Spaceship Earth is not only the icon of Epcot, but also one of the best rides at the park. It is not in dire need of an overhaul, but it could use a fresh coat of paint and some new tricks.

The largest change coming to the attraction will be the narration. Succeeding Judy Dench will be American treasure Tom Hanks, who has a very tight relationship with Disney. The script will get a minor rewrite, but the core lines will remain intact, such as

 

"Like a grand and miraculous spaceship, our planet has sailed the universe of time, and for a brief moment, we have been among its passengers".

One of the few scene updates will be at the very beginning, as you are going up the lift. Instead of focusing on a touch screen on your vehicle (which will be removed), there will be captivating light and sound effects surrounding you on your ascent. Once you reach the top, you will notice something large, very large. The giant screen has been removed, and it its place there is a ferocious, beastly wooly mammoth AA being attacked by cavemen. This change adds a whole new life to the room.

Throughout the rest of the ride, it will remain largely in tact story wise, but all of the AA's will be replaced with newer models.

Finally, we have a brand new ending. After the beautiful climax of seeing the Earth from space, we enter a new descent. Instead of watching your  video and seeing lights around you, you will see an array of upcoming inventions brought to you by their respective companies. For example, there would be a 3D printer and an AA operating it, people using VR headsets, that sort of thing. And it would be updated every two years to keep it fresh. The end of the descent will have the same effects as the beginning, and we are transported back to reality.

The post show will be given a fresh coat of paint and a few new experiences, but the core of the refurbishment is happening in the attraction.