Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
Horizons history report coming VERY soon! I think everyone will be pleased.
The history and backstory of Disney rides
- Thread starter Figmentforever24
- Start date
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
If you can dream it then you can built it yes you can. This line, for many of us, represents the dream and core of everything Epcot Center was about. It taught us to believe in the future and to know that brighter things waited ahead. It was something that touched the lives young and old and now it is but a distinct memory. So today I give a special honor to the ride that still holds a special place in many hearts
..Horizons.
Horizons was a special pavilion from the very beginning of conception. It was an early idea that was first proposed to go inside Spaceship Earth. Horizons was going to be the pavilion that would encompass all of the ideas that Epcot Center offered. It was the grand summary of everything you had experienced in Epcot Center. Yet after a while plans were kind of forgotten, and the Epcot Center project was moving forward. Construction went on for years and nothing was heard. Then in early 1982 Disney Imagineers realized that a gap was between the Transportation pavilion and the Energy pavilion. So plans were finalized to place Horizons in this opening. Prep work began right away yet Epcot Center was less then a year for opening. So the park opened without the pavilion.
Now like I said before Horizons was not something that was created in the spur of a moment. The first idea was to place it in Spaceship Earth. That lasted only a short time before it became its own pavilion known as Century 3. The name was given since this was the third century of America. Its location was where The Living Seas were to go later. The pavilion included a huge omnimax theater as well as a tall observation tower that would give guest views of Future World. Plans continued to move along and things were changed over time. For example the name was eventually changed to Futureprobe seeing that Century 3 would eventually become outdated. The ideas was that mission control was going to help narrate us along our journey. Then in 1981 the plans finally came together for the pavilion. The name was changed to Horizons and it was placed in the large empty gap. Sadly Disney knew they couldnt make an opening deadline since they needed to round up a bunch of new tech for this ride. Every ride was to be something special and Horizons was not going to be the exception. In fact Horizons was the rule.
Ok now for the ride itself. You see at the same time Century 3 was being planned, Disney Imagineers wanted a pavilion that showcased past technologies and how they led to this point. The idea never got really far until the idea was used for the Horizons building. General Electric CEO didnt like the idea of talking about the past. If they were to sponsor a ride it needed to be all about the future. So thats basically where the idea for Horizons came from. The ride would start with guest entering what would be called Futureport. They then would board a omnimover system that was suspended to the ceiling. The cars also moved sideways. The beginning of the ride would consist of looking back at tomorrow. Yea I know it sounds confusing. Yet it made perfect sense. It was a normal ride up until the middle of the ride. At this point guest entered a giant room with an huge omnimax screen. They then entered the future portion of the ride.
The theme of the ride was obviously the future, but Horizons had an even more important theme ..the family. The ride focused on how the family would live in the future together. In fact it is a family of the future that narrates us through the ride. They would lead us through the different scenes and themes of the ride. Some of these themes appearing more then once. Many times you would see one person in one scene only to see them again in a different scene. This was to show how these people have progressed and lived in the future world. You would visit different cities of the future all located in amazing places. No matter where you went space, sea, desert, or sky, it was all amazing. This family was the family of tomorrow, and it fact had their ties in with the Carrousel of Progress. Yep thats right. Some of the inspiration for Horizons came from the old classic still at Walt Disney World.
So something else in the ride that was added was three rooms with three omnimax systems. Many films were proposed for the films, but not all of them made it off the drawing board. For example one idea was to have guest fly through a hurricane. People training to be astronauts, thermal living conditions and so much more. Robot creation and laser technology was something else planned that never made the cut.
Of course many great thing did make the cut. So here is how the ride went. You started by entering the 50s scene. This was what the future was thought to be during that era. During this scene guest were lifted up a hill to a higher level. They then made an 180 degree loop past two huge omnimax screens. Then they were sent to the future. Many people were put to work on the ride. The ride was mostly screens when first planned but with a little Disney magic more AAs were added to the ride. Special technology that is still amazing today was used in the ride in new ways. This was to become a theme park classic. A few special effects did not make it onto the ride though. One such effect was where the long star tunnel was. This originally was going to be where screens played showing everything you just saw on the ride. Apparently they couldnt fit the machines to project the images in the wall so a star field was decided upon. The finale was something that was to be special though. Originally there was no finale as the recap screens were to be it. You were then to exit onto speed ramp type things where projections would show GE stuff on the walls. This was decided to be removed and used for the finale scene. The finale scene was going to let guest pick their future. So three different finale scenes were made all the same length of time.
So there as you can see the ride for Horizons. The building itself only was 2 acres and was two stories tall. 1346 ft of track was used for the ride and the omnimax screens were so big that the frames had to be built while the building was still metal steel. This meant Horizons used more steel then any pavilion at Epcot Center including Spaceship Earth. Epcot Center opened without the ride, but construction went on ahead. It was to open one year after Epcot Center giving guest something to come back to see. The ride itself would have 30 human AAs as well as 10 animal AAs. There was also 5 projected AAs and 2 robots. Not to mention the 800 props that went into the ride! These props would be split into four sets and 11 murals. There is plenty of more techno stuff, but lets not get into that. Oh and there was a little surprise for those who ever noticed. Dreamfinder made a short appearance in the ride. He appeared in the Nova City scene and runs by the screen. The ride vehicles were not totally omnimover although they moved like it. They also had the ability to tilt backwards during different scenes. If there was ever an emergency the back of the cars would open and they could follow the safety path off the ride. Yea cause jumping forwards meant you would most likely die seeing you were over 60 feet in the air. Everything was added to the pavilion and then it was ready to open.
The ride was all open to the public except of course for the VIP lounge that was made for GE events or other special events. The ride literally opened on the same day Epcot Center opened a year earlier. The ride was a total crowd pleaser. People loved it and for many years it pleased everyone. Then in the 90s the ride became outdated for the times. Eisner wanted to update the ride, but he didnt like what it was going to cost. So he then decided to tear it down to place his new space pavilion. Today Mission:Space stands where the old ride once stood.
