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Epcot's future world is the first half of the park itself and all of it's pavilions meant to be inclusive
the same overarching theme with future every pavilion there would represent an
element of what the future was supposed to hold and how our current technologies
and innovations would help us get there these pavilions would together represent
the future of oceans, ecosystems, energy, transportation, creativity, innovation and
communication. However there was to be one pavilion that would combine all
these elements together. One pavilion that would be the crowning jewel of Future World: Horizons.
Announcer: Step into the future at EPCOT Center's newest adventure.
Step into the future in Horizons.
Step into the future, today.
General Electric sponsored the horizon billion and we're more than happy to do
so partly because most of the rest of the park was built so GE knew they
weren't getting themselves signed up for some unfinishable project that's concept
might have been a little bit too ambitious and would later be abandoned
the other reason being, GE had that experience with Disney's company and
that experience had garnered them notoriety at the 1964 World's Fair when they'd
sponsored "Progressland: A Walt Disney Presentation" or as is commonly known now,
the Carousel of Progress. If you don't know how these pavilion sponsorship's
work, here's how: A company, in this case GE sponsors a pavilion. Then Imagineers
conceive and designed a ride, the sponsoring company pays any and all construction
costs and - boom, a new pavilion is made. In return, the sponsoring company gets to have
their logo featured on the pavilion and a say in the Imagineering process of the
ride. GE's original idea for this ride would be one that showcased how Thomas
Edison's invention of the light bulb was the beginning of what would eventually
become General Electric and that was it, just a ride focus solely on GE.
Thankfully, imagineers objected to this idea and encouraged a more broad
representation of America's future before the tie-in to electricity was
dropped altogether and the attraction grew more like its original concept as
the epitome of all the future world pavilions combined.
While Horizons was in its planning stage was called "Century 3", which referred to America's third
century that would encompass from 1976 to 2076. However the name didn't make much
sense to anybody outside of Americans who were projected to be a big part of
Epcot's visitors. The rides name was then changed to its new name "Future Probe".
This name didn't stick around too long either due to its use of the word "probe"
and the given medical association with it as it was thought to confuse people.
And on top of that it just doesn't sound very appealing...
Finally, the name of the ride was changed to its final name: Horizons. Construction of
the attraction began in 1981 and ran into a few problems along the way.
And this, will be new horizons. 21st century living on the land, under the sea and in outer space.
One of which being, a 10 million dollar budget cut at the last minute. But if you
think 10 million's a lot, try 70 million. Because that's how much the ride would
have been to make pre-budget cuts so, it's understandable why they weren't
eager to throw another 10 million dollars with the ride. In order to make
up for the lost funds the ride was scaled down at least 35% and 600 feet worth of
track were removed. Even with these problems the ride was completed on time,
Construction was finished sometime in 1983 the attraction was open on October
1st of that same year. Which was the first anniversary of Epcot itself.
When Horizons opened, media and special guests gathered for the grand opening
plenty of big names were there including Ron Miller, the CEO of Disney Productions.
Roland Schmidt of General Electric. Florida's lieutenant governor, Wayne
Mixon and Walt Disney World ambassador Cynthia Pleasant. It was a pretty big
to-do, speeches were, balloons were released into the air and trumpets played
the Epcot theme. The ride was very popular during its operating years with park
guests as it was basically unofficial sequel to Carousel of Progress which, had
already proved itself to be a big hit since it was first released in the mid-60s.
In some aspects, Horizons could be considered better than the Carousel of
Progress, as it showed a broad future consistently throughout the ride. As
opposed to only showing a future in 1/4 of the ride. It was also an omnimover
dark ride instead of a stage show. The omnimover system wasn't that different with
the one used on the Haunted Mansion, the common thread being that neither stop
and are constantly going on a track that allows for daily high capacity, and
allows for short wait times. The only real difference between the two is that Horizons
cars hang from the ceiling while the Haunted Mansions remain on the ground
at all times. Horizons also featured two 90 foot tall omnisphere theaters in between
sets. Similar to the room at the end of Spaceship Earth. Horizons was also different
from other rides in that, it was interactive and would let you choose your own ending.
A very unique concept that tied in with the rides theme of "a future with options".
On September 30th of 1993 General Electric's sponsorship of the Horizons
pavilion was up when their contract expired.
GE chose not to renew and the ride was left without any financial backing for
the first time in its decade of operation. Any mentions of General
Electric were removed from the ride. For instance, at the beginning of the ride after
you'd board you would hear this:
Ride Narrator: "GE - Horizons passengers, you are now cleared for departure to the 21st century."
But in 1994 that was changed to this:
Ride Narrator: "Horizons One is now departing. Our final destination today: The 21st century."
