Does horizons fall into the category of absence makes the heart grow fonder?

[The Empress Lilly]

When we were young teenagers my sister and I used to run to Horizons after the fireworks, to get one more ride in.

We were infatuated with the ride from the first day to the last. One of the most exciting, gorgeous, enthralling and uplifting attractions ever produced. Rides don't get more Disney than this one.

 

[NickMaio]

When we were young teenagers my sister and I used to run to Horizons after the fireworks, to get one more ride in.

We were infatuated with the ride from the first day to the last. One of the most exciting, gorgeous, enthralling and uplifting attractions ever produced. Rides don't get more Disney than this one.

Could not agree with you more - - - - - - There are no rose coloured glasses with this ride.
So unequivocal WDW.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I think some is also just personal preference. I liked Horizons, but preferred World of Motion, so the loss of Horizons didn't sting quite as much.

 

[LUVofDIS]

The ride, the way it was, wouldn't hold up today, it needed upgrades than and would need to continue throughout time. Just as many games, software, cars, etc. continue to get upgraded to create interest in them again, the same goes for attractions. Of course, this sometimes backfires, but it is just upgraded again.

The intent of EPCOT could still exist today, it was a choice of management to change that intent.

 

[RandySavage]

Horizons was one of the all time masterpieces of the artform (of attraction design). It was the 'Tomorrow' version of Haunted Mansion or PotC (which I also recall not having long wait times in the era when Horizons was shuttered). Horizons' art direction, script, voice-acting, score and beats were note perfect. It was a key part of Future World's thematic harmony.

As far as needing updates, the Looking Back at the Future (opening third) was timeless. The OmniSphere middle section could have been easily and inexpensively updated with new footage without harming the show. The simulator finale could have benefited from updated tech, as well.

Of all the sad losses at all the parks, Horizons remains the most missed, for me.

 

[Minnie Mum]

Your math is a little off

Yes and no. The ride did close in 1994. But it was reopened in '95 and then closed for good (dismantled) in '99.

 

[OG Runner]

Okay, old guy here. First off, yes, absence does seem to make the heart grow fonder. (in the case of rides)
Honestly, how many people still pine for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Horizons was very, very similar to Spaceship Earth.
Spaceship Earth showed the development of communication, Horizons the development of transportation. I know
many will scream, but it really was not that big of a loss.

 

[TwilightZone]

Okay, old guy here. First off, yes, absence does seem to make the heart grow fonder. (in the case of rides)
Honestly, how many people still pine for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Horizons was very, very similar to Spaceship Earth.
Spaceship Earth showed the development of communication, Horizons the development of transportation. I know
many will scream, but it really was not that big of a loss.

That's world of motion. Horizons was about future living. If you're going to do comparisons at least google the ride first.

 

[OG Runner]

That's world of motion. Horizons was about future living. If you're going to do comparisons at least google the ride first.

I'm glad I prefaced it with "old guy here". Thank you for the correction. My point about fondness for old rides is still valid,
if not my proper comparison. (Honestly, I rode Horizons, when it was open)

 

[flynnibus]

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.

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.

Except Pirates has gotten continuous upgrades over its lifetime - it did not run for decades unchanged. What didn't change was the overall story and aesthetic - but has gotten technology and even story changes many times over its lifetime.

It's also rather obtuse to compare storytelling about the past... vs storytelling about future predictions. Obviously the past is done, so it's ideas and speculation about what MIGHT YET HAPPEN aren't going to be at risk like the future story.

Horizons included so many elements that made it great

1 - The ride vehicle that would seem to float through scenes (and also had the benefit of tightly focusing your field of view)
2 - The extreme closeness of the sets to the ride vehicles
3 - Great duration and large number of scenes
4 - The 'wow' factor of how this whole thing fits in this building
5 - The 'wow' factor of seeing how these sets actually interconnected in some places
6 - A kick #$% imax dome right in the middle of the attraction with impressive sound
7 - The novel 'choose your own adventure' ending
8 - Memorable music

SSE is a better example... because without its updates it too would seem woefully out of date, crude, and stale. But it has gotten the technology updates to keep a slow heavy AA attraction on pace with modern audiences.

