Officially Spaceship Earth closed for a lengthy refurbishment last week.
A couple of sites are reporting that this has been postponed for now as part of the $900 million cut in construction spending.
This started the whole thing
We read about that yesterday and were SO happy! It was going to be sad to go to EPCOT for this trip and not get to do Spaceship Earth. I suppose it is a minor thing, but in light of all the changes/cuts to experiences at Disney, this was one of the more difficult ones for us to deal with. We don’t care about losing character meets…but please…give me SE! 
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I have mixed emotions about this.
One, I would love to see this attraction get some much needed and well deserved love and attention from WDI.
On the other hand, I am happy to see that it will be open if and when we go in the end of July. It is one of the rides that my entire family loves. Often at the end of the day at EPCOT, we will ride it two times in a row just before we leave the park.
I do agree with this…but…but…let it get that much deserved love and attention AFTER our trip! 
(How very selfish of me, I know.)
I know it’s selfish, but I’d like to see Epcot just stay closed for construction. Let them do the SE refurb / GotG / Ratatouille / pathways… etc… unobstructed from people. It was such a construction mess before all this anyway! Imagine how they could get, not only back on schedule, but ahead of the 2024 anniversary reopening.
Again… it’s not logical to leave an entire park closed. They need that space to spread everyone out and CMs need jobs. It’s just a pipe dream!
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I was actually expecting that…so I was surprised when they decided to go ahead with opening EP. Of course, it might not really speed things up very much to keep the park closed. They only have so many workers who can work so many hours. And, they ultimately bring in a lot of revenue from World Showcase restaurants.
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I too have mixed emotions about this. On one hand, I don’t want it to be closed and can’t imagine a trip without it. On the other hand, it could really use an update and if done right I think it could be pretty incredible.
I don’t think it’s the worst idea to spread the refurb out over multiple years. Focus on finishing Ratatouille and the old Innovations refurb first, then do SE and finally Mary Poppins. That way you can devote more resources to each upgrade without impacting Park operations as much.
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I am not mad about this. We love SE and I’ve been very nervous about this refurb. I was sad our April trip was cancelled because we wanted to ride it one last time, but if it is open in July, then we’ll hopefully get a ride!
Disney is canceling $900 Million in Capital Expenditures for all parks for 2020. Certain projects are going to go on hold, scaled back, or canceled. Some projects like Ratatouille, Space 220, and the park’s main gate entrance refurbishments were so close to completion they should finish. Ratatouille may not open just to lower demand to help keep social distancing in control.
The re-do of Innovations could be scaled back to something simpler and less costly. GOTG ride might get delayed. Mary Poppins might not make it off the drawing board.
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It’s one of the essential stops for any Disney trip (right @hmbhmbhmb?) and I wouldn’t mind riding it one last time before it closes for two years of refurb…we’ll see if it’s still open when we’re there in October. Fingers crossed.
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Yes I had heard about the scaling back. But they will likely take some of the cancelled projects up in the next five years once the economy recovers and the pandemic is over. I’m just saying it’s probably better this way in the long run so you don’t have half the park closed in the interim and they can devote proper attention to the projects that are underway.
If it’s a construction project, in the parks, that as already gone vertical (underground / civil engineering done - beams & supports in place) and is visible - it’ll get completed ASAP. (rides / pathways)
(If a project was started, but outside the parks - like a hotel / DVC property it may not get completed for years.)
IMHO - if it was a refurb or new project that hasn’t broken ground / started, it’ll get indefinitely postponed. (Mary Poppins, SE and Journey of Water / Epcot redo)
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I feel like I just read someone where that new permits were filed last month for continued work on the SW hotel. I haven’t heard anything about Reflections though.
This is correct. It’s probably the one hotel, IMHO, that will get completed. That hotel is too “visible” to be forgotten. It’s pretty much a “park attraction”.
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I agree. And as I am very anxious to stay there, I am excited!!
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The Finance department at WDW is very anxious and excited for you to stay there as well.
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Here is what was planned for EPCOT
There is a big gaping hole in the center of the park where a new pavilion described as a
beautiful three-level structure will have one of the most remarkable architectural designs at any Disney park, featuring a plaza level, a middle expo level, and a park that sits in the sky on the top level.
The last pictures of that area looked to me like that the demo work was completed and no new construction had started. I wonder what will become of this. From the description it sounds expensive.
Since nighttime fireworks shows are on hold for a while, they can save $$$ by delaying the work for the new HarmonioUS show.
It’s funny, I was just thinking the other day how cheap our fall 2021 trip is shaping to be…we’ll have APs from our spring trip and will use DVC points for the room, miles for the flights, and CC points for a rental. Really we’ll only be paying for food and any extras (dessert parties, EMM, DAH, etc.). Then someone mentioned the SW hotel. And now my trip is 5 digits again!!
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Exactly! IMHO - They’ll put out some planters or something for the indefinite future. I don’t see this getting done anytime soon. However, turning EPCOT into the “Expo / Convention / Festival / Corporate Sales” park has been the concept / vision for years.It’s going to get kicked down the road until the money is rolling back into the parks for a few years.