Along with that, the GE logos were removed from the interior and exterior of the ride.
Ride Narrator: "From all of us, thanks for exploring Horizons."
Along with having no company sponsor, came the issue of having no company funding.
So now, whenever something broke on the ride; an animatronic, for example, it
would stay broken. As would be unprofitable for Disney to fix it, since
it was coming out of their pockets and not General Electric's. During the rides
final years, parts of it had fallen into a real state of disrepair. Now normally a
10 year old ride can expect issues like these after operating day in, and day out
every day for that long the only issue here was that Disney was hardly even
attempting to fix these problems. But why? Why have such an iconic ride, such a big
part of future world and Epcot Center itself be in such a sad state? Well,
Disney would answer this question in the following months.
in December of 1994, just three months after General Electric's contract expired. Horizons just closed
down. No statements were given, no timetables as when it might reopen, no
indication beforehand, nothing. Things stayed quiet until one year later when
Horizons suddenly reopened. Nothing inside was changed, no refurbishments or
anything to explain its year-long absence but, fans of the ride really didn't care.
They were just happy that Horizons was reopened. The real reason that Epcot
reopened Horizons was because two other future world attractions were closed at the time.
Those rides being, "World of Motion" which was, at the time, being converted
into Test Track and Universe of Energy, which was being turned into Ellen's
energy. Adventure if Horizons didn't open back up, only one pavilion would be open
on the eastern side of future world, which isn't good. So, Epcot really didn't
have much of a choice other than to reopen for the next three years
to make up for the other out-of-commission pavilions. But finally on
January 19th of 1999, Horizons was officially closed down for good.
before demolition began Disney officials knew they would have to come up with a
good excuse for completely demoing ride that at this point had become a
veritable cult classic at the park there were a number of reasons for it as to
why the building couldn't be restored or its attraction updated the first of
which means is the new rides building would be played larger than the horizon
building and they had no choice but to tear it down to make room for the new
one as it's already been proved that's not true the Verizon's building is
noticeably larger than its replacement rides building later it was alleged that
a huge sinkhole is beginning to take form under the horizons building it was
weakening the Billington near collapse the sinkhole allegation was later proved
true by Marty Sklar which does need an international ambassador the single
excuse was generally accepted today is the real reason as to why the attraction
was ultimately demolished in March of 2000 horizons began to be empty some
props and sets will preserve for example the robot Butler seen in the easy living
section of the ride was moved to Disney Hollywood studios to be put on display a
few other props removed at Disneyland Paris and can still be seen there today
there were also rumors of various other animatronics in the ride spider around
Disney parks including this guy because he was alleged to be stashing her Magic
Kingdom's Carousel of Progress I have no real way to confirm any of these claims
but I don't think it's really out of the realm of possibility that some of these
animatronics could have been repurposed or is still intact and lingering around
the parks also the famous mural seen at the end of the ride the prologue in the
promise was a room prior to demolition is currently in Disney offices unable to
be seen by the public but hey Alicia wasn't destroyed later that month the
Omni we ride vehicles removed and there seriously no telling where these things
are the most I can find is a few pictures of them stashing some warehouse
some people say they were sold up individually others say they were all
destroyed and nobody really notes what became with vehicles mission space would
be the ride to replace horizons begins construction in September of 2000
the ride officially opened however on August 5th 2003 for anyone who doesn't
know mission spaces simulator ride and its riders operating spacecraft on the
first manned mission to Mars Wright is most commonly known for
juicing centrifugal force for the g-force effect that is if you choose to
go on the orange team over green green is the exact same simulator ride just
without the spinning if you want my opinion now go orange if you can I
always think it's way more fun I don't want to help you fun the back story or
history of the ride since I'm pretty sure I'll be making a whole
from video on mission space when it gets replaced by something else soon enough I
mean that rides been open for at least 10 years now there I was built and open
without much from from the public but much as I should rent a horizons fans
who didn't think it was a worthy successor to the classic ride and I have
to say that I agree now I've got nothing against mission space I make it a point
to write it every time I go to Epcot but through the research I've done the
recording for the ride I've seen and just general feel the attraction there
is something that horizons has a mission space just falls short of having that
dancing character yeah horizons focused on the future but it showed our future
mission space just feels cold in between the space theme throughout it and just
being a simulator it really takes away from the sentimentality you could have
horizons still lives on today through Berry's tribute website video of the
ride references and nods on other rides and through its fans horizons really was
the epitome of what the original idea behind Epcot was that being the future
and hope for it mission space is fun but it really is a far cry from what is
still considered to a lot of people to be the best dark ride ever