Horizons was a special pavilion from the very beginning of conception. It was an early idea that was first proposed to go inside Spaceship Earth. Horizons was going to be the pavilion that would encompass all of the ideas that Epcot Center offered. It was the grand summary of everything you had experienced in Epcot Center. Yet after a while plans were kind of forgotten, and the Epcot Center project was moving forward. Construction went on for years and nothing was heard. Then in early 1982 Disney Imagineers realized that a gap was between the Transportation pavilion and the Energy pavilion. So plans were finalized to place Horizons in this opening. Prep work began right away yet Epcot Center was less then a year for opening. So the park opened without the pavilion.
Now like I said before Horizons was not something that was created in the spur of a moment. The first idea was to place it in Spaceship Earth. That lasted only a short time before it became its own pavilion known as Century 3. The name was given since this was the third century of America. Its location was where The Living Seas were to go later. The pavilion included a huge omnimax theater as well as a tall observation tower that would give guest views of Future World. Plans continued to move along and things were changed over time. For example the name was eventually changed to Futureprobe seeing that Century 3 would eventually become outdated. The ideas was that mission control was going to help narrate us along our journey. Then in 1981 the plans finally came together for the pavilion. The name was changed to Horizons and it was placed in the large empty gap. Sadly Disney knew they couldnt make an opening deadline since they needed to round up a bunch of new tech for this ride. Every ride was to be something special and Horizons was not going to be the exception. In fact Horizons was the rule.
Ok now for the ride itself. You see at the same time Century 3 was being planned, Disney Imagineers wanted a pavilion that showcased past technologies and how they led to this point. The idea never got really far until the idea was used for the Horizons building. General Electric CEO didnt like the idea of talking about the past. If they were to sponsor a ride it needed to be all about the future. So thats basically where the idea for Horizons came from. The ride would start with guest entering what would be called Futureport. They then would board a omnimover system that was suspended to the ceiling. The cars also moved sideways. The beginning of the ride would consist of looking back at tomorrow. Yea I know it sounds confusing. Yet it made perfect sense. It was a normal ride up until the middle of the ride. At this point guest entered a giant room with an huge omnimax screen. They then entered the future portion of the ride.
The theme of the ride was obviously the future, but Horizons had an even more important theme ..the family. The ride focused on how the family would live in the future together. In fact it is a family of the future that narrates us through the ride. They would lead us through the different scenes and themes of the ride. Some of these themes appearing more then once. Many times you would see one person in one scene only to see them again in a different scene. This was to show how these people have progressed and lived in the future world. You would visit different cities of the future all located in amazing places. No matter where you went space, sea, desert, or sky, it was all amazing. This family was the family of tomorrow, and it fact had their ties in with the Carrousel of Progress. Yep thats right. Some of the inspiration for Horizons came from the old classic still at Walt Disney World.
So something else in the ride that was added was three rooms with three omnimax systems. Many films were proposed for the films, but not all of them made it off the drawing board. For example one idea was to have guest fly through a hurricane. People training to be astronauts, thermal living conditions and so much more. Robot creation and laser technology was something else planned that never made the cut.
Of course many great thing did make the cut. So here is how the ride went. You started by entering the 50s scene. This was what the future was thought to be during that era. During this scene guest were lifted up a hill to a higher level. They then made an 180 degree loop past two huge omnimax screens. Then they were sent to the future. Many people were put to work on the ride. The ride was mostly screens when first planned but with a little Disney magic more AAs were added to the ride. Special technology that is still amazing today was used in the ride in new ways. This was to become a theme park classic. A few special effects did not make it onto the ride though. One such effect was where the long star tunnel was. This originally was going to be where screens played showing everything you just saw on the ride. Apparently they couldnt fit the machines to project the images in the wall so a star field was decided upon. The finale was something that was to be special though. Originally there was no finale as the recap screens were to be it. You were then to exit onto speed ramp type things where projections would show GE stuff on the walls. This was decided to be removed and used for the finale scene. The finale scene was going to let guest pick their future. So three different finale scenes were made all the same length of time.
So there as you can see the ride for Horizons. The building itself only was 2 acres and was two stories tall. 1346 ft of track was used for the ride and the omnimax screens were so big that the frames had to be built while the building was still metal steel. This meant Horizons used more steel then any pavilion at Epcot Center including Spaceship Earth. Epcot Center opened without the ride, but construction went on ahead. It was to open one year after Epcot Center giving guest something to come back to see. The ride itself would have 30 human AAs as well as 10 animal AAs. There was also 5 projected AAs and 2 robots. Not to mention the 800 props that went into the ride! These props would be split into four sets and 11 murals. There is plenty of more techno stuff, but lets not get into that. Oh and there was a little surprise for those who ever noticed. Dreamfinder made a short appearance in the ride. He appeared in the Nova City scene and runs by the screen. The ride vehicles were not totally omnimover although they moved like it. They also had the ability to tilt backwards during different scenes. If there was ever an emergency the back of the cars would open and they could follow the safety path off the ride. Yea cause jumping forwards meant you would most likely die seeing you were over 60 feet in the air. Everything was added to the pavilion and then it was ready to open.
The ride was all open to the public except of course for the VIP lounge that was made for GE events or other special events. The ride literally opened on the same day Epcot Center opened a year earlier. The ride was a total crowd pleaser. People loved it and for many years it pleased everyone. Then in the 90s the ride became outdated for the times. Eisner wanted to update the ride, but he didnt like what it was going to cost. So he then decided to tear it down to place his new space pavilion. Today Mission:Space stands where the old ride once stood.
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sinn8HvN7FQ
Here is something a little special for those who remember this. This was yet another special piece of Disney history that is no longer with us. This has Roger Rabbit in it which means it is the original version. I hope to do a special history report on it soon! So stand by!
