Spaceship Earth Reopening/Spaceship Earth Behind Schedule [Merged Threads]

[CaptainSad]

I have really bad news. It is on the WDW site. Spaceship Earth has been pushed back to February 18th. I am going down December 16th-23rd. I am kind of bummed. I have heard from a CM that they are having major problems inside. They are going to have to dismantle some of the ride to get to other areas. There is just not enough room in there to move around and add what they have planned. To me this seems like bad planning if you ask me.

[Zone Stop]

... honestly, where are you guys hearing all this?

[BMan62]

... honestly, where are you guys hearing all this?

As of this morning, it is all listed on Disney World's web site under Operational Updates for Epcot. Every month until February lists Spaceship Earth as under rehab for the entire month. February list it as under rehab Feb. 1 - Feb. 18.

[Jakk]

Just found it on disneyworld.com

Spaceship Earth closed straight through to Feb 18th, 2008. Yes dissapointing but I guess there's a reason for everything. But from what I've heard there is 3 reasons why the opening is delayed by four months.

1. The budget was upped for detailing purposes, but the time needed to consumate such upgrades was more than previously alotted.
2. They "removed" something they shouldn't have and it took more time to reinstall the infastructure than thought necessary.
3. Upon installing new items, extra structures and supports within the building have been added and require testing, as well as the testing of the new "future finale" effect

Hopefully it's option one or two, rather than three. But I guess I'm going to have to delay my trip till April 08...*sigh*...

[JPL]

I had heard the refurb caused structural concerns within the building so the delay makes sense. The old ride system was built in away that it was actually part of the internal support system for the building. When I heard of the concerns a somewhat scary image of SSE rolling through the parking lots. Of course it flattens the leave a legacy tombstones on the way so it's not a total loss

[Maleficent's Dad]

Disappointing about the delayed opening.

When I heard of the concerns a somewhat scary image of SSE rolling through the parking lots. Of course it flattens the leave a legacy tombstones on the way so it's not a total loss

[PirateLover]

[beksy]

Talk about poor timing! Our last day is the 17th.

[mjm12000]

this is horrible, I am taking my first trip in January and to be honest this was the one ride at Epcot I was most excited to ride. I can only hope now that since it will be closed that they at least don't put up ugly freaking walls around it or anything so I can at least see what the ball looks like and get some picutres of the outside. Oh well I guess that is the risk you take going in the off season.... just gives me more reason to start thinking about my next trip already.

[Mrs.Mya]

NO.....NO......NO......say it isn't so !! Now i really need a

[amorillo]

Wow! This was my very first WDW ride as a child. Then... I made sure it was DH & DD's first ride! (DS's first trip to WDW was with grandparents) I was hoping to make it my new DD's first ride also! But it seems our trip is a little too early. We leave on Feb. 3rd!

Now what???? Thank goodness it still have 91 more days to plan!

[amd780]

So disappointing that SSE won't be ready in January. Oh well, I guess that will give us an excuse to go back even sooner!

[azdisneymom]

I guess that means I will miss my favorite ride.

[battlefield2freak]

If that's what I think it is, yes there is large globe in the post ride area, and that is kind of mostly open last week. You could enter the post-ride area from the back of SSE and there were a number of exhibits and activities active. (Didn't spend enough time to be able to describe them but lots of people were at the various areas). However, the work outside at the front looked pretty extensive and difficult as I've said in an earlier post.

ahh.. thank you for your bit of info. i just assumed it was closed off just because it was so dark in there and i didnt see a door really. like someone else said earlier bad planning is what this sounds like to me. next time you go to work on a ride packed into a space that small i hope they take more time into the planning stage instead of make the general plans then jump into it and discover the problems with working in a space that small. imo after the wand came down ahead of schedule i thought the entire ride might be a few weeks ahead also seems i was wrong.

[LauraSAnne]

Why is Disney so hush-hush about attractions being behind schedule? You would think that they realize A LOT of families plan their vacations around the closing and opening of attractions, and that a lot of those families don't have the money to make frequent visits. It just seems odd to me that the only way they let the general public know, is by quietly updating the refurb schedule online, instead of making a statement or something along those lines. I'm sure that either way they'll have unhappy guests, but I'm sure they would also have more thankful guests if they were forthcoming with information. Just my two cents.

[OctDisney]

So now over the busiest time, they will have shut down two of the more people consuming rides in WDW. Splash Mtn is going down on Jan.1st, so that week will be more crowded as well at MK.

I would think that over the holidays, Disney would realize that people stand in line more and that should not be acceptable. It will also hurt sales of everything else.

Hopefully we will get Splash Mountain in before Jan. 1st, but SSE was one of my favorites. That is a real bummer.

[jclightchasr]

Why is Disney so hush-hush about attractions being behind schedule? You would think that they realize A LOT of families plan their vacations around the closing and opening of attractions, and that a lot of those families don't have the money to make frequent visits. It just seems odd to me that the only way they let the general public know, is by quietly updating the refurb schedule online, instead of making a statement or something along those lines. I'm sure that either way they'll have unhappy guests, but I'm sure they would also have more thankful guests if they were forthcoming with information. Just my two cents.

After being in retail for 20 years now I have come to understand the effectiveness of a marketing strategy that I don't always agree with, but it works. That is: Never accentuate the negative. As we all know Disney is a marketing and sales Wiz so this rule is expected to be followed. I am bummed out about the delay. I had thought that it would be completed in time for our trip late Dec 07'. But there are plenty of other things to do and see and we will definately go back to see it again. I am looking forward to seeing the updated SW, HM and even Jack Sparrow on POTC since our last trip.

[TinkerbellT421]

Hi guys, Im new to this site. I absolutely love this site to great job. Me and my boyfriend are going to be in Disney from Jan 5-11 and unfortunately the way the rumors go are going to miss the revamp. But we go every year so we will have to wait till our next trip. We love that ride too. We go on it 2 or 3 times when we go. Too bad it won't be open

[disneycouple2004]

I had heard the refurb caused structural concerns within the building so the delay makes sense. The old ride system was built in away that it was actually part of the internal support system for the building. When I heard of the concerns a somewhat scary image of SSE rolling through the parking lots. Of course it flattens the leave a legacy tombstones on the way so it's not a total loss

EXACTLY !!!


thats funny !!!

[DigitalDaredevil]

SE is my favorite attraction at WDW. I look forward to the update as it was needed and some of the more recent attraction updates have been pretty positive (I.E. HM and PoTC). I'm sad it is delayed though.