Spaceship Earth

Future World, Epcot

Spaceship Earth is Epcot's unmissable centerpiece, an 18 story geodesic sphere, the attraction is actually a 13 minute ride inside using Disney's 'omni-mover' system, the same system used for Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin and The Sea's with Nemo & Friends.

The ride takes you on a tour, narrated by Dame Judi Dench through the ages, showing significant achievements and eras. A recent addition was the 1970s era computer room, showing two people hunched over a computer that looks like the first Apple personal computer, possibly as a homage to the late Steve Jobs, who was Disney's largest individual shareholder.

Other scenes include the renaissance era and the invention of the telephone and television. As part of the last update, the ride now has an interactive screen inside your ride vehicle. The riders photos are taken during the ride and on the descent from the top of the sphere back to the ground floor, you can play on the touch screen and 'create your future'. You answer several questions and it builds a small cartoon sketch showing how your future will be, and places the heads of the two riders on cartoon characters bodies, creating a rather funny little show.

When you exit the ride you go through the 'Project Tomorrow: Inventing the World of Tomorrow' area, which has a number of interactive games based around the technology of the attraction sponsor, Siemens.

Spaceship Earth is a ride that you shouldn't miss. It's a fascinating ride that caters to all ages.