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  "Here in Florida, we have something special we never enjoyed at Disneyland...the blessing of size. There's enough land here to hold all the ideas and plans we can possibly imagine." For those of you who don't know, the legendary EPCOT ride Horizons has been faced with an untimely demise. When Test Track opened a few years ago Horizons was shut down quickly and unceremoniously, ostensibly to be gutted and replaced with a Space Pavilion. While the idea of a Space pavilion is nothing new, dating back to EPCOT plans from the mid-70's, the idea of nuking Horizons to build the Space pavilion is something to emerge only within the last couple of years. The building sits there now, roped off with a sign saying that they are working on some "new magic" or something like that. The truth is that it's merely another symptom of the cost-cutting that has cheapened the EPCOT experience in recent years. Construction on anything new is far from beginning, so the fact is that it is currently dead space (just like the 20,000 Leagues lagoon, but that's a different story). Lately the rumor mill has been heating up about the new Space attraction. The Orlando Sentinel recently featured an article describing the preliminary plans for a $150 Million pavilion Disney is working on with NASA with funding by computer maker Compaq. Other rumors, however, point to hangups with using the Horizons building. The first is trying to insert a new ride into a building specifically built for something else. This limits the Imagineers' creativity and ability to create something truly unique. The second are several problems unique to a large 20-year-old building. Problems with the structure, especially the leaky roof, need to be fixed and Disney wants the new sponsor to pay for repairs. Naturally this might throw a wrench in any possible negotiations. Other rumors point to a happier possibility. Consideration has been given to a new building actually being built for the Space pavilion in the huge lot between The Land and The Living Seas. This would leave Horizons standing. While it has become apparent that the Horizons ride system has been sold or destroyed and that the ride is being dismantled, with a building there perhaps a new attraction based on Horizons' classic themes could be installed. A rehab would be preferable to the entire loss of all that the ride stands for. As it stands now, though, Horizons and its themes will be lost for good. The Animatronics will be exported to other rides and a Space pavilion will bring another thrill ride to EPCOT. While I would formerly have held high hopes for this, after the disaster of the new Imagination ride and other efforts you will excuse me if I'm not thrilled at the possibilities. This website was whipped up long ago with the firm belief that Horizons should be saved. It's always been a favorite of mine since I was a kid, and to me it represents the idealistic future that Walt stood for. Sounds cheesy, yeah, but it's true. In fact, it's about all that remained in EPCOT that I really thinks evoked Walt's spirit. While the fate of Horizons is sealed, there is always hope that its ideals could live on in a new incarnation. I encourage everyone to write Eisner and the boys and try to let them know how we feel. OK, now's the time to
get busy so without further
ado, here are the addresses:
Click here to learn more about Horizons at my major-under-construction site Send comments to me here   Founded on March 3, 1998
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The Committee (which formerly tried) to Save Horizons 