Keep your little Mouseketeer clean, and keep your stroller organized, with these new items found at World of Disney at Disney Springs. The Disney Parks stroller organizer is available in four designs: Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Mickey and Pals, and Park Life. They feature an adjustable strap to fit your stroller handles, and convertible storage sections, exterior zip pouch, and a slip pocket. Each one is $24.99 and also available at shopDisney online.
Disney Parks Stroller OrganizerMickey and Pals Stroller OrganizerMickey Mouse Stroller Organizer and BibMickey Mouse Stroller OrganizerMinnie Mouse Silicone Bib With PocketMinnie Mouse Stroller Organizer
Also on display with these stroller organizers are some baby bibs for when your little one is super messy. These bibs are silicone and have a large pocket tray at the bottom to collect all the messes that come with feeding a baby or young toddler. The design features Minnie Mouse or Mickey Mouse, with their body on the bib, resulting in the bib wearer’s head appearing on Mickey or Minnie’s body. Each one is $14.99 and does not seem to be on shopDisney online.
Do you know any parents who would benefit from either of these items?
You’re going on vacation to Walt Disney World! The only problem? You’re not sure which attractions are right for you and your kiddos and you have questions. Which attractions are too intense for little ones? What rides do I really need a FastPass+ reservation for? What’s the disability access like for certain attractions? We’re answering all those questions and more in our Everything You Need to Know attraction series with today’s focus on Spaceship Earth at EPCOT!
What is Spaceship Earth?
Photo courtesy of Disney.
Spaceship Earth is EPCOT’s flagship attraction and housed inside of its signature 18-story geosphere. The attraction itself is a slow-moving dark ride showcasing major moments in the history of communication.
Where is Spaceship Earth?
Spaceship Earth is located at the main entrance of EPCOT and inside of the park’s icon.
What is the History of Spaceship Earth?
Spaceship Earth opened with the park on October 1, 1982. To date, there have been four versions of this attraction even though the experience and story has remained largely the same through the years. Changes have typically involved a change in narrator and sponsor, as well as adjustments to scenes, score, and some effects. One of the most substantial changes involved the removal of the ride’s descent scenes leading to the unloading area.
To celebrate the year 2000, a Mickey Mouse arm holding a magic wand with the number 2000 appeared next to Spaceship Earth. In 2001, the number of the year 2000 was replaced by the word Epcot. These additions were later removed in 2007.
What You Need to Know About the Queue for Spaceship Earth
Using a FP+ reservation to ride Spaceship Earth, just tap your band and go.
Much of the queue for Spaceship Earth is outside of the attraction and consists of a series of switchbacks. around the base of the attraction.
What You Need to Know About the Ride Experience
Guests experiencing Spaceship Earth slowly move past animatronic scenes representing major moments in the history of communication as narrated by Academy Award winner Judi Dench.
Guests riding Spaceship Earth will ride through scenes showcasing cave paintings, the Phoenicians using their alphabet to trade goods, Gutenberg’s printing press, and then later the rise of computers. The attraction finale is a projection of Earth from the perspective of space before the ride vehicles gently turn backwards and slowly descend down to the unloading area.
During that descent, guests use an interactive screen to personalize an animated video about their possible future.
What You Need to Know About the Ride Vehicles
Spaceship Earth employs an omnimover system–a continuously moving ride system. Guests step aboard a car from a moving walkway. Each car contains four hard seats with two in the front and two in the back. There are no safety restraints.
Each row has a single interactive touch screen which comes into play towards the end of the attraction. There is one controller per row so you may want to seat kids in separate rows with an adult so each child can control their interactive experience.
What You Need to Know About Accessibility
Guests must transfer to a standard wheelchair and then to the ride vehicle. Guests boarding the attraction should be prepared for a small step up from a moving walkway into the moving vehicle.
Due to the nature of the experience, Guests with service animals should check with a Cast Member at the attraction for boarding information.
What You Need to Know About the Health and Safety Advisories
Disney doesn’t recommend this attraction for guests who are made uncomfortable by enclosed dark spaces; but honestly, there are only a few moments where guests might feel discomfort or confined. For those who are concerned, Spaceship Earth is nothing like what guests experience on Mission: SPACE.
Also, a small number of guests with motion sensitivity may experience discomfort when the vehicle slowly rotates and moves backward at the end of the ride. However, this rotation and backwards movement is very slow and gentle in motion.
What are the Height Requirements?
There is no height requirement for Spaceship Earth! Everyone in the family can enjoy this attraction together.
Yes, but it may not be necessary depending on what time of day you plan to ride it.
