio-Animatronics figure in Spaceship Earth has been updated in one way or another," said Show Producer Bob Zalk of Walt Disney Imagineering. "To make the figures more realistic, they've received a makeover of everything from their hair to their costumes to their movements."

Meanwhile, the makeover of the narration and music benefited from some "star power":

The new narration is delivered by English actress Dame Judi Dench, who earned an Oscar as best supporting actress in 1999 for her role in the motion picture "Shakespeare in Love." While Dench delivers the ride vehicle narration in English, guests can also choose five other languages for their vehicle, a Disney "first" -- French, German, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish.

The new musical score was composed by Bruce Broughton, who has won a record 10 Emmy Awards and has been nominated for an Oscar and a Grammy during a career writing in every medium -- from theatrical releases and TV feature films to the concert stage and computer games. A 62-piece orchestra and 24-voice choir brings his latest composition to life.

As the ride-through adventure nears its finish, interactive touch-screens in the ride vehicles light up with a series of questions, soliciting guests' preferences concerning things such as where they'd like to live and work in the future. Then guests are treated to a personalized view of themselves in their idyllic future.

When guests disembark the time travel experience, they are invited to visit "Project Tomorrow: Inventing the World of Tomorrow" presented by Siemens, where interactive exhibits bring to life the ideas and technologies Siemens is developing to help make the world a better place for the future. The space is filled with fun, interactive games and displays that showcase innovative technologies. Here, guests step into the world of tomorrow and glimpse the future of medicine, transportation and responsible energy management across the globe. Project Tomorrow includes:

Body Builder, a 3-D interactive game that enables users to assemble a digital human body, simulating the Siemens technology developed to perform remote surgeries.

Super Driver, a driving simulation video game that showcases motor vehicle accident avoidance systems developed by Siemens.
Innervision, a view into the future of medical diagnostics in the home.

Power City, a game that demonstrates how to manage power in a growing city.

Epcot is the Walt Disney World discovery park, where guests are immersed in a celebration of both technological accomplishments and international cultural achievements. The 305-acre theme park encompasses two unique worlds -- Future World and World Showcase -- with attractions, shows, entertainment, dining, shopping and architectural wonders. Epcot is part of the 25,000-acre Walt Disney World Resort, near Orlando, Fla.

[JPL]

While Dench delivers the ride vehicle narration in English, guests can also choose five other languages for their vehicle, a Disney "first" -- French, German, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish.

Wow now it can stink in six different languages

[Ian]

But on the inside, Spaceship Earth has undergone changes since summer 2007 that will treat guests to an innovative "interactive" attraction with many new scenes, new costumes and set decorations, new lighting and special effects, a new musical score and narration, and a totally re-themed interactive post-show.

Well they got part of it right ... there's definitely new scenes, costumes, lighting, etc.

However, innovative? Uh ... if "innovative" means "regressed from the original", "dull", and "uninspiried", then yeah I agree.

And "interactive"? Please ... answering a few pointless questions and watching an embarrassingly low quality, ten second animation does not count as being "interactive."

[Jeff]

I never thought the "communication" part at the end was that good anyhow - but the new ending is ridiculously unimaginative.

That being said, what I missed the most was the white Roman horse and chariot going down the roads built by the Roman Empire. I know, a small detail but one I always thought was cool.

[Scar]

Here's the official press release on the change;


As the ride-through adventure nears its finish, interactive touch-screens in the ride vehicles light up with a series of questions, soliciting guests' preferences concerning things such as where they'd like to live and work in the future. Then guests are treated to a personalized view of themselves in their idyllic future.

Is this their way of trying to tell us that the bad part is just a small part of the ride instead of the last 1/3rd?

[Celestria]

I never thought the "communication" part at the end was that good anyhow - but the new ending is ridiculously unimaginative.

That being said, what I missed the most was the white Roman horse and chariot going down the roads built by the Roman Empire. I know, a small detail but one I always thought was cool.

it was there when i rode it in december 2007, did they take it out since then?

[Jeff]

it was there when i rode it in december 2007, did they take it out since then?

I rode it on Dec. 29th or so. It was not in the background of the Roman scene. Perhaps the "projector" image was just not working that day????????

[Altair]

Here's the official press release on the change;

When guests disembark the time travel experience, they are invited to visit "Project Tomorrow: Inventing the World of Tomorrow" presented by Siemens, where interactive exhibits bring to life the ideas and technologies Siemens is developing to help make the world a better place for the future. The space is filled with fun, interactive games and displays that showcase innovative technologies.
Body Builder, a 3-D interactive game that enables users to assemble a digital human body, simulating the Siemens technology developed to perform remote surgeries.

Super Driver, a driving simulation video game that showcases motor vehicle accident avoidance systems developed by Siemens.
Innervision, a view into the future of medical diagnostics in the home.

Power City, a game that demonstrates how to manage power in a growing city.

The problem with these interactive games is they tend to be monopolized by just a few who never seem to move on to allow others a chance. Not fun, just frustrating.