Horizens: The History of the Future

[Surge38]

I gotta say, before I found this board I had NO idea that anyone other than me remembered/missed Horizons.

When I found out Horizons was gone, my initial thought was "Well Horizons must have gone away because it was too hard to maintain." I mean our "vision" of what the future might look like changes every few years as new technologies come into being, right? The ride would, in theory, have to go under major refurb every few years to keep up. This got me thinking of an idea to bring Horizons back, but keep it timeless.

"Horizons: History of the Future" would celebrate the imaginative spirit and drive the keeps humanity dreaming about tomorrow, and how the vision of what that future would look like has changed. The ride scenes would focus on what we THOUGHT the future would look like starting say, from the "Jules Vern-ian" future, to the silver-spacesuits and moonbases of the 1950s, the "Jetsons-esque" future we dreamed about in the 70s, and so on. In the "80s", it could feature familiar scenes from the original attraction. The LAST scene can depict a "current" vision of the future, based on modern technology forecasts. If Disney could get a major Tech company to sponsor it, there could be a post-show highlighting the tech being worked on today to make that future a reality.

I'm thinking by organizing the ride in this way, and celebrating the evolution of how we DREAM about the future rather than trying to focus on predicting the future itself, the ride would stay relevant a lot longer.

Thoughts?

 

[morningstar]

That was the plot of the ride. They did have a Jules Verne scene, and they explicitly talked about how people had some funny ideas about the future. Eventually they get into the what the future is "really" like scenes. Those still hold up as futuristic. We don't have undersea cities or space colonies.

There was no reason Horizons had to go, but I think it was a critic favorite while not being very popular. To most people, it was just another dark ride with animatronic people, which EPCOT had three of: Horizons, World of Motion, and Spaceship Earth. (JII and UoE are also animatronic dark rides, but with dragons and dinosaurs in addition to realistic people.) They decided to cut two of them in favor of different kinds of rides, which was a good idea in theory, but I think lackluster in execution. Horizons was in my opinion the best of the three, but they couldn't really bulldoze Spaceship Earth, so that meant World of Motion and Horizons were the ones to go.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I gotta say, before I found this board I had NO idea that anyone other than me remembered/missed Horizons.

When I found out Horizons was gone, my initial thought was "Well Horizons must have gone away because it was too hard to maintain." I mean our "vision" of what the future might look like changes every few years as new technologies come into being, right? The ride would, in theory, have to go under major refurb every few years to keep up. This got me thinking of an idea to bring Horizons back, but keep it timeless.

"Horizons: History of the Future" would celebrate the imaginative spirit and drive the keeps humanity dreaming about tomorrow, and how the vision of what that future would look like has changed. The ride scenes would focus on what we THOUGHT the future would look like starting say, from the "Jules Vern-ian" future, to the silver-spacesuits and moonbases of the 1950s, the "Jetsons-esque" future we dreamed about in the 70s, and so on. In the "80s", it could feature familiar scenes from the original attraction. The LAST scene can depict a "current" vision of the future, based on modern technology forecasts. If Disney could get a major Tech company to sponsor it, there could be a post-show highlighting the tech being worked on today to make that future a reality.

I'm thinking by organizing the ride in this way, and celebrating the evolution of how we DREAM about the future rather than trying to focus on predicting the future itself, the ride would stay relevant a lot longer.

Thoughts?

Very nice. The way to present futurism to me, yes. Horizons did this too, which was one of its outstanding strokes of genius.

Horizons was not about the future. It was about dreaming about the future. About progress. About looking at the horizon, together, and boldly going there.


[ramblings]

Even the specific forms of progress were more a visual representation of progress itself than showcases of specific future technology or social change. The four zones you visited were a metaphor for progress and expansion. They were horizons that had been visited, new places discovered and settled.

How very American, and Modernist. The image of the Frontier settler family mixed with modernist ideas about progress. In a way, Horizons is the successor to Frontierland as much as Tomorrowland. With the warm nostalgia and family values of Main Street added in for emotional warmth. Horizons in 1983 was the pinnacle of Disney theme park imagineering, everything that came before culminated in it. And from there it went downhill.


The 'future part' of Horizons, the part after the 'looking back at tomorrow' did predict the future fairly decently. Two of the major developmnts after 1983 have been miniaturization and communication. And miniaturization was one of the main topics of the double Soarin' omnimaxes, and communication was the large meta-story tying the scens together. Horizons' unmitigated brilliance stretched to its futurism too!

The new zones to be colonised are metophorical for new horizons - Horizons does not predict that we'd be living in space or underwater by now, it merely seeks to inspire us to explore new areas, these new horizons. The technological advances are incidental to the experience. Horizons was not wrong because we do not inhabit space stations, because this was not the message. Horizons also did a very good job in portraying technological advances, especially concerning miniaturisation and communication. Even social change was covered by Horizons - the farm and underwater scenes showed a globalised, multicultural world, post-sexist, decades before gobalisation became a term.

