Walt Disney World Resort has taken its first official, paperwork-confirmed step toward reimagining Spaceship Earth, filing a new construction permit for the iconic EPCOT geodesic sphere just weeks after Imagineers announced major changes were coming.
The Reimagining Announced at D23 Expo 2026
Walt Disney Imagineering revealed plans at D23 Expo 2026 to overhaul Spaceship Earth, the slow-moving dark ride housed inside EPCOT’s signature sphere. The attraction will keep its focus on celebrating innovation, but with an added emphasis on human connection.
Thank the Phoenicians 🌐 A broadened vision of human connection is coming to Spaceship Earth at EPCOT, bringing this iconic attraction into present day and beyond✨ #D23 #WaltDisneyWorld
Thank the Phoenicians 🌐 A broadened vision of human connection is coming to Spaceship Earth at EPCOT, bringing this iconic attraction into present day and beyond✨ #D23 #WaltDisneyWorld pic.twitter.com/7A0bFZT6xs
— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) August 16, 2026
This isn’t the first time Disney has attempted this. Back in 2019, the company announced a similar overhaul, with plans to close the attraction in May 2020. Those plans were derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic and appeared to be shelved indefinitely as Disney redirected its attention toward transforming Future World into World Celebration, World Discovery, and World Nature.
Disney has described the new version of Spaceship Earth as “classically EPCOT, a journey through time, celebrating the progress made possible through human connection.” Beyond that description, Imagineers haven’t confirmed specifics — including whether Judi Dench will continue narrating the ride, what changes might come to the attraction’s audio-animatronics, or any other details about the overhaul. Disney also hasn’t announced a closure date or timeline for the project.
A New Permit Points to Visible Changes Ahead
On August 27, Walt Disney Imagineering filed a Notice of Commencement to “install signage” at 2060 Avenue of the Stars, the address associated with Spaceship Earth. Like most Walt Disney World Resort construction permits, this filing expires within a year.
The permit names Jon Richards Company as the third-party contractor handling the work. That company has a long history with Disney, having installed themed elements across all four Central Florida Disney parks, as well as Disneyland Park in California and Tokyo DisneySea in Japan. It’s currently also working on Monstropolis, the upcoming Monsters, Inc. (2001)-themed land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Notably, the fact that Walt Disney Imagineering — rather than Walt Disney World Resort’s Facility Assets Management Team — filed this permit suggests the new signage won’t be a routine maintenance update. Imagineering typically only gets involved when a project results in a visible, guest-facing change.
Walt Disney World Resort hasn’t confirmed whether this permit is directly tied to the broader Spaceship Earth reimagining, and no further details have been released beyond Thursday’s filing.
Have you noticed any changes around Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? Share your story with Disney Dining in the comments!