If you want to ride Soarin’ and Test Track before you head to World Showcase, try to get a FastPass+ reservation for around 1 p.m. Or, if you plan on spending the afternoon in Future World and don’t want to use FastPass+, try to ride after 3 p.m.
Does Weather Affect Spaceship Earth?
Since this attraction is located indoors, inclement weather will not affect the ride’s operation; however, guests waiting in the extended queue may be exposed to the elements.
What’s the Best Time of Day to Experience Spaceship Earth?
Because Spaceship Earth sits at the main entrance of the park, guests tend to ride it first. Try to check it out before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.
This chart shows you roughly how long you’ll wait for Spaceship Earth when you visit on a day with a given EPCOT Crowd Level. The blue bars represent the average “peak” wait time (that is, how long the line will be at its busiest). The bottom and top black lines represent the range of peak wait times to expect (for you fellow nerds out there: it’s the 5th percentile and 95th percentile of peak wait times). Please note that these are estimates, and for a better forecast for your travel dates, see Spaceship Earth Wait Times.
Spaceship Earth was slated for closure and an extensive redo where guests would still travel through time, but the focus would be on storytelling and the human experience.
However, due to the lengthy COVID-19 shutdown, Spaceship Earth is currently scheduled to reopen in its current form on July 15 with its redo rescheduled for some time in the future.
Did I answer all of your questions about Spaceship Earth? Is this attraction at the top of your family’s vacation to-do list? Let us know in the comments.
From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Attractions, Epcot, Walt Disney World (FL), Disney Attractions, disney world, FastPass+, Spaceship Earth, walt disney world
On Friday June 26, 2020, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation declared that bars could not longer sell alcohol for on-premise consumption. You may have seen headlines that declare that Florida has banned the sale of alcohol – this is not true. The ban is on businesses whose revenue is comprised of 50% or more from the sale of alcohol. For such establishments they can still operate, but all drinks must be to-go, or for the consumption off-premises.
So what does this mean for Disney Springs? It means practically every bar at Disney can still serve alcohol for consumption, on its premises, because the majority of bars at Disney Springs are part of a restaurant, whose main source of revenue is food. It also means that many are pivoting to focus on to-go beverages.
Disney Springs Outdoor Bars Remain Open for To-Go Drinks
Raglan Road To-Go Bar
Places like Raglan Road and Pizza Pointe at Enzo’s have amplified their to-go drinks presence, including Fruit and Wine Popsicles at Pizza Pointe. Homecomin’ Florida Kitchen recently opened an expanded outdoor dining and bar space, called Shine Bar + Social, which remains open and ready to serve both on-premise or to-go.
Disney Springs Outdoor Bars Remain Open for To-Go DrinksHomecomin’ Outdoor Shine Bar Is Open June 2020Homecomin’ Outdoor Shine Bar Is Open June 2020
Other places like Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar – which had just reopened, have now closed. While I have not seen Jock Lindsey’s profit and loss statement, it would be easy to assume that alcohol is their primary revenue source. And, with the ban in place it may be more trouble than it is worth to have this venue open. Dockside Margaritas is also closed, as there is no food served here, and while to-go drinks could be an option, it may not be worth it.
Fruit and Wine Popsicles at Pizza PointeJock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar Closed June 2020
All in all, not much is missing from the drinking and dining scene at Disney Springs even with the on-premise ban in place. If anything, there seems to be an increase in to-go drinks.
Where’s your favorite place to grab a drink at Disney Springs?
Is anyone else super ready for the return of The Mandalorian to Disney+? I certainly am, but we’ve got a bit of a wait still. Of course, for Mando fans, Disney keeps churning out merchandise featuring The Child – the adorable Baby Yoda character. At Disney Springs we came across The Child Plush by Mattel at World of Disney.
The Child Plush by Mattel at Disney SpringsThe Child Plush by Mattel at Disney SpringsThe Child Plush by Mattel at Disney Springs
The plush doll has a truly authentic character likeness thanks to its plastic head. The rest of the doll is cuddly with soft fabric. There is also special packaging resembling the crib as seen in the show. The Child plush doll is $24.99 and is also available at shopDisney online.
When the Walt Disney World parks open in July, all guests will need a park reservation for admission. The Park Pass reservation system is only available at present at the Walt Disney World Website. Beginning on June 28, 2020, all existing ticket holders can make reservations for their number of days of valid theme park admission. The system opened with a rocky start on June 22, 2020, for Disney Resort guests. Annual Passholders had a smoother rollout on June 26. We can hope that the system will also go smoothly for existing ticket holders on June 28.