Horizons brought the wow of Disney magic along with an upbeat optimistic futurism in an amazing physical presentation. Such a product is not timeless because it relies on reaching the audience.. which changes over time.

Horizons was a victim of the acceleration of technology in our modern world. If updated, it could has remained popular and remained as unique as it was.

 

[LittleBuford]

Except Pirates has gotten continuous upgrades over its lifetime - it did not run for decades unchanged. What didn't change was the overall story and aesthetic - but has gotten technology and even story changes many times over its lifetime.

It's also rather obtuse to compare storytelling about the past... vs storytelling about future predictions. Obviously the past is done, so it's ideas and speculation about what MIGHT YET HAPPEN aren't going to be at risk like the future story.

Horizons included so many elements that made it great

1 - The ride vehicle that would seem to float through scenes (and also had the benefit of tightly focusing your field of view)
2 - The extreme closeness of the sets to the ride vehicles
3 - Great duration and large number of scenes
4 - The 'wow' factor of how this whole thing fits in this building
5 - The 'wow' factor of seeing how these sets actually interconnected in some places
6 - A kick #$% imax dome right in the middle of the attraction with impressive sound
7 - The novel 'choose your own adventure' ending
8 - Memorable music

SSE is a better example... because without its updates it too would seem woefully out of date, crude, and stale. But it has gotten the technology updates to keep a slow heavy AA attraction on pace with modern audiences.

Horizons brought the wow of Disney magic along with an upbeat optimistic futurism in an amazing physical presentation. Such a product is not timeless because it relies on reaching the audience.. which changes over time.

Horizons was a victim of the acceleration of technology in our modern world. If updated, it could has remained popular and remained as unique as it was.

Despite its updates, SSE doesn’t feel modern to me. It feels like what it is—a relic of an age when animatronic-heavy rides were de rigueur. That doesn’t mean I don’t love it; on the contrary, I have a taste for things vintage and am glad the ride has such a throwback quality to it. But there are only so many attractions of this type that today’s audiences are going to want to experience.

 

[tl77]

I'm not really sure what "Does horizons fall into the category of absence makes the heart grow fonder?" means, but Horizons was the most impressive attraction Disney had when it opened. The technology was so state-of-the-art back in the mid 80's that it was hard to comprehend how the things you were looking at were being accomplished, and this in turn made all "future living" scenes being presented seem like they would be plausible in the near future, or in the 21st Century. Epoct's slogan back when it opened was something like "the 21st Century begins October 1982" and the basic idea was that Epcot was a kind of "highlights reel" of things that would exist in the real world in the next 15 to 20 years.

I think the one of problems Epcot had was being right about some of it's future predictions, like something as simple as a "touch screen" which they had all over the place, at the World Key kiosks, Commincore, and Image Works... The touch screens were this "oh my god! how'd they do that?" type of technology that you'd never scene before outside of Epcot, but it's now become something everybody carries around in their pocket and doesn't think twice about. The other problem Epoct had was how wrong they were at predicting things the public actually wanted. "Cities under the ocean" was a theme at both Horizons and The Living Seas, but I'm not sure too many people were all that excited to live under the sea, just because it was "plausible" didn't mean it was appealing. The "cities under the ocean" weren't as exciting as the "touch screens", and the touch screens around the park stopped being exciting as they became common place in the real world.

Horizons was amazing when it first opened, but as time rolled on it started to seem less like a "plausible future" and more like a dated "sci-fi fantasy". If GE had stayed on to sponsor it, and it got an update every 10 to 15 years, which was the original plan for the Future World pavilions, I think the concept for an Horizons would still make for a compelling attraction, but keeping it state-of-the-art was the hard part, and whether or not people liked the "updates" would be impossible to know, and that's probably part of the reason they gave up on it.

 

[flynnibus]

Despite its updates, SSE doesn’t feel modern to me

Yet, when we look at your actual quote and dig at Horizons you state "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."

SSE still attracts a healthy number of riders.. and my point was that is dependent on its refreshes... an opportunity Horizons never got.

