Spaceship Earth

Spaceship Earth, the centerpiece of EPCOT, can be seen from almost anywhere in the park. It is an eighteen story high large geosphere comprised of 60 isosceles triangle faces divided into 16 smaller equilateral triangles. Each of those 960 flat panels is sub-divided into four triangles, each of which is divided into three isosceles triangles to form each point. (In case you were wondering)

The outer shell was designed so that when it rains, no water pours off the sides onto the people below. (How amazing is that? Has anyone ever wondered about that on a rainy day at EPCOT?) Water is channeled through one inch gaps in the facets where the triangles meet and is collected in a funnel system and diverted into the World Showcase Lagoon.

Spaceship Earth contains a ride that takes you on a time machine type experience that shows how advances in human communication have helped to create our future, step by step. The attraction involves a timeline from the origins of prehistoric man to the dawn of the 21st century, where guests can then create a future for themselves on touch screens in front of them.

In celebration of the year 2000, a large magic wand was built next to the sphere. In 2001, the number 2000 was replaced with the word "Epcot." In 2007, Spaceship Earth was restored to its original appearance, in time for its 25th anniversary, in October. Thank goodness, because many people hated that the magic wand spoiled the pristine look of Spaceship Earth and all its glory!