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Exit into the Global Neighborhood to explore modern
communications in hands-on exhibits.
Scenes of scientific achievements, international fellowships
and life in our “Global Neighborhood” add a dramatic new twist to
the story of human communications from the beginning of time to
the electronic age within Spaceship Earth, the symbol of Epcot at
Walt Disney World Resort.
As guests soar through time and space within the famed
180-foot silver geosphere, they see innovative, interactive television
and digital communications at work -- bringing life-saving medical
technology to wilderness homes, helping archaeologists share distant
discoveries with home base instantly or creating electronic bridges
that close gaps in human understanding.
In one scene an American boy and a Japanese teen-age
girl exchange experiences via video telephone. He shows today’s
karate class; she shows video of her home run in last night’s baseball
game. With narration featuring the powerful voice of actor Jeremy
Irons and an impressive musical score, the Spaceship Earth production
includes dazzling visual effects; floating images of current newscasts
on giant screen, super-definition TV; “virtual reality” classrooms
of the future; and a breathtaking planetarium visualization of the
universe around the “Earth.”
First acts of the drama trace development of language
and literature from caveman days through Egyptian, Greek and Roman
civilizations to the Renaissance, printing press and industrial
and electronic age communication.
Familiar scenes starring Audio-Animatronics actors
have been enhanced with fiber-optic visual effects, new lighting
and sound, plus an improved ride system that reduces vehicle noise
during the sharp ascent and the precipitous plunge through the new
Act III where images seem to float in space.
At the end of the 14-minute journey through time,
AT&T invites guests to sample its Global Neighborhood in an interactive
computer-video wonderland. The post-show area includes:
Interactive Wonderland - guests explore the information
highway with Alice and the Cheshire Cat - video shopping, movies-on-demand
and film critic reviews, or viewer-choice sporting event broadcasts
and the camera angles for viewing them.
Communications Breakthrough - a video-telephone game
played against other guests where players are challenged to knock
glass bricks from a computer-graphic wall with electronic “paddles”
to build a communications link with other participants.
What’s in a Word - guests translate humorous idioms
from one language to another, demonstrating the difficulty and potential
of electronic translation.
Electronic Finger Paint, Portrait Puzzle and Color
Match - three games illustrating communications which do not depend
on language.
Story Teller Phones - guests can phone friends or
relatives and choose appropriate sound effects from a video wall
to “fool” friends into thinking they are calling from a jungle,
a haunted house or a cartoon world.
Type - track ride
When to go - Very popular, visit early morning,
or from late afternoon onwards.
Duration - 17 mins
Restrictions
Guests must be able to transfer from wheelchairs to board the attraction
This attraction is not recommended for Guests who experience anxiety
in dark, narrow, or enclosed spaces.
Tips - The lines for Spaceship Earth are usually
longest during morning hours, and at their shortest just before
Park closing.
Facts/History
The outer 'skin' of Spaceship Earth is made up of 11,324 aluminum
and plastic-alloy triangles.
During rainstorms, guests do not have to dodge water running off
the side of Spaceship Earth. Why? Because unique "gutter" systems
are built into the 16-million-pound geodesic sphere that catch rainwater
and channel the runoff into the canals that surround Epcot.
Spaceship Earth weighs 16 million pounds -- equal in weight to 158
million golf balls. And it can be spotted by aircraft flying along
the Eastern Coast of Florida.
Spaceship Earth is a geodesic sphere, standing at 180 feet tall
& 165 feet in diameter, & weighing an estimated 16 million
pounds.
It has an outside surface of 150,000 square feet.
Hidden Mickeys
In the Renaissance Italy scene, look closely at the page of a book
behind the sleeping monk.
Near the end of the ride, notice the hat and alarmclock in the teenage
boy's bedroom.
Click here for the Ride
Script
Reviews
"I have been to Disney near 12 times and would
NEVER miss Spacship Earth! That is suprising seeing as I am a more
fast moving roller-coaster type. The sights and sounds in this ride
are INCREDABLE! This is a MUST SEE! Even though lines are shorter
in the morning and evening hours, in the afternoon the line isn't
to bad. It is a always board and go thing. In all the times I've
been there I haven't had to wait more the 20 minutes. Usually, if
the waiting time says it's 45 minutes or something it's not likely.
Any little kid would like this ride. It is not scary at all even
though it gets a little dark. YOU MUST SEE THIS!" Elizabeth
"I love spaceship earth! My favorite attraction in
all of epcot now that horizons and world of motion are both extinct
now. So sad! Well, anyway, about spaceship earth.....the lines for
this attraction move rather fast, so there's hardly ever long waits
for it. it's on the omnimover system, so that's why the line moves.
No fastpass for this one. It just doesn't need it! Spaceship earth....what
can i say? Spectacular! An absolute must for all disney visitors!
It is truly unique in the fact that it is one of the remaining audio-animitronics
attractions in wdw! I would suggest doing this attraction either
early in the morning or later in the evening for shorter waits.
The line seems to be longer during the afternoon hours. It's a slow
moving ride through the history of communication. Very detailed
and made with much thought and work (unlike many attractions today).
I would have to recommend it to anyone making the trek to the "world"!"
Kristen
"There is a hidden mickey in the factory scene
near the boy selling newspapers it is on the machine it looks like
this 0: also were the earth is up on the ceiling when your buggy
turns around there is mickey in the clouds (shadow). I talked to
one of the workers and he said that there were about 12 hidden mickeys
in there." Caleb Higgins
What do you think about this attraction? Do you
have any tips or comments? Fill in the attraction
review form.
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