Ellen's Energy Adventure is a multimedia attraction starring comedian Ellen DeGeneres at Epcot theme park. Join Ellen on a whimsical trip through time to examine the forces that fuel our lives and the universe, plus give us energy!
The adventure begins as Ellen slips into sleep in front of the television while watching Jeopardy! Her dream of being a contestant on the game show turns alarming when she realizes she's pitted against her college rival "Smart Judy" and the quiz categories are all about energy-a subject Ellen knows nothing about. Lucky for her, Bill Nye the Science Guy is her neighbor and together they travel through time for some tutoring on the topic.
Join them on their journey through the creation of the universe. See and hear the explosive Big Bang. Travel around, between and under giant dinosaurs. Narrowly escape streams of molten lava. Discover how fossil fuels were formed. Float far above Earth with satellites and atoms, and finally, explore a future filled with fusion power. Find out what a little brain power, and a lot of laughs, can accomplish on Ellen's Energy Adventure at the Universe of Energy Pavilion in the Future World area of Epcot theme park.
The current show stars Ellen DeGeneres, Bill Nye 'The Science Guy,' Alex Trebek, Johnny Gilbert, and Jamie Lee Curtis. It deals with energy, how energy is produced, the history of energy production, and the search for new energy resources. In particular it focuses on the origins of fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal and natural gas. It also mentions solar and hydroelectric power. It is now also the longest-running show of the ride to date.
The current attraction uses the same traveling theater system that was used by the original Universe of Energy show. The primeval diorama uses essentially the same sets and Audio-Animatronic dinosaurs as the original show, though during the rehab to the Ellen's Energy Adventure show, all of the dinosaurs were repainted in much brighter colors, several animatronic figures were added along with an upbeat musical score to help tie it into the new films.
The Show
Pre-show Theatre Film Guests view an eight minute film in which Ellen DeGeneres falls asleep and dreams that she is in an energy-themed version of Jeopardy!, playing against an old rival Judy Peterson (portrayed by Jamie Lee Curtis) and Albert Einstein. Initially, Ellen does not know about energy.
Theatre I Film Upon entering the theatre, guests are seated in one of six seating areas. Here, the theater turns 180 degrees to the screen above the main doors, and a six minute film is shown in which Bill Nye takes Ellen back billions of years in time to witness the Big Bang and then into a prehistoric jungle where he explains the formation of fossil fuels.
Primeval Diorama At the conclusion of the film, the entire theatre seating area turns 90 degrees to the left, and moves into the primeval diorama. Here, the theatre seating breaks up into six multi-passenger vehicles that take guests on a seven minute journey through the diorama, which is populated by numerous animatronic dinosaurs including an Edaphosaurus and a family of Brachiosaurus in a swamp (one of whom sneezes water onto guests), a Stegosaurus fighting an Megalosaurus on an overhead cliff, several Trachodon bathing beneath a waterfall, a number of Ornithomimus drinking from a pond (one of whom spits water at guests), an Audio-Animatronic Ellen fighting off an Elasmosaurus with a tree branch, and numerous Pteranodon perched around an erupting volcano.
Theatre II Film Leaving the diorama, the vehicles enter a second theatre where they reassemble back into their original theatre seating formation. After listening to a brief prehistoric broadcast from KNRG News Radio, guests view a twelve minute live-action film in which Ellen and Bill Nye take an in-depth look at various current and future energy resources. Actor Michael Richards also makes a brief cameo as a caveman.
Theatre I Finale Film At the conclusion of the film, the entire seating area moves back into Theatre I and rotates back into its starting position, where guests see the two minute conclusion of Ellen's Jeopardy! dream.
Facts
- Opened October 1, 1982.
- During the transition from Theatre II to Theatre I, Johnny Gilbert, the Jeopardy! announcer, first announces that "If you'd like to have your own energy nightmare, place a self-addressed stamped envelope under your pillow, or, check us out on the web at www.energynightmare.game." (a fictional website) Then, in traditional game show style, he mentions that as a consolation prize, "Some contestants on Jeopardy! will receive a year's supply of energy. Energy, You Make The World Go 'Round." This line is a tribute to the original attraction, whose pre-show film featured a song titled, "Energy (You Make The World Go 'Round)."
- This ride is mostly powered by the 2 acres of solar panels that sit on the roof. The equivalent power could supply enough energy to power 15 homes!
Hidden Mickey
- There is one Hidden Mickey towards the beginning of the Theatre II film; it is only on-screen for 3 seconds. In the fight scene between the T-rex and the stegosaurus there is a large plant shaped like Mickey's head to the front, right side of the dinosaurs.
- After the dinos in the second part of the movie, there is a man who drives a tractor into a barn. When he comes out of the barn he is driving a different car. As he is driving the car he passes a church. In the door of the church there is a shaddow of the Earful Tower. It is a little Hidden Mickey.