Figmentforever24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
Horizons history report coming VERY soon! I think everyone will be pleased.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
The Land - This is going to be my biggest and most interesting article so far. I am going all the way back to the beginning of The land to see how it began. I will also cover how the pavilion has changed over the years.
So The Land is something that goes back all the way to the idea of Future-World. In fact it would be easy to say it was the first solid concept for the area. Of course the pavilion wasnt always going to be called The Land. At one point Epcot Center was going to have the Ecology and Minerals pavilion. These plans went up all the way into 1978. The pavilion was set to go where Horizons eventually went. The idea was a cool one and was something that seemed to fit the Epcot Center themed. As Disney worked on the details they tried to find a company to sponsor the pavilion. This was an important part since the sponsor would finance the project. Sadly no company really wanted to sponsor a pavilion on ecology. So Disney decided that the pavilion needed to cover a much wider bases of topics in order to draw interest from sponsors. So they had the pavilion focus on the Earth and its different environments. The new plans called for a giant class crystal building. The glass domes would house many different environments. Guest would enter through one central tunnel through the different climate controlled environments.
One of the eco systems was going to be a rainforest. There was going to be a giant spinning restaurant at the top in what seemed as the trees. Two different rides were planned for the pavilion. The first was a drill type ride that would take guest through the Earth. The second was actually given a name The Blueprint Of Nature was going to be a hot air balloon ride through the different eco systems. There would also be a small show that showed how man was connected to the land. These lands were all going to be in the rainforest zone by the way. (Except for the entrance to the balloon ride.) The next area would be an artic zone. Finally there would be a fantasy forest where you boarded the balloon ride.
The glass dome idea was eventually cancelled as the plans changed, but Disney used the idea for the Imagination pavilion. A lumber company that was going to sponsor pulled out at the last minute so Disney had to change things. Many of the ideas though would be reused. In 1878n ( The year the plans were cancelled) Kraft came to Disney and said they would sponsor a pavilion based on food and agriculture. So Disney, giddy as a school girl, agreed to change the theme and shape of the pavilion. The new pavilion would house a restaurant, boat ride, and green houses. At this point it was still to be next to the Energy pavilion and Transportation pavilion. Then Disney made the final design which was to have the boat ride go through the greenhouses. The new pavilion was going to be 6 acres and was to be built for the opening. That giant glass dome thing on the top was placed for a very good reasons. It was to make people think of things like a greenhouse or volcano. Things that are connected to the land. The murals on the side walls (With the Hidden Mickey I have yet to find) were suppose to represent the crust of the Earth.
Inside the pavilion would be an open atrium where guest could go to the food court or board the rides. The new restaurant and pathway was to have special viewing areas to view the boat ride. This boat ride was going to be the main attraction for the pavilion. At first the boats were to be without tops, but they then added tops to the boats when they decided to add rain effects to the rainforest scene. Guest would travel through different ecosystems before entering a barn. This barn would show different clips and films right as you went into the greenhouses. The second attraction was going to be an AA show called Kitchen Karabet.
This show wasnt going to be in the pavilion at first, but Kraft saw a major problem. With sponsoring the pavilion they thought they needed to add something that talked about food health. So the plans for this show were born. They knew that a boring film about food health would do no good. So they decided to add a more comical side to the show. The third and final attraction was going to be a film. This film would show how man was connected to the land. So basically the one thing that remained exactly the same from the original pavilion.
So the plans were finalized and construction started in late 1980. The steel beams for the building began to appear in early 1981. The pavilion opened in 1982 with most of Epcot Center.
In order to get into the building you first walked up the slanted walkway. You then entered The Land which was able to hold about 3600 guest. You walk in and found yourself at the upper balcony level. Here was where you could watch the film or visit the rotating restaurant. You then could take stairs or an elevator to the ground level. On the ground level you had the food court, the entrance to the AA show and the boat ride. At the time the boat ride was called Listen to the Land.
Listen to the Land was the main attraction for the pavilion. It held 16 boats a time with an extra two boats if needed. The ride or flume the boats traveled went at a total of 1200 ft. Once guest were aboard their boat they entered the first segment of the ride called Symphony of the Seed. This was an introduction that introduced guest to the land and the four seasons. Next you entered what was 4 different biomes. The first one was the rainforest. You then traveled through the desert, prairie, and a farm. You then entered into the greenhouse portion of the ride. This then exits into the aqua cell building where fish are held. This is followed by one more portion of greenhouse plants. You then entered into the final show scene which was a recap of the first scene.
Of course no pavilion based on the land would be right without a food court .right? Anyway Disney thought so. So you could stop at one of the food stations in this food court. You could choose from soup and salads, pastries, sandwiches, BBQ, potatoes, cheese and ice cream. Of course there was a beverage bar as well.
Now head a little south from the food court and you find the theater for the AA show. The theater itself was able to hold 250 guest at one time.
And back in the day, the behind the scenes tour was free!
I thought it still was free.
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.