As a part of EPCOT’s reimagining, Walt Disney World deliberate a multi-year Spaceship Earth refurbishment and overhaul. That reimagining was delayed indefinitely, however a undertaking remains to be possible on the horizon. We’ll focus on particulars & potential closure timelines, idea artwork for the overhaul, and why upkeep is lengthy overdue. (Up to date January 25, 2025.)
Let’s begin with the reimagining delay. Spaceship Earth’s reimagining was introduced on the 2019 D23 Expo after over a 12 months of rumors. Particulars have been restricted to a tease of the “story gentle” on the time. Then on February 25, 2020, Imagineering revealed that Spaceship Earth would shut a few months later, on Could 26. Then all of Walt Disney World closed lower than a month after the announcement and remained closed till mid-July. When EPCOT reopened, Spaceship Earth returned with it.
When EPCOT reopened after its 4 month closure, Walt Disney World had quietly eliminated idea artwork and scenes from the Epcot Expertise overview video and launched this assertion: “As with most companies throughout this era, we’re additional evaluating long-term undertaking plans. The choice was made to postpone improvement of the Mary Poppins-inspired attraction and Spaceship Earth at the moment.” That was the final official replace on the Spaceship Earth reimagining. Clearly, lots has modified within the final ~5 years.
January 25, 2025 Replace: It was a tough week for Spaceship Earth, an attraction that routinely has tough weeks. Though the attraction is lastly operational on the time of this replace, it was closed for nearly two full days and vital parts of others.
Whereas this has been a very dangerous week for Spaceship Earth, unscheduled downtime and upkeep just isn’t unusual for this attraction. As mentioned under, it was overdue to an precise refurbishment (not a reimagining) again when the undertaking was slated to start some 5 years in the past. Now I’m no scientist, however journey infrastructure doesn’t strike me as a kind of issues that improves with age or fixes itself.
As for when Spaceship Earth may go down at this level, the plain timing is after the Take a look at Monitor 3.0 reimagining. That attraction is slated to reopen in late Summer time 2025, which may imply something from late July via October 1, 2025. It may find yourself being even later if the undertaking has delays. Regardless, it’s not as if Take a look at Monitor will open sooner or later and Spaceship Earth would shut the following–there’s more likely to be a multi-month hole between the initiatives.
Walt Disney World is reluctant to take a number of main EPCOT points of interest offline on the identical time, so it’s unlikely that Spaceship Earth would shut for a prolonged undertaking previous to then. Even after the Take a look at Monitor undertaking, there’s nothing to say Spaceship Earth shall be subsequent on deck–there are a handful of points of interest in EPCOT needing assist.
One other complicating issue is that, previous to Take a look at Monitor 3.0 debuting, a new bar will open inside Spaceship Earth, changing the previous sponsor lounge that was vacated when the Siemens partnership ending. (The shortage of a sponsor for Spaceship Earth additionally complicates issues–the one purpose Take a look at Monitor is being redone is as a result of Basic Motors is footing a lot of the invoice.)
It will be a curious determination to open the lounge within the spring…solely to shut it once more a number of months later. It’s completely doable to have the lounge accessible whereas the journey itself is down for refurbishment or reimagining, however that may essentially entail altering the scope and scale of the undertaking versus what was beforehand introduced again in 2019/2020.
Frankly, that’s a secure guess, regardless. It’s been over 5 years because the Spaceship Earth reimagining idea was developed, and lots has modified since then–from management to budgets to know-how. Whereas there might be components of the Spaceship Earth: Our Shared Story undertaking that come to fruition, it’s additionally possible that there are main adjustments to what’s deliberate.
As for when an announcement might be made about Spaceship Earth being reimagined, the odds-on favourite is in the course of the 2025 Vacation spot D23 occasion at Walt Disney World over Labor Day weekend. That is the caliber of undertaking to be introduced at that occasion, versus D23 Expo in Anaheim.
As for closure timing, that basically relies on how urgently vital downtime is required. If Walt Disney World can get away with it, I’d hazard a guess that they’d push the beginning of the Spaceship Earth refurbishment into January 2026. If not, it may occur earlier. Or, if they’ll actually get away with it, they may not schedule something–or only a temporary closure. Walt Disney World has made fairly clear that they view the EPCOT overhaul as accomplished, so some main reimagining of Spaceship Earth could not occur till the early 2030s.
Bear in mind, all of that is speculative primarily based on a mix of the downtime plaguing Spaceship Earth and what we’ve heard about it being overdue for upkeep. There’s no assure that Walt Disney World will do something, as deferred upkeep has turn into the norm over the previous few years. That’s beginning to change, which is why we’re optimistic that this undertaking will lastly be put onto the calendar. Once more, it must occur–Spaceship Earth is in sorry form.
