The white shell pieces were fitted together and laid over the quadrupod section…but they are not the true exterior. When the outer shell was applied, guests saw this as the final step in the completion of this mesmerizing structure. The same principle is put to use for the inside layer, which serves as the actual ‘wall’ of the attraction. If you look at the outer shell portion- aka the white part that the guests see- you’ll notice that the surface is made up of hundreds of pyramid-shaped triangles that interlock to create one skin. Spaceship EarthĬredit: The installation of the Disney-named “quadrupods” were the next phase of the construction process.

So, as a tip of the cap to the Imagineers behind the ball, let’s explore what went into the attraction that teaches us something new each time we visit. To this day its design and construction remain one of the many jaw-dropping architectural feats The Walt Disney Company has ever completed. Time has shown that the design of Spaceship Earth and the ride that it houses perfectly encapsulated the identity of Epcot (even in a time before World Showcase). Now, it means fantastic food, great photo opportunities, and (usually) a fantastic festival with food and drinks to keep me going until the final sweep. When you’re approaching the Park, ‘the ball’ can be clearly seen from some distance away, and when I was younger that sight meant I was in for a long, hot day of World Showcase touring with the adults. Whatever your preferred nickname, Spaceship Earth is undoubtedly the icon of Epcot, and has been since its opening in 1982.

Epcot spaceship earth