Registering my complaint!!!

[mousermerf]

Spaceship Earth is not "plain" looking - rather, some people cannot see beauty in simplicity.

 

[CinRell]

Am I wrong in assuming OP is younger than most of us who LOVE COP and the ORIGINAL EPCOT?

 

[maxiesmom]

I hate Star Trek and worlds worst ride? You must never have been on the Finding Nemo Mind Numbing.

You just made me snort with this one! I thought it was an ok ride, until I got dizzy at the end. That part was not fun.


BTW I totally agree with you about the wand and the gravestones. One wand down, only a gabillion stones to go!

 

[IggyLans]

Just FYI, Spaceship Earth is getting a makeover inside as well. It might be a nice change.
As for CoP, I agree even though it's not the best attraction at WDW, it's a must do for our family each trip, if not for any other reason than tradition.

 

[CinRell]

I asked if OP was young because I think what we grew up with is what we love.. I grew up with the plain sphere... it IS Epcot.. earth.. future.. simplicity... elegant.. futuristic.. STUNNING. Mickey's cartoon hand did nada for me. I thought it was meant only for 2000 then disney said what the heck let's make it stay for a while.

Does anybody remember COP's "these are the times.. these are the best times.." song? I know "great big beautiful tomorrow" is the original.. but growing up it was the other song playing in COP... I miss that song because it's what *I* knew as COP.

 

[Grand Admiral]

Spaceship Earth is not "plain" looking - rather, some people cannot see beauty in simplicity.

Quoted for truth.

Good riddance to the gaudy, cheap looking, tacky arm.

 

[Faerie]

I did a happy dance when I heard that horrid wand was coming down. I'm 28 and grew up going to Disney and LOVE LOVE LOVE Spaceship Earth in it's nakedness. I remember being amazed as a child that there was a ride in there.

As for CoP - it's one of my top 5 rides at Disney and a "must do" for me.

 

[CPer'sMom]

....how about a roll call for all those that have fallen asleep on spaceship earth!!!

SE is the ride my daughter heads for when she needs a quick afternoon nap!! Her BF is glad to go with her because that's his favorite Epcot attraction. But at least they both agree that Illuminations is the best nighttime show at Disney!

 

[Spectro is #1]

Now how do we get rid of the tombstones and get the flowerbeds back.
And while we are at it, Can we get the acyclic towers put back on the fountain too?

I never thought of the wand as an eye soar. I always thought it made SE look smaller. Being round it falls into that forced perspective category and the wand just made it look smaller to me.

 

[Goofy4WDW1964]

The wand and "2000" were put up for the millinium celebration. After the celebration, the "2000" was taken down but the wand stayed up. Since the wand was originally inteded as a temporary addition to Spaceship Earth, it was not intended to be up as long as it had. It had reached a point that Disney would either need to make adjustments to the wand to make it permanant or take it down. The cost to make the adjustments were too great and the decision to take it down was made.

I like Spaceship Earth and COP. They are no Space Mountain, RnR, Tower of Terror, etc. But, I enjoy them for what they are.

You can mark me up as one that doesn't dislike the hat, but dislikes where it is at. It's a shame that they blocked the front of the great movie ride, one of the best done buildings in WDW.

 

[Friendly Frog]

Thanks for the laugh. I have to agree with you, I liked the wand.

They HAD to block the view of the Chinese theater or get sued. I agree that the hat doesn't seem like the best choice.

Those tombstones are ugly and depressing looking.

I love CoP and Spaceship Earth!!!

 

[Spectro is #1]

The wand and "2000" were put up for the millinium celebration. After the celebration, the "2000" was taken down but the wand stayed up. Since the wand was originally inteded as a temporary addition to Spaceship Earth, it was not intended to be up as long as it had. It had reached a point that Disney would either need to make adjustments to the wand to make it permanant or take it down. The cost to make the adjustments were too great and the decision to take it down was made.

I like Spaceship Earth and COP. They are no Space Mountain, RnR, Tower of Terror, etc. But, I enjoy them for what they are.

You can mark me up as one that doesn't dislike the hat, but dislikes where it is at. It's a shame that they blocked the front of the great movie ride, one of the best done buildings in WDW.

Officially, it was said to have a ten year lifespan and Disney never said it would come right down. They were very non committed either way back in 99 as to what would happen to it after 2000.
But it was going to have to come down someday.

 

[Spectro is #1]

found this on another board

 

[LittleLebowski]

Maybe they could put a 400 ft tall Mickey with a golf club?

FORE

 

[Kaler131]

I also agree with the OP about the big "golf ball". I really liked the wand. I LOVE Mickey! It's just too plain now!

 

[MinnieNurse]

I have never seen it without the wand-so I will wait until I do to say for sure what I think. I did like the wand and think it adds a little Disney to it.

However, my family loves Spaceship Earth ride and like many others are just amazed there is a ride inside there.

 

[G8RFAN]

...... And like grimley1968 said – don’t you go attacking my Carousel of Progress! grimley wasn’t around yet when it was first presented – at the 1964-1965 World’s Fair in New York. I was.

We lived in Queens close to the fairgrounds. I was too young to remember tho. The biggest problem with CoP is that they haven't updated it with the frequency that they had since GE dropped their sponsorship. Plus, since they weren't "peddling" appliances anymore, I think they missed the mark on keeping the "last" act as modern as possible. A trip to the CES in Vegas each year could bring an abundance of really neat stuff and maybe an annual signature sponsor.

While I enjoyed WDW in the late 70's through the early 80's, it wasn't even a vacation destination of mine until '00 and then when DS became old enough to enjoy the park. So I am not a purist by any means and particularly enjoy what my DS loves. So the wand was a non event for me. DW absolutely hated it, but that was the architect inside her. While I think the American Pavillion in the '67 expo was bigger, I saw some pictures of some modern buildings in Shanghai China that incorporated huge sphere's of glass. I don't know the skeletal structure, if it was indeed geodesic.

 

[meandtheguys2]

Complaint duly noted and registered. However… being the first (and I believe, still the largest) geodesic sphere built isn’t distinguishing enough? The building needs a wand, too?

Not everything needs to be covered in tinsel!!!!!!!

Cinrel, I remember that song! I would love to have a copy of it!

 

[disneyfantotheend]

I could take or leave the wand. It was not a big disaster to me when they put it up nor was it that they now took it down.

I do, however, really enjoy both the Spaceship Earth ride and CoP.

I feel the same way about the hat as the wand. They could leave it there or remove it, it won't spoil my trip either way.

 

[Aaronbox]

Quote: "Does anybody remember COP's "these are the times.. these are the best times.." song? I know "great big beautiful tomorrow" is the original.. but growing up it was the other song playing in COP... I miss that song because it's what *I* knew as COP."

Yes, I miss the former song. I sing it every time we head to Disney World:
Now is the time. Now is the best time. Now is the best time of your life.
Life is a prize - live every minute.
Open your eyes and watch how you win it.
Yesterday's memories will sparkle and gleam.
Tomorrow is still but a dream.
Yet, right here and now, you’ve got it made!
The world's forward marching and you're in the parade!
Now is the time. Now is the best time – be it at time of joy or strife.
There’s so much to cheer for – be glad you’re here for, it’s the best time of your life!
Oh yeah – I’m glad to see Spaceship Earth without the cheap looking carnival style scaffolding and wand. Limit that trash to DinoLand U.S.A. Although I like riding Spaceship Earth, the last half needs overhaul while they refurbish it. I look forward to seeing the changes.