Epcot

Universe of Energy

Regina Hinrichs

Opened: October 1, 1982

Length: 45 minutes

The Universe of Energy is home to , "Ellen's Energy Adventure". It's a cute look back at the prehistoric origins of today's energy souces.

First, take a look at the amount of time you need for this one. The show begins every 17 minutes. (The lobby show is 8 minutes long followed by 37 minutes in the traveling theater cars.) This isn't the type of attraction that you can leave mid-stream. Once you're in those cars, you'd better plan on staying as there's no easy way out.

The show stars Ellen DeGeneres. Ellen wasn't part of the show back in '82 when this attraction first opened. On September 15, 1996, "Ellen's Energy Adventure" debuted as Disney capitalized on the success of her sitcom. (Over at MGM they once had "Ellen's Buy the Book.")  Lucky for them she now hosts a top rated talk show.

The 'Adventure' begins with Ellen falling asleep while watching Jeopardy. She finds herself in a nightmare where she's pitted against her college rival "Smart Judy", played by Jamie Lee Curtis. All of the Jeopardy categories are energy-related, something Ellen knows little about.

Her neighbor just happens to be Bill Nye the Science Guy. He takes Ellen under his wing and they embark on a trip back to prehistoric times. At this point, the 600 seat theatre rotates and breaks up into 6 enormous "cars" that accompany Ellen and Bill as they travel in pursuit of the origin of energy.

Amazing Audio-animatronic dinosaurs are part of Ellen's adventure. This part of the ride is just about the same as it was since '82. Still, with the addition of the Ellen storyline, it's a lot more enjoyable.

This is a real sensory experience. The dark lighting sets the stage. You hear the roars of the dinosaurs and there's a distinct odor in the air. It's best described as 'slightly damp basement.' You hear Ellen and Bill Nye as you travel along and Ellen pops up from time to time. (Not the real Ellen, the animatronic version of her.)

With Ellen's new found knowledge of energy, she returns to play Final Jeopardy against "Smart Judy." (We won't give away how the game ends.)

Again, this is one looooooong attraction. Since it has such a high rider capacity, it's a great choice on those busy, hot days when you need to take a break. Besides that, hey, it's Ellen. You know there are going to be some laughs along the way.

Guests in ECVs must be able to transfer to a wheelchair. For guests who are hearing impaired, assistive listening devices are available at Guest Services.

TIPS: Bring a small penlight flashlight for kids who may be frightened by the dark sequences.  The show holds about 600 people, so don't be concerned if you think it appears crowded.