Here is something a little special for those who remember this. This was yet another special piece of Disney history that is no longer with us. This has Roger Rabbit in it which means it is the original version. I hope to do a special history report on it soon! So stand by!
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
Now it is time for something dear to my own heart. Spectromagic meant a lot to many of us. Today it no longer is around due to poor upkeep choices, but I create this report in hopes that we can remember what a great parade this truly was!
So its been 14 years since the debut of the Main Street Electrical Parade at Walt Disney World. The parade has captivated audiences for many years, but something new was needed. So a new nighttime parade was planned for Magic Kingdom. The original name was to be Electromagic. This parade was to be similar to the original parade is many respects. It was to be the child of the old parade. This parade was to feature new technology that had only become available in the past few years. This would improve things greatly since the original parade was still using technology from the 1970s.
The new parade was going to be placed inside the same storage building as the original parade, which would help save some money. The parade was also to follow the same route through Magic Kingdom. The parade alone would use over 800,00 lights. These lights could all be powered by rechargeable 6v batteries. In order to power the entire parade, the parade would need about 900 of these batteries. A little over 100 of these batteries were to be used for the sound system.
This parade was also going to have many special effects throughout the parade. This parade would not simply be parade floats covered in colorful lights. Some of the new effects would include things like Liquid Nitrogen, Searchlights, Burst Animation and Liquid Neon. The 37 floats would have 100 miles of fiber optic lights placed on them. This also counts for the 61 costumes that were to perform in the parade. The lights used on the costumes and floats were to be magnified even greater by reflective devices. Each float was to have special computer systems in them. They could sync the float with the music so that the lights and effects worked to the music playing. Many of the items on the float are also sound coordinated. Certain things would light up based on the tune in the music. The finale float would also be able to cascade along with the light coordination already used in the parade.
7 of the 37 floats are able to change color completely along with many of the costumes. They change in order in chasing method. Some of the floats were also to have moving parts. This was still unknown and new for many parades that Disney were using. Something else that was new was that the parade floats ran by computer alone. A driver was no longer needed to guide the vehicle. Each float was equipped with a special tracker. These tracker pick up signals from the little pucks under the parade route. These pucks would let the float know where it was and where it needed to go. This system was brand new at the time of equipment. It was changed to a more updated version when the Spectromagic returned to Magic Kingdom.
The new system had special computer systems that sent signals to the underground center. The center then sends the signals to a small reflective tower on the castle. This tower then sends the signals to the floats which then are able to sync perfectly with the beat. A special under liner line was also placed under the parade route. This lets the computer know which float is passing by. This in turn tells the audio which audio to play for each float.
The parade took a total of 204 speakers in order for the audio to play clearly along the parade route. It also took much power. A new audio system was also placed in the park that gave info on when the parade arrived. Each section was told of the parades arrive 10 minutes before it arrived at the area. So ten minutes before Showtime a 10 minute warning is given to the people waiting in front of the Town Hall and Train Station hub. After 5 minutes this area is given a 5 minute warning while the next section is given the 10 minute warning. This process continues down the entire parade route. When the parade enters the first area, the second area is given the 5 minutes warning. The third area is then given the 10 minute warning.
The name was eventually changed to Spectromagic after some different discussions. The parade then was performed for the first time at the 20th anniversary of the park. The parade though changed since then. Here are some of the changes.
The little men on the moving balls use to be in the front of the parade. They were later moved between the first two floats. The men on the balls also changed over time. Color changing mask were eventually swapped out for regular mask. There hair was also changed to hair that changed color.
The next change was on the float that had the word Spectromagic on it. A small rainbow use to appear under the words as they appeared. This was later removed due to complaints of it being to gay orientated. The original Walt Disney World logo on the sign was also removed at a later date. It was replaced by the logo seen today.
The next change was where Genie was the conductor. When the parade debuted Roger Rabbit was in his place. This was back when he still was popular among the Disney crowds. He eventually was replaced as his land at MGM Studios was cancelled and his popularity declined.
The next change didnt actually happen to the parade, but the parade route. In Liberty Square there was a bridge that the parade crossed over. The parade had this little hump in it. Well the parade floats would catch the hump and did some bad damage to the bridge after many years. So in 2008 the bridge was worked on to remove the hump. The bridge took two weeks total to be worked on so the parade was down for that time as well.
Small things were made in the parade so that characters could be changed if someone was missing. A random member could fill in the spot of the main character if needed. This was all part of the plan to make sure the show never ceased. They had to keep the parade looking good and empty floats were unacceptable. The parade lasted until 2010 when Main Street Electrical Parade returned. Spectromagic has sense then been destroyed.
So its been 14 years since the debut of the Main Street Electrical Parade at Walt Disney World. The parade has captivated audiences for many years, but something new was needed. So a new nighttime parade was planned for Magic Kingdom. The original name was to be Electromagic. This parade was to be similar to the original parade is many respects. It was to be the child of the old parade. This parade was to feature new technology that had only become available in the past few years. This would improve things greatly since the original parade was still using technology from the 1970s.
The new parade was going to be placed inside the same storage building as the original parade, which would help save some money. The parade was also to follow the same route through Magic Kingdom. The parade alone would use over 800,00 lights. These lights could all be powered by rechargeable 6v batteries. In order to power the entire parade, the parade would need about 900 of these batteries. A little over 100 of these batteries were to be used for the sound system.
This parade was also going to have many special effects throughout the parade. This parade would not simply be parade floats covered in colorful lights. Some of the new effects would include things like Liquid Nitrogen, Searchlights, Burst Animation and Liquid Neon. The 37 floats would have 100 miles of fiber optic lights placed on them. This also counts for the 61 costumes that were to perform in the parade. The lights used on the costumes and floats were to be magnified even greater by reflective devices. Each float was to have special computer systems in them. They could sync the float with the music so that the lights and effects worked to the music playing. Many of the items on the float are also sound coordinated. Certain things would light up based on the tune in the music. The finale float would also be able to cascade along with the light coordination already used in the parade.
