For those of my readers who were wondering where I’ve been over the past few months, here’s the answer: At home, recuperating from spinal fusion surgery.

In between consuming copious amounts of protein, taking afternoon naps, alternating between icing and heating my back, going on painfully slow walks and watching live YouTube streams from Disneyland and Walt Disney World, I’ve also been spending time rummaging through our collection of photos from past Disney trips.

These trips down Memory Lane are always fun and usually bring back some special memories. Here’s a few of my favorites. Enjoy!

LESS HOUSEWORK ON THE HORIZON

The Future was the overriding theme of the Horizons pavilion in EPCOT.

Our shiny metallic friend pictured above was an example of what housework might look like in what was then the far-off 21^st century, with robots taking over many of our daily chores.

Horizons opened on Oct. 1, 1983, exactly one year after EPCOT debuted, and was sponsored by General Electric. Because it had many similarities with the GE-sponsored Carousel of Progress in the Magic Kingdom, many felt Horizons and Carousel of Progress were linked, with Horizons carrying forward the Carousel’s story into the future.

In fact, during the Horizons attraction, snippets of the Carousel’s theme song, “There’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow,” could be heard.

And because of its time-traveling theme, Horizons also drew comparisons to the Ford Magic Skyway, which Disney created for the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair.

Horizons employed an Omnimover ride system to give guests glimpses into what the future might look like for mankind.

The attraction began with a look at how visionaries of the past (such as Jules Verne) perceived the future.

The main section of the 14:45-minute ride showcased life in three thriving futuristic colonies: In the desert (Mesa Verde), the ocean (Sea Castle) and in space (Brava Centauri).

The attraction culminated with guests getting to choose which type of ending they wanted to experience, a Disney first at the time.

Horizons originally closed on Dec. 25, 1994, but then re-opened a year later, on Dec. 24, 1995, when fellow Future World attractions Universe of Energy and World of Motion were closed for refurbishment.

Horizons shut its doors for good on Jan. 9, 1999. The building, which was showing signs of deterioration, was demolished and was replaced by Mission: SPACE, which opened in 2003.

KICKING UP THEIR HEELS AT THE DIAMOND HORSESHOE

Back In the good ol’ days – the 1970s – one of the most popular attractions in all of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World was the Diamond Horseshoe Revue.

Located in Liberty Square, it was so popular that you needed to get a reservation as you entered the park. And once those reservations ran out – usually within an hour or two – you were out of luck.

The Diamond Horseshoe attempted to replicate a saloon/dance hall experience from the wild West of the 1800s. It was loud and rowdy. There were showgirls who danced to the music provided by live musicians. And there were cowboys who told corny jokes.

There even was one guy who spit his “teeth” into the audience after they got “knocked out.”

If nothing else, it was a great place to sit, enjoy some air conditioning and sip a cool drink.

The photo above was taken from a Diamond Horseshoe balcony seat in 1994.

More recently, the Diamond Horseshoe transitioned into a sit down, all-you-care-to-eat restaurant.

This summer, the Diamond Horseshoe will host Jessie’s Roundup: A Rip-Roarin’ Revue as part of its COOL KIDS’ SUMMER promotion, which runs from May 26 to Sept. 8.

DISNEYLAND PEOPLEMOVER’S LAST HURRAH

The Disneyland PeopleMover, which wound its way around Tomorrowland from 1967 to 1995, offered guests a leisurely, elevated tour of the park, using innovative track-driven vehicles on a ride system conceived by Disney Legend Bob Gurr.

Unlike the WEDway PeopleMover in Walt Disney World, which is covered from start to finish, Disneyland’s version had individual cars that had small roofs. Although it did wind its way through several park show buildings, the majority of the ride was out in the open.

The PeopleMover was thought of as a futuristic mode of transportation, much like the monorail. In fact, in Walt Disney’s original concept for EPCOT, which can be seen along Walt Disney World’s PeopleMover attraction, monorails and PeopleMovers were going to be the main sources of transportation within the “city of tomorrow.”

After the Disneyland PeopleMover was closed in 1995, Disney’s powers that be came up with an attraction called Rocket Rods, a futuristic ride that used the same track. It was part of a reimagined Tomorrowland and opened in 1998.

