Yes I’m going there this may be the most controversial question out there (right next to does great movie ride fall into the category of absence makes the heart fonder, but that’s another post).
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Does horizons fall into the category of absence makes the heart grow fonder?
- Thread starter TwilightZone
- Start date
All true, but I will say this, Pirates and Mansion don't and didn't need to be updated, but horizons did, which is a huge flaw, and probably still wouldn't have been looked at in a similar way.
But that's just my opinion.
Cmdr_Crimson
Well-Known Member
If you look at it this way..It was the Sequel to Carousel of Progress as it was the continuation of the family from CoP and what the future holds and it's endless possibilities....And that's what's Horizons was...Taking a leap into the future and going beyond your imagination as just like the attraction says..."If you can dream it....You can do it!"
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
If we are going to talk about every single attraction that no longer exists, then, yes. So many of those that lament the loss of Horizons, didn't even ride it most of the time. There was no particular buzz about it at the time and it was a high capacity attraction and didn't attract. I got very bored with it over the years and for a while only rode it to smell the orange scent. It was a great show in its time, but, I believe it just stopped being a must see. The golden age of omni's was coming to a close and people had lost interest until it was gone and then, OMG... what will we do without Horizons. The heart grew fonder.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
And as far as I know, Mansion and Pirates have never struggled to attract healthy numbers of riders, which was not the case for Horizons towards the end of its life. Yes, I get that it could swallow a lot of people, but there were sometimes no people to swallow, as we know from the (in)famous group of Horizons fans who would get out of the ride vehicles and explore the sets for minutes at a time without anyone else being there to see them.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
An interesting thread from 2003 that suggests that absence has indeed made the heart grow fonder, at least in this forum (be sure to check out the poll results): https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/m-s-worth-the-destruction-of-horizons.31014/
justintheharris
Well-Known Member
I don't think I ever went on Horizons. If I was, I was a toddler. But that aside, after watching this phenomena go on with Maelstrom and Universe of Energy, I really doubt Horizons was that fantastic. It's honestly annoying how many people act like Maelstrom and Universe of Energy were SUUUUUUUUUUUUCH great rides when one of them had maybe a 40 minute wait on a busy day and the other couldn't fill a tenth of a ride vehicle until it's final day of operation. Is Frozen or Guardians of the Galaxy as relevant as their predecessors? Perhaps not. But EPCOT is undergoing some serious changes and whether or not someone wants to argue those changes aren't good, I guarantee attendance to EPCOT will go up significantly. I seriously want someone to look into the fact that the food and wine festival and the flower and garden festival and the festival of the arts and the festival of silverware and the festival of cultural dancing and the festival of underwater basket weaving all exist for the sole purpose of shoveling people into an otherwise very uninteresting and dated park. I know we all have different interests but the general populace wasn't interested in EPCOT in its original form. People complained that there were no thrill rides and no Disney characters. For people who have gone to EPCOT for many years, the world showcase pavilions haven't really changed in 30 years, they downgraded or outright ruined all their good rides (Imagination, Soarin' Test Track), have left notable amounts of future world abandoned etc. I'm seriously dumbfounded as to how repeat visitors find enjoyment in EPCOT but I'm glad you all can enjoy something I don't. Forgive my hopefulness that Guardians of the Galaxy may actually satisfy myself and the others who want EPCOT to stay true to its intentions. I totally just went on a massive tangent.
One final note on the primary point: Let's also remember Conservation Station. When they announced it was closing forever, it was suddenly everyone's favorite spot in Animal Kingdom. Everyone cried and they cried and then Disney said it was going to be seasonal. Then, Conservation Station was rightfully restored as the most ignored and disliked part of Animal Kingdom. So if by absence you mean nostalgia, yes.
One final note on the primary point: Let's also remember Conservation Station. When they announced it was closing forever, it was suddenly everyone's favorite spot in Animal Kingdom. Everyone cried and they cried and then Disney said it was going to be seasonal. Then, Conservation Station was rightfully restored as the most ignored and disliked part of Animal Kingdom. So if by absence you mean nostalgia, yes.
eliza61nyc
Well-Known Member
What was Horizons?
correcaminos
Well-Known Member
I was a young adult when it closed and I loved it from childhood through that time. I had a trip with family in '99 and I did miss riding it since it was after the closing. You'll get mixed reviews on this likely. I thought it was cool and worth a ride every time. Though I also felt that way about the original Journey. So take that however you want.
Alice a
Well-Known Member
I rode it for the first time in its waning years, mid-90s - blew me away. I have an inner-ear disorder and can't ride (even mild) thrill rides. Epcot was it for me- spaceship earth, horizons, and el Rio de tiempo being the standouts.
I was meh on pirates- the Orlando version in no way measures up to horizons.
I think a large part of the pain is not realizing what you've got until it's gone, and also what replaced it- a concrete box vomit extractor. An ambitious, beautiful ride that everyone could ride was replaced with one many can't.
I was meh on pirates- the Orlando version in no way measures up to horizons.
I think a large part of the pain is not realizing what you've got until it's gone, and also what replaced it- a concrete box vomit extractor. An ambitious, beautiful ride that everyone could ride was replaced with one many can't.
Minnie Mum
Well-Known Member
It's absence may make SOME hearts beat fonder, but since the ride closed 24 YEARS AGO, I'm going to bet their numbers are dwindling rapidly. I mean really, what percentage of this site's members ever rode it? Or were too young to even remember it? Yeah, it was special when it first debuted. But eventually it "aged out".
KBLovedDisney
Well-Known Member
I rode it and remember it fondly. It was Epcot's Carousel of Progress.
Kevin_W
Well-Known Member
I remember riding it in the late 80's and I remember telling my parents that it was my favorite ride in Epcot (I was a teenager). but I don't remember anything about the attraction itself!
CaptainAmerica
Premium Member
DreamfinderGuy
Well-Known Member
No.
DreamfinderGuy
Well-Known Member
Your math is a little off
Incomudro
Well-Known Member
Horizons was perfectly suited to the Epcot of the time at the time.
As was just about everything in Epcot.
Horizons wouldn't work now, just as much of Epcot in its original form wouldn't work now.
Time change, and our visions of the future often don't match the future.
As was just about everything in Epcot.
Horizons wouldn't work now, just as much of Epcot in its original form wouldn't work now.
Time change, and our visions of the future often don't match the future.
NickMaio
Well-Known Member
It was hands down my single fav ride at all of the WDW parks. I have fond memories of riding it over and over again back to back - looking back it must have given my parents a great break. By the time I got it the wait was always walk on. My last memory of horizons was riding it five times in a row - - - great coffee break for the folks. they hung out at the exit with my little sister and had coffee. Watching me run by heading for the entrance.....ahhhhhhhhhh good times.
If WDW created a new park and called it Retro Word - filled with all of the rides that have gone by I would probably buy an annual pass. And we live in Canada.
Horizons WAS EPCOT - - - they should have redone the ride with a new theme but stayed true to the core idea.
Mission Space is horrible in many ways. It's a glorified spinning carny ride.
If WDW created a new park and called it Retro Word - filled with all of the rides that have gone by I would probably buy an annual pass. And we live in Canada.
Horizons WAS EPCOT - - - they should have redone the ride with a new theme but stayed true to the core idea.
Mission Space is horrible in many ways. It's a glorified spinning carny ride.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
Only the orange side spins. The green side is strictly a simulator.