We have reached the end of our journey, and our world has changed so much. I hope that you’re safe and healthy! We’ve had our own challenges here at The Tomorrow Society, but we’re hanging in there. Looking back at Spaceship Earth has kept my brain focused on better things. Before I close the book on this project, we should spend a little bit of time at Earth Station and in our Global Neighborhood.
When I was a kid, I could have spent hours watching the screens above the post-show Earth Station. The clips provided clever, animated sneak peeks at other attractions at EPCOT Center. It was a brilliant way to excite guests about the park. Many likely visited Spaceship Earth first and might not be an expert on the other Future World pavilions. It also brought a great energy to this entire space.
The other highlight of this space was the collection of WorldKey Information System kiosks. Having the chance to actually select options with our fingers was amazing! The choices played basic LaserDisc videos, which were revolutionary at the time. You could also make restaurant reservations by interacting with a live Disney cast member. That meant little to me as a kid, however. I just cared about seeing the attraction info.
A Global Neighborhood
Opening in 1994 and coinciding with the Jeremy Irons version of Spaceship Earth, AT&T’s Global Neighborhood was a big change. I’m sad to admit that I remember very little from it. It’s one of the rare parts of this pavilion’s history where I feel like a novice. I’m discovering an entirely new part of Disney history while researching this article.
The look of the entire area changed completely for the Global Neighborhood with exhibits that felt more like Innoventions than Earth Station. The focus with this space was now about interactivity through a variety of new technologies. These including video chats, a story-teller phone, and other ways to communicate. A simulator also let us ride AT&T’s fiber-optic network on a moving platform. There was a lot to do!
In hindsight, I wish that I’d spent more time exploring this space, but there were too many other draws. That was also the case with Project Tomorrow, the most recent post-show from Siemens. There was always a decent crowd inside this space, but I usually just looked at our pictures from the descent video on the big screen. This space has been documented well on YouTube, which isn’t the case with the earlier versions.
A Changing Theme
At the 2019 D23 Expo, Bob Chapek announced a major update for Spaceship Earth with a new theme of storytelling. The original closure date for this overhaul was May 26, but it’s hard to say what will happen. Those ideas were scrapped, but I’m still nervous about future changes. Spaceship Earth is one of the few attractions that still hearkens back to the original Future World at least with its theme.
Rumors did appear from Jill Hill and other sources prior to the pandemic that Disney was limiting its update of Spaceship Earth. I want to see big improvements to the attraction, so again I have mixed feelings here. The descent needs a lot of help, but I don’t want too much Disney IP (if any) inside this attraction. A more limited rehab could save us from those changes, and the lost revenue during the parks’ closure should also play a role. Disney is going to closely examine all costs for its projects.
Spaceship Earth: Tribute Edition
Before I conclude this series, I’d like to present my dream version of Spaceship Earth. I’d love to see a new edition that both honors the past and the future. First of all, the space station sets remain in the planetarium. Along with new projection mapping, Disney could bring back those physical sets with enhancements using the latest technology. We still are barely living in space, so it’s not outdated to include this scene.
Disney could take a similar approach to the descent, where the physical sets still exist. They could bring them back with updates that reflect today and a potential future. In both of these examples, it wouldn’t cost a fortune to make these edits. A new version of “Tomorrow’s Child” would also appear during the reinvigorated descent scenes. Much of the ascent could remain from the Dench version, with a few added touches like inserting a digital chariot image back into the Roman scene.
I would include narration from Dench, Irons, Cronkite, Perrin, and a new speaker to bring it all together. Despite the tonal shifts, skilled writers could find a way to craft a cohesive narrative. The focus would remain on communications and innovation, with a slight look inward at this attraction. Spaceship Earth could honor both the past and future of our world and Walt Disney Imagineering. It would maintain the spirit of EPCOT Center for generations to come and remain the park’s iconic attraction.
Thanks so much for joining me on this voyage through Spaceship Earth!
Sources: INTERCOT, Martin’s Videos
I enjoyed this series enormously! I’m bummed by April trip is cancelled as I planned to say a final goodbye to Spaceship Earth in its current form – but I’m tentatively excited to see what the refurb brings. Here’s hoping for scenes on the descent!
Thanks Jenn! It’s been a lot of fun to do this series. I suspect that Disney may pull back on a lot of the changes inside the attraction, but I really hope they do something with the descent. It needs help!