What Horizons did get wong - and how typical for technology orientated geeks! - was the social movement of environmentalism. We no longer dream of colonizing the desert and undersea - by now we'd consider that an environmental disaster! Well...'we'...we is the West here. In Brazil it is still considerd progress to slash and tame and colonise the northwest and the Amazon, as is the jungle in India and Borneo, and even space for the Chinese. Horizons in this respect is the future of yesterday, of a specific time and place - America in the 80s. The brilliance of Horizons however was indeed that it was fully aware of this, of being the future of its own age, and presented itself as this.

[/ramblings]

 

[ChrisFL]

I liken the futurism of "Horizons" with the futurism of Star Trek...it isn't telling us "this is what will happen", it's telling us "this could happen if you are focused on creating this kind of future for yourself".

The Star Trek reference also works because we've seen a lot of technology come from the inspiration that the show brought us. I wish Horizons had the same impact.

 

[Figments Friend]

Very nice. The way to present futurism to me, yes. Horizons did this too, which was one of its outstanding strokes of genius.

Horizons was not about the future. It was about dreaming about the future. About progress. About looking at the horizon, together, and boldly going there.


[ramblings]

Even the specific forms of progress were more a visual representation of progress itself than showcases of specific future technology or social change. The four zones you visited were a metaphor for progress and expansion. They were horizons that had been visited, new places discovered and settled.

How very American, and Modernist. The image of the Frontier settler family mixed with modernist ideas about progress. In a way, Horizons is the successor to Frontierland as much as Tomorrowland. With the warm nostalgia and family values of Main Street added in for emotional warmth. Horizons in 1983 was the pinnacle of Disney theme park imagineering, everything that came before culminated in it. And from there it went downhill.


The 'future part' of Horizons, the part after the 'looking back at tomorrow' did predict the future fairly decently. Two of the major developmnts after 1983 have been miniaturization and communication. And miniaturization was one of the main topics of the double Soarin' omnimaxes, and communication was the large meta-story tying the scens together. Horizons' unmitigated brilliance stretched to its futurism too!

The new zones to be colonised are metophorical for new horizons - Horizons does not predict that we'd be living in space or underwater by now, it merely seeks to inspire us to explore new areas, these new horizons. The technological advances are incidental to the experience. Horizons was not wrong because we do not inhabit space stations, because this was not the message. Horizons also did a very good job in portraying technological advances, especially concerning miniaturisation and communication. Even social change was covered by Horizons - the farm and underwater scenes showed a globalised, multicultural world, post-sexist, decades before gobalisation became a term.

What Horizons did get wong - and how typical for technology orientated geeks! - was the social movement of environmentalism. We no longer dream of colonizing the desert and undersea - by now we'd consider that an environmental disaster! Well...'we'...we is the West here. In Brazil it is still considerd progress to slash and tame and colonise the northwest and the Amazon, as is the jungle in India and Borneo, and even space for the Chinese. Horizons in this respect is the future of yesterday, of a specific time and place - America in the 80s. The brilliance of Horizons however was indeed that it was fully aware of this, of being the future of its own age, and presented itself as this.

[/ramblings]

Awesome post.
I applaud you.

( where is that old animated hand clapping GIF, now...?)

 

[Figments Friend]

I liken the futurism of "Horizons" with the futurism of Star Trek...it isn't telling us "this is what will happen", it's telling us "this could happen if you are focused on creating this kind of future for yourself".

The Star Trek reference also works because we've seen a lot of technology come from the inspiration that the show brought us. I wish Horizons had the same impact.

It did have that kind of impact....on those who remember and loved it.



Horizons is one of those great old WED creations....the gift that keeps on giving both on a intellectual level as well as a emotional level.

I just had a rave about this in another thread....

 

[Clamman73]

Awesome post.
I applaud you.

( where is that old animated hand clapping GIF, now...?)

 

[Figments Friend]

Thanks for that, Clamman!

 

[George]

I've only been to the 6 North American Disney parks, but on this continent, removing Horizons is the biggest mistake Disney has made. Bar none. The best of its class and now it is gone.

 

[Figments Friend]

Well George, the same could be said for desecrating the Original Imagination.
I know i rank that pretty high on my list of missteps.

Horizons was amazing ...from the quality of the musical score, to the ride vehicle system, to the unique staging and settings, to the overall mood and sense of awe one could often feel experiencing this attraction.
Nothing came close, except maybe Spaceship Earth back in the day.

I STILL get blown away just listening to the ride score.
I remember riding it...and although i enjoyed it, i did not hold it as high as i did the Original *Journey Into Imagination*. That was just personal taste...but i respected Horizons for what it was.

It would be cool to see something like this make a return in some other form.
A Attraction/experience that recaptures the spirit of what Horizons was emanating, but in a new presentation for today*s Guests to enjoy and get inspired about.

 

[englanddg]

Those from the Imagineering section of the forum should check this out...

 

[Mrs.Toad]

I could never understand even how unique elements of Horizons were never utilized again or even taken to a new level.

The sideways omnimovers, the buttons to select your scene of choice at the end. What amazing details for the 80's. Now we just get mountain train rides over and over again, and the….the dreaded spinners recycled and rehashed over and over again.

