Universe of Energy

The original pre-show featured an eight-minute live-action film presentation about the various forms of energy found in nature and traced the history of how mankind harnessed these different forms of energy for his use. This unique film presentation was known as the Kinetic Mosaic and was invented by Czech film director Emil Radok. The mosaic screen consisted of 100 rotating prism-shaped flip screens (reminiscent of those on the classic game show Concentration), arranged in a twenty five wide by four high array. These flip screens rotated under computer control and were synchronized to the motion picture that was projected onto their surface via five synchronized motion picture projectors. Each flip screen contained three sides, with white projection surfaces on two sides and a matte black surface on the third. The combination of the film and the screens' rotation created undulating, sometimes three-dimensional-appearing images. During the conclusion of the pre-show, the song Energy (You Make The World Go ‘Round) was played.

Upon entering the theatre, guests were seated in one of six sections. The seating area rotated 180 degrees to face three large movie screens for the first film: a four-minute hand-animated film that depicted the beginnings of life on earth and the formation of fossil fuels.

At the conclusion of the film, the seating area rotated 90 degrees to face a curtain, which then raised to reveal a primeval diorama. The entire seating area moved into the diorama where it then broke apart into six multi-passenger vehicles that took guests on a seven-minute journey through the diorama, which was populated by numerous animatronic dinosaurs including an Edaphosaurus and two Arthropleura fighting and a family of Brontosaurus in a swamp (complete with realistic "swampy" smell), a Stegosaurus fighting an Allosaurus on an overhead cliff, several Trachodon bathing beneath a waterfall, a number of Ornithomimus watching helplessly as one of their own sank into a boiling tar pit, an Elasmosaurus that lashed out of a tidal pool at guests, and numerous Pteranodon that were perched around an erupting volcano (complete with flowing lava and realistic "volcano" smell).

Leaving the diorama, the vehicles entered the EPCOT Energy Information Center where they reassembled back into their original theatre seating formation. Here, guests viewed a twelve-minute live-action film on three giant wrap around screens that took them on an in-depth look at various current and future energy resources around the world.

At the conclusion of the film, the screens raised and the entire seating area traveled beneath them into Theatre I and rotated back into its starting position facing the audience towards a large cylindrical-shaped screen. There, guests viewed a two-minute computer-animated film that was reflected off of mirrored walls within the theatre. The film depicted an ever-evolving landscape of colorful, laser-like imagery of the various ways mankind has benefited from harnessing energy for his use and was accompanied by an upbeat song entitled Universe of Energy.

The Summer of 1996 saw many changes come to Future World East. World of Motion closed in January in preparation for its conversion into Test Track, and Horizons was not operating consistently due to alleged structural issues with the pavilion. The updated films for the attraction were behind schedule, meaning that Future World East would only have the Wonders of Life pavilion open for the peak summer season. The decision was made to reopen Universe of Energy after renovations had been made to the pavilion in preparation for the new show.

This temporary version of the show featured the original 1982 films, but lacked some of the effects. Most notably, the Kinetic Mosaic screen from the original pre-show had been removed resulting in the film being projected onto static screens, losing the shape-shifting effect of the film. Also removed were the maps and television monitors on the wall in the Epcot Energy Information Center in Theatre II, having already been replaced by the KNRG radio tower backdrop for the new show. For this scene, a new narration played that covered much of the same information as the original narration minus any mention of the maps and monitors. In Theatre I, the mirrors on the walls had already been removed by this point, resulting in a much less dramatic version of the finale film.

During this period, some elements for the new show had already been installed in preparation for the new show and had to be hidden. This included the Audio-Animatronic figure of Ellen DeGeneres in the diorama. To solve this, temporary rockwork was placed in front of the figure hiding it from view. However, the elasmosaurus figure had already been reprogrammed for the new show, leading to the awkward result of having it lunge at rocks instead of the ride vehicles as it had originally done.

This version of the show only ran from June 14 to September 2, 1996. The pavilion was closed again soon after peak season to allow for the installation of the new films for the new version of the attraction.

Guests viewed 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 college rival Judy Peterson (Curtis) and Albert Einstein (Benny Wasserman). Not knowing anything about energy, Ellen fell way behind Judy. At the end of the first round, Bill Nye the Science Guy stepped in and offered to help teach Ellen about energy during the commercial break.

Upon entering the theatre, guests were seated in one of six sections. The seating area rotated to face three large movie screens above the exit doors for the first part of the film: a four-minute computer animated film in which Bill took Ellen back billions of years in time to witness the Big Bang and the formation of the earth. Finally, they ended up in a prehistoric jungle where he briefly explained how fossil fuels were formed.

Brontosaurus in the Universe of Energy

At the conclusion of the film a curtain rose to reveal the primeval diorama. The entire seating area moved into the diorama where it then broke apart into six multi-passenger vehicles that took guests on a seven-minute journey through the diorama, which was populated by numerous audio-animatronic dinosaurs including an Edaphosaurus, two Arthropleura fighting and a family of Brontosaurus in a swamp (one of whom sneezed water onto guests), a Stegosaurus fighting an Allosaurus on an overhead cliff, several Trachodon bathing beneath a waterfall, a number of Ornithomimus drinking from a pond (one of whom spit water at guests), an Audio-Animatronic Ellen standing near a tidal pool fighting off an Elasmosaurus with a tree branch, and numerous Pteranodon perched around an erupting volcano. After November 2014, the Audio-Animatronic figure of Ellen fighting off the Elasmosaurus with a tree branch stopped working and was removed. It was replaced with a group of smaller Pteranodons.

Leaving the diorama, the vehicles entered a second theatre where they reassembled back into their original theatre seating formation. After listening to a brief prehistoric broadcast from KNRG News Radio (which featured the voices of Willard Scott and Chris Berman), guests viewed a twelve-minute live-action film on three giant wrap around screens in which Bill Nye took Ellen on an in-depth look at various current and future energy resources across the United States. (Actor Michael Richards made a brief cameo as a caveman). Returning to the Jeopardy! studio, Ellen used her new knowledge about energy in the Double Jeopardy! round to unseat Judy as Jeopardy! champion, during which the vehicles returned to Theatre I and rotated back into its original starting position.