Is the wand down yet?

[Lightning McQueen]

We are going to be there Dec. 5-8. Will the wand be down or is it still up?

Thanks!

[MCFantasia]

The wand is LONG GONE! It looks beautiful, I tell you. :mickey: :thumbsup:

[SpecJoe Magic]

I was so happy to see a wandless Spaceship Earth when we were there on September 18. :mickey: Seeing it without the wand brought back fond memories from the 80s and 90s. I had forgotten just how amazing that it looks in its original state.

[Piglet822]

Here's some pics of SE that I took when I was there last week:

Spaceship Earth (http://community.webshots.com/album/561281685ToWptG?vhost=community)

[DisneyTwirler13!]

I kind of miss the wand, because we had passes during the 2000 year, and seeing the wand brought back fond memories of that experience, like seeing Illuminations 2000 and riding the elevator things at The Living Seas, and seeing the 7 Dwarfs at Germany or someplace before they had to go to Fantasmic!

[illini]

I can't WAIT to see it! Now if only SE was going to be opened as originally scheduled.

Thanks for the pictures, Jeanne. They're beautiful!

[Polynesian Dweller]

At first I wasn't that thrilled with the idea of the wand disappearing. But, after seeing the wandless SSE in October I have to say it truly is beautiful that way and it certainly is the way it should be seen. The elegance of the ball design really does come through and it looks spectacular when lit at night. The wand took away from that. I'm now glad its back to the original because I'd forgotten how good it looks this way.:mickey:

[Figgyluv03]

I'm so glad the wand is down. Down DBf gets to see SE the way it's suppose to look. I would have hated to have his first time to Disney and see that hidious wand still up there. :ack:

[King Triton]

When I arrived in mid-August, the wand was down but the steel scaffolding holding up the arm was about halfway up Spaceship Earth. Within a week, it was completely gone. A few spikes that held up the red stars on the ball were still there, but I believe they were gone by the time I left late in August. By that time, the ball was back in seemingly its original form, except that, as you walked into Epcot, you had to pass SE on the right. I would guess both walkways are open by now.

I actually was one that didn't mind the wand, but now that I look at my new pictures with it gone, it was time to take it down...

[Marker]

Personally, I think it looks as though something is missing. Oh well.

[carribeanpirate5]

Interestingly, my 12 y/o never saw SE without the wand. When we were there in August, hes said "It looks plain with out the wand". I had never considered that for him (and many others, I'm sure) the wand was part of SE.

[mickey&missy]

Interestingly, my 12 y/o never saw SE without the wand. When we were there in August, hes said "It looks plain with out the wand". I had never considered that for him (and many others, I'm sure) the wand was part of SE.


I've been wondering how my kids are going to react to it too! They have an old Disney Sing Along on DVD that shows a few brief shoots with the wandless Spaceship Earth in the background. DD commented on it once and I explained that the wand wasn't always there, it wasn't there when I went when I was a kid.

Personally, I like it without! It brings back memories of the trip my Mom took my sisters and I on when we were kids. I remember being in awe of Spaceship Earth and it's size!

[JPL]

I have to say seeing SSE without the wand brought back such a flood of emotions and memories I literally shed a few tears I was so happy to see it in it's original splendor:mickey:

[jedigrrrl]

It's GONE and it's GORGEOUS!!!!!

[Sean Riley Taylor's Mom]

I was wondering how my kids were going to feel when they saw the wand was gone in September.

They loved it. I was so surprised. I guess they get their good taste from their Mom...lol. ;)
(DH liked the wand)

[garymacd]

I kinda miss the wand, too. What I wouldn't miss is the...well, the only way I can describe it, is the graveyard of marble monuments between the entrance and SSE.

Sorry. Only my opinion.

[Marker]

I had never considered that for him (and many others, I'm sure) the wand was part of SE.

Yep, so now there is a segment of the population, who never saw Spaceship Earth priot to the addition of the wand who are now hoping that someday, they decide to add the wand back on and bring back the fond memories of their first visit. But for now, it's the memories of the older visitors that have taken precident.




Personally, I like it without! It brings back memories of the trip my Mom took my sisters and I on when we were kids. I remember being in awe of Spaceship Earth and it's size!

So did Spaceship Earth seem smaller to you with the wand on it? I never thought of that, I don't think it struck me that way.

[dumbo ears]

The wand is gone. It was takewn down in july I think

[Tink#64]

We will miss the wand. Our family made our first trip in 2002, so we've never seen SE without it. I have seen photos now of SE minus the wand & it is beautiful I agree. But we feel like it's missing something, it looks naked to us. :(

[JasonH]

IMHO, I'm very glad the wand is gone. It'll be wonderful to see it in it's original state all over again....just wish they'd add the color changing glass structures they used to have at the fountain in front of SE back and you'd really see what it was like to have SE and the courtyard in front of it in more of it's former glory. Although I do like the addition of the Leave A Legacy monuments as well...especially since I do have my own picture on the monuments as well as my DBro and DMom&DDad. Our pics are at West 5-C-6, the two pics directly above the Leave A Legacy location tag and also the leftmost pic on the row above that. :mickey::mickey::mickey:

[hubbyofadisneyholic]

I can't wait to go back and see SSE as it was meant to be!!:thumbsup:
In my opinion that wand was horrible.

[JPL]

So did Spaceship Earth seem smaller to you with the wand on it? I never thought of that, I don't think it struck me that way.

The hand and wand tricked the mind into giving scale to the Sphere since you could relate the size of a normal to a ball and therfore it put in perspective like that. I think it look smaller especially in pictures for this reason.