7 of the 37 floats are able to change color completely along with many of the costumes. They change in order in chasing method. Some of the floats were also to have moving parts. This was still unknown and new for many parades that Disney were using. Something else that was new was that the parade floats ran by computer alone. A driver was no longer needed to guide the vehicle. Each float was equipped with a special tracker. These tracker pick up signals from the little pucks under the parade route. These pucks would let the float know where it was and where it needed to go. This system was brand new at the time of equipment. It was changed to a more updated version when the Spectromagic returned to Magic Kingdom.
The new system had special computer systems that sent signals to the underground center. The center then sends the signals to a small reflective tower on the castle. This tower then sends the signals to the floats which then are able to sync perfectly with the beat. A special under liner line was also placed under the parade route. This lets the computer know which float is passing by. This in turn tells the audio which audio to play for each float.
The parade took a total of 204 speakers in order for the audio to play clearly along the parade route. It also took much power. A new audio system was also placed in the park that gave info on when the parade arrived. Each section was told of the parades arrive 10 minutes before it arrived at the area. So ten minutes before Showtime a 10 minute warning is given to the people waiting in front of the Town Hall and Train Station hub. After 5 minutes this area is given a 5 minute warning while the next section is given the 10 minute warning. This process continues down the entire parade route. When the parade enters the first area, the second area is given the 5 minutes warning. The third area is then given the 10 minute warning.
The name was eventually changed to Spectromagic after some different discussions. The parade then was performed for the first time at the 20th anniversary of the park. The parade though changed since then. Here are some of the changes.
The little men on the moving balls use to be in the front of the parade. They were later moved between the first two floats. The men on the balls also changed over time. Color changing mask were eventually swapped out for regular mask. There hair was also changed to hair that changed color.
The next change was on the float that had the word Spectromagic on it. A small rainbow use to appear under the words as they appeared. This was later removed due to complaints of it being to gay orientated. The original Walt Disney World logo on the sign was also removed at a later date. It was replaced by the logo seen today.
The next change was where Genie was the conductor. When the parade debuted Roger Rabbit was in his place. This was back when he still was popular among the Disney crowds. He eventually was replaced as his land at MGM Studios was cancelled and his popularity declined.
The next change didnt actually happen to the parade, but the parade route. In Liberty Square there was a bridge that the parade crossed over. The parade had this little hump in it. Well the parade floats would catch the hump and did some bad damage to the bridge after many years. So in 2008 the bridge was worked on to remove the hump. The bridge took two weeks total to be worked on so the parade was down for that time as well.
Small things were made in the parade so that characters could be changed if someone was missing. A random member could fill in the spot of the main character if needed. This was all part of the plan to make sure the show never ceased. They had to keep the parade looking good and empty floats were unacceptable. The parade lasted until 2010 when Main Street Electrical Parade returned. Spectromagic has sense then been destroyed.
Snakes in a boot
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2014
If you ever get around to doing any more of these, I would love to hear one about one of my favorite rides, Tower of Terror. Love this thread and would love to see some more stuff on here if you ever have time, it's been one of my favorite threads to read!
excited4disney2012
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2011
I think it is post #34.
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
Tower of Terror has been done to the best of my abilities. I hope you enjoy it! Personally I was going to keep going but I figured people were losing interest so I just let it fade away. Yet you seem to like it so I guess I can bust out a couple more.
Just found this thread and have spent the last 2+ hours reading it. Having gone to WDW since its opening in 1971, your articles have brought back many memories long forgotten and answered many questions that I often thought about. I noted your comments about Mr Toad and Snow White's scarry adventure, but noticed you didn't mention Mickey Mouse Review or the Lion King show that took its place. Have always been curious as to why 20,000 Leagues was closed while Jungle Cruise remained open. Both were wildly popular and both relied on old technology. Thanks for all the information though, really good and informative.
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
Its funny you mention 20,000 leagues under the sea. I actually plan to post that really soon. As far as Mickey Mouse Revue and The Lion King Show, neither of them have a very interesting back story so I didn't think about posting anything about them! Thanks so much for enjoying this thread! I obviously need to get back on it!
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
Take a step back in time to the year 1971. Walt Disney World has just opened to the public with its three resort areas and Magic Kingdom theme park. This is the sign of great things to come. Inside the park are many great attractions: Country Bear Jamboree, Jungle Cruise, Enchanted Tiki Room, Peter Pans Flight and many more. Yet it is in the back of Fantasyland where out story takes place. In the back of Fantasyland laid a beautiful lagoon. It was in this lagoon that one of the most cherished rides ever built laid
..20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
To understand why this ride was built at Walt Disney World, you have to go back to Disneyland. When Walt was alive he was planning big things for Disneyland. Disneyland had been opened for almost four years and he knew it was time to give the public something amazing. So that is when the Submarine Voyage, Matterhorn Bobsleds and the Monorail all opened to the public. All three were a smash hit and were revolutionary in the theme park industry. It was the submarine voyage that astounded guest though. This was the first time that guest could ever ride a real submarine in a theme park. (Even though they were not really submarines) Years passed, and the submarine voyage continued to be a big hit. In 1966 when the Disney World project was being planned Walt died. We are not sure what he wanted at Disney World besides E.P.C.O.T. His brother Roy went into work mode as they planned to have the Walt Disney World resort open by 1971 with the debut of the Magic Kingdom. When the park was first planned, many of the rides were going to be unique to the park. Many of these new rides would include things like Thunder Mesa, Western River Expedition, Mary Poppins, The Adventures of Incabod Crane, and Sleeping Beautys Journey. As you can see many of these unique attractions never made it to Walt Disney World. This was due to the budget. Magic Kingdom was over budget and many of the rides planned for opening were being pushed back until afterwards in phase 2. The once exception was Fantasyland. Fantasyland had proven to be the popular land in Disneyland, and they knew that three dark rides couldnt be missing. So thats why we got clones of Disneyland rides. Yet there was one ride that was planned to be carried over to Walt Disney World from Disneyland from the get go. (Not literally) 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was the attraction planned for the back of Fantasyland yet it was not be a simple clone of the Disneyland version.
