Spaceship Earth’s Narrators in Epcot (1982 to Present Day)

If you’re making a trip to Epcot, don’t skip a ride on Spaceship Earth! The huge geodesic sphere is the main symbol of the park. It makes for great photo opportunities, especially after dark, but there’s so much more to it!

Spaceship Earth is a relaxing, interactive ride. The focus is on human history, and there have been many updates to the Spaceship Earth narration and storyline that are worth checking out whenever you visit Epcot.

History of Spaceship Earth Narrators

Here’s a breakdown of the four Spaceship Earth narrators:

• Vic Perrin (1982 to 1986)
• Walter Cronkite (1986 to 1994)
• Jeremy Irons (1994 to 2007)
• Judi Dench (2007 to present)

The best Spaceship Earth narrator was Jeremy Irons, as he had a commanding presence that beautifully walked you through the course of human and technological evolution.

You have to remember that 1994, Jeremy Irons was incredibly popular with Disney fans thanks to The Lion King, and his ability to remain the Spaceship Earth narrator for over a decade solidified his voice as one of the most authoritative in the ride’s history.

With that said, Walter Cronkite was a deeply respected news anchorman for decades, delivering us vital information via our TV sets.  Cronkite brought that same sense of importance to the Spaceship Earth ride, and I think he added a considerable amount of gravitas to the attraction for twelve years.

The Spaceship Earth Theory (and R. Buckminster Fuller)

Now you may know and love Spaceship Earth the ride, but did you know that the Spaceship Earth phrasing and theory became popularized in 1968 thanks to a man named Richard Buckminster Fuller? If not, check out his talk at MIT circa 1979 in the video below:

R. Buckminster Fuller was many things, namely an architect, designer and even an inventor.  But he was also a writer, and in the late 1960s, he wrote a book entitled the Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth. 

In this book, Fuller used the now beloved phrase  “aboard our Spaceship Earth” in order to describe the need for humanity to come together in order to keep the planet functioning prosperously.

As you know, die-hard fans of the Spaceship Earth ride will remember narrators like Jeremy Irons (more on him later!) re-using the phrase “aboard Spaceship Earth” in the ride’s script, as well.

Is Spaceship Earth a Roller Coaster That’s Dark and Scary?

First things first: Spaceship Earth is impossible for you to miss if you’ve never been to Epcot. It’s the gigantic white sphere in Epcot that most people would describe as looking like a giant golf ball. It’s an impressive structure, but a lot of people seem to stroll right past it without even giving it much thought. 

There are even some visitors who have said they didn’t realize there was anything inside of it! Another misconception is that some people think it’s an enclosed roller coaster, so they skip it if they’re not into thrill rides.

The sphere is by no means empty, and it’s not some crazy thrill ride either. Spaceship Earth is a relaxing slow ride that takes you on a journey through many scenes depicting human history, with a focus on communication and technology. It’s well done, engaging, and definitely worth checking out!

If you’re at a point in the day where you need to get away from crowds and do something “quiet” while at Epcot, Spaceship Earth is a great choice. This attraction moves quite slowly and the Spaceship Earth ride length lasts for 16 minutes. There are no loud noises or flashing lights, and your kids (and you) might learn a few interesting historical facts along the way.

Spaceship Earth Ride Description

The ride is a journey through human history that begins with scenes depicting “cavemen” hunting a wooly mammoth, and cave paintings that tell the story of the successful hunt.

It moves along through historical scenes showing technological advances such as the Roman roads, Phoenician writing, the printing press, cinema, radio, and more….on up to our modern computer information age.

The Smithsonian Institute was consulted by the Disney Imagineers to ensure the historical accuracy of each section, and famed author Ray Bradbury, who was a close friend of Walt Disney, contributed to the original ride concept.

Who Has Narrated Spaceship Earth Over the Years

Spaceship Earth Narrator #1: Vic Perrin

Spaceship Earth first opened on Epcot’s opening day; October 1, 1982. It took over two years to build the 18-story tall sphere. In fact, it’s actually two spheres: the inner sphere holds the ride itself while the outer sphere makes up the impressive white exterior.

The first Spaceship Earth narration was done by Vic Perrin. Does that name not sound familiar to you?  Well, I bet you would recognize his voice. He is probably best known for being the “control voice” in the opening of the “Outer Limits” television show. He’s also done voice acting for several villains on the “Scooby Doo, Where Are You?” animated series, as well as guest appearances on several classic television shows.

The first version of Spaceship Earth featured heavy fog effects at the beginning of the ride, and some animatronic figures that were later repurposed or moved as the ride underwent several updates.

Spaceship Earth Narrator #2: Walter Cronkite

In 1986, the Spaceship Earth narration was taken over by veteran newscaster Walter Cronkite. Known for his straightforward reporting on major events, Mr. Cronkite was often referred to as “the most trusted man in America”. His calm, “grandfatherly” voice was a great choice for this attraction that focuses on advances in communication. 

Are you old enough to remember seeing Walter Cronkite on the CBS Evening News? I was a kid during most of the time he was on the air, but I can clearly recall his voice at the end of the broadcast saying “And that’s the way it is”…followed by the current date.

There were a lot of other updates to Spaceship Earth in 1986. They removed the fog effects and added two new scenes. One new scene showed a boy in his bedroom working at a home computer, and the other portrayed a woman working in a paperless office setting. The boy animatronic was repurposed from the Gutenberg printing press scene.

Another big change at this time was the addition of the new theme song titled “Tomorrow’s Child”. This song was heard at the end of the ride as a musical finale. 