 

[Incomudro]

I'm not really sure what "Does horizons fall into the category of absence makes the heart grow fonder?" means, but Horizons was the most impressive attraction Disney had when it opened. The technology was so state-of-the-art back in the mid 80's that it was hard to comprehend how the things you were looking at were being accomplished, and this in turn made all "future living" scenes being presented seem like they would be plausible in the near future, or in the 21st Century. Epoct's slogan back when it opened was something like "the 21st Century begins October 1982" and the basic idea was that Epcot was a kind of "highlights reel" of things that would exist in the real world in the next 15 to 20 years.

I think the one of problems Epcot had was being right about some of it's future predictions, like something as simple as a "touch screen" which they had all over the place, at the World Key kiosks, Commincore, and Image Works... The touch screens were this "oh my god! how'd they do that?" type of technology that you'd never scene before outside of Epcot, but it's now become something everybody carries around in their pocket and doesn't think twice about. The other problem Epoct had was how wrong they were at predicting things the public actually wanted. "Cities under the ocean" was a theme at both Horizons and The Living Seas, but I'm not sure too many people were all that excited to live under the sea, just because it was "plausible" didn't mean it was appealing. The "cities under the ocean" weren't as exciting as the "touch screens", and the touch screens around the park stopped being exciting as they became common place in the real world.

Horizons was amazing when it first opened, but as time rolled on it started to seem less like a "plausible future" and more like a dated "sci-fi fantasy". If GE had stayed on to sponsor it, and it got an update every 10 to 15 years, which was the original plan for the Future World pavilions, I think the concept for an Horizons would still make for a compelling attraction, but keeping it state-of-the-art was the hard part, and whether or not people liked the "updates" would be impossible to know, and that's probably part of the reason they gave up on it.

I remember making a dinner reservation with a girlfriend of mine at the kiosk.
We spoke on live video with the person.
It was the coolest thing!
Now we have these phones in out pocket that can do virtually anything and show us virtually anything.

 

[World_Showcase_Lover007]

Maybe ppl like it more now, maybe not. But look at what has happened to that side of Future World. The Land pavilion pulls together FW West and makes it seems alive.

FW East has simply been dead and unpromising since Horizons went away. It’s sad and I wish it wasn’t this way but Mission Space simply doesnt bring the same cohesiveness that Horizons did.

 

[TwilightZone]

Except Pirates has gotten continuous upgrades over its lifetime - it did not run for decades unchanged. What didn't change was the overall story and aesthetic - but has gotten technology and even story changes many times over its lifetime.

It's also rather obtuse to compare storytelling about the past... vs storytelling about future predictions. Obviously the past is done, so it's ideas and speculation about what MIGHT YET HAPPEN aren't going to be at risk like the future story.

Horizons included so many elements that made it great

1 - The ride vehicle that would seem to float through scenes (and also had the benefit of tightly focusing your field of view)
2 - The extreme closeness of the sets to the ride vehicles
3 - Great duration and large number of scenes
4 - The 'wow' factor of how this whole thing fits in this building
5 - The 'wow' factor of seeing how these sets actually interconnected in some places
6 - A kick #$% imax dome right in the middle of the attraction with impressive sound
7 - The novel 'choose your own adventure' ending
8 - Memorable music

SSE is a better example... because without its updates it too would seem woefully out of date, crude, and stale. But it has gotten the technology updates to keep a slow heavy AA attraction on pace with modern audiences.

Horizons brought the wow of Disney magic along with an upbeat optimistic futurism in an amazing physical presentation. Such a product is not timeless because it relies on reaching the audience.. which changes over time.

Horizons was a victim of the acceleration of technology in our modern world. If updated, it could has remained popular and remained as unique as it was.

I think I should rephrase.
Yes, SSE, Pirates, and Haunted Mansion did get technological updates, however, the majority of those rides were relatively unchanged, with only a few additions here and there (with the exception of pirates adding jack everywhere).

Horizons would need the entire ride changed to work. I'd consider that really bad compared to what SSE, Pirates and Haunted Mansion needed in comparison.

