The planned refurbishment for EPCOT’s Spaceship Earth has been put on hold and the iconic attraction will remain open when the park reopens next month, the Orlando Sentinel who received the information from a local union leader.
- Spaceship Earth was planned to close on May 26 for an extended refurbishment that would have seen some major changes to the attraction.
- The planned changes would have seen some of the attraction’s classic scenes remain but would have seen them “blended with brand-new scenes to tell a story about our human experience.”
- Additionally, guests would “hear new narration and see how light plays a central role in our shared human journey, coming to life in dynamic ways in a celebration of the magic that’s possible when we all come together.”
- Union leader Eric Clinton brought up Spaceship Earth while discussing the thousands of furloughed workers who will be returning to work at Walt Disney World this month to prepare for next month’s reopening.
- All Disney full-time attractions and custodian workers, as well as many part-time workers, will be called back to work this month.
- According to Clinton, about 8,000 people could potentially return to work.
- There could be some significant shuffling for those workers though due to the water parks and other Disney properties having no immediate plans to reopen.
- Cast Members from those locations could be transferred to other locations where there are shortages.
- For example, as we learned last week, EPCOT’s World Showcase will have to be temporarily staffed without Cultural Representatives.
- According to Clinton, Disney is in need of Cast Members to clean around attraction queues and take positions that maintain social distancing practices.
- He also explained that the Disney College Program will not be returning any time soon.
- It is unclear which attractions will be open and which will not, making it even more unclear for many Cast Members exactly where they will be returning to work.
- Cast Members who are unwilling to return to work for fear of their health or that of their families will be able to postpone their recalls for a limited amount of time.
- Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom will open on July 11 while EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will open on July 15.
What they’re saying:
- Union Leader Eric Clinton: “What we do know is there’s going to be a massive need for attractions workers across property. … There’s going to be a lot of work that needs to be done."