The iconic Spaceship Earth attraction, a staple of EPCOT since the park’s grand opening in 1982, shut down last week, leaving several visitors trapped on board.
Spaceship Earth, the geodesic sphere that serves as EPCOT’s official symbol, takes guests on a journey through the history of communication and innovation. The ride’s omnimover system takes guests on a historical look at human innovation and an interactive imagining of the future.
However, like any Disney Park attraction, Spaceship Earth isn’t without its issues. Last week, the family-friendly dark ride unexpectedly shut down for nearly an hour…with dozens of riders on board.
It’s unclear exactly why Spaceship Earth was shut down, but one guest on TikTok (@findingmyshine) shared a video detailing their experience spending over 40 minutes on the ride.
@findingmyshine And a free lightning lane for being stopped so long #disneyworld #spaceshipearth #epcot #disneyrides #disneypov #creatorsearchinsights #fyp
“When [you’re] stuck on Spaceship Earth for 40 minutes, you find yourself cheering this man on,” the guest joked. “This man staring into your soul, and you just want to thank the Phoenicians.”
Though omnimover attractions like this one occasionally halt for technical reasons or to assist guests with mobility issues, the reason for this prolonged shutdown remains a mystery. Fortunately, those stuck on the ride were not evacuated, and Walt Disney World Resort provided free Lightning Lane passes as compensation for the inconvenience. The TikToker said the shutdown was a welcome reprieve from the Central Florida summer heat.
“Inside from the heat it wasn’t bad at all,” the Disney Park guest added.
As of now, Walt Disney World Resort has not made an official statement about the cause of last week’s Spaceship Earth closure. However, the World Celebration attraction did reopen and was operating normally at the time of this article’s publication.
Have you ever gotten stuck on a ride at Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? Share your story with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