The new version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was to be much bigger then the original. Since the park was also opening with less ground breaking attractions, this ride was not allowed to be delayed a year after park opening. This ride had to be open for the opening of Walt Disney World. So work began immediately to get the ride open. The new version was to be so much bigger then the Disneyland version. They knew they had the extra space for the ride so they knew it could be bigger and more ambitious. The ride itself was to hold almost 12 million gallons of water! Thats a big tub! This ride would go down in history as one of the biggest and most expensive rides ever built by Disney.
12 passenger submarines were made for the new ride. (There were actually 14 built yet two were used as props on the ride) To many peoples surprise though, the submarines are not submarines at all. They are in fact simple boats with a low bottom. The boats just have really low bottoms that place guest right below water level. The outside is then decorated to look like the submarine. The submarines were built in Clear Water Florida for half of the project. Once they were partially finished they were then moved to Tampa Bay where they were completed for the ride. Each vehicle was about 40 tons and were to follow a guided track through the water. The track was to have improvements over its older sibling in California. This track would have no technology that would help the submarine boats avoid bumping into each other. They didnt need the boats cracking.
The project was overseen personally by Bob Gurr which many know as an Imaginer legend. The submarines were put in place in August of 1971 just two months before the official opening of Walt Disney World. The insides were to have individual seats for each guest that flipped out. They also had their own porthole with arm rest under the porthole. A problem that often occurred in Disneyland was the windows tended to get foggy towards the end of the day. So the evening riders could only see foggy windows. Buttons were placed under each porthole on the new version that removed the fog from the window. Sadly the button didnt work all that well so they problem remained the same. Cast Members still had to be on board to control the ride. They were placed above the seating area known as the sail. This is where they could trigger the dive effect that was popular in the ride. If you had ever rode the ride you knew the diving effect was the cool part. (I never had the pleasure) The effect was done by bubble machines placed outside the ride in the cave area. There were also waterfalls that caused water to flow down the submarine. This obviously made noise and caused the windows to look as if they were being submerged in the water. A very cool effect to say the least.
Even with workers working around the clock, the ride opened two weeks after the official grand opening of Magic Kingdom. The ride had many mechanical differences from its Disneyland counterpart yet the ride and narration were almost the exact same. Guest started the voyage by entering through the back of the submarine. They then moved down their row and found their seat. They could hear the music from the movie playing on an eerie keyboard. (Really set the stage) Captain Nemo would then come over the intercom welcoming guest aboard his vessel. The submarine then left the dock and began the decent sequence which involved lots of bubbles and water. You then traveled under the water to see the coral reefs, ells, fish and more under the Vulcania. You then watched as underwater AA divers played around in the after. One even wrestled with a turtle. Captain Nemo then would make the note that a storm was brewing on the surface and that the submarine was to go lower. (It really didnt) At this point the subs entered the building portion of the ride. Inside guest found many broken ships guarded by AA sharks. You then entered the North Pole. You dodge giant icebergs before going real deep to the abyss. There you see the strange fish of the deep. The subs then passed the city of Atlantis where they see mermaids and other fish. Finally you end the journey with the squid attacking the sub. You could also see a squid attacking the subs out the window. You then rose to the surface and reached the dock.
Many people loved the ride and stayed around until the year 1994. The ride was set to close for a short time. Rumors swirled that it wasnt reopening yet many didnt believe it. The lagoon sat their with the subs sitting in the water. They then moved the subs to a backstage building in 1995. Then the removal of the sharks and other props took place. Other parts of the ride were removed and in 1996 it was announced the ride was closed for good. You dig deep into the past and you learn that it was cut due to budget reasons obviously. Eisner believed the ride was to expensive to operate and something new and cheaper was needed. Plans were thrown around but nothing was ever green lit. They never did do anything with the lagoon. Yet in typical Eisner fashion and to better enhance the Disney experience, the queue building was used for meet n greets. Over the years the lagoon got uglier as the budget to even maintain it was slashed. The AAs sat in the water rotting away until 2004 where the lagoon was removed to make way for future enhancements We know now that these enhancements were New Fantasyland. Today small tributes can be found throughout New Fantasyland in remembrance of the classic ride. Next time you ride the Little Mermaid check out the buildings across from the ride. Look up at the wind vane at the top and see what you see. So there you have it! A tribute to the classic ride that was always loved and it no more.
To understand why this ride was built at Walt Disney World, you have to go back to Disneyland. When Walt was alive he was planning big things for Disneyland. Disneyland had been opened for almost four years and he knew it was time to give the public something amazing. So that is when the Submarine Voyage, Matterhorn Bobsleds and the Monorail all opened to the public. All three were a smash hit and were revolutionary in the theme park industry. It was the submarine voyage that astounded guest though. This was the first time that guest could ever ride a real submarine in a theme park. (Even though they were not really submarines) Years passed, and the submarine voyage continued to be a big hit. In 1966 when the Disney World project was being planned Walt died. We are not sure what he wanted at Disney World besides E.P.C.O.T. His brother Roy went into work mode as they planned to have the Walt Disney World resort open by 1971 with the debut of the Magic Kingdom. When the park was first planned, many of the rides were going to be unique to the park. Many of these new rides would include things like Thunder Mesa, Western River Expedition, Mary Poppins, The Adventures of Incabod Crane, and Sleeping Beautys Journey. As you can see many of these unique attractions never made it to Walt Disney World. This was due to the budget. Magic Kingdom was over budget and many of the rides planned for opening were being pushed back until afterwards in phase 2. The once exception was Fantasyland. Fantasyland had proven to be the popular land in Disneyland, and they knew that three dark rides couldnt be missing. So thats why we got clones of Disneyland rides. Yet there was one ride that was planned to be carried over to Walt Disney World from Disneyland from the get go. (Not literally) 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was the attraction planned for the back of Fantasyland yet it was not be a simple clone of the Disneyland version.
