Show scenes Spaceship Earth (Epcot)

audio-animatronic cavemen in first scene of ride. scene has since been updated new figures , animated background.

the ride begins time-machine vehicles ascending dark tunnel twinkling stars around. adventurous orchestral theme starts play. score shifts theme ostinato, leitmotif comes represent digital interference, guests have picture taken which, unknown riders, used later in ride , in post-show.

as vehicle arrives @ first story of structure, begins slow curve. large film screen stretched along inside of sphere, depicting humans fighting survival without form of communication , language. screen dims behind them, guests enter cavern populated audio animatronic humans, represent development of language through cave paintings. drawings on walls come life , begin dance car continues onward.

the score modulates, presenting theme in phrygian mode, implying middle eastern atmosphere. guests brought through heated diorama of egyptians, invented system of portable communication using hieroglyphs recorded on papyrus, opposed cave paintings unable transported humans migrated.

the phoenicians animatronics in scene ride discussing how our modern alphabet evolved.

phoenician merchants seen carrying goods faraway lands. narration explains how each civilization trying communicate, cannot understand each other due language barrier. phoenicians, trade of them create simple common alphabet, trade , communication becomes easier. turning corner, riders see lesson in mathematics being taught in piazza in ancient greek city, in sequence attempts show how math helped invent birth of high tech life enjoy today. shifting ancient rome, night scene including traveler in chariot delivering news depicts how language portrayed tool cultural unification vast network of roads stretched across europe, leading rome.

suddenly, scene takes dark turn crashes heard , smell of burnt wood fills air. fall of rome invading mercenary armies brought destruction of bulk of world s recorded knowledge, including loss of scrolls @ library of alexandria. narration gives hope vehicle reaches next level, jewish , islamic scholars of middle ages seen preserving recorded information, , continuing progress in science.

winding through exotic fabrics , drapery, guests arrive @ monastery biblical manuscripts being painstakingly copied. composition shifts rousing hallelujah chorus, sung melody of piece s exposition. gutenberg seen working first movable-type printing press, allowing information travel freely across globe. european renaissance portrayed, animatronics of ensembles playing rich, polyphonic secular motets, sculpting woman, , painting of portrait of fruit. scene ends car passes under scaffold, michelangelo seen painting ceiling of sistine chapel.

the time machines transition post-civil war north. guests witness syndicated news reports illuminating planet of current events amazing efficiency. loud, industrial-sized printing presses show incredible influence of machine advancement in mass communication. guests pass clanging sounds of press, score s theme presented again, time uptempo ragtime piano. seen next romanticized version of 20th century communications revolution—after passing telegraphs, radio, telephones, , movies, riders see 1969 television broadcast of apollo 11 landing on moon, featuring walter cronkite. language had progressed such extent no longer spoken solely humans, machines well.

guests turn corner , find in large mainframe computer ascend final hill. @ top, slow descent starts, progressing through garage in california, man seen building 1 of first home computers. score becomes percussive , dramatic guests fly through tunnel computer code projected onto walls. @ crescendo, car makes final turn cupola of spaceship earth. top of structure is, in fact, planetarium studded stars , large projection of rotating earth. before omnimover vehicles start move down long descent unloading area, rotate 180 degrees clockwise , guests ride end of attraction backwards.

the remainder of ride moves past seemingly infinite number of stars , realm of glowing triangles. guests can use touch-screens in omnimover vehicle fill out questionnaire create possible depiction of future, uses pictures taken @ beginning of ride.

siemens invites guests visit project tomorrow exit ride cars.