There’s appreciable work needing to be accomplished on the journey system that may’t wait an excessive amount of longer. After we first reported on the rumored reimagining, we shared that Spaceship Earth was overdue for monitor alternative. That was again in 2018.
Nearly seven years later, and that has not occurred. Spaceship Earth is mainly held along with duct tape at this level, experiencing extra downtime and having ever-increasing points. A bigger undertaking and longer downtime is desperately wanted. Spaceship Earth’s infrastructure badly wants work, and it may use an replace to indicate scenes, too.
What any Spaceship Earth refurbishment will entail stays to be seen at this level. It’ll be prolonged regardless–a number of months, if not a 12 months or longer. Whether or not it’ll be a full-scale reimagining or “simply” mandatory TLC will possible dictate whether or not the closure is on the longer or shorter finish of the spectrum.
If Spaceship Earth does get reimagined–and that’s actually wanted at this level, right here’s what may occur. That is all what was beforehand deliberate and will have modified considerably within the years because the Spaceship Earth: Our Shared Story undertaking was shelved…
Beforehand, Walt Disney World introduced that the reimagining can be “Spaceship Earth: Our Shared Story.”
It’s conceivable that this might nonetheless occur someday in 2025 or 2026. Once more, this work is overdue by a number of years, so in some unspecified time in the future, they gained’t be capable of postpone the required portion of the monitor upkeep and alternative any longer.
This reimagined Spaceship Earth was to have a brand new narration, a completely new musical rating, and new present scenes. Most notably, friends will observe a magical “Story Mild” that brings your entire expertise to life in dynamic methods, giving every scene vitality and sweetness that ties your entire journey collectively.
In Spaceship Earth: Our Shared Story, friends would go to Egypt, which is an element of the present model of the attraction–however it might be “an Egypt such as you’ve by no means seen earlier than, reworked via the ability of sunshine.”
Per Walt Disney Imagineering, this would be the Spaceship Earth’s fourth “and most bold” replace since EPCOT Middle’s grand opening on October 1, 1982. After all, that would very effectively be advertising and marketing puffery. It’s not as if Disney goes to tout this as “eh, possibly the third-most bold replace ever, give or take.”
Walt Disney World beforehand confirmed that the following iteration of Spaceship Earth will nonetheless concentrate on the story of humanity, following our lengthy journey from prehistoric people to at present delivered to life.
Lots of the present scenes in Spaceship Earth will stay within the attraction, however up to date with new know-how and blended along with brand-new scenes to inform a narrative about our shared human expertise. All through the reimagined Spaceship Earth, you’ll hear new narration and see how gentle performs a central function within the human journey. The attraction will come to life in dynamic methods in a celebration of what’s doable once we all come collectively.
Moreover, the again of Spaceship Earth was to be reworked with a brand new post-show.
Fortunately, adjustments outdoors Spaceship Earth really did occur. Not fully as introduced, however to a big extent. Upon exiting Spaceship Earth, there’s be a Dreamers Level, which incorporates a statue of Walt Disney seated on a curb.
This space behind Spaceship Earth will even characteristic pure environments, a wishing tree in an enchanted forest, and a narrative fountain taking part in Disney music. (These final two issues, sadly, didn’t occur. The realm behind Spaceship Earth is fairly uninteresting and uninspired.)
One factor that desperately wants to vary in Spaceship Earth is the descent. That is the basically the conclusion of the attraction, which is at present pushed by interactive screens within the journey car. Outdoors of that, there are some random triangles and curtains as present “scenes.”
The present descent has been lambasted by followers because it debuted over a decade in the past. Just about as quickly as the present model of the attraction debuted, there have been rumors that the descent was unfinished, and can be added to over time whereas the attraction was operational. Regardless of imprecise indicators of labor being accomplished, that by no means occurred.
No matter what occurs with the present scenes within the first half of the journey, it’s extremely possible that one thing shall be added to the descent throughout Spaceship Earth’s subsequent refurbishment or reimagining. It’s fairly apparent that Imagineering was not glad with it earlier than, and the interactive know-how has not aged effectively within the journey autos. The large unknown is whether or not the brand new Spaceship Earth descent shall be what you’re on this idea artwork, or one thing totally different completely.
Individually, I’m cautiously optimistic concerning the eventual Spaceship Earth refurbishment or reimagining.
