When I started thinking of the top #20 things I was most looking forward to on our upcoming Disney vacation – I began by listing all my favorite rides. I was trying to choose those special attractions – ones if we didn’t get to experience on a visit – it made me sad. For EPCOT, Spaceship Earth is at the top of that list. It is definitely not because it is a thrill ride or has the latest technology.

Spaceship Earth (if you are not aware) is a slow-moving attraction, where you ride in a vehicle that takes you back in time. As you travel, you see vignettes of some crucial moments in history – all having to do with the way humans communicate. Everything from writing on cave walls and the first printing press, to the creation of personal computers are depicted in scenes filled with animatronics in era specific clothing.

One of the reasons I love this ride so very much is the detail. It is a perfect example of how Disney can create an attraction with so many specific elements that every time you ride it you notice something new. Near the end of the ride there is an opportunity for you to answer some questions – they use that information to create a video for you based on your answers . We have ridden many times and still often see a new portion of future video that we have never seen before – it is just silly fun!

If you are new to Spaceship Earth, here’s a few helpful hints…

• Don’t ride Spaceship Earth first thing in the morning if there is a long line. Because it is in the front of the park (and is the park’s icon), people often stop here first. Move along!! Come back later in the afternoon or the evening. If we are not staying to watch Illuminations, Spaceship Earth is our last ride of the night – it is rarely more than a 5-minute wait by the end of the evening.
• Watch for hidden Mickey’s – there are a couple of great ones on this ride. (Hint…pay attention to the artist’s table in the Renaissance scene.)
• Do you recognize any of the animatronics from other attractions? They reused some from the Hall of Presidents and the Carousel of Progress.
• Watch for you picture on the big screens as you exit the attraction. You can have your video emailed to you from one of the stations in front of the screens. Also, take some time to play the games in that area – they are a lot of fun!
• It is not cool to call it a golf ball, though hard not to at times 🙂
• Be careful when selecting your language on the screens when the ride starts. Last trip my daughter and husband slipped up and hit French… From there on, they could not understand a word of the narration or activity at the end (Other than things like the kid shouting “Extra, Extra, read all about it!”)

Beyond being a great ride, it is also really cool to see this huge white sphere in the distance.

Spaceship Earth may not be the newest or flashy attraction at EPCOT, but it is an amazing classic that I never want to miss when at Walt Disney World, much less when we are in EPCOT!!