So help me, my greatest fear is if they decide to add a Filler Spinner to Epcot. Thinking, duh duh duh, we don't have one in this park. I would not be surprised after seeing some of the decisions made over time. Look out for the Frozen spinner. Who knows? Maybe we ride a snowball? LOL! Maybe I shouldn't snicker….

I didn't vent about my devastation over Horizons and what it meant to me and WDW, because I've done that in countless threads. LOL!

 

[marni1971]

Shameless plug since it feels right...

http://www.martinsvids.net/?p=35

 

[Goofyernmost]

Shameless plug since it feels right...

http://www.martinsvids.net/?p=35

And well worth the plug, Martin!

 

[BiffyClyro]

You must be new... People mourn the death of that thing longer than past relatives.

 

[George]

I could never understand even how unique elements of Horizons were never utilized again or even taken to a new level.

The sideways omnimovers, the buttons to select your scene of choice at the end. What amazing details for the 80's. Now we just get mountain train rides over and over again, and the….the dreaded spinners recycled and rehashed over and over again.

So help me, my greatest fear is if they decide to add a Filler Spinner to Epcot. Thinking, duh duh duh, we don't have one in this park. I would not be surprised after seeing some of the decisions made over time. Look out for the Frozen spinner. Who knows? Maybe we ride a snowball? LOL! Maybe I shouldn't snicker….

I didn't vent about my devastation over Horizons and what it meant to me and WDW, because I've done that in countless threads. LOL!

Well, the hovering over and IMAX screen is being used elsewhere in EPCOT and that concept seems to have some popularity. :lookaroun

 

[The Empress Lilly]

You must be new... People mourn the death of that thing longer than past relatives.

Well, the hovering over and IMAX screen is being used elsewhere in EPCOT and that concept seems to have some popularity. :lookaroun

Strangely, I can reply to these seemingly opposing posts with one single reply.

Imagine the current Soarin'. Suspended twenty feet in mid air, floating in front of a massiven omnimax. Now imagine that your seats start to move too! Moving along the screen. Wow. Moving to one more full omnimax screen. Soarin', but doubled! Two full omnimaxes. Then, as yuo continue moving, you fly over that California desert...but this time it is an actual 3d set! The same intoxicating orange smell...but actual oranges on an actual orange farm. Soarin', but then for real. And three times as long, as you continue soaring under the sea and on to floatingin outer space too.


As they say, there are two kinds of WDW fans. Those wo knew EPCOT Center, and those who didn't.

 

[George]

Strangely, I can reply to these seemingly opposing posts with one single reply.

Imagine the current Soarin'. Suspended twenty feet in mid air, floating in front of a massiven omnimax. Now imagine that your seats start to move too! Moving along the screen. Wow. Moving to one more full omnimax screen. Soarin', but doubled! Two full omnimaxes. Then, as yuo continue moving, you fly over that California desert...but this time it is an actual 3d set! The same intoxicating orange smell...but actual oranges on an actual orange farm. Soarin', but then for real. And three times as long, as you continue soaring under the sea and on to floatingin outer space too.


As they say, there are two kinds of WDW fans. Those wo knew EPCOT Center, and those who didn't.

It is getting harder for me to participate in the old EPCOT discussions because I find them too depressing. I suppose I should just be happy that I got to experience EPCOT a ton of times in the 80's and 90's. The big monkey in the room is simply this - Is there any chance than Disney will start to provide truly top notch theme park experiences in WDW again? Moving forward, I think past losses would be easier to stomach if we all felt this was the case.

Side note - Did you write the Empress Lilly article that you are linked to if you click on the "click to expand" in your signature? If so, very nice.

 

[ChrisFL]

Is there any chance than Disney will start to provide truly top notch theme park experiences in WDW again? Moving forward, I think past losses would be easier to stomach if we all felt this was the case.

Not at WDW. I don't think we'll ever see the likes of Horizons, or even shows like American Adventure again...most attractions these days aren't using a deep, enriching, original storyline...they're making ride versions of movies, re-telling the same story over and over again (See Nemo, Little Mermaid)

 

[George]

Not at WDW. I don't think we'll ever see the likes of Horizons, or even shows like American Adventure again...most attractions these days aren't using a deep, enriching, original storyline...they're making ride versions of movies, re-telling the same story over and over again (See Nemo, Little Mermaid)

The appropriate reply to help with my depression is, "Of course they will George! I'm sitting on awesome plans for Horizons II which was just greenlit. Let me tell you about the new Imagination that will feature the bit in the middle that was truly a feat of engineering if you were paying attention. Also, Radok blocks will be a turning again as a new high def film will be projected onto to those beloved shapes as a first step in giving a topic as important as energy the pavilion it deserves. WoL used as a storage shed? No more my friend. Don't even get me started on all the WS development, Rhine River Ride? Japanese bullet train experience? Those are just the tips of a gigantic, slippery iceberg that will smash your brain like a cruise liner as you experience the cultures of the world. And they realized that decades of the same night time show really wasn't Disneyesque. Nor is having food carts clog up a potential parade route. My friend, the changes are a coming and you will be wowed."