 

[LittleBuford]

I think I should rephrase.
Yes, SSE, Pirates, and Haunted Mansion did get technological updates, however, the majority of those rides were relatively unchanged, with only a few additions here and there (with the exception of pirates adding jack everywhere).

Horizons would need the entire ride changed to work. I'd consider that really bad compared to what SSE, Pirates and Haunted Mansion needed in comparison.

I don’t believe the need for updates was the issue. We’re talking about a lifespan of only around fifteen years—that shouldn’t be enough to see a major attraction lose appeal to the extent that Horizons did.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I don’t believe the need for updates was the issue. We’re talking about a lifespan of only around fifteen years—that shouldn’t be enough to see a major attraction lose appeal to the extent that Horizons did.

I agree! I am pressed to see to many things seen in Horizons depicting the future, that have actually happened yet. Maybe the space station thing but even then it is not completely the same. We don't live underwater or farm oranges from a tower with hovering harvesters. How does one update things that haven't happened yet and who is to say that it won't happen in what is still our future. We do have things like Skype and the ability to have discussion with people in other places and actually see them, but, what could top that... actually transporting of people like Capt. Kirk being beamed up by Scotty?

I still believe that Horizons and the rest of future world died because the majority didn't want to spend big bucks to be part of a documentary and have teaching/learning lessons. There were too many omni-movers and as a lover of them you don't know how hard that is for me to say. However, Horizons was very good, it was also not able to maintain repeatability. A few, like myself, did love the concept and particularly the omni system, but, as a realist I know that not all things can last and in a profit environment things have to pull their own weight. It's gone, it is to bad, but, Epcot had to change simply because technology changes a such a rapid rate that a physical show cannot be established before it is old news.

The ones that remain... SSE or CoP are primarily history. As history there is no need to update them, they can add attractions that start from where those end, but, even in the case of CoP which is over 50 years old, is only about 18 years behind, but, history is always behind. It's always looking back.

PS. The World of Motion is mostly history, was funny, and didn't feel like a physics lesson. However, that was another story about a sponsor that wanted change. WoM is something that I miss and wish was back in place.

 

[flynnibus]

I think I should rephrase.
Yes, SSE, Pirates, and Haunted Mansion did get technological updates, however, the majority of those rides were relatively unchanged, with only a few additions here and there (with the exception of pirates adding jack everywhere).

Horizons would need the entire ride changed to work. I'd consider that really bad compared to what SSE, Pirates and Haunted Mansion needed in comparison.

Because like I said... ANY attraction about the future and technology will not age the same as one about the past. That's not Horizons fault, that's the reality of the field itself. That did not diminish what Horizons was in it's target window -- what it means is people who largely only experienced it later or even just online would not connect with it the same. It's like trying to appreciate the advertisements of the 50s and 60s who were trying to be all 'space age', etc.. but 30 years later. It doesn't reach the audience the same because the audience itself is different in what they know and expect.

Those other rides got huge upgrades - their bones just largely stayed the same. There is a reason key figures in pirates were always the cutting edge AAs... and SSE is the same format, but nearly half of its scenes have been changed out from it's prior form. It's been updated, not just refurb'd.

 

[flynnibus]

I don’t believe the need for updates was the issue. We’re talking about a lifespan of only around fifteen years—that shouldn’t be enough to see a major attraction lose appeal to the extent that Horizons did.

Name any other future-based WDW attraction that went as long without any changes or updates and stayed more popular?

The flaw of the original epcot was Disney's lack of foresight into recognizing how attraction lifecycles would change and the change in the reception of big business to being sponsor partners. EPCOT struggled to fill out it initial sponsor roster but Disney kept the same model.. clinging like Kodak did to their film cartridges. So less than 10 years in, where FutureWorld EPCOT needed serious refreshes, the company was in a strong position to do so.. instead stringing things out hoping for corporate dollars.

Other pavilions would last longer mainly because of their content would not be caught up in the technology explosion that we saw through the last 40 years.

Communicore, SSE's earth station, Horizons, and to a lesser extent.. Seas.. all suffered from being dated by a world racing to bring technology to everyone's fingertips... vs what people knew just 5-10 years prior.