The journey system badly wants it. Not solely that, the almost certainly adjustments will happen later within the attraction to scenes that I don’t suppose are significantly robust at current. From my perspective, there’s little probability that the longer term 180top and scenes thereafter is usually a downgrade from the present incarnation of Spaceship Earth. Ditto the brand new narration.
Furthermore, Imagineering has made some great strides with know-how because the final Spaceship Earth overhaul, and several other of these might be carried out to good impact. I’d imagined loads of projection mapping shall be used, but when we get a few of that Mystic Manor-esque ‘magic gentle mud’ that’d be icing on the cake.
With that stated, what follows right here is rumor (from pre-2020)–however all the previous rumors concerning the scope and specifics of Spaceship Earth’s overhaul have been formally confirmed by the corporate (earlier than being shelved), so this possible speaks to Imagineering’s intent with Spaceship Earth on the time the undertaking was introduced.
Once more, plans may have modified because the Spaceship Earth reimagining was first introduced. Nevertheless, to the extent there are adjustments, it’s possible the undertaking has been scaled again versus expanded. Spaceship Earth is sponsorless, and the price range for the EPCOT overhaul has been spent. Each time it does occur, this undertaking is not going to get the identical stage of funding it might have again in 2020.
The primary ingredient of the rumor is that every one scenes shall be refreshed previous to the Industrial Revolution, with extra vital adjustments for the scenes following that. It’s anticipated that the 180top shall be drastically reimagined using the newest in projection mapping tech. Through the closure there’s additionally more likely to be monitor alternative, new load and unload stations, and a brand new submit present.
Second, this refurbishment is anticipated to final between 1 and a couple of years. We’ve tried to nail this down extra particularly, and all we’ve heard is that it may final round 18 months.
Nevertheless, that was additionally again when Spaceship Earth was going to be one element of the larger image EPCOT overhaul. It was thus doable that a part of the rationale the undertaking would final so lengthy is as a result of Spaceship Earth would shut for the period (or not less than a serious part of) the central backbone redesign.
With the remainder of the EPCOT overhaul now completed, we’d count on a shorter closure. Principally, the minimal period of time for undertaking the required work on the monitor and journey system. Whether or not that’s 6 months or over a 12 months is past me. However no matter reimagining goes to occur should happen throughout that window, versus extending it.
On a constructive word, some enhancements did nonetheless come to Spaceship Earth, they only occurred outdoors the enduring geodesic sphere. First, EPCOT’s foremost entrance plaza reimagining has been accomplished, revealing the enduring prismatic pylon fountain in entrance of Spaceship Earth!
Three acrylic pylons standing over 16 ft tall and that includes the park’s emblem encompass the fountain and hearken again to the creation of EPCOT Middle. This completes the primary part of EPCOT’s huge overhaul, as the development partitions which have lined the entrance of the park for over a 12 months at the moment are down. The brand new entrance plaza seems to be good.
At night time, Spaceship Earth seems to be even higher. Epcot’s icon comes alive with new Beacons of Magic, an addition in the course of the World’s Most Magical Celebration for Walt Disney World’s fiftieth Anniversary.
New lights have really been put in in between the reflective panels of Spaceship Earth, connecting to at least one one other and resembling stars in a nighttime sky. Not like the opposite Beacons of Magic, these are the one everlasting new lighting which have continued past “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” as a defining characteristic of the reimagined Epcot. (Learn & see extra in Beacons of Magic at Epcot: Walt Disney World’s fiftieth Anniversary Spotlight!)
Finally, we’re nonetheless wanting ahead to extra adjustments to Spaceship Earth, and left questioning whether or not the reimagining undertaking may start across the time different new additions. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Remy’s Ratatouille Journey, Moana’s Journey of Water, and CommuniCore Corridor have all debuted, and the entrance of the park is as soon as once more be construction-free.
Consequently, it’s completely doable that Imagineering will let EPCOT have its “second” for a few years earlier than enterprise extra main initiatives. The reimagining of Spaceship Earth may then be a part of a second part of the EPCOT overhaul, becoming a member of Journey into Creativeness and [insert whatever else is on your personal wish list here]. It’s unlikely that Walt Disney World will launch an official timeline for this reimagining undertaking till Vacation spot D23 Expo in September 2025–and possibly not even then–however we’ll hold you posted as extra turns into recognized!
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Your Ideas
What do you consider this Spaceship Earth closure and reimagining? Ideas on when the undertaking will happen–if in any respect–now that it’s been delayed indefinitely? Excited for the outside enhancements? Might you deal with Spaceship Earth being closed for two years? Do you agree or disagree with our ideas right here? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
