First look: Disney's new Spaceship Earth night-time experience at EPCOT
Disney has released concept designs for its plans to transform the Spaceship Earth attraction at EPCOT theme park at the Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, US.
Featuring new night-time experiences, the additions will be a permanent fixture at EPCOT and a "defining feature" of the park.
Spaceship Earth has maintained its classic multi-colour lighting design for nearly 40 years – a legacy which the team working on the project says it is "keen to preserve".
The iconic structure's traditional look will be "maintained and accentuated through new colours and intensity" through the use of programmed expressions, which will extend into the new main entrance fountain and the wider park area.
Zach Riddley, Disney Imagineer, said the new night-time experience will form a part of The World’s Most Magical Celebration – an event marking Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary.
"The dazzling, permanent new programmable lighting system will debut as part of and will continue to live on as a defining feature of EPCOT," Riddley said.
"EPCOT is a park about the best of us – what is possible when we embrace the power of imagination and humanity’s ability to make impossible things reality when we work together.
"We are all connected. That is the theme and the expression at the heart of our work across EPCOT and at the heart of this stellar new visual experience coming soon to Spaceship Earth.
"Spaceship Earth is a unique structure recognised around the world. To honour this idea, our Imagineers have created custom lighting features that literally emerge from her unique architecture.
"These features will shine across Spaceship Earth's silver panels and "connect" with one another, resembling shimmering stars in a nighttime sky," he said.
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