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Spaceship Earth (Epcot)

Coordinates: 28°22′31″N 81°32′58″W / 28.375321°N 81.549408°W / 28.375321; -81.549408
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"Base 21" redirects here. For the number system, see Positional notation.
For the phrase, see Spaceship Earth. For the Sculpture, see Spaceship Earth (Sculpture).
Spaceship Earth
File:Spaceship Earth Epcot Logo.png
Ride statistics
Attraction typeDark ride
Manufacturer[[WED Enterprises]]
DesignerWED Enterprises
MusicBruce Broughton
Vehicle typeOmnimover
Duration13:26
Diameter165 ft (50 m)
Circumference518.1 ft (158 m)
Volume2,200,000 ft3 (62,000 m3)
Weight15,520,000 lbs (7,040,000 kg)
Number of tiles11,324
Average angle of descent20 degrees
Steepest angle of descent39 degrees
NotesThe sphere is raised 18 ft (5 m) off the ground by pylons sunk more than 120 ft (37 m) into the ground
Disabled access Wheelchair accessible

Spaceship Earth is the iconic and symbolic structure of Epcot, a theme park that is part of the Walt Disney World Resort. One of the most recognizable structures at the Walt Disney World Resort, it is not only the centerpiece and main focal point of Epcot, but also the name of the attraction housed within the 18-story geodesic sphere that takes guests on a time machine themed experience using the Omnimover system. The 13-minute dark ride shows guests how advancements in human communication have helped to create the future one step at a time. The attraction involves a timeline from the origins of prehistoric man to the dawn of the 21st century, where guests can then create a future for themselves.

History

Background

The structure was designed with the help of science fiction writer Ray Bradbury, who also helped write the original storyline for the attraction [1][2][3].

The term 'Spaceship Earth' was coined by Buckminster Fuller,[4] who also developed the structural mathematics of the geodesic dome.

The structure

Close-up of Spaceship Earth's Alucobond tiles

The structure is similar in texture to the United States pavilion from Expo 67 in Montreal, but unlike that structure, Spaceship Earth is a complete sphere, supported on legs. The structure's exterior is comparable to that of a large golf ball.[citation needed]

Geometrically, Spaceship Earth is a derivative of a pentakis dodecahedron, with each of the 60 isosceles triangle faces divided into 16 smaller equilateral triangles (with a bit of fudging to make it rounder)[citation needed]. Each of those 960 flat panels is sub-divided into four triangles, each of which is divided into three isosceles triangles to form each point. In theory, there are 11,520 total isosceles triangles forming 3840 points. In reality, some of those triangles are partially or fully nonexistent due to supports and doors; there are actually only 11,324 of them[5], with 954 partial or full flat panels[citation needed].

The appearance of being a monolithic sphere is an architectural goal that was achieved through a structural trick. Spaceship Earth's is in fact two structural domes. Six legs are supported on pile groups that are driven up to 160 feet into Central Florida's soft earth. Those legs support a steel box-shaped ring at the sphere's perimeter, at about 30 degrees south latitude in earth-terms.[6] The upper structural dome sits on this ring. A grid of trusses inside the ring supports the two helical structures of the ride and show system. Below the ring, a second dome is hung from the bottom, completing the spherical shape. The ring and trusses form a table-like structure which separates the upper dome from the lower. Supported by and about three feet off of the structural domes is a cladding sphere to which the shiny Alucobond panels and drainage system are mounted.

The cladding was designed so that when it rains, no water pours off the sides onto the ground. (All water is "absorbed" through one inch gaps in the facets and is collected in a gutter system - and finally channeled into the World Showcase Lagoon.)

Construction

Construction took 26 months and 40,800 labor hours to build. Extending upwards from the table are "quadropod" structures which support the smaller beams which form the actual shell of the steel skeleton. Pipes stand the aluminum skin panels away from the skeleton and provide space for utilities. A small service car is parked in the interstitial between the structural and cladding surfaces, and can carry a prone technician down the sides to access repair locations. The shop fabrication of the steel (done in nearby Tampa, Florida) was an early instance of computer aided drafting and materials processing.

The attraction throughout the years

Picture of Spaceship Earth, prior to recent changes

Spaceship Earth was sponsored by the Bell System originally, from 1982 until 1984. Bell was broken up into smaller companies in 1984, and its parent company, AT&T became its own independent company. AT&T would sponsor Spaceship Earth from 1984 until 2004. From 2005 onwards, German company Siemens has been the new sponsor of Spaceship Earth.