The new version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was to be much bigger then the original. Since the park was also opening with less ground breaking attractions, this ride was not allowed to be delayed a year after park opening. This ride had to be open for the opening of Walt Disney World. So work began immediately to get the ride open. The new version was to be so much bigger then the Disneyland version. They knew they had the extra space for the ride so they knew it could be bigger and more ambitious. The ride itself was to hold almost 12 million gallons of water! Thats a big tub! This ride would go down in history as one of the biggest and most expensive rides ever built by Disney.
12 passenger submarines were made for the new ride. (There were actually 14 built yet two were used as props on the ride) To many peoples surprise though, the submarines are not submarines at all. They are in fact simple boats with a low bottom. The boats just have really low bottoms that place guest right below water level. The outside is then decorated to look like the submarine. The submarines were built in Clear Water Florida for half of the project. Once they were partially finished they were then moved to Tampa Bay where they were completed for the ride. Each vehicle was about 40 tons and were to follow a guided track through the water. The track was to have improvements over its older sibling in California. This track would have no technology that would help the submarine boats avoid bumping into each other. They didnt need the boats cracking.
The project was overseen personally by Bob Gurr which many know as an Imaginer legend. The submarines were put in place in August of 1971 just two months before the official opening of Walt Disney World. The insides were to have individual seats for each guest that flipped out. They also had their own porthole with arm rest under the porthole. A problem that often occurred in Disneyland was the windows tended to get foggy towards the end of the day. So the evening riders could only see foggy windows. Buttons were placed under each porthole on the new version that removed the fog from the window. Sadly the button didnt work all that well so they problem remained the same. Cast Members still had to be on board to control the ride. They were placed above the seating area known as the sail. This is where they could trigger the dive effect that was popular in the ride. If you had ever rode the ride you knew the diving effect was the cool part. (I never had the pleasure) The effect was done by bubble machines placed outside the ride in the cave area. There were also waterfalls that caused water to flow down the submarine. This obviously made noise and caused the windows to look as if they were being submerged in the water. A very cool effect to say the least.
Even with workers working around the clock, the ride opened two weeks after the official grand opening of Magic Kingdom. The ride had many mechanical differences from its Disneyland counterpart yet the ride and narration were almost the exact same. Guest started the voyage by entering through the back of the submarine. They then moved down their row and found their seat. They could hear the music from the movie playing on an eerie keyboard. (Really set the stage) Captain Nemo would then come over the intercom welcoming guest aboard his vessel. The submarine then left the dock and began the decent sequence which involved lots of bubbles and water. You then traveled under the water to see the coral reefs, ells, fish and more under the Vulcania. You then watched as underwater AA divers played around in the after. One even wrestled with a turtle. Captain Nemo then would make the note that a storm was brewing on the surface and that the submarine was to go lower. (It really didnt) At this point the subs entered the building portion of the ride. Inside guest found many broken ships guarded by AA sharks. You then entered the North Pole. You dodge giant icebergs before going real deep to the abyss. There you see the strange fish of the deep. The subs then passed the city of Atlantis where they see mermaids and other fish. Finally you end the journey with the squid attacking the sub. You could also see a squid attacking the subs out the window. You then rose to the surface and reached the dock.
Many people loved the ride and stayed around until the year 1994. The ride was set to close for a short time. Rumors swirled that it wasnt reopening yet many didnt believe it. The lagoon sat their with the subs sitting in the water. They then moved the subs to a backstage building in 1995. Then the removal of the sharks and other props took place. Other parts of the ride were removed and in 1996 it was announced the ride was closed for good. You dig deep into the past and you learn that it was cut due to budget reasons obviously. Eisner believed the ride was to expensive to operate and something new and cheaper was needed. Plans were thrown around but nothing was ever green lit. They never did do anything with the lagoon. Yet in typical Eisner fashion and to better enhance the Disney experience, the queue building was used for meet n greets. Over the years the lagoon got uglier as the budget to even maintain it was slashed. The AAs sat in the water rotting away until 2004 where the lagoon was removed to make way for future enhancements We know now that these enhancements were New Fantasyland. Today small tributes can be found throughout New Fantasyland in remembrance of the classic ride. Next time you ride the Little Mermaid check out the buildings across from the ride. Look up at the wind vane at the top and see what you see. So there you have it! A tribute to the classic ride that was always loved and it no more.
Virtucomp
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2009
I don't mean to speak for everyone on the Disboards but there will never be a lack of interest in the history of Disneyworld. You've spent a lot of time and work putting together the backstories. Please continue as it is greatly appreciated.
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
ahh you guys make me blush lol. I will continue!
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
This tribute is to three rides that were never built to begin with. Three rides that never made it past the planning stages due to budgets and time constraints. These three rides were Sleeping Beautys Scary Journey, Mary Poppins Flight and The Adventures of Incabod Crane. Three rides that could have been amazing if ever given the chance to be built. So first thing is first
lets go over each ride and what they would have been if built.
So Walt Disney World is moving ahead with the death of Walt Disney behind and the future of the Disney company ahead. Roy Disney has been placed in charge of things and it making sure that the Walt Disney World resort opens to the public. Magic Kingdom is approved for 100 million dollars, and construction begins right away. The Magic Kingdom was going to be a lot different from its older sister in California. For one thing the ride roster was to be different. Slated with almost all new attractions with a couple favorites thrown in from Disneyland. In Adventureland we had the Jungle Cruise, Enchanted Tiki Room, and an open area for a Adventureland ride never built. (Thanks Pirates of the Caribbean) In Frontierland there was to be the HUGE Thunder Mesa mountain range with two rides and multiple walk throughs. (More details on those in a later date) Liberty Square was to be the New Orleans Square of Magic Kingdom. In fact a whole row of buildings was planned that would house stores and an upstairs dining area for special club members. Sound familiar? Dont forget to see the famous presidents while you are in town or those pesky ghost. Yet the star was to be Fantasyland. Fantasyland had already proven to be the more popular land over in Disneyland. With many unique and interesting attractions. Fantasyland in Walt Disney World was to be no different and was to be a totally unique experience minus the subs and skyway.
