Subsonic Radio

I remember that the renovations were incomplete (or thought to be) after the reopening had to be rushed in late 2007.

When I visited last year (Sept 2008) it seemed to have an unfinished quality to it on the descent, especially after the video on the in-car screen finishes. The surroundings had some sort of colored triangles and a whole lot of black. Some people had said that there was still a bit more to do to complete the renovation to tie the end of the video and the return to the "home port" (I know I have that name wrong, so please bear with me).

Was there anything more done to finish the job, or has Disney just left it as it is and shelved the "finishing touches" for now?

I dont' think there are any more rennovations planned. The surroundings are the same as what you describe and haven't changed since Sept of last year.

No one really knows. More changes to the descent are planned, supposedly, but will have to wait for the yearly sponsorship payment from Siemens. That's what I've read, anyway.

It probably wouldn't make a whole lot of sense to add much if you're focused on your monitor.

It would still be better than just having curtains on the descent, even if it's just something small.

It probably wouldn't make a whole lot of sense to add much if you're focused on your monitor.

But as I remember there is a small amount of time after the video ends and before you disembark where there is nothing but darkness. In addition, there was a small amount of time of darkness before the video starts.

It is interesting to see how Disney tries to hide this. I actually turned around during the descent to see behind me and it is pretty bleak. I hope they do something because those moments before and after the video, although small, are a sour way to end what has become a really good attraction.

Len90 wrote:I hope they do something because those moments before and after the video, although small, are a sour way to end what has become a really good attraction.

"Become"? Bah SSE has always been a GREAT attraction

See for me it's not all that big of a deal because the decent always was "sparse." You just looked at a bunch of neon lights on the ceiling. I always liked that but not exactly the sight to be seen in EPCOT. I guess they could just add those back? Personally, I wouldn't want a whole lot going on in the background because then I wouldn't know what to pay attention to.

Mr.ToadWildRider wrote:

Len90 wrote:I hope they do something because those moments before and after the video, although small, are a sour way to end what has become a really good attraction.

"Become"? Bah SSE has always been a GREAT attraction

If anything it has become worse. The last time I went on the ride, the narrator sounds like she is speaking to a bunch of two year olds.

Yeah, I'd describe it as "not completely ruined", which is what passes for great these days. Some of the freshening up of the sets is quite nice, but the narration is not the best.

If the monitor on the descent is just filler until they put in a proper ending, I'm cool with that. I hope that's the case.

agingerbugg wrote:The last time I went on the ride, the narrator sounds like she is speaking to a bunch of two year olds.

I felt the same way after watching the Disney dub of Ponyo (which, in fairness, is actually a fine movie for two year olds). In the Disney version, all the characters seemed distinctly aware of the fact that they were in a children's film. I don't speak Japanese, so I obviously didn't understand all the tone changes, but the Japanese dialog seemed much more naturalistic and some of the tone changes in the American version seemed to alter the meaning of scenes.

I think this goes back to one of my basic complaints about the interpretation of Epcot as "educational". Sadly, most people don't like being educated, but I would say that the original intent was to inspire, which involves treating the audience with a great deal more respect.

Not, "Here are some things you should know", but "Isn't this amazing? Imagine what's next!".

By the way, it should be noted that this attraction is only accidentally still good. Disney would have loved to turn it into something completely different (and stoopider), but the geosphere's status as a park icon prevented them from flattening it (a la Horizons) and its construction prevented them from putting the latest empty-headed vomit-o-tron ride in there.

agingerbugg wrote:

Mr.ToadWildRider wrote:

Len90 wrote:I hope they do something because those moments before and after the video, although small, are a sour way to end what has become a really good attraction.

"Become"? Bah SSE has always been a GREAT attraction

If anything it has become worse. The last time I went on the ride, the narrator sounds like she is speaking to a bunch of two year olds.

Try listening to it in another language...that will make it a lot tougher on you! lol My husband selected German one time and it put a whole 'nother spin on the ride!

I don't mind the sparse descent. I think that after all of those scenes that anything they put there isn't going to impress. I do love the interactive video!

Captain Schnemo wrote:By the way, it should be noted that this attraction is only accidentally still good. Disney would have loved to turn it into something completely different (and stoopider), but the geosphere's status as a park icon prevented them from flattening it (a la Horizons) and its construction prevented them from putting the latest empty-headed vomit-o-tron ride in there.

I remember an announcement made by one of the bus drivers or tram people in the late nineties that in 2000 they were going to close SSE, gut it and install a thrill ride. Thankfully THAT never happened. I think the delay of TT, destruction of Horizons and the correction of the Imagination mistake prevented the travesty.

Mr.ToadWildRider wrote:

Len90 wrote:I hope they do something because those moments before and after the video, although small, are a sour way to end what has become a really good attraction.

"Become"? Bah SSE has always been a GREAT attraction

See for me it's not all that big of a deal because the decent always was "sparse." You just looked at a bunch of neon lights on the ceiling. I always liked that but not exactly the sight to be seen in EPCOT. I guess they could just add those back? Personally, I wouldn't want a whole lot going on in the background because then I wouldn't know what to pay attention to.

For me it was become. I didn't really remember it since I was young. All I remember was being bored since I was very young. Now that I am older (still a kid at heart in Disney World) I find SSE to be a great attraction that you could easily go on once every stay.

I do think that SSE is a great ride. We will do that 2 or 3 times in a day at EPCOT. I miss the old ending, but when I think about the discussion from the late 90s to gut the ride and put a thrill ride in that beautiful geodesic sphere, I want to go kiss the ground infront of SSE and thank everyone that it is still intact...too bad those grave stones are in the way...

Seriously though, I understand what TDO and Siemens was thinking with the "interactive" ending to the current SSE. It was different, and new, and potentially a really neat thing. I think it is inferior to the previous version(s), but overall SSE is still a great EPCOT ride.

Len90 wrote:All I remember was being bored since I was very young. Now that I am older (still a kid at heart in Disney World) I find SSE to be a great attraction that you could easily go on once every stay.

What changed is you, not the attraction.

For those of us who were not bored when we were young, we liked it for different reasons as we got older...or at least we more deeply understood the attraction as we got a some perspective on the world.

Epcot is the park that seems to change the most as you get older, since it gains meaning as you gain real life experience. Well, the parts that haven't been destroyed, anyway.

Test Track doesn't hold any deeper meaning for anyone.