According to Disney Legend John Hench in his “Designing Disney” book, Fuller's work was a huge inspiration in shaping what would become the park's icon: “We assumed from the beginning that we needed a large sphere for the Epcot icon, and we wanted one with enough space inside for an attraction.

The "Epcot ball," officially known as Spaceship Earth, was built to serve as the grand icon and "thesis statement" for Walt Disney World's second theme park, EPCOT Center, which opened in 1982. Architecturally, it is a geodesic sphere—or more accurately, a geodesic polyhedral shape—designed to represent the unity of the human spirit and the shared history of communication. Beyond being a visual landmark, it was engineered to house a massive dark ride that takes guests through the evolution of human interaction, from cave paintings to the digital age. The structure itself is a marvel of engineering, standing 180 feet tall and weighing approximately 15.5 million pounds. It was designed with a unique drainage system so that rain doesn't pour off the sides onto guests; instead, water is collected through the gaps in the Alucobond panels and funneled into the park's lagoon. It stands as a symbol of the "Future World" concept, embodying the optimistic view of technology and global cooperation that Walt Disney himself envisioned for an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.