In October 1982, the attraction experience began as the ride vehicles moved up into the structure through a lighted tunnel enhanced by a fog machine, and then ascended on a spiraling track up through dark spaces featuring a series of lighted historic vignettes. The attraction featured actor Larry Dobkin as the narrator along with a very simple and quiet orchestral composition throughout the attraction.

A list of the scenes is below. The theme of communication through the ages was developed in chronological order in theatrical settings peopled with Audio-Animatronics figures. Actors were seen (and heard quietly) declaiming in a Greek theater. Charioteers carried messages from a Roman court, and Jewish and Islamic scholars discussed texts. With typical Disney whimsy, a monk was seen fallen asleep on a manuscript he was inscribing. Michelangelo, overhead, painted the ceiling of the Sistine chapel, and Gutenberg manned his printing press.

Spaceship Earth today.

Suggesting the rush of 20th-century technology, subsequent scenes melded together, overlapping each other as the circumference of the ride track narrowed. A newsboy hawked papers, a movie marquee and film clips represented the motion pictures, radio and television were represented. As the vehicles reached the large space at the apex of the ride system, guests saw, on the planetarium ceiling of the sphere, projections of stars, planets, the Milky Way, and, closest and largest, "spaceship earth." The Omnimover vehicles then revolved 180 degrees, so that that the passengers were lying backward facing the "sky" as they began their descent, on a relatively straight track. The attraction ended with guests hearing scientific audio from around the world, and seeing on a series of screens, projected scenes of computer graphics, scientific data, a space shuttle launch, among others. The ride stops intermittently as wheelchairs are loaded or unloaded.

Spaceship Earth at night.

In May 1986, the attraction was given a slight remodel. This second version of the attraction started off with the lightened tunnel enhanced by twinkling lights, meant to depict stars, with the fog machine removed. Famous news journalist Walter Cronkite was the new narrator, reading from an updated script. A theme song called Tomorrow's Child was composed for the ending of the attraction, which was redesigned with projected images of children on screens to help fit with the theme of "Tomorrow's Child".

In August 1994, the attraction was given a major remodel. This third version of the attraction kept the lightened tunnel as it was in 1986, and maintained the majority of the scenes depicted in the beginning and middle of the attraction. Three scenes toward the end of the attraction that showed a computer in a boy's bedroom of the 1980s, a woman's office of the 1980s, and a network operations center of the 1990s, were all removed and replaced with one scene depicting a boy and girl using the internet from America to Asia via instant communication. Actor Jeremy Irons was the new narrator, reading from an updated script. A new orchestral composition was composed for the beginning, middle, and end of the attraction. The ending itself was completely redone, with the removal of the Space Station scene located in the attraction's planetarium, replacement of an old projected image of Earth in the planetarium with a new image, and replacement of the 1982 and 1986 ending scenes of the ride them with miniature architectural settings connected by color-changing fiber optic cables and arrays of blinking lights representing electronic Communication pathways. The attraction re-opened in its third version on November 23, 1994.

On July 9, 2007, the attraction was again closed for another remodel that included a number of updates to the attraction. The attraction opened again with its fourth version in February 2008, with a new score composed by Bruce Broughton and new narration provided by Dame Judi Dench. The attraction's exterior was also modified for the 2007 renovations.

Post show

Earth Station

The original post show for Spaceship Earth was called Earth Station. It lasted from 1982 until 1994. It was a wide open exhibit space that included:

  • EPCOT Center Guest Relations
  • Seven large rear projector screens mounted on the walls of the exhibit space toward the ceiling that displayed visual previews of various EPCOT Center attractions.
  • WorldKey Information: Interactive kiosks that offered previews of various EPCOT Center attractions. Guests could also talk to a live cast member via two way closed circuit video, or make a restaurant reservation while in the park.

Global Neighborhood

When AT&T renewed their sponsorship in 1994, they redesigned the exhibit space for Earth Station into the Global Neighborhood. The original Global Neighborhood lasted from 1994 until 1999. In 1999, the exhibit space was updated to become the New Global Neighborhood for the Millennium Celebration. The exhibit space closed in 2004 after AT&T left as sponsor.

