Horizons - Martins Complete Ultimate Tribute

SourcererMark79

SourcererMark79

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
Fantastic video, I rode Horizons when I was 8, didn't remember much other than the underwater scene and choosing your ending. This was a treat to watch (and from all angles too) and it made me realize what so many have already said. To see how much thought and design went into this, and it was great technology for the 80s! It really was the CoP of EPCOT, and that alone should have been enough to leave it and (maybe) make some small improvements. Great work Martin!
 
BoarderPhreak

BoarderPhreak

Well-Known Member
To this day, it still makes me mad/sad that Horizons was bulldozed. It truly did bring together and represent everything that I loved about EPCOT Center, and it started with the shiny words upon entering; "If we can dream it, we can do it." It remains one of my favorite rides and fondest memories of the glory days.

Okay, so it was a bit dated, as often these things go. But surely updating it would cost less than complete demolition and building something new. What's worse, what is lost isn't just "a ride" but all the magic and technology the Imagineers could muster at the time. I suppose one could argue that these animated still scenes and such are dated by today's standards too (and much of the building's bones are tied into supporting them). It's still sad to see these marvels of engineering replaced by LCD screens and fancy LED lighting. Sadder still in the name of IP tie-ins.

On my last trip (just last week) I finally rode Frozen. Ugh. It was basically Little Mermaid in a boat. I hated it. Maelstrom was better in so, so many ways. Scrape off the mold and dust the polar bear, I'd have said. Anything but the abomination it is now. Not only did we lose the ride, etc. but one of the few huge murals left of the original EPCOT Center.

And to think they're going to do essentially the same thing to UoE/GMR before long. Gggrrr!
 
M

Musical Mermaid

Well-Known Member
BoarderPhreak said:
To this day, it still makes me mad/sad that Horizons was bulldozed. It truly did bring together and represent everything that I loved about EPCOT Center, and it started with the shiny words upon entering; "If we can dream it, we can do it." It remains one of my favorite rides and fondest memories of the glory days.

Okay, so it was a bit dated, as often these things go. But surely updating it would cost less than complete demolition and building something new. What's worse, what is lost isn't just "a ride" but all the magic and technology the Imagineers could muster at the time. I suppose one could argue that these animated still scenes and such are dated by today's standards too (and much of the building's bones are tied into supporting them). It's still sad to see these marvels of engineering replaced by LCD screens and fancy LED lighting. Sadder still in the name of IP tie-ins.

On my last trip (just last week) I finally rode Frozen. Ugh. It was basically Little Mermaid in a boat. I hated it. Maelstrom was better in so, so many ways. Scrape off the mold and dust the polar bear, I'd have said. Anything but the abomination it is now. Not only did we lose the ride, etc. but one of the few huge murals left of the original EPCOT Center.

And to think they're going to do essentially the same thing to UoE/GMR before long. Gggrrr!
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I'm not sure if I rode Horizons when I was really little. I have more memories of visiting Magic Kingdom and Disney-MGM Studios than Epcot. When I was almost 13, I saw the original Imagination ride and was in awe and I remember Horizons even more. The music, story, creativity, and choice of your own ending made it one of the highlights of that trip.

I too just rode Frozen for the first time this past weekend and did not understand the hype. This seems so out of place in the Norway pavilion. Does this appeal to other adults at all? All I saw was some pretty animatronics singing and I was so bored. It seems like it would be better suited for Fantasyland, aimed more at children. I was initially upset at the Three Caballeros when Disney changed the Mexico ride, but you still see a lot of Mexico and its culture and traditions, so I think they work well together now. I had guessed that the Frozen girls would be showing us some Norway culture, but no, it's basically a rehash of the movie and songs...ugh!

So sorry for wandering a bit from the Horizons topic. That ride was just one of the many great examples at how creative Disney used to be at entertaining both children AND adults, fitting a great story and details in there to make you want to return. I love that tribute video!
 
trainplane3

trainplane3

Well-Known Member
I hate to be that guy, but is there going to be a video for this month (just wondering, not begging!!)? It'd be something nice to fill the flight down to WDW next Friday.
 
Kamikaze

Kamikaze

Well-Known Member
JimW said:
Me: <long winded rant about Horizons> and they let you choose your ending: desert, sea, or space!
Her: Um, we have that today.
Me: We do?
Her: Yeah, in the giant ball.
Me: How do we have that?
Her: The videos at the end!

...................oh boy.
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To be fair, she's right. You can choose your ending on SSE.
 
JimW

JimW

Premium Member
Kamikaze said:
To be fair, she's right. You can choose your ending on SSE.
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Yes, you're absolutely right. The spirit of my post was meant completely literally, and you helped remedy that. Thanks for that clarification, I had no clue whatsoever.
 
NickMaio

NickMaio

Well-Known Member
Seriously - BEST Disney ride ever - Totally encompassed the idea of EPCOT center.
Totally fostered my imagination as a child.
I have a delusion that it might come back some day in another form.
Thanks Martin - All your videos are a great prescription for Disney nostalgia.
You rock!!!
 
NickMaio

NickMaio

Well-Known Member
Musical Mermaid said:
I'm not sure if I rode Horizons when I was really little. I have more memories of visiting Magic Kingdom and Disney-MGM Studios than Epcot. When I was almost 13, I saw the original Imagination ride and was in awe and I remember Horizons even more. The music, story, creativity, and choice of your own ending made it one of the highlights of that trip.

I too just rode Frozen for the first time this past weekend and did not understand the hype. This seems so out of place in the Norway pavilion. Does this appeal to other adults at all? All I saw was some pretty animatronics singing and I was so bored. It seems like it would be better suited for Fantasyland, aimed more at children. I was initially upset at the Three Caballeros when Disney changed the Mexico ride, but you still see a lot of Mexico and its culture and traditions, so I think they work well together now. I had guessed that the Frozen girls would be showing us some Norway culture, but no, it's basically a rehash of the movie and songs...ugh!

So sorry for wandering a bit from the Horizons topic. That ride was just one of the many great examples at how creative Disney used to be at entertaining both children AND adults, fitting a great story and details in there to make you want to return. I love that tribute video!
Click to expand...
Nope - the new Frozen ride seems designed for children.
We went on it last year and thought it was a quick ride not worth the wait at all - and we really enjoy Frozen:mad:
Cramming a new ride and story into an excising ride never really works out - Journey into your Imagination :(
 

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