Well, EPCOT fans.
We apparently weren’t done getting emotional yet.
After Disney announced the return of Dreamfinder and Figment, the company also confirmed that another EPCOT icon is getting a major update.
Spaceship Earth is being reimagined.
And considering that giant geodesic sphere is basically the symbol of EPCOT itself, that’s kind of a big deal.
Spaceship Earth Is Changing
Disney announced at D23 that Spaceship Earth will be reimagined as part of the company’s ongoing work at EPCOT.
The attraction will continue exploring humanity’s history and our ability to communicate, but Disney says the new version will put a greater emphasis on human connection.
That sounds like a pretty natural direction for an attraction that has always been about how humans communicate, share ideas and connect with one another.
But anyone who has been riding Spaceship Earth for years knows that even small changes to this attraction can feel enormous.
This Isn’t Just Another Disney Ride
Spaceship Earth isn’t simply an attraction inside EPCOT.
It’s the attraction inside the giant ball.
That’s important.
For millions of guests, the first thing they see when they enter EPCOT is Spaceship Earth.
It’s been there since EPCOT opened in 1982 and has become one of the most recognizable structures in any Disney park.
And the attraction inside it has taken guests on a journey through human history for generations.
The Story Is Getting a New Focus
Disney says the reimagined attraction will continue telling the story of human communication and technological progress while putting more emphasis on the connections between people.
That’s an interesting choice.
Because technology has changed dramatically since the attraction was created.
When Spaceship Earth opened, the idea of instant global communication was still something that sounded futuristic.
Now we’re walking around with computers in our pockets that can translate languages, video chat with someone on the other side of the planet and tell us exactly where we left our car in a parking lot.
Technology moved pretty fast.
Spaceship Earth is going to have to keep up.
But Please Don’t Lose the History
This is where longtime EPCOT fans are probably going to get a little nervous.
Updating Spaceship Earth makes sense.
But the attraction’s history is part of what makes it special.
We want the ancient civilizations.
We want the printing press.
We want the Renaissance.
We want the giant animatronic scenes that somehow made us feel like we were traveling through thousands of years of human history inside a giant golf ball.
That’s a pretty high bar.
EPCOT Is Having Quite a Moment
What’s particularly interesting is that Spaceship Earth’s announcement came during a D23 presentation that also included the return of Dreamfinder and Figment.
Those two announcements together feel significant.
One looks toward the future of EPCOT.
The other brings back a beloved piece of its past.
And maybe that’s exactly what EPCOT needs.
A little bit of both.
What We Still Don’t Know
Disney hasn’t provided every detail about the Spaceship Earth reimagining yet.
We don’t have an opening date.
We don’t know exactly which scenes will change.
We don’t know how extensive the refurbishment will be.
And we certainly don’t know how Disney plans to update the attraction’s story without losing the elements longtime guests love.
Those details will matter.
The Giant Golf Ball Is Getting a Makeover
Okay, technically, Disney doesn’t call it the giant golf ball.
But you know what I mean.
Spaceship Earth is one of those attractions where change is going to get people talking immediately.
And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
EPCOT has spent years trying to figure out how to balance its original identity with the realities of a modern Disney park.
A reimagined Spaceship Earth could be an important part of that conversation.
As long as Disney remembers that sometimes the best way to move forward is to remember what made the attraction special in the first place.
We’ll be watching this one very closely.