Project Tomorrow: Inventing the Wonders of the Future

AT&T's departure as sponsor in 2004 caused the exhibit to close. Siemens AG, the new sponsor of Spaceship Earth, having signed on in 2005, created a new exhibit space called Project Tomorrow: Inventing the Wonders of the Future. The new exhibit space once again uses the entire exhibit space that only Earth Station had once used. The new exhibit space houses interactive exhibits featuring various Siemens AG technology. These interactive displays and games allow guests to see the future of medicine, transportation and energy management. The space opened with two games, with two new games added in December 2007 and January 2008.

Project Tomorrow current attractions are:

  • An illuminated globe featuring an ever-changing collage of inspirational images of tomorrow.
  • Body Builder, a 3-D game allowing guests to build a digital human body.
  • Super Driver, a driving simulation video game featuring vehicle accident and avoidance systems. It simulates what is supposed to be the future of driving. You drive a "smart-car" and try to stop the city from being destroyed.
  • Power City, a large digital "shuffleboard-style" game that has guest racing around the board to power their city.
  • InnerVision, a coordination and reaction-time game with elements similar to Simon and Dance Dance Revolution[7]

VIP Lounge

A VIP lounge exists on the second floor at the back of the building that houses the post show for Spaceship Earth. It is a place for employees and customers of the current sponsoring company to relax while visiting the park. When Spaceship Earth was without sponsorship from 2004–2005, the room was utilized for private events such as weddings and conventions. The layout is small and curved in shape, with one wall consisting of large windows where visitors can look out onto the park.

When Siemens AG took over as sponsors, the lounge was given the name "Base21".[8]

Recent changes

The "magic wand" being removed in August 2007

In celebration of the year 2000, a large 25-story "magic wand" held by a representation of Mickey Mouse's hand was built next to the sphere. Inspiration for it came from the Sorcerer's Apprentice sequence of Fantasia (although Mickey did not actually use a magic wand in that sequence). At the top of the structure was a large cut out of the number 2000. While the structure wasn't technically meant to be permanent, it was constructed to have a life time of about 10 years. After the Millennium Celebration ended, the structure was left standing. In 2001, the number 2000 was replaced with the word "Epcot" in a script font which differs from the park's logotype. On the morning of July 5, 2007, it was officially announced by Epcot Vice President Jim MacPhee that Spaceship Earth would be restored to its original appearance and that the "magic wand" structure would be removed in time for the park's 25th anniversary on October 1, 2007. Seimens, the sponsor of Spaceship Earth is rumored to have requested the Wand removed as it did not fit their corporate image.

On July 9, 2007, the attraction itself was closed for refurbishment, and the surrounding area was walled off. By October 1, the entire wand structure, the stars, and the star supports had been removed. In addition, palm trees and other plants that originally stood where the structure was prior to 2000 were replaced.

Components of the structure were later auctioned on eBay.

2007 Renovations

With the new Siemens AG sponsorship, changes have been made to the ride and post show area. The ride's updates include new scenes, modifications to existing scenes; some new costumes, lighting, and props; a new musical score by Bruce Broughton, new narration by Judi Dench[9]; and a new interactive ending featuring a touch screen. New scenes show a Greek classroom, mainframe computers and the creation of the personal computer [10].

The "time machine" vehicles now have an interactive screen where riders can choose their vision of the future.[11] This resembles a similar idea on the now-defunct attraction Horizons. At the beginning of the ride, a camera takes riders' pictures (using facial recognition technology) which are used at the end of the ride to conduct an interactive experience about the future of technology, featuring the riders' faces on animated characters and narration by Cam Clarke. Visitors are now also asked where in our Spaceship Earth they live; this is used in the post-show area where a map of the world is displayed with the riders' faces on where they live.

The renovations were scheduled to be completed for a February 2008 reopening but the attraction opened for "soft launch" previews starting in December 2007. On February 15, 2008, the ride reopened officially after closing periodically in January for last-minute adjustments.

Ride scenes

Audio-animatronic cavemen in the first scene of the ride. The scene has since been updated with new figures and an animated background.

The ride begins with the Omnimover vehicles ascending into a dark tunnel with twinkling stars all around. Midway, the guests are asked to have their picture taken to be used later in the ride, and in the post-show. Guests then see prehistoric man fighting for survival, later on Cavemen are depicted, who developed the first spoken languages. Then guests see the Egyptians, who invented a system of hieroglyphs and made papyrus on which to record them; Phoenician merchants, who developed a written alphabet (the Phoenician alphabet); Ancient Greece, where the theater was a popular form of entertainment; and Ancient Rome, whose leaders built a vast system of roads all over Europe.