Although Rocket Rods was advertised as “high speed,” the limitations of the PeopleMover track forced it to slow down as it navigated around flat, unbanked curves.

Those limitations plagued Rocket Rods as their constant speed-up, slow-down motion wreaked havoc with the ride vehicles (which only accommodated five guests at a time) and the infrastructure.

After numerous attempts to get the ride up and running efficiently, Disney threw in the towel and closed the ride for good in 2001.

Curiously, the PeopleMover/Rocket Rods track has never been dismantled, raising hope among old time PeopleMover fans that the attraction might someday return.

The photo above, taken in February of 2000, shows me posing inside one of the PeopleMover cars. Many of those vehicles were put in a backstage area where cast members could do exactly what I did.

BEFORE DISNEY SKYLINER, THERE WAS THE SKYWAY

The Disney Skyliner transportation system began operation in 2019. It transports guests from four different on-property resorts to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The Skyliner uses large, enclosed gondola cabins, which can accommodate up to 10 guests (fewer when wheelchairs or mobility devices are on board) and is a great way to get around a large swath of the WDW property and see things from above the tree line.

The first time I rode the Skyliner, I was a bit apprehensive. Fear of heights can be a tricky thing. But I fell in love with the Skyliner, its smooth operation, panoramic views and efficiency. Mostly, I like the fact that it’s enclosed.

I didn’t feel the same about the Skyliner’s forerunner, the Magic Kingdom’s Skyway, which ran between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland.

For one thing, the Skyway gondolas were small, accommodating four adults. And it was open-air. And it always seemed to sway from side to side whenever it got windy. I just never felt comfortable riding them.

And the views were less than flattering. Yes, you could see guests scurrying around the park, but you could also see the unflattering rooftops of many of Fantasyland’s show buildings.

When the Skyway closed in 1999, I was thrilled. One of the reasons they gave for the closure was that the gondolas were not handicapped-accessible.

DISNEY’S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE TAKES SHAPE

In February of 2000, we ventured out to Disneyland for our second visit to The Happiest Place on Earth.

It turns out we were also visiting a major construction site.

Through the swaying palm trees, Disney’s California Adventure park is beginning to take shape in the photo above.

What is now known as the Pixar Place Hotel can be seen to the right.

At the entrance to Disneyland, on what used to be the Disneyland parking lot, were large barricades blocking your view of the project, while there was an area which showed guests a scale model of the new park.

The monorail, which had a station at the Disneyland Hotel, was shut down during construction. Guests at the hotel had to take a tram from the hotel to the Disneyland entrance.

A few months after our visit to Disneyland, I attended a major press preview at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, giving the East Coast a glimpse of what was to come in Anaheim.

Disney’s California Adventure opened in February of 2001. It recently celebrated its 25^th anniversary.

HORSING AROUND AT EPCOT’S WORLD OF MOTION

When EPCOT opened in 1982, it featured what were, at the time, some pretty cutting-edge attractions in its Future World section.

Among them was World of Motion, which gave guests a humorous look at the history of transportation.

World of Motion was sponsored by General Motors, which wanted to get in on the Disney magic following the rousing success of rival Ford’s Magic Skyway at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair.

The concept of the World of Motion attraction was dreamed up by Disney Legend Ward Kimball, who was known for his off-beat sense of humor, and the equally acerbic Marc Davis.

The ride vehicles were transported through the pavilion via the Omnimover system. Scenes from ancient times – including the invention of the wheel – got you rolling into the horse-and-buggy era and then into the early days of motorized vehicles. The attraction concluded with a peak into the future of transportation.

Perhaps the most elaborate scene came when old-world transportation (horse and buggies) and newer gas-powered vehicles “collided,” creating a massive, chaotic pileup.

The scene pictured above shows a man trying to corral his horse as a driver in a Model T car looks on. The scene is embellished with crates of chickens and fruits and vegetables scattered about.

World of Motion closed in 1996. It was replaced by Test Track in 1999.

Chuck Schmidt is an award-winning journalist and retired Disney cast member who has covered all things Disney since 1984 in both print and on-line. He has authored or co-authored eight books on Disney, including his On the Disney Beat and The Beat Goes On, as well as his latest, Marty, Mickey and Me, all for Theme Park Press. He has written a regular blog for AllEars.Net, called Still Goofy About Disney, since 2015.

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