Spaceship Earth????

[Brer-Rabbit]

From ScreamScape:

Park News - (11/13/02) Screamscape has been informed that as of Jan. 1st, 2003 AT&T will no longer be the official long distance sponsor of Walt Disney World and their logo will be removed from Spaceship Earth shortly after the holiday crowds disappear.

So what will happen to the ride in the sphere???

Will They change it???

 

[raidermatt]

I don't think we've seen anything of substance indicating a change will be made.

There was something awhile back about Microsoft becoming the sponsor, and possibly some changes being done, but I haven't seen anything posted on that recently.

 

[daber]

If Pressler were still in charge, they'd tear it down and put up another store.

 

[larworth]

I thought this whole "PP was evil" thing was behind us.

Paul would not have torn SE down. In fact, he was championing his own upgrade project of this decades old attraction. Paul was all about providing new consumer experiences. It was to be called:

ShelfSpace Earth - A magical, historical look at great merchants throughout time.

Consumers would ride in stylized shopping carts equipped with the latest in interactive technology. Disney consumereers will have cleverly incorporated thousand of product placement ads into the various scenes. Consumers would attempt to see how many of these they could spot and record on the keyboard in front of them. Scores would be flashed as the carts made their way into the post show area.
Here, consumers would have the opportunity to indicate which of those identified products they would actually like to purchase, have charged to their new Disney Visa card, and delivered to their room (a reinstated perk). Those who chose not to purchase anything would be automatically recycled back through the ride with no wait.

There was a rumor that all entrance and exit gates were to lead directly into the Shelfspace Earth queue line. They were still trying to solve some of the traffic flow issues when Paul left. I haven't heard where this stands now?

 

[daber]

Larworth,
Thanks for correcting my prior post. I guess now instead of AT&T merchandise with Disney themes, we can expect SE to be filled with the latest and greatest MicroSoft offerings. I can't wait to see the plush Bill Gates doll.

 

[WEDWAY100]

Originally posted by larworth
I thought this whole "PP was evil" thing was behind us.

Paul would not have torn SE down. In fact, he was championing his own upgrade project of this decades old attraction. Paul was all about providing new consumer experiences. It was to be called:

ShelfSpace Earth - A magical, historical look at great merchants throughout time.

But you see, I have the true inside story. This was the attraction that Pre$$ler WANTED, but the budget was too big for ME. So they were ready to go with the dumbed down version of ShelfSpace Earth.

The geosphere was to have been completely gutted inside. The sign over SSE was to have been changed from "Epcot" to "ShelfSpace Earth - There is a ride in here".

The ride was to have been a magnificent spinner built inside the geosphere. Using some ideas from the larger budget attraction, the elephants, uh carpets, er dinosaurs were to be shopping carts. There would have been many expensive and wondrous gifts hanging from the walls of the geosphere. And as guests flew buy, they could reach out and grab the items. After exiting the attraction, the guests were to have been charged for the items they "won", or they can put them back.

Then Pre$$ler went on to the Gap, and sadly, we will never see this transformation.

 

[Safari Steve]

Oddly enough, Spaceship Earth does not include a gift shop...

 

[Tik Tok]

That's not really so odd -- most of the original EPCOT attractions didn't have any gift shops.

 

[scooby-the-doo]

I'm all for an updating of SE. Leave the structure; install a worthy E-ticket attraction that improves on what SE set out to achieve. However, Journey into your Imagination tried something along those lines, except it was a poor show, with bad production values. If that is all they could hope to accomplish with the standard Disney tightening of the purse strings, then please leave SE well alone.

 

[ohanafamily]

HMMM- A Micro-Soft Plush Disney Store to replace SE...

Seriously if Microsoft were to take it over they could do good things. I could see them changing it from the history of communications to the history of computing. The could rebuild the exit area into a great interactive area with some of the neat new gadgets available. They could have explanations of how the 100 year pins work, and the games that activate as you get near certain rides work as well. I have also heard tell of a Stuffed Animal that tells you the history of the ride you are near. Another thing I heard about is some sort of automatic photo spot picture taking thing. (Both of these things are supposed to appear next year)

Again, A pavillion to explain how the cool marketted park stuff works..... It could be set up with an 802.11G network so that if you were to bring your laptop you could have access to the internet. They could even print you a bus schedule to your resort!!!!!

 

[Safari Steve]

By "oddly enough" I was not referring to the propensity of attractions in Epcot to have or not have gift shops at their exits, I was remarking on the fact that a comment was made about "AT&T merchandise" when no such merchandise exists. Isn't it interesting that a complaint can arrise against a situation that never occured?

 

[ohanafamily]

Be careful about giving them ideas...I can envision an AT&T Cell phone and long distance sales force at SE!!!!!?

 

[Snowgod]

I think that MicroSoft will take over for AT&T and then we can start the ride with a blue screen of death where the saftey spiel is now. This ride has perform and Illeagal instruction....

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I actually LIKE the SpaceShelf Earth idea. You would climb into the seat of the giant shopping cart like a 5 year old would. Then you would view the ride going backwards.

It would be easier for Disney to keep the ride fresh because they could sponsor it themselves and use it as a tax write off (advertising expenses).

 

[OnWithTheShow]

Since when are advertising expenses a tax write off??

 

[DebbieB]

http://www.newschannel2000.com/travelgetaways/1792966/detail.html

Report: Spaceship Earth To Get Facelift
Change To Be Completed By 2007


>>.....But the technology is old, and inside sources said Disney is preparing to gut and replace the ride in Spaceship Earth in time for the 25th anniversary of Epcot in 2007.

Documents obtained by WESH NewsChannel 2 illustrate a timeline for the overall refurbishment of Epcot named Project Gemini. It shows Disney will close Spaceship Earth in February 2005, replacing it with a new ride called Time Racers....<<<<<