Thursday, September 24, 2009

26 Days to Disney: Spaceship Earth


Just so everyone knows, I'm not so completely blinded by the glory of Disney at all times that I can't be critical sometimes.

Spaceship Earth was one my absolute favorite experiences at Disney World. Those of you who know me personally can attest to my general sappy tendencies, and you all know that there are some things that just make me emotional. Spaceship Earth, for whatever reason, got to me. The music, the script, the sort of outlandish gravitas of the whole thing. I dunno... it's a simple ride with a high-minded concept that just made me emotional.

There was a time when this would be easily in my Top 10 things at Disney and sometimes, depending on the day, cracking my Top 5.

Needless to say, when they put it into a 6 month long refurbishment starting in the Summer of 08, I was both excited (because as much as I love it, there were things that weren't really working anymore, and the look to the "future" was more of a look to the "last year") and terrified (because change is scary!).

I went to Disney back in February for my birthday, and one of the things I most looked forward to was checking out the updates.

I have to say that while there were some really cool new things, like the interactive ride vehicles and the ending, it just doesn't pack the same emotional impact as it once did. Maybe it was the removal of Jeremy Irons as the narrator in favor of Judi Dench. I'm told, actually, that Walter Kronkite's rendition was the best, but he was replaced in '94, so either I never did ride it in 93 during my first visit, or I don't remember it. Either way, Irons was the guy for me. I just miss it.

Don't get me wrong... It's still a really cool ride, and a great way to kill 20 minutes between fast passes, but it'll never be the same for me.

Many people feel this same way about Journey into Imagination when they'd removed Figment for a while, and I must agree, though I like the new version that includes Figment a lot more than most people do. I'm not against change altogether... These changes just don't work for me.

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: The Fountain at Innoventions Plaza in Epcot can shoot water 150 ft in the air (only 30 feet lower than the top of Spaceship Earth. If all of the water cannons were fired at once, how much water would be in the air?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

2 comments:

Annie said...

Caring about these things is really hallmark among real Disney fanatics, don't you think? I feel like the only people who care about them changing are fans and I feel like they all care. Although Wes was very upset upon finding out that there is no Mr. Toad in Disney World.

Beefy Muchacho said...

Yeah... Mr. Toad seemed to rile people up more than almost anything...

I agree that these changes seem to matter a lot to Disney fans, and I think that's because so much of these things are pieces of memories and childhoods and great vacations.. I mean...they don't even use the music that you sent me an MP3 of. It bums me out.

That said, I think it's important that we are open to progress, because that's what Walt's main thing was... moving forward.