Theme Park Scope

Big news from the world of Disney parks and streaming, and it involves one of the most recognizable icons at EPCOT.

Catherine Laga’aia and Deacon Phillippe have been cast to lead the Disney+ pilot for Spaceship Earth, the adventure series inspired by the beloved ride at Walt Disney World. If you have ever sat in a slowly climbing time machine car inside that giant silver sphere and wondered what it would look like with a plot twist, congratulations, your wish is being tested.

Let’s start with what has been announced, because accuracy comes first. According to reporting from TheWrap, the cast news was announced on October 12, 2026. Laga’aia, best known for playing Moana in Disney’s live-action Moana, and Phillippe, whose credits include Netflix’s Never Have I Ever and Prime Video’s Motörheads, are set to lead the pilot. I have not seen the characters they will play named, and no other cast members have been announced.

Disney+ ordered the pilot in early August 2026. It is inspired by the Spaceship Earth ride at EPCOT, and the official logline describes a story in which a mission to prevent a global disaster fails, and a small band of teenagers from Earth’s past and future must join forces to face a mysterious threat. It is described as an adventure drama and is produced by 20th Television. Jason Fuchs, a co-showrunner of It: Welcome to Derry, is showrunner and executive producer, and he co-wrote the pilot with Michael Waldron, who was head writer on Loki. Lee Toland Krieger is directing the pilot and is an executive producer, alongside Adam Fishbach and Adam Fasullo.

A pilot is a test episode, and Disney+ has not announced a series order, a premiere date, or a production start date. If it moves forward, it would be the first TV show based on a Disney Parks attraction, but I would treat all of that as “stay tuned” for now. It is also worth noting that I have not seen details about the show’s tone, runtime, or content rating, so I cannot tell you yet whether it is a good fit for younger viewers.

For the family side of things, a teen-led adventure about time travel could land with a lot of kids, tweens, and teens, and it is a neat way for families to share something that connects to a place they love. If your family has ever ridden Spaceship Earth together, you may already know how much that ride is a gentle journey through the history of human communication, and how many conversations it can spark. I can imagine a lot of “wait, did they just reference that scene” moments around the living room. That is speculation on my part, though, and I will be waiting to see how closely the show plays with the ride’s themes.

A little context for the ride itself. Spaceship Earth has been welcoming guests at EPCOT since the park opened in 1982, and its giant sphere is one of the most recognizable landmarks anywhere in Walt Disney World. A story inspired by a ride that has lasted this long gives writers a very rich playground, and I love that the logline leans into the idea of past and future meeting. It feels like a natural fit for a ride that already moves you through time.

It is also fun to see Catherine Laga’aia back in a Disney project so soon after Moana. If you have been following along with us, you know Moana is headed to Disney+ on October 21, which means she will be on Disney screens in a big way this fall. I will be curious to see how a very different role plays out.

Here is where I land. I am cautiously, family-friendly excited. I love that Disney is looking at the parks as a source of stories, and Spaceship Earth is a smart choice, since it already has a built-in theme about time and humanity. But I am also realistic. Pilots do not always become series, and a project like this has a lot to prove. I would love to see it respect the ride and the fans while still telling a story that stands on its own. If it does, I think families will be very happy to have a new adventure to watch together. And if it does not move forward, we will always have the sphere.

What do you think of a Spaceship Earth TV show? Are you excited, curious, or a little skeptical? Tell me in the comments, and keep coming back to Theme Park Scope for more news from the parks and the stories that grow out of them.