The first ride you would have come across was the wonderful Mary Poppins Flight. (No official name was ever given although this was said to be the name of the ride) Guest were to board horses on a suspended track as they entered the world of Mary Poppins. Not much was given about the ride except some of the scenes included flying through the clouds, racing with other horses in the grand prix, flying past tons of kites and more. The ride was to also have a great soundtrack unique to the ride.
In the center of Fantasyland would have stood Sleepy Beautys Scary Journey. This classic dark ride would have taken the next step in dark rides. You were to board your vehicle and enter the world of Sleeping Beauty while coming face to face with the evil queen herself. Like Snow White guest were going to be Sleeping Beauty so she was not going to be seen in the ride. The first scene would have been the castle scene where guest would have seen the three fairies sprinkle colored dust down. Your car turned the corner to see Maleficent appear with special effects and curse you. Your car moves into the woods where you see the three fairies running through the woods. The next scene would have been Sleeping Beauty dancing in the woods and meeting the prince. We then would have seen the three women playing the cottage with the magic. Thats all there really is on the ride scenes as planning didnt get to far beyond that point. The climax of the ride would have been a huge dragon that guest would have rode under as it blew smoke at them.
The third ride would have been on the other side of Fantasyland and would have been The Adventures of Incabod Crane. This ride would have been different as it focused more on a gloomier and depressing side of dark rides. Guest would have entered their carved out pumpkins before getting into the ride. The ride was to be state of the art in that the car had a wheel that allowed the guest to turn the car in different directions. The show scenes would be full of action on all sides so guest could turn to face what they wanted. The climax would have been being chased by the horseman when finally your car locks into place and you come face to face (I guess face to shoulders for him.) with the headless horsemen. The ride then brought guest safely back without losing their heads.
So what do you think? These sounded like great rides right? Well these rides were in the middle of the planning stages when Roy realized that Magic Kingdom was going to triple in price by going up to 400 million dollars. This was a problem. Popular rides like the subs and the Haunted Mansion were pushed through for opening day. Thunder Mesa was pushed back for phase 2 as well as most of Tomorrowland. When Roy realized that they were trying to make 3 new rides for Fantasyland he got upset and said and I quote: Why are you trying to reinvent the wheel here? We have three rides in California that guest love! Lets try and save some money here by replicating those rides and bring them to Florida. Yep the plans for all three were cancelled. Yet not all hope was lost at first. They almost convinced Roy to allow one unique ride. Mary Poppins almost became Merlins Mischievous Magic ride. Guest would have rode through and dodged different spells. That didnt last long though as Peter Pan was picked to be placed there.
When Fantasyland opened all three rides were replaced with classics from Disneyland. It didnt bother guest though, as they were delighted to see favorites brought over and in the case of Mr. Toads Wild Ride, improved upon.
So Walt Disney World is moving ahead with the death of Walt Disney behind and the future of the Disney company ahead. Roy Disney has been placed in charge of things and it making sure that the Walt Disney World resort opens to the public. Magic Kingdom is approved for 100 million dollars, and construction begins right away. The Magic Kingdom was going to be a lot different from its older sister in California. For one thing the ride roster was to be different. Slated with almost all new attractions with a couple favorites thrown in from Disneyland. In Adventureland we had the Jungle Cruise, Enchanted Tiki Room, and an open area for a Adventureland ride never built. (Thanks Pirates of the Caribbean) In Frontierland there was to be the HUGE Thunder Mesa mountain range with two rides and multiple walk throughs. (More details on those in a later date) Liberty Square was to be the New Orleans Square of Magic Kingdom. In fact a whole row of buildings was planned that would house stores and an upstairs dining area for special club members. Sound familiar? Dont forget to see the famous presidents while you are in town or those pesky ghost. Yet the star was to be Fantasyland. Fantasyland had already proven to be the more popular land over in Disneyland. With many unique and interesting attractions. Fantasyland in Walt Disney World was to be no different and was to be a totally unique experience minus the subs and skyway.
The first ride you would have come across was the wonderful Mary Poppins Flight. (No official name was ever given although this was said to be the name of the ride) Guest were to board horses on a suspended track as they entered the world of Mary Poppins. Not much was given about the ride except some of the scenes included flying through the clouds, racing with other horses in the grand prix, flying past tons of kites and more. The ride was to also have a great soundtrack unique to the ride.
In the center of Fantasyland would have stood Sleepy Beautys Scary Journey. This classic dark ride would have taken the next step in dark rides. You were to board your vehicle and enter the world of Sleeping Beauty while coming face to face with the evil queen herself. Like Snow White guest were going to be Sleeping Beauty so she was not going to be seen in the ride. The first scene would have been the castle scene where guest would have seen the three fairies sprinkle colored dust down. Your car turned the corner to see Maleficent appear with special effects and curse you. Your car moves into the woods where you see the three fairies running through the woods. The next scene would have been Sleeping Beauty dancing in the woods and meeting the prince. We then would have seen the three women playing the cottage with the magic. Thats all there really is on the ride scenes as planning didnt get to far beyond that point. The climax of the ride would have been a huge dragon that guest would have rode under as it blew smoke at them.
The third ride would have been on the other side of Fantasyland and would have been The Adventures of Incabod Crane. This ride would have been different as it focused more on a gloomier and depressing side of dark rides. Guest would have entered their carved out pumpkins before getting into the ride. The ride was to be state of the art in that the car had a wheel that allowed the guest to turn the car in different directions. The show scenes would be full of action on all sides so guest could turn to face what they wanted. The climax would have been being chased by the horseman when finally your car locks into place and you come face to face (I guess face to shoulders for him.) with the headless horsemen. The ride then brought guest safely back without losing their heads.