After the sacking of Rome by invaders, guests see scenes of the Middle Ages, when Jewish and Islamic scholars continued to progress in science, and when monks copied Bibles by hand. The attraction then moves on to the European Renaissance, the development of the movable-type printing press, and the 20th century communications revolution—newspapers, telegraphs, radio, telephones, movies, television, as well as the computer.

The remainder of the ride is involved in seeing a depiction of Earth from space, traveling through an infinite amount of stars and into a realm of glowing triangles. The guests can then use the touch-screens in their Omnimover vehicle to fill out a questionare to create a possible depiction of their future, which uses the pictures taken at the beginning of the ride.

Show scenes

This list corresponds to the current, fourth version of the ride.

The Phoenicians animatronics in an early scene from the ride discussing how phonetics came from Phoenician merchants.
  • Starfield
  • Face-Recognition Program
  • Starfield
  • Prehistoric Man
  • Cavemen
  • Egyptian Temple
  • Phoenician Merchants
  • Greek Math Teacher
  • The Roman Road Network
  • Islamic Empire
  • Cathedral Abbey
  • Gutenberg Press
  • Renaissance Italy
  • Industrial Revolution
  • The Age of Invention
  • The Age of Information
  • Tunnel of Facts and Figures
  • Spaceship Earth Planetarium
  • Infinite Stars
  • Descent Tunnel featuring Glowing Triangles and the questionare on the Omimover's touch-screen.

Attraction timeline

File:Epcot Spaceship Earth Logo.png
Spaceship Earth's original logo is no longer used in park material. It was visible at the entrance of the ride until the 2007 renovation.
October 1, 1982
  • Spaceship Earth opens with the opening of EPCOT Center.
  • Sponsored by the Bell System [12][13][14].
  • The narrator is (confirmed by Marty Sklar) Larry Dobkin.
May 26, 1986
  • Attraction reopens from first major renovation.
  • AT&T is now the sponsor, having signed on in 1984.
  • New narration by Walter Cronkite.
  • Finale music changed to Tomorrow's Child.
August 15, 1994
  • Closes for second major renovation.
  • "Home computer", "Office Computer", "Network Operations Center", and "Space Station" scenes removed.
  • New final scenes installed and replace old final scenes.
  • Earth Station closes.
  • Tomorrow's Child ending removed.
November 23, 1994
  • Attraction reopens.
  • New ride narration by Jeremy Irons.[15][16]
  • New ride score by Edo Guidotti [17].
  • The Global Neighborhood replaces Earth Station.
September 29, 1999
  • The Mickey Mouse arm holding a wand is dedicated with "2000" over Spaceship Earth.
November 24, 1999
  • The Global Neighborhood is replaced with The New Global Neighborhood, a new exhibit space serving as a hands-on playground for Spaceship Earth's post show.
May 2001
  • The Mickey Mouse arm holding a wand is changed to say "Epcot" over Spaceship Earth.
January 1, 2003
  • AT&T sponsorship ends.
April 2004
  • The New Global Neighborhood is removed and the area is boarded up. AT&T references removed.
November 2005
April 11, 2007
  • Major changes coming to Spaceship Earth are announced.[20]
April 25, 2007
  • The new exhibit space in Spaceship Earth's post show called Project Tomorrow: Inventing the Wonders of the Future opens.
July 5, 2007
  • Epcot Vice President Jim Macphee announces the removal of the wand structure in time for the park's 25th anniversary on October 1, 2007.
July 9, 2007
  • Closes for a fourth renovation.
  • Removal of the wand structure begins.
August 24, 2007
  • Removal of the wand structure completed.
December 2007
  • Guest previews of fourth edition begin.
February 15, 2008
  • Fourth edition opens to the general public after renovations.
  • New narration by Dame Judi Dench.
March 4, 2008
  • Spaceship Earth is rededicated.
Spaceship Earth narrators

Larry Dobkin: October 1, 1982 - May 26, 1986; Walter Cronkite: May 26, 1986 - August 15, 1994; Jeremy Irons: November 23, 1994 - July 9, 2007; Dame Judi Dench: February 15, 2008–present

See also

References

Mongello, Louis A. (2004). The Walt Disney World Trivia Book. The Intrepid Traveler. p. 125. ISBN 978-1887140492. The concept of the geodesic sphere came from Buckminster Fuller, who also coined the term "spaceship earth" in his 1964 book, An Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)