The Disney Park Pass System allows Disney to control the inventory based on the group each individual falls in. The groups are “Disney Resort Guests,” “Annual Passholders,” and “Theme Park Ticket Guests.” You can check availability for any day and group by clicking here.
I fall into two groups: I have a Resort reservation in September, and I am an Annual Passholder. It took me several hours until I was successful getting Park Pass reservations for my September stay. On June 25, Disney would not commit to an opening time for Annual Passholder access. Thanks to my dogs, I was up at 4:30 a.m. on June 28. Not surprising, the system was not working for Annual Passholders. I tried again at 5:58 a.m. I was able to start the Park Pass process, but the system froze before I could confirm my first reservation. (I assume Disney rebooted the server.) At 6:03 a.m. I made my first successful reservation for July 11. The second reservation for July 12, went smoothly. The third reservation hit a snag.
It appeared that my Park Pass reservations tied to my September trip was interfering with my Annual Passholder Park Pass reservations. I deleted my September Park Pass reservations and then was able to make my third July Park Pass reservation. I could not re-book my Park Pass reservations for September, but I have time to work that out.
Park Availability is Dynamic and Conditional
Disney is prioritizing Resort Guests over Annual Passholders, and we can assume Annual Passholders are prioritized over other guests. Besides having first access to the Park Pass System, Resort Guests have more availability. Currently, July only has 6 days with partial park availability. Typically Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the first park to sell out. EPCOT is the last park to sell out. The Magic Kingdom usually sells out before Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Disney is hoping to increase attendance each week. If things go smoothly, the Disney Park Pass System will add capacity. I’m guessing Disney will start with very low availability for days that are already sold out for Annual Passholders.
Annual Passholder Availability Timeline on June 26
After making my Park Pass reservations I watched availability for Park Passes change through the day at https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/availability-calendar/?segments=tickets,resort,passholder&defaultSegment=passholder. You can view one month, and one Disney guest type at a time. The calendar will show green, for all parks are available; yellow for some parks are available, and gray for no parks are available. If you select a day, you can see which park(s) are available.
6:30 a.m.
6:33 a.m.
6:56 a.m.
7:06 a.m.
7:08 a.m.
7:10 a.m.
7:12 a.m.
7:15 a.m.
8:31 a.m.
8:33 a.m.
10:34 a.m.
11:46 a.m.
12:34 p.m.
1:29 p.m.
2:51 p.m.
July 11-14 started off as yellow as only the Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open. Also, notice that by 6:30 a.m. that July 11 and 12 were sold out, but availability returned at 6:33 a.m.
It took longer for August to see parks fill up for Annual Passholders.
7:09 a.m.
10:46 a.m.
11:47 a.m.
12:38 p.m.
1:29 p.m.
2:51 p.m.
What to Expect on June 28, 2020
Expect limited availability for current ticket holders. Plan for the Park Park System to open early, but don’t be surprised if availability does not show up until after 7:00 a.m. Make sure you have tickets linked to all guests on the Disney website, and that you have access to everyone you want to make a Park Pass reservation.
What after June 28, 2020
If conditions improve and demand increases expect Disney increase availability. If you did not get the Park Pass reservations you wanted, keep checking.
Booking Dates for Park Reservations
The Disney Park Pass system is now available to select Guests. Booking dates vary based on your plans.
Beginning June 22, 2020, Disney Resort and other select hotel Guests with valid theme park admission can make reservations for their length of stay.
Beginning June 26, 2020, Annual Passholders without a Resort stay can make theme park reservations for up to 3 days at a time.
Beginning June 28, 2020, existing ticket holders can make reservations for the number of days of valid theme park admission.
Spaceship Earth opened with the park on October 1, 1982. To date, there have been four versions of this attraction even though the experience and story has remained largely the same through the years. Changes have typically involved a change in narrator and sponsor, as well as adjustments to scenes, score, and some effects. One of the most substantial changes involved the removal of the ride’s descent scenes leading to the unloading area.
To celebrate the year 2000, a Mickey Mouse arm holding a magic wand with the number 2000 appeared next to Spaceship Earth. In 2001, the number of the year 2000 was replaced by the word Epcot. These additions were later removed in 2007.
Spaceship Earth employs an omnimover system–a continuously moving ride system. Guests step aboard a car from a moving walkway. Each car contains four hard seats with two in the front and two in the back. There are no safety restraints.
Each row has a single interactive touch screen which comes into play towards the end of the attraction. There is one controller per row so you may want to seat kids in separate rows with an adult so each child can control their interactive experience.
Disney Springs Outdoor Bars Remain Open for To-Go Drinks
Raglan Road To-Go Bar
