==Attraction History==
The show that would eventually become Ellen's Energy Adventure was originally developed as a replacement for the Universe of Energy new attraction, which was located in Exxon’s for Exxon's Universe of Energy pavilion. Although the Universe of Energy had initially been quite popular with guests, by 1996 attendance in the pavilion had dropped substantially. Furthermore, the information presented in the attraction was dated, and guests began to complain that the ride's tone was too serious <ref name= "book"> Pedersen, R.A. The EPCOT Explorer's Encyclopedia:. United States: Epcyclopedia, 2011. Print </ref>. With this in mind, Exxon and Disney agreed that a new attraction was necessary, with Exxon asking that the attraction be ready in time for the pavilion’s 15th anniversary in 1997 <ref name= "Martin"> http://www.martinsvids.net/?p=619 </ref>. In order to rejuvenate the pavilion, Disney pitched the idea of Ellen’s Energy Crisis, a show that would still teach guests about energy, but would do so in with a lighter , more comedic tone. Using the same ride format (including the Primeval Diorama) as the Universe of Energy, Ellen’s Energy Crisis would feature comedienne Ellen DeGeneres as the attractions attraction's host. Disney estimated that the change from the Universe of Energy to Ellen’s Energy Crisis would take five months, and with this in mind the attraction closed on January 20, 1996 <ref name= "Martin"/>. After the Universe of Energy closed changes were made to the attraction's infrastructure in order to accommodate Ellen’s Energy Crisis. In the preshow theater, the rotating Radok screens were taken out and replaced by five standard screens <ref name= "Martin"/>. Initially, Disney had planned on reusing the Radok screens, as Bill Nye the Science Guy was to show Degeneres a "kinetic energy mosaic". As the attraction continued to develop however, this idea was scrapped and the screens were removed. Also in the first theater, the gold curtains that rose were removed and replaced by stationary black curtains. Furthermore, the mirror walls which were used to reflect and multiply the images of the theater’s three rear screens (giving the attraction's finale a seemingly endless scope) were removed and replaced with sound insulation <ref name= "Martin"/>. More substantially, as part of Ellen's Energy Crisis the first theater got a completely new film as well as a new audio system <ref name= "Martin"/>. Like the first theater, the second theater also got a new film, which used both new footage as well as recycled footage from the original attraction <ref name= "Martin"/>.
After the Universe of Energy closed changes were made to the attractions infrastructure in order to accommodate Ellen’s Energy Crisis. In the preshow theater, the rotating Radok screens were taken out and replaced by five standard screens <ref name= "Martin"/>. Initially, Disney had planned on reusing the Radok screens, however after further changes to the attraction's script, this idea was scrapped <ref name= "book"/>. Also in the first theater, the gold curtains that rose were removed and replaced by stationary black curtains. Furthermore, the mirror walls which were used to reflect and multiply the images of the theater’s three rear screens (giving the attraction's finale a seemingly endless scope) were removed and replaced with sound insulation <ref name= "Martin"/>. More substantially, as part of Ellen's Energy Crisis the first theater got a completely new film as well as a new audio system <ref name= "Martin"/>. Like the first theater, the second theater also got a new film, which used both new footage as well as recycled footage from the original attraction <ref name= "Martin"/>.
In the Primeval Diorama, the storm effects were toned down and a significant amount of vegetation was added <ref name= "Martin"/>. At this time, the dinosaurs’ skin color was also changed based on new scientific findings <ref name= "Martin"/>. As far as the dinosaurs themselves, the Ornithomimus who was once drowning in a mud pit, was relocated and reprogrammed so that it now squirted guests with water <ref name= "Martin"/>. An Ellen DeGeneres Audio Animatronic also replaced a fish eating Pteranodon, and the Elasmosarus' programming was changed so that it now attacked Ellen as opposed to guests <ref name="Martin"/>. Finally, the quaking rock effect and the wave pool effect were both deactivated <ref name="Martin"/>.
Although initially planned for a Summer 1996 opening, delays in Burbank with the filming and editing schedule for Ellen’s Energy Crisis, led Disney to realize that the attraction would not be ready on time <ref name= "book"/>. With the World of Motion already closed for refurbishment during the busy peak season, Disney decided that they would temporarily reopen the original Universe of Energy attraction, albeit it with Ellen’s Energy Crisis’ infrastructure <ref name= "Martin"/>. This meant that beginning in June 1996 an attraction that was a combination of the original Universe of Energy and the incomplete Ellen's Energy Crisis ran in the Universe of Energy pavilion <ref name= "Martin"/>. Without the Radok screens, the first preshow film did not achieve the effects that were intended. In the Primeval Diorama, the dinosaurs had their new colors and the audio tracks for Ellen's Energy Crisis were muted. Furthermore, the Ellen Audio Animatronic that was installed in the Diorama was deactivated and hidden from guest's view behind a boulder <ref name= "Martin"/>. In the attraction's second theater, the monitors and maps that the ride narration referred to had already been removed <ref name= "Martin"/>. To fix this, a new narration was installed that made the attraction seem more current, while also omitting the references to the removed props<ref name= "Martin"/>. Finally, due to the fact that the mirror walls had been removed from the third theater, the attraction lost its grand finale <ref name= "Martin"/>.
After operating throughout the summer, on September 1, 1996 the Universe of Energy attraction finally closed for good <ref name= "Martin"/>, and on September 15th Ellen’s Energy Crisis soft opened for guests <ref name= "book"/>. A few weeks later, On October 1, 1996, the attractions name was changed to Ellen’s Energy Adventure, and the attraction had its official opening<ref name= "book"/>. On hand for the festivities were attraction stars Alex Trebeck and Bill Nye the Science Guy <ref name= "Progress"> http://progresscityusa.com/energy/rehab.htm </ref>.