HORIZONS
One attraction in particular that seemed for many people to epitomize what Future World was all about did not open with the rest of the park, but instead, one year later in October of 1983 . Horizons was about the future, both the way the future had been seen in the past, and an attempt to look at the ways could live in the future. It used Audio Animatronics, various types of films and other effects, seen from an omnimover vehicle, in painting an entertaining and positive picture of life in the future.
MOROCCO
In 1984 the only country representing a country from the continent of Africa was opened. More than most buildings representing far away places in World Showcase the Morocco pavilion has a real claim to authenticity as Moroccan craftsmen came over to do mach of the work on tile mosaics and carved plaster, though I am not sure if that extends to the basics of the structure which after all have to deal with the realities of Fire Codes and the like.
THE LIVING SEAS
A bit different than most of the other future world pavilions, for although it does have an introductory film, and did have a short omnimover type transport vehicle, the main draw of the pavilion are the aquarium areas which allow visitors to view the creatures, displays, and activities available in whatever order the guests desire. Opened January 15,1986
LASERPHONIC FANTASY / ILLUMINATIONS
By the time of it's second summer season in 1984 Epcot Center had added a nighttime entertainment show called Laserphonic Fantasy which Disney A to Z calls a "less sophisticated version of Illuminations, without the spotlighting of the individual countries. By 1988 this show changed into Illuminations and there have been a few different incarnations of that show over the years, the current version being Illuminations : Reflections of Earth. This card came out after the end of Laserphonic Fantasy as the Illuminations title is in the caption on the back putting this cards release around 1988. When that show came out in time for the millennium celebration of 2000 a new postcard was issued with what appears to be a heavily edited version of the same image that appears in the upper left quadrant of this card! The fireworks in the sky are identical in how many rocket streams are going up and they are in identical positions the lower part of the image is slightly different the later release, being a single frame is cropped a bit wider mostly at the sides to make the proportion right to fill out the whole card if fact almost all of the increased field of view is on the right hand edge where the lights of the Japanese pagoda can clearly be seen. Strangely the largest edit on the newer version of the card is the removal of the Italy pavilion from the image, Why? perhaps to make the lights reflected on the water off the Italy pavilion appear as if they are actually a reflection of the fireworks in the sky if this image is a photo manipulation as I suspect. Either way I don't ever remember seeing fireworks up in the sky behind the pavilions like that. I suspect the two upper frames on this card were taken while they were perhaps trying out different ways of adding fireworks to Epcot. As to the fireworks in front of the France pavilion, I suspect that to be a manipulation as well, as to have fireworks so close to the building, and to consider doing it every night would seem to put a great amount of wear on the painted (and other) surfaces, and possibly a great deal of expense in additional fire safety measures, permanent fireproofing materials for the roof for instance. Though perhaps this was a precursor too or part of the inspiration for the Sorcery in the Sky fireworks over at the studios.
NORWAY
With the opening of The Norway pavilion in 1988 Epcot gained not only a beautiful reproduction of a Norse stave church, carvings of large trolls, and a buffet in a building that looks like a medieval fortress, but it also gained it's first thrill ride Maelstrom a ride in a Viking Ship through the fiords of Norway.
WONDERS OF LIFE
In 1989 the last Epcot pavilion of the 20th century opened. The Wonders of Life with Two major attractions, a film presentation, a stage area where shows are held daily, and several smaller health related educational, but fun, exhibits.
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