The 2026 D23 Expo Parks Showcase revealed that Epcot’s icon, Spaceship Earth will be receiving a brand new update! In this post, we’ll share all of the news that was announced before adding our own commentary. Let’s get to it!

As Neil Patrick Harris was talking about outer space on the “Horizons: A Carousel of Progress” stage at D23: The Ultimate Fan Event, conversation naturally shifted to our favorite geodesic sphere from the ‘80s. How can you talk about the future of Disney Experiences without discussing the iconic attraction that celebrates humanity’s march from the caves to the cosmos and inspires guests to imagine, create, and build a better tomorrow. 

Joining him onstage to talk about the engineering marvel were Disney Imagineer Ali Rubinstein and YouTuber Mark Rober. This dynamic duo gave a nice refresher on the iconic opening day EPCOT attraction before jumping into the anticipated news. For the first time in nearly 20 years, Spaceship Earth is getting an update.

It’s time to invent the future! At the showcase, Ali revealed that a re-imagineered Spaceship Earth will be coming to EPCOT, bringing the attraction into the internet age and beyond. 

What can you expect in the world of tomorrow? The ride currently tells the story of human history, but the team is reimagining that focus on a broader theme that is still classically EPCOT – human connection. 

So, here’s to the next 30,000 years on Spaceship Earth. The present is just the beginning!

Commentary

After an elaborate opening number from Neil Patrick Harris and a host of celebrities, Horizons: A Carousel of Progress unleashed a slew of news that felt like if I blinked then I would miss it. Among that batch was this Spaceship Earth reimagining.

This major refurbishment continues an Epcot, and Walt Disney World, trend of plussing existing attractions. Test Track, Frozen Ever After, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure all set the table before the reimagining strategy branched out to Big Thunder, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets in 2026. This new emphasis has done wonders for Walt Disney World, as the experience at the resort is significantly better than what it was just 2 years ago.

Seeing that strategy move to Spaceship Earth was not surprising but it was needed. Back in 2020, Spaceship Earth was set to undergo a major overhaul but the project was scrapped due to COVID-19. Now the ride has gone over 20 years without significant work and it shows. We all love the wonderful Judy Dench but it’s time for the iconic ride to evolve. The alphabet has been learned.

Prior to the D23 Expo, I predicted that only one of the Spaceship Earth and Figment projects would happen. Obviously, I was wrong. Shocking! Interestingly, neither announcement included many details. We’ve already covered Figment and Dreamfinder, which was announced in the closing seconds of the show. Well, unless you count Beck singing Where It’s At as the closing seconds. Did that really happen?? Anyway, it seems like the Figment project is a ways out.

On the flip side of things was Spaceship Earth, which was announced in the first half hour of the parks showcase. Oddly, that didn’t include many updates either. Does that mean Spaceship Earth’s refurbishment is still a ways out, as well? I’m guessing no.

For one, it doesn’t make a ton of sense to announce a reimagining a year or two before it actually happens. That didn’t happen at any of the prior WDW attractions I mentioned that were plussed in the last few years. It’s possible that Spaceship Earth is on a different timeline and working within the ball makes this more challenging, but nothing was stopping them from waiting to announce this next year at Destination D23 or in a random week later on.

Accordingly, I think Spaceship Earth probably goes down for refurbishment and a reimagining at the end of 2026 or start of 2027. Hopefully, we’ll have more updates on that in the next month or two.

As for what I hope out of the reimagining, a new script would be nice and utilizing some of the new animatronic models would also be exciting. This ride is spectacular when it doesn’t feel a little dusty, so I’m hoping that there aren’t wholesale changes. I don’t foresee the track changing, outside of repairs, and it sounds as if many of the ideas will stay the same. There were plenty of hints at more of a space theme and that would be exciting to add!

Whatever the case, I’m happy to see Spaceship Earth get some love and am eager to hear more details on the project.

Are you excited for Spaceship Earth’s reimagining? Let us know, along with any questions you have, in the comments below! Want discounted tickets to Walt Disney World? Check out this site! Planning at trip to Disney World? Check out our Disney World Trip Planning Guide. If you enjoy what you’re reading here on Wandering in Disney, please subscribe to the blog on the right side of this page. That’s where you can find links to our social media accounts, as well. Thank you for reading!