Disney News

Tag: spaceship Earth

  • First Look: New Lighting Fixtures Being Added to Spaceship Earth Epcot

    First Look: New Lighting Fixtures Being Added to Spaceship Earth Epcot

    A few weeks ago Disney shared the exciting plans for new Spaceship Earth lighting debuting during the 50th anniversary celebration Walt Disney World. Now we have a first look at one of the new light fixtures being added to the iconic attraction at Epcot.

    As part of “The World’s Most Magical Celebration,” Spaceship Earth will transform into magnificent Beacons of Magic at night, coming to life with an EARidescent glow.

    The attraction will have new lights that will shine across the reflective panels, connecting to one another and resembling stars in a nighttime sky. Take a look at the installation below:

    “Our team at Imagineering has been hard at work innovating the design and technology for this poetic and inspirational lighting concept,” Imagineer Zach Riddley said in an online post. “We’ve had to get quite ingenious in how we go about installing these new fixtures and all the high-tech systems so that they seamlessly integrate with the iconic profile of Spaceship Earth.”

    Riddley said after this test crews will begin installing the new lighting package from the top of the 180-foot sphere and working their way down.

    The permanent new lighting will debut Oct. 1, and continue beyond “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” as a defining feature of the park.

  • New Enhanced Lighting Design Coming to Spaceship Earth will be Permanent at EPCOT

    New Enhanced Lighting Design Coming to Spaceship Earth will be Permanent at EPCOT

    In honor of Disney World’s 50th anniversary, Spaceship Earth — the parks icon — is recieving an “EARidescence” lighting design that will be a permanent fixture of the park long after the celebration ends.

    “This permanent new lighting will continue beyond ‘The World’s Most Magical Celebration’ as a defining feature of the park,” according to Disney Parks.

    As we previously reported, a multi-year transformation of EPCOT is underway that will reimagine the park while keeping true to the original vision and the new lights will shine across the reflective panels of Spaceship Earth, connecting to one another and resembling stars in a nighttime sky as you can see below:

    • Spaceship Earth Beacon of Magic

    At the 2019 D23 Expo, Imagineer Zach Riddley discussed a new and enhanced lighting package will soon be installed on the exterior of Spaceship Earth, EPCOT’s icon.

    Take a look below at all of the transformations underway at EPCOT:

    Beginning Oct. 1, Walt Disney World Resort will throw “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” in honor of our 50th anniversary of the Resort.

  • Disney World Postponing Mary Poppins Ride & ‘Spaceship Earth’ Update at Epcot Due to Coronavirus

    Disney World Postponing Mary Poppins Ride & ‘Spaceship Earth’ Update at Epcot Due to Coronavirus

    Although Disney World has reopened, Disney has confirmed that they will still be pausing work on the Mary Poppins-inspired attraction planned for Epcot’s World Showcase and the reimagining of Spaceship Earth.

    With guests once again visiting the parks it was noticed that mentions of the Mary Poppins ride and “Spaceship Earth” refurbishment had been removed from the ‘Epcot Experience preview center’ where guests can watch a video about the changes coming to the park.

    “As with most businesses during this period, we are further evaluating long-term project plans. The decision was made to postpone development of the “Mary Poppins”-inspired attraction and Spaceship Earth at this time,” Disney said in a statement.

    The new changes coming to Epcot were first announced in August 2019 at the D23 Expo, the company’s annual conference. “Every inch of every park should be magical, and that’s why I’m so excited about this transformation,” Bob Chapek, Chair of Parks, Experiences and Products, said at the time.

    During the event, Dick Van Dyke, who played chimney sweep Bert in the 1964 version of Mary Poppins, helped Chapek announce that the company’s first-ever attraction themed to the classic film would be built on Cherry Tree Lane, inside Epcot’s U.K. pavilion.

    Though the company had not yet announced an opening date for the two attractions, guests who attended Epcot’s reopening on Wednesday told the publication that the ride was still open in its previous form. 

    Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom  parks both reopened on July 11 after being closed since March due to the coronavirus pandemic, while Epcot and Hollywood Studios reopened on July 15. 

  • Spaceship Earth at Epcot to get Updated as Reimagining Begins May 26

    Spaceship Earth at Epcot to get Updated as Reimagining Begins May 26

    Spaceship Earth is more than just the physical icon of EPCOT – it’s a symbol of how the park continues to evolve. The attraction is a crucial piece of the historic transformation already underway at EPCOT, and beginning May 26, Walt Disney Imagineering is getting ready to start implementing a new vision for Spaceship Earth. 

    The next iteration of Spaceship Earth will focus on the story of humanity, following the long journey from prehistoric humans to today brought to life with magic and depth that only Disney can deliver. Many of the moments you know and love will be updated in amazing ways, blended with brand-new scenes to tell a story about our human experience.

    Tuesday, Disney shared a few additional details of what you can expect when this icon returns. You’ll visit Egypt, which is part of the current version of the attraction, but it will be an Egypt like you’ve never seen before, transformed through the power of light.

    Throughout the attraction, you’ll hear new narration and see how light plays a central role in our shared human journey, coming to life in dynamic ways in a celebration of the magic that’s possible when we all come together. 

    Walt Disney once said EPCOT “would always be in a state of becoming,” and Spaceship Earth has lived up to that vision for generations. This will be the attraction’s fourth – and most ambitious – update since the park’s grand opening on Oct. 1, 1982. 

  • Epcot’s Spaceship Earth-Inspired Mickey Sipper Arrives at Disney World

    Epcot’s Spaceship Earth-Inspired Mickey Sipper Arrives at Disney World

    Mickey already turned 90, but Disney Parks is celebrating all year long and even the merchandise at Epcot celebrates the mouse. A Mickey Mouse shaped, Spaceship Earth inspired sipper has made its way to Disney Parks.

    Mickey already has a sipper of his own, but this Epcot themed sipper also pays homage to everyone’s favorite pal as well as the classic Epcot attraction.

    The sipper retails for $16.99 and can be found in Mouse Gear at Epcot in Walt Disney World.

  • BREAKING: Spaceship Earth Shutdown Due To Leak at Epcot

    BREAKING: Spaceship Earth Shutdown Due To Leak at Epcot

    At Epcot today, a “minor water leak” forced Spaceship Earth to shutdown, according to Walt Disney World.

    The leak occurred in the morning — inside the theme park’s icon — and the ride was temporarily shut down but is expected to reopen by Monday, said a Disney spokesperson.

    Visitors posted video footage on social media of water dripping down from underneath the ride into large puddles surrounded by yellow cones.

    The leak is slightly ironic since the geodesic sphere was designed to funnel rain where they want it to go. The cladding was designed so that when it rains, no water pours off the sides onto the ground. All water is collected through one-inch gaps in the facets into a gutter system, and finally channeled into the World Showcase Lagoon.