Rebekah's Blog
8 Things I Fondly Remember About Spaceship Earth

8 Things
Spaceship Earth

On Sunday Doobie and I travelled to Epcot to enjoy Spaceship Earth one last time before it closed. Although rumors are that the history elements will not be drastically changed I wanted to be sure to see this incarnation of Epcot's icon one last time. Using Spaceship Earth I've decided to introduce a new column -- 8 Things -- since Mickey and the gang typically only have 4 fingers on each hand I thought instead of a usual Top 10 I'd select 8 things to highlight on any given topic. So here are the 8 Things I Fondly Remember about Spaceship Earth.

1. The sleeping scribe -- I can remember wondering if he was real when I first rode Spaceship Earth in 90. They did a wonderful job capturing the posture and shape of the writer slumped in his chair asleep. Given that I was on summer break from my freshman year of college I could truly relate to the image.

2. Michelangelo painting the ceiling -- I'd not given much thought to the realities of creating the magnificent painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The figures had to look correct from the floor below despite the ceiling's curved nature. Apparently there's some debate as to whether Michelangelo was really painting it while lying flat on his back as depicted here and in the 65 film The Agony and the Ecstasy.

3. The Messenger Chariot of Rome -- During the scene that describes the development of the roadways developed by the Romans, there’s a single chariot that gallops into the background followed shortly by the same animation of the single chariot galloping off into the background. I'm not sure why but I always look forward to this little clip. It’s an odd little animation sequence among the audio animatronics. I've often wondered if it was pulled directly from classic Disney animation – it feels very familiar and reminds me visually of Toot Whistle Plunk and Boom but the chariot makes me wonder if I saw it in Donald and the Wheel.

4. The Smell of the Dark Ages -- As we pass the images of Rome, the narrator reminds us that these roads that lead to Rome also provided invaders the path of destruction that "left ages of knowledge and wisdom in the ashes that would become the Dark Ages."

5. Footage of Walt & the Tigers -- There's just something about the twinkle in Walt's eye in the very short clip that they use for Spaceship Earth that I just adore. I love that the brief view of Walt is in a happy adventure. His warmth is instantaneous and the joy is infectious. I'm so happy that the theme parks still reflect that joy and hospitality.

6. Pepper’s Ghost Sequence -- As the narrator talks about the modern age of communication that helps "build better bridges between us, we will discover we all share the common bonds of hope and sorrow, dreams and joys." There're a variety of images like an archaeologist daughter sharing her discovery with family far away. Here's where I think it was that finally understood what Pepper's Ghost was. I'd heard it talked about but sneaking a peek up to the left I once caught a brief look at the sets that were reflected to create the multi-layered images.

These last two are my favorite moments of all within Spaceship Earth.

7. Reaching the Apex -- the reminder that you are actually inside the giant sphere. Its not like the Haunted Mansion where the building you enter is a facade and you are actually experiencing the ride within a separate building. And I love the sensation of sitting in a star field with the big blue Earth in the distance. The reality of just how amazing our planet is among the solar system and yet a reminder of how small we are.

8.  Finale -- Our vehicles pass a glowing city very similar to the City of Tomorrow Walt Disney featured shortly before his death. The city is alive with a network of lights to represent the exchange of ideas and information due to the new communication technologies. The narrator states, "Since the dawn of recorded time, communication has revolutionized our lives and changed our world. We now have the ability and the responsibility to build new bridges of acceptance and co-operation between us; to create a better world for ourselves and our children as we continue our amazing journey aboard Spaceship Earth." Then the various streams of light stream out of the city and over our heads creating a canopy around us as if these communications generate the current that carries us now on the journey and then they encircle a representation of the geodesic sphere we are in, our Spaceship Earth. These finals moments while dated in their technology, always encourage and energize me. I leave the attraction on a high thinking about the exciting possibilities ahead as global communications improve.

What are your favorite moments or images from Spaceship Earth?  

You can view the show script at http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/atse2.html