Help me understand Horizons, u guys play it enough :-)

marcdijon · Post by **marcdijon** » Jun Sun 08, 2008 4:40 am

as far as i love disney, there are some music and stuff i don't like that are part of disney history...

let's talk power rangers....

DisBeamer · Post by **DisBeamer** » Jun Sun 08, 2008 10:07 am

marcdijon wrote:you're right DisBeamer
but even though i've never seen the attraction, it looks like everything i dislike : this popular delirium from the 80s about future, science and space, along with the design and music created at that time....but i respect people who like that

Ahh, I see what you mean now. Yes, I know other people, too, who feel that way about the attraction itself; it definitely had an 80s aesthetic to it, which is one of the reasons it was in need of updating by the time it finally closed. I loved the ride and even I can admit that. Anyway, you are not alone.

metsofny · Post by **metsofny** » Jun Fri 20, 2008 9:45 am

DisBeamer wrote:
marcdijon wrote:i just don't understand why you like the music....
The music is soothing in and of itself

I dont understand why they like it either. It's bad 80's. Sorry, but it had to be said.

IMFearless · Post by **IMFearless** » Jul Wed 09, 2008 5:47 pm

What little I remember of Horizons, it would fit in Spaceship Earth FAR better than what is there now. The only reason it was really closed down, though, was a sinkhole underneath it. Disney knew it was dying, and they knew they would have to do something in time, so they didn't bother fixing it in the process. But really, when the building closed permanently, I think the entire thing was condemned.
You know what I find is sad? Only one of the original Future World icons still remains. I miss little tidbits like that.

Captain Schnemo · Post by **Captain Schnemo** » Jul Thu 10, 2008 3:36 am

IMFearless wrote:The only reason it was really closed down, though, was a sinkhole underneath it.

We've heard that rumor too, but is there any evidence of it? If so, why would they build the super-expensive M:S on top of the same sinkhole?

I can imagine that the original Horizons foundation was poorly constructed or something...maybe something got lost in translation?

JWG · Post by **JWG** » Jul Thu 10, 2008 8:26 am

Captain Schnemo wrote:
IMFearless wrote:The only reason it was really closed down, though, was a sinkhole underneath it.
We've heard that rumor too, but is there any evidence of it? If so, why would they build the super-expensive M:S on top of the same sinkhole?

I can imagine that the original Horizons foundation was poorly constructed or something...maybe something got lost in translation?

This is the best continuously circulating rumor I have ever heard. Many people support this rumore and many do not. And it's not Disney opinion versus fan opinion either. I don't personally think it's true, especially when you watch the detailed photos of the demolotion that are on the net.

agingerbugg · Post by **agingerbugg** » Jul Thu 10, 2008 9:17 am

I have also read that the building was not structurally sound. That after 16 years of supporting its own weight there were major problems. If you look at the timeline it makes sense. The attraction was closed for almost a year before it was replaced by Mission Space. Disney doesn't usually let something sit empty that long (except for WOL and the Millenium Pavillion). And they didn't dismantle the ride inside until after the announcement that Mission Space was replacing it and wouldn't fit in the current building. I don't know the truth, but this is just a possible as a sinkhole.

Captain Schnemo · Post by **Captain Schnemo** » Jul Thu 10, 2008 10:35 am

I think the more likely explanation is that they lost their sponsor. (Why they deem it necessary to have a sponsor to provide basic attraction maintenance is another issue entirely.)

DisBeamer · Post by **DisBeamer** » Jul Thu 10, 2008 5:43 pm

I've read the structurally unsound thing too (frequently in conjunction with the sinkhole theory). The main thing that makes me wonder about that is if the building was somehow unfit - presumably to the point of being unsafe if the solution was to knock it down - why did they reopen it while Test Track was delayed? Because, if memory serves, Horzions shut when Test Track was "about to open" and then TT was delayed for like .. a year or so .. and in the interim they opened Horizons again to suck up crowds.

I mean, I suppose it may very well be that the building wasn't -quite- on its last legs and they managed to keep it going for another year, but 'omg we're on a sinkhole/the roof is collapsing - well let's put people in there anyway' sounds like something the lawyers would have red flagged, doesn't it?

The building was sort of an odd shape, though. It's not completely impossible to suppose it turned out to be not quite strong enough at the almost two decade mark. I'd believe that before the sinkhole thing. I can't see plopping M:S down on a sinkhole. A paved-over playground maybe... Journey to the Center of the Earth themed...

jcodirewolf · Post by **jcodirewolf** » Jul Thu 10, 2008 9:52 pm

agingerbugg wrote:I have also read that the building was not structurally sound. That after 16 years of supporting its own weight there were major problems. If you look at the timeline it makes sense. The attraction was closed for almost a year before it was replaced by Mission Space. Disney doesn't usually let something sit empty that long (except for WOL and the Millenium Pavillion). And they didn't dismantle the ride inside until after the announcement that Mission Space was replacing it and wouldn't fit in the current building. I don't know the truth, but this is just a possible as a sinkhole.

I really doubt it.

Disney doesn't let things just sit without an announcement is so untrue, look at the 20k Leagues attraction, look at skyway terminal which is being used for stroller parking, look at River Country, look at the original Discovery Island (there was a light on that island that came on after the island had been abandoned and no one could go out to turn it off); look at the tree houses; look at EPCOT Wand; Odyssey; I could go on...

Disney abandons stuff all the time and just lets it sit. It's the curse of having an abundance of space. If you have a ton of space if it's Disney or disk then tendency is to leave it unless it's causing a problem.

Horizons being replaced by M:S seems like to me just what happened. Disney didn't want to put money in to it; it didn't have a partner/sponsor so they shut it down, when compaq/hp stepped up and wanted to change it they pulled it down and built M:S.

I also tend to agree with the Capt. Why put something like M:S on top of a sinkhole? Also Disney doesn't know the hydrodynamics of the buildings? I just don't buy the story on so many levels.

johno

leblanan · Post by **leblanan** » Aug Sun 24, 2008 3:45 pm

Horizons was a great attraction, I think it needed some updating, but really shouldn't have been replced. I agree it was the pefect symbol for what future world was

Oh, and also I agreed that it was the perfect compliment to Carosel of Progress

Post by **subsonic** » Aug Mon 25, 2008 12:00 pm

That's so true, if anything showed us the potential of what Tomorrow could bring, it was Horizons. I'll miss it forever.

Mr.ToadWildRider · Post by **Mr.ToadWildRider** » Nov Wed 05, 2008 12:13 pm

The real reason why it was closed down was because they couldn't afford feeding the giant grouper fish. It's the same reason 20k was closed. Those suckers are hungry.

boilerbabe · Post by **boilerbabe** » Nov Wed 05, 2008 12:27 pm

It's so sad, I don't remember Horizons.

Future Guy · Post by **Future Guy** » Nov Wed 05, 2008 2:46 pm

marcdijon wrote:you're right DisBeamer
but even though i've never seen the attraction, it looks like everything i dislike : this popular delirium from the 80s about future, science and space, along with the design and music created at that time....but i respect people who like that

I can certainly understand your distaste for the early-80s design sensibility and musical style, but this "popular delirium" you speak of is called "optimism". Sure, it may seem foolishly naive at times, but in my own opinion it beats the heck out of the dystopian view of the future that seems to prevail these days.

Just my two cents