Spaceship Earth is the iconic and symbolic structure of
Epcot, the second of four
theme parks built at the
Walt Disney World Resort. One of the most recognizable structures of any theme park, it is also the name of the attraction that is housed within the 18-story
geodesic sphere that takes guests on a
time machine-themed experience using the
Omnimover system. The 15-minute
dark ride demonstrates to guests how advancements in
human communication have helped to create the future one step at a time. Passengers journey back in time to witness the origins of
prehistoric man, then travel forward in time to witness important breakthroughs in
communication throughout history—from the invention of the
alphabet to the creation of the
printing press to today's modern communication advancements, including
telecommunication and
mass communication. At the conclusion of the ride, passengers have the chance to design their own future using touch screens that are embedded into the ride cars.