So what do you think? These sounded like great rides right? Well these rides were in the middle of the planning stages when Roy realized that Magic Kingdom was going to triple in price by going up to 400 million dollars. This was a problem. Popular rides like the subs and the Haunted Mansion were pushed through for opening day. Thunder Mesa was pushed back for phase 2 as well as most of Tomorrowland. When Roy realized that they were trying to make 3 new rides for Fantasyland he got upset and said and I quote: Why are you trying to reinvent the wheel here? We have three rides in California that guest love! Lets try and save some money here by replicating those rides and bring them to Florida. Yep the plans for all three were cancelled. Yet not all hope was lost at first. They almost convinced Roy to allow one unique ride. Mary Poppins almost became Merlins Mischievous Magic ride. Guest would have rode through and dodged different spells. That didnt last long though as Peter Pan was picked to be placed there.
When Fantasyland opened all three rides were replaced with classics from Disneyland. It didnt bother guest though, as they were delighted to see favorites brought over and in the case of Mr. Toads Wild Ride, improved upon.
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
On request I am doing a little tribute to The Mickey Mouse Revue. The one thing in the Fantasyland that would end up being totally unique to the land. Enjoy!
So Magic Kingdom is under construction at this point, and Fantasyland is full of buzz. Three unique dark rides that were planned for the land were all cancelled to only be replaced by three popular rides in Disneyland. As plans were moving forward it was realized that the land was going to be similar to Disneyland in many respects considering ride choices. Something new was needed that would give people something different.
So imagineer Bill Justice was brought in to make a new show for the land. Bill Justice was the same man who help create Chip and Dale. When he came in they knew they wanted a show that would just simply be amazing. They had seen how popular rides like Pirates of the Caribbean was in Disneyland, and they realized AAs was something guest loved to see. Yet Bill knew that he wanted to create something more personal to Walt. Something that honored the things Walt did. So what better way to do that then a show where Mickey leads everything? Work began right away on a show where Mickey would lead different Disney characters in musical scores. He built a small model that showed how the show would work to show Roy. When Roy came in he quote: This is the type of show we should spend money on.
The show was to feature a total 73 AAs. Some of them included characters like Winnie the Pooh, Snow White and Cinderella. There were 88 figures if you counted the characters that appeared more then once on the stage. The most impressive AA ever built at the time was to be built in the form of Mickey Mouse. He would have 33 different functions in his little body that was only 42 inches tall. The orchestra he led in the beginning before the Disney songs was led by 23 different characters.
Work began right away on putting together the new show. The show was sure to be a hit and it was placed inside the Fantasyland theater in the Fantasyland square. The show was one of the few things that didnt see major complications during the building process. On October 1st 1971 the ride opened as an E ticket attraction. The show was popular yet the theater never once went to full capacity during its 12 year run. In 1983 the show started to get old and the AAs were becoming outdated. It was decided that the show was to be removed for and shipped over to Tokyo where it would debut in the opening of Tokyo Disneyland. The AAs would be updated and the show placed in Japanese. The show would be enjoyed for over three decades before removed in 2009.
So Magic Kingdom is under construction at this point, and Fantasyland is full of buzz. Three unique dark rides that were planned for the land were all cancelled to only be replaced by three popular rides in Disneyland. As plans were moving forward it was realized that the land was going to be similar to Disneyland in many respects considering ride choices. Something new was needed that would give people something different.
So imagineer Bill Justice was brought in to make a new show for the land. Bill Justice was the same man who help create Chip and Dale. When he came in they knew they wanted a show that would just simply be amazing. They had seen how popular rides like Pirates of the Caribbean was in Disneyland, and they realized AAs was something guest loved to see. Yet Bill knew that he wanted to create something more personal to Walt. Something that honored the things Walt did. So what better way to do that then a show where Mickey leads everything? Work began right away on a show where Mickey would lead different Disney characters in musical scores. He built a small model that showed how the show would work to show Roy. When Roy came in he quote: This is the type of show we should spend money on.
The show was to feature a total 73 AAs. Some of them included characters like Winnie the Pooh, Snow White and Cinderella. There were 88 figures if you counted the characters that appeared more then once on the stage. The most impressive AA ever built at the time was to be built in the form of Mickey Mouse. He would have 33 different functions in his little body that was only 42 inches tall. The orchestra he led in the beginning before the Disney songs was led by 23 different characters.
Work began right away on putting together the new show. The show was sure to be a hit and it was placed inside the Fantasyland theater in the Fantasyland square. The show was one of the few things that didnt see major complications during the building process. On October 1st 1971 the ride opened as an E ticket attraction. The show was popular yet the theater never once went to full capacity during its 12 year run. In 1983 the show started to get old and the AAs were becoming outdated. It was decided that the show was to be removed for and shipped over to Tokyo where it would debut in the opening of Tokyo Disneyland. The AAs would be updated and the show placed in Japanese. The show would be enjoyed for over three decades before removed in 2009.
disneyfan55
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2007
And back in the day, the behind the scenes tour was free!
disneyfan55
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2007
When EPCOT opened, there was a daytime show in the World Showcase with small planes and there were larger than life characters there as well. I just recall visiting EPCOT the first month it opened and there was so much space and so few visitors! It was the end of Oct. and so nice to visit with low crowds. I recall in 1981 being able to ride the monorail to view EPCOT that was still under construction!
Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
I thought it still was free.
disneyfan55
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2007
It is $15 per person, at least it was last time I checked.
JoWiJo
Longing to go back
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2009
Imagine how many people in these forums would be interested in a book that detailed the founding of WDW, the founding and construction of each park, the motives behind and establishment of the lands/themes/pavillions within each park, and the history each ride, restaurant, and long term attraction (past and present) that each park has ever had. And of course, something about the monorails.
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