A year-long exterior project at EPCOT's geodesic sphere looks like it is finally done. The change is cosmetic, though, and the much bigger interior overhaul of Spaceship Earth is still on the way.
A Year of Panel Swaps
Walt Disney World Resort began refurbishing the outside of Spaceship Earth in August 2025. Over the following months, crews gradually removed and replaced the silver metallic panels around Project Tomorrow, the interactive exit area attached to the sphere.
Most of the work was finished by April 2026. A few panels still looked worn and dirty next to the fresh installations, leaving the building uneven for months.
The Last Panels Go In
WDWNT reported on Wednesday, October 21, that those obviously weathered panels have now been replaced. They blend smoothly with the clean, metallic finish of the rest of the new surface, and the Project Tomorrow building appears to be complete.
The new panels also have a gradient look that adds depth when sunlight hits them.
What Is Coming Next
This news arrives two months after Walt Disney Imagineering announced plans at D23 Expo 2026 to overhaul Spaceship Earth's interior. The “next chapter” will focus on the power of “human connection.” Disney describes it as “classically EPCOT, a journey through time, celebrating the progress made possible through human connection.”
It isn't the first attempt. In 2019, Walt Disney World Resort announced an updated version, “Spaceship Earth: Our Shared Story,” planned for the Central Florida vacation destination's 50th anniversary. The pandemic shelved the project indefinitely.
Walt Disney World Resort hasn't said when the ride will close for renovations or whether a new narrator will be featured. Dame Judi Dench currently narrates the iconic EPCOT attraction.
Still Open for Guests
Despite the completed exterior work and the upcoming overhaul, Spaceship Earth remains open and operational at EPCOT, so guests can still ride it in its current form.
What do you think of Walt Disney World Resort's plans to refresh the inside of Spaceship Earth? Share your opinion with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