Notes

  1. ^ Ray Bradbury. "In 1982 he created the interior metaphors for the Spaceship Earth display at EPCOT Center, Disney World." http://www.raybradbury.com/bio.html
  2. ^ Ray Bradbury. "The images at Spaceship Earth in DisneyWorld's EPCOT Center in Orlando? Well, they are all Bradbury's ideas." http://www.raybradbury.com/articles_town_talk.html
  3. ^ Ray Bradbury. "He also serves as a consultant, having collaborated, for example, in the design of a pavilion at EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World." Referring to Spaceship Earth http://www.raybradbury.com/articles_book_mag.html
  4. ^ "'Bucky' Gets Lucky With Stamp". Wired.com, Danit Lidor, 07.12.04.
  5. ^ "The outer "skin" of Spaceship Earth is made up of 11,324 aluminum and plastic-alloy triangles." http://www.wdwnews.com/viewpressrelease.aspx?pressreleaseid=107995
  6. ^ http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2010/01/spaceship_earth_epcots_icon_pa_2.html
  7. ^ "Now open to Epcot guests, the first completed phases of Project Tomorrow" http://www.wdwnews.com/ViewPressRelease.aspx?PressReleaseID=106459
  8. ^ "Base21, a VIP center at Epcot for the exclusive use of Siemens employees and customers. The center serves as a hospitality and briefing center showcasing the company’s story of innovation and technology." http://www.usa.siemens.com/en/about_us/our_partnerships/disney_alliance.htm
  9. ^ Epcot's Spaceship Earth to reopen mid-December - OrlandoSentinel.com
  10. ^ Dehnart, Andy (2008-02-01). "Who's the Mystery Man in Epcot's Garage? Neither Woz nor Jobs". Wired. Retrieved 2008-03-03.
  11. ^ Epcot’s Spaceship Earth Presented by Siemens is Transformed with a "Re-Imagined" Time-Travel Adventure and a New Finale http://www.wdwnews.com/ViewPressRelease.aspx?PressReleaseID=106459
  12. ^ Bell System. "The original promotional material for the park listed the sponsor for Spaceship Earth as the Bell System. But on January 8, 1982, nine months before the park opened, the Bell System announced its breakup, due to government regulations, into AT&T and several smaller, regional companies, which would be complete by January 1, 1984. So then during 1982 and 1983, the Bell System was the sponsor, but by 1984, the sponsor was listed as AT&T." http://www.startedbyamouse.com/features/spaceship_earth02.shtml
  13. ^ Bell System. "However, just nine months before the opening of EPCOT Center , "Bell System" broke up into AT&T and other smaller local and long distance companies known as "Baby Bells." However, "Bell System," although no longer in existence for all practical purposes, was still the sponsor of the attraction up until 1984, when the "Bell System" finally came to an end." http://www.disneyworldtrivia.com/articleViewer.php?aid=74
  14. ^ Bell System. "Spaceship Earth is certainly no joke. Certainly not to the Bell System, which is spending perhaps $30 million or more (no figure has been announced) on this communications showplace." article from Orlando Magazine in May 1982 http://web.archive.org/web/20040628024158/http://intercot.com/edc/SpaceshipEarth/sptotom.html
  15. ^ Jeremy Irons. "Spaceship Earth (1994) .... Narrator" http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000460/
  16. ^ Jeremy Irons. "EPCOT: Spaceship Earth ~ Narrator ~" http://www.jeremy-irons.com/voice/
  17. ^ Original Score. "Spaceship Earth, 1994 Original Score" http://www.pcpmusic.com/pc.client.htm
  18. ^ Siemens 2005. "Siemens will sponsor several rides and attractions at Walt Disney World Resort including the Epcot icon, “SpaceShip Earth,” the nighttime Epcot fireworks show, “Illuminations: Reflections of Earth,”" http://web.archive.org/web/20060215093100/http://www.sylvania.com/AboutUs/Pressxpress/Innovation/LightingNews(US)/USLIGHTINGNEWS0106.htm
  19. ^ Siemens 2006. "Siemens will sponsor several rides and attractions at Walt Disney World Resort including the Epcot icon, "SpaceShip Earth," the nighttime Epcot fireworks show, "Illuminations: Reflections of Earth,"" http://www.sea.siemens.com/automat/GOAmerica/Archive/2006%20March.pdf
  20. ^ WDWNews.com - Walt Disney World Resort
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