Spaceship Earth Narrator #3: Jeremy Irons

In 1994, Disney Imagineers updated Spaceship Earth again, this time with Jeremy Irons as the narrator. Jeremy Irons is also the voice of the villainous Scar in “The Lion King, which also debuted in 1994. 

Do you think any kids on the ride recognized that it was “Scar” doing the narrating? Whether they did or not, you can’t deny that Jeremy Irons’ deep voice is perfect for narrating just about anything!

With this update, the “Tomorrow’s Child” song was replaced by an instrumental soundtrack, and some of the scenes at the end of the ride were removed entirely. The removed scenes were replaced with a scene of a young boy using his computer to have a video call with a young Asian girl.

There were also miniature city scenes added that were connected by color-changing fiber optic cables to represent communication pathways.

Spaceship Earth Narrator #4: Judi Dench

In 2008, Spaceship Earth underwent more updates. This time, Judi Dench provided the English language narration. She is also the first woman to narrate this ride. Why did I specify she is the English language narrator? Well, because in 2008 the Spaceship Earth narration was made available in multiple languages for the first time.

Judi Dench’s recognizable voice is both informative and adds a few touches of humor to the current version of Spaceship Earth’s story. Her narration is, perhaps, most notable for the iconic closing line “Here’s to the next 30,000 years on Spaceship Earth…” 

Spaceship Earth Narration Script That’s Become a Classic

Admittedly, the Spaceship Earth narration script has changed a bit over the years, but here’s one of my favorite passages from it (where Judi Dench discusses the invention of computers):

“To send a man to the moon, we had to invent a new language, spoken not by man, but by computers—at first very large, very expensive computers—but we see the potential.

What if everyone could have one of these amazing machines in their own house? There’s just one problem: they’re as big as a house. The solution comes in, of all places, a garage in California. 

Young people with a passion for shaping the future put the power of the computer in everyone’s hands. Together, we form a super network that goes with billions of interactions, and once again we stand on the brink of a new Renaissance.”

Along with the new narration in 2008, the ride itself was upgraded with a new musical score, new lighting, updates to existing scenes as well as the addition of some new scenes, and the addition of touch screens to the ride vehicles.

The touch screens are a small addition, but they add a lot of fun to this attraction! At the beginning of the ride, photos of each guest’s face are taken in the ride vehicle. Near the conclusion of the ride, the screen will prompt you with questions about how you’d like to live in the future. 

Once you answer all the questions (I always choose to live under the sea!), you’ll see a cartoon on your screen that shows how your version of life in the future would look! The photos that were taken at the beginning of the ride are superimposed onto cartoon bodies, and there you are onscreen – living your best future life! 

What Happens After the Spaceship Ride Ends?

Once you step off the ride, there is more fun to be found inside Spaceship Earth!

Just like the Spaceship Earth ride, the post-ride area has gone through quite a few changes over the years. When Epcot opened in 1982, the area was called “Earth Station”, and it was focused on being a guest relations hub.

Guests could view video screens with previews of upcoming attractions at Epcot. There were also interactive kiosks where you could make dining reservations or have a video call with a cast member if you have questions.

In 1994, the area became known as “The Global Neighborhood”, and there was more of an interactive play area vibe for children to enjoy.

The current post-ride area is known as “Project Tomorrow”. In this area, you can view a world map showing the faces of everyone who just shared your journey on Spaceship Earth (again, using those pics taken at the beginning of the ride). 

There are also large-scale video games to play that are fun for kids and adults both. It’s also a nice place to hang out in some dim lighting if you still feel like you need a break from the Florida heat and crowds.

What’s the Future of Spaceship Earth?

If you want to ride Spaceship Earth on your next trip to Walt Disney World, you might want to plan that trip fairly soon! Spaceship Earth is due for yet another round of updates and renovations.

Back in 2019, it was announced that Spaceship would be closed in 2020 for some major updates. Well, we know what happened in 2020, right? Everything closed down!

When Walt Disney World was able to reopen after the worst of the pandemic was over, Spaceship Earth was open, too. An announcement was made that the planned updates were postponed, but not cancelled.

So what is known about these planned updates? At the D23 Expo in 2019, then-CEO Bob Chapek described that the improved plan for Spaceship Earth would focus on “…the power of storytelling to unite the human experience”. 

It will feature new scenes, new music, new narration, and a magical “story light” that will guide the ride throughout the scenes of human history. A new concept for the post-ride area was also discussed, although no details are known about what that might entail. 

Brainstorming the New Spaceship Earth Narrator

As much as I think the new updates sound wonderful, I will admit that I’ll miss Judi Dench’s narration. I wonder what celebrity will be chosen to narrate the next version of the ride?  Who would you pick? 

Personally, I think someone like Keith David (who, like Jeremy Irons, also played an animated Disney villain) would be great.  I also think Angela Bassett, who narrated the Disney+ series “The Imagineering Story,” would be a fantastic choice as well.

Honestly, what is known about the planned updates to Spaceship Earth is based on past announcements and “leaked” concept art at this point. Things could change, but it seems that a lot of work was already done to plan the upgrades before the pandemic hit, so I’ll be surprised if the work doesn’t begin in a year or two.

I hope this gave you a better idea of what Spaceship Earth is all about. It’s so much more than just an impressively large “golf ball”! It really is an impressive accomplishment of engineering and storytelling; on the level that only Disney can achieve. 

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This article was written by Kimberly and edited by Michael.