Spaceship Earth Is Getting a Major Reimagining at EPCOT

Disney has revealed the future of one of EPCOT’s most iconic attractions. Spaceship Earth is getting its first major update in nearly 20 years, with a reimagined storyline designed to carry the attraction into the internet age and beyond.

The announcement was made during D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, where Disney Imagineer Ali Rubinstein joined Mark Rober to share the first details about what’s ahead.

A New Focus on Human Connection

Spaceship Earth currently takes guests through the history of human communication, from prehistoric times through the modern era.

With the reimagining, Disney plans to broaden that story around the theme of human connection, while maintaining the classic EPCOT approach of exploring innovation, progress and the possibilities of the future.

The updated attraction will also extend the story into the internet age and beyond, giving Disney an opportunity to address some of the biggest technological changes that have happened since the attraction’s last major update.

An EPCOT Classic Continues to Evolve

Spaceship Earth has been part of EPCOT since opening day in 1982 and has undergone several changes throughout its history, including four different narrators. Walter Cronkite became the attraction’s narrator in 1986, while the current version of the attraction debuted nearly two decades ago.

Disney hasn’t announced exactly which scenes will change, whether the attraction will receive a new narrator, or when the refurbishment will begin.

What we do know is that this isn’t simply a small refresh. Disney is describing the project as a reimagining of Spaceship Earth, with its central story evolving from communication to the larger idea of how people connect with one another.

Between the Spaceship Earth announcement and the return of Dreamfinder alongside Figment, EPCOT received some significant attention at D23 this year.

We’ll be watching for more details, including a refurbishment timeline and exactly how Disney plans to bring Spaceship Earth’s story into the modern era.

Janine Kiray

Janine is a theme park and pop culture nerd from an early age. Since 1994, she’s been traversing the theme park world and has enjoyed all things from Halloween events to new ride releases and beyond. When she’s not at a theme park, she’s probably at a concert or doing something fun with her kiddo.