Florida Guide > Disney Parks
Epcot-Spaceship earth
As you approach Epcot you cannot fail to notice the large golf ball like structure that dominates the sky line even before you reach the parking lot, this is Spaceship Earth.
It has become the symbol that signifies Epcot and tends to be the first place visitor head for when they enter the park as you have to pass it on your way in. In 1999 the outside of Spaceship Earth was modified slightly with the addition of Mickey’s gloved hand holding a 2000 logo in preparation for the Millennium celebrations this has since been changed to the word Epcot so now you definitely have no excuse for forgetting where exactly you are.
What is Spaceship Earth? It is actually a wonderful ride that illustrates the development of communication through the ages. Starting back at the beginning of civilisation with cavemen learning to speak to each other, passing through ancient Egypt with the pharaohs, hieroglyphics and the invention of papyrus, through Europe and the invention of the printing press. You travel to America with the invention of the telephone up to the modern day with the World Wide Web making it so simple for people on opposite sides of the globe to communicate with each other at the press of a button. All along the way you see animatronics acting out scenes to illustrate the different means of communication and how they developed and the ride is fully narrated by actor Jeremy Irons so you know exactly what is going on. As you reach the top of the dome the car you are travelling in turns so that you head back down to earth facing backwards this is when the ride explores the future of communications and the vast range of uses new technology can be put to.
Although this is an educational ride the sounds and smells that you experience make it an enjoyable ride even for young children. It is a gentle slow moving ride that is suitable for all age groups, it may stop from time to time to allow wheelchair users on and off and there are areas where it is quiet dark so you make sure children stay seated until the end.
The position of Spaceship Earth right at the entrance of the park does mean it is where people head for first so it tends to have long lines early in the day. If you wait until a little later the lines are much shorter or even non existent. The ride is a continuously loading ride so the lines do move fairly quickly. Almost the whole of the line is outside so you don’t want to have to stand around in extreme heat or the rain when it’s not necessary. We tend to do this ride if we are leaving the park part way through the day to go back to the villa for a swim and a rest before we return for the fireworks. It is always on our must do list when we visit Epcot.
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