Today we are visiting Spaceship Earth. Not only is it Epcot’s iconic feature it is also an interesting attraction that should be a part of everyone’s visit to the park.

What differentiates the 180 foot tall Spaceship Earth from the iconic features of the other three Walt Disney World parks is that within the massive geosphere is a dark ride attraction.

The attraction boldly greets you as you enter the main gate of Epcot and you must pass it to get to the rest of the park.

The ride cue is typically very short and the line moves fast, since it is a continuously loading ride like the Haunted Mansion. Shortly after getting into your ride vehicle, you will be asked a couple of interactive questions on the on-board monitor that will be used to customize your ride experience. This feature is an addition from the recent refurbishment that was completed earlier this year. It marked the transition to the new principal sponsorship by Siemens.

The ride transports you through a series of scenes of animatronic characters. These scenes take you through the history of man and the role that communication has had. If you have ridden the attraction previously you will notice that many scenes are the same, while others have been dramatically changed. You may also note that the narration has changed. The new narration is performed by the actress Judi Dench.

After reaching the top of the geosphere, the ride vehicle turns 180 degrees for the decent. At this point is the attraction the personal monitors activate again and use the information that you entered earlier to create a personalize scene of what the future may look like for you.

Departing the ride vehicle, you will enter a revamped post-ride area that has a number of fun interactive games to play. These post ride areas are often overlooked and are usually well worth the time to check them out. These areas are great if you have 8-13 year old kids.

In summary Spaceship Earth is not only the photogenic icon of Epcot, it is a worthwhile attraction that can be enjoyed by the whole family.