Here's the latest news.
1. Our audio recordings are almost ready. You'll be able to download full tracks of live Horizons stuff. No studio horseshit but real "in ride" recordings. You'll also get the tape called "Horizons Confessions"! We recorded this several months after Horizons closed while we drank beer and watched videos. We wanted an audio record of our adventures so we'd have something to listen to when we got old (like now).
2. We have had Google Analytics installed for a few weeks now. THERE ARE HORIZONS FANS ALL OVER THE GLOBE! It's amazing to see who's looking at this blog and where they're from. Japan, Taiwan, Romania, Australia, Germany, etc. WONDERFUL!
3. We get tons of views from Emeryville CA every morning at about 11am. We love you Pixar!
4. Tons more from Glendale. Keep up the good fight WDI!!
5. Orlando, Los Angeles......... build Horizons 2.0, Disney! What are you waiting for? We promise not to leave our ride vehicles.
I agree with #5!
ReplyDeleteBoth Tomorrowlands have the potential to build a scaled down version of Horizons. Disneyland, case in point, already has some of the elements that could work. The 1998 redo of Tomorrowland brought in heavy focus on Agrifuture ideas. The People Mover would be the perfect place for such a Horizons homage. Granted the biggest drawback would be the cutting of alot of scenes... but with the right design empty spaces could be converted into memorable replacements.
As for Epcot... with the fall of the Wonders of Life pavillion... the space should be converted in to a new Horizons. Personally I think Seimens would be the best sponsor for a new Horizons attraction but with them already sponsoring Spaceship Earth that kills that idea.
Personally, I think Mission:Space is a complete waste of space. I mean how does it really show the "future" especially for it being in Futureworld.
Horizons was the only attraction that embraced all aspects of Epcots Futureworld... Technology, Communication, Transportation, Land, Sea, Space, and Industry. The lack of such attraction at any of the Disney Parks is a slap in the face to Walt's idea of the future and the promise of Tomorrow.
well said hauntedone, well said! great comment!!!
ReplyDeleteYes I agree that hauntedone summed it up quite nicely. Unfortunately I think the current execs in charge are falling into the trap of trying to only please the 18-35 demographic or some crap like that. It's so easy to give up and supply people with rides that make them go "Wow, look at all the pretty lights!" yet do not challenge them to think, learn or be inspired.
ReplyDeleteAs an example, I recently read that the execs in charge of the Mythbusters show are banning any segments that don't result in explosions. Gone are the purely scientific analysis endeavors. It's gotta be "exciting" and blow up. Sad.
I guess WDW executives feel that most people are too busy or lazy or whatever to let their minds be expanded and actually learn something and be inspired these days. I don't know what the answer is but I don't think they have the courage to build a "Horizons 2" type attraction anymore. It took real vision to do that and look how many people it inspired (a hell of a lot).
It would be fantastic if they did though. Maybe if we dream it...
With updates coming to Star Tours (a pretty dated attraction, albeit still fun) as well as a complete overhaul of Fantasyland at WDW..I dont see anything new or innovative happening outside these two projects. As much as I would love to see Horizons reincarnated because it was a part of my childhood I want back, I don't see Disney putting much interest in it as it isn't exactly tied into merchandise, movies, or tv.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I cannot wait for the release of more video, as well as the audio you guys are working on. Also, if you guys want to relive some Disney Attractions, through audio and video, I would check out Mousebits.com. Its a Torrent site that has TONS of recorded audio as well as tribute videos of old/extinct attractions (a GREAT Horizons video) as well as some of the newer stuff. Just though u guys might enjoy the info :) Not an advertisement...I just stumbled upon it a little bit ago.
The sad reality of it is, they want attractions that attract guests.
ReplyDeleteThere was rarely a queue for Horizons, but Mission: Space almost always has a long wait time. Same with World of Motion vs. Test Track, and even If You Had Wings/Dreamflight vs. Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin at the MK. They're looking at numbers and what gets results... and as much as I hate to admit it, the proof is there.
It's a bummer, really... :o/
I can't argue with you cornrelish - you make some good points. However, similar to what hauntedone said above, maybe the Wonders of Life building could be converted into a "Retro Attraction Hall" ride of some sort. Maybe taking elements of all the past greats from Epcot and create a ride that goes through 3 or 4 of the key scenes from a number of retro attractions. The newer "thrill rides" (Mission Space, Test Track, etc) could remain while having something significant dedicated to honoring the real roots of Epcot.
ReplyDeletePixar and WDI, huh? Would that explain the Popular Searches section...?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, nope! 99% of those searches come from the rest of the world. NOT Glendale. NOT Emeryville. Just regular people from here to Japan and the rest of the way around.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous equals horse shit BTW.
