Last go-around with Ellen at Epcot

Disney World pulled the plug on Ellen’s Energy Adventure, Epcot’s traveling-theater science lesson. I went to say my goodbyes to the Future World attraction, which closes for good Aug. 13.

There was ample time there for reflection: The ride moves at a glacial pace, providing enough time to make a few notes:

I always smile when the cast member warns us that there are no bathrooms aboard those big honkin’ vehicles. Translation: Get comfy. This is going to take awhile.

In 1996, the attraction originally known as Universe of Energy was renovated and included Ellen DeGeneres. At that time, she was a double-secret lesbian and a stand-up comic with a moderately successful sitcom. Fastforward to 2017 when she’s more famous. She’s married. She’s a Cover Girl model. She and her talk show have won more than two dozen Emmys, and she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama. Not too shabby.

The more things change, the more answers Alex Trebek continues to have. The “Jeopardy” host appears in dream sequences of Energy Adventure, although he’s mustachioed and standing. (Bonus points for old-school Johnny Gilbert-entoned announcements during the Final Jeopardy moments. “Some of our contestants win …” )

There’s actually valuable information about fuel in there, particularly in the historic segments. That’s edutainment. The attraction loses some edge when tossing around stats about solar and wind power. That was 20 years ago, Bill Nye. There’s also a reference to “global warming,” but no one in my mellow group stood up and said “We prefer to call it climate change!” … or denied its existence.

I like the drawn-out dinosaur animatronic scene, especially the strangely lit pteranodon near the end. Fun fact: the dinos were there for the original 1982 version of the attraction; the “Jurassic Park” movie debuted 11 years later.

I thought I was long over the long-gone DeGeneres animatronic. But during my final trip, it seemed like a shame to have her disembodied voice coming from where “she” once stood in the jungle.

But, wow, those gigantic screens still work on me. I got dizzy.

It’s fun to see Michael Richards, briefly, as cross between Caveman #1 and Cosmo Kramer.

The attraction will be replaced by a ride themed to the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies. The exterior rendering looks like the modifications will retain its wacky stairstep façade.

So far, I’m not feeling much of what I call the “Maelstrom Effect.” You know, when a Disney ride is dissed across the board but then is referred to lovingly — and defensively — when it gets the boot (or reboot). It’s not just for “Frozen” haters, either. Anyway, on my last Energy Adventure, there were about 80 people gliding through and no tears shed, as far as I could see.

It’s time. You had a good ride, Ellen.