If you post "Anonymous" and you try to make a stab at the people who enjoy this blog.....you don't count. Get it?
Back in the 90s I made a list of my top 5 favorite WDW attractions. They were Horizons, World of Motion, Carousel of Progress, If You Had Wings, and El Rio Del Tiempo. Notice a trend? I'm amazed CoP is still around, but I hear operating hours aren't that great. ERDT is still around, but the only parts of it I liked were the first 1/3 (before "It's A Small Mexican World") and the "If You Had Wings-esque Marketplace" scene. Of course they changed it.
ReplyDeleteWow, Hoot, I see now how my comment came off. I sincerely promise I didn't mean to insult anyone who reads this blog. I should have made an explicit reference to the thread that already poked fun at the searches before about Sunnycide and nude partial audio animatronics. I was making an attempt (a futile one I now realize) to add to that by implying that Pixar and WDI might be the ones doing it. I see now that that too might have been tasteless, but hopefully someone at Pixar or WDI got by bad sense of humor. This is just my opinion, but I think WDI might have a lot more comments and links to other sites to be insulted about here than that.
ReplyDeleteI also see now how my poorly worded comment came off worse because it was posted anonymously, but otherwise, I have my reasons. You know how the internet can be (besides humor translation issues). I am currently in the job hunt, and you never know what could turn up. This blog is a controversial one, as just noted in a recent post. You never know how a potential employer can contsrue some random post (sepecially a horrible attempt at being funny which comes off as insulting) as supporting something that they think is illegal or immoral.
My apologies to everyone.
Anonymous - I think if a potential employer doesn't hire you because of this blog you should spray paint "HORIZONS LIVES!" on the front of their building and run away.
ReplyDeleteYeah, would you seriously want to work for a company that has a team monitoring which EPCOT Center blog you post on? The day will arrive when they come for all of us, Anonymous. Keep your tracks hidden man, we're all expecting to be arrested by WDI's idea of the FBI for the grossly illegal actions which transpired. Then it's on to hours upon hours of repenting for the immoral actions we so proudly support. WE WILL PRAY FOR YOUR SOULS HOOT AND CHIEF.
ReplyDeleteBTW I did some searching and 'Anonymous'... is Eric F'ing Boardman.
Well, we now know of two companies that read this blog. I'll just scratch those off my list of possible employment just as soon as the spaypaint dries on their walls (For the record, I will be signing that as 'Anonymous'as well). With the movie deal, Hoot and Chief will be household names someday and then that's it. We're all fired without hope of ever being hired again.
ReplyDeleteI know I sound paranoid, but I actually just got to make hiring decisions recently, and you'd really be surprised what a cursory search can find and what big wigs flip over. But no, we don't search for anyone anymore than a couple of minutes (and you still find stuff). And yes, I know of one person who wasn't hired because of random stuff posted on the net. I also know of a blogger that got canned for their blog they had going for almost 2 years, and trust me, it didn't have nearly the amount of followers this one does!
And now look...Kyle has exposed me!
So yeah, I'll return to silently browsing the blog, unless I have any burning questions.
Peace to all.
HORIZONS LIVES!!!
HAHA! Nice anonymous:)
ReplyDeleteThis might come as a complete surprise but Chief and I just don't care. We don't care about any "secret disney police" or horseshit like that. We don't care if people figure out our real names. Most of the the MVT fans already know us because we contact them and end up drinking with them.
If you're afraid you'll ruin your career choices by reading this blog.....well....you're nuts. Even if it were true, would you really want to work for such an anal place anyway????
Nah. Fuck 'em.
If you look at the ride systems of the sttraction that replaced both WOM and Horizons you will notice that they are majorly different. The original attractions had omnimover systems... which themselves moved people thru the attractions quickly... that why it is also very very rare that Spaceship Earth ever has a line. M:S and TT both have seperate vehicles that have to run a cycle and depending on the load and unload times which themselves are high varibles cause the line to be held up.
ReplyDeleteM:S and TT to me arent repeatable attractions... they are a thrill that passes too fast and details blur by. Do you even really get a feel for a story? Do they even bring an emphasis to future technology? They onyl show a snapshot of the current technology and dont really give way to expand on newer ideas.
New technology shouldnt be segragated to just innoventions... all attractions of "Futureworld" should embrace the future ideas and technology associated to the theme of thier pavillions.
Horizons is one ride that will not die. I can not wait to hear what kind of audio treats you have in store.
ReplyDeleteI'm coming to you from Amsterdam, Netherlands!
ReplyDeleteIf only they would open Horizons 2.0. Sigh!
ReplyDelete