Is there a sinkhole at Epcot? Recently, many have asked why Horizons closed forever on January 9, 1999, with no update/refurbishment plan in the works. With the Millennium Celebration starting on October 1, 1999, having an attraction like Horizons operate during this celebration would have made the most sense. Horizons had an inspiring story about living in the 21st century, plus park guests would have had an extra attraction to experience in an already packed theme park.
Closing Horizons
The decision to close Horizons was primarily due to financial and budgetary considerations. The ride lacked a sponsor in the late 1990s, and maintenance costs caused some hesitation to keep the ride. There was also a lack of interest in updating a slower-paced attraction when there was a growing demand for more thrill rides at Epcot in the early 2000s.
Opening Mission: Space
The decision to replace Horizons with Mission: Space was not without controversy. Mission: Space faced limitations due to health concerns, making it unsuitable for everyone. However, the concept and storyline for a space-themed attraction goes back to the early plans for Epcot Center, showcasing the park’s commitment to innovative and immersive experiences. The simulator ride we got in 2003 was a significant shift during Epcot’s reimagining to include more thrill attractions.
The theory of a sinkhole at the Horizons site lacks concrete evidence to support its validity. It is improbable that a new attraction would be constructed in the exact location following the demolition of Horizons if there were indeed issues with the ground or foundation. Much of the speculation regarding a sinkhole may have stemmed from reports of possible sinkholes elsewhere in Epcot, which might be valid.
According to reports, a sinkhole does exist inside Epcot. However, that sinkhole is not at the Horizons/Mission: Space site, as previously speculated. Imagineer Marty Sklar revealed that a significant sinkhole was between Future World and World Showcase near the Odyssey building. Sklar explained: “One of the reasons there’s so much space between Future World and the World Showcase lagoon is that we discovered a gigantic sinkhole near where the Odyssey Restaurant is. We couldn’t build anything on top of it.”
In early renderings of Epcot Center, the Odyssey Restaurant was planned to be much closer to World Showcase Plaza.
The image below reveals the sinkhole location from a park map, where it likely extended past the World Showcase Plaza walkway to the other lake near Imagination.
Check out this spectacular aerial view showing where Epcot would soon be built, with a possible sinkhole location visible.
Based on the information available, it seems that the large lake between World Showcase Plaza and the Odyssey is indeed the location of the sinkhole. This situation is not a safety concern for guests, as Disney took all necessary construction precautions and added steel plates to cover the sinkhole. However, the construction team could not build any large buildings or structures on this swampy land. Fortunately, we got a beautiful lake with picturesque backdrops of our favorite Future World attractions!
WDW Connection Conversations via Facebook
Chris Youngblood: Yes there is a sink hole by Odyssey. It was discovered while setting pylons for the monorail. This was followed by the Odyssey foundation showing problems. Special high-friction pilings were used to “float” the monorail pylon. The front of Odyssey also had pilings added to support it and the walkway bridge. Horizons is a different story. Many construction issues pointing to higher and higher maintenance costs each year, causing it to be a tax loss and write off. I was there in 1982 and worked in engineering at Epcot for 30 years.
Adam Stobinski: The sinkhole is very much there near the Odyssey Restaurant in the small lake in front of it and why the restaurant you see today is set so far back from everything. There is a documented interview with a past Imagineer who worked on the Epcot project that stated they ran into problems setting one of the pilings for the monorail in that lake / pond, where they discovered the large sinkhole, and went through tons and tons of concrete and steel plates to try to fill and successfully cover the sinkhole. He stated in the interview the support column you see above the water had to be pile driven over five times the height you see above the water down into bedrock and built with a special ‘high tension’ method. The former Imagineer also said in the interview that one monorail support column ended up costing them over $2 million in 1980’s dollars [or roughly slightly more than $6.5 million in 2024 money] to build that one support column and it darn near delayed the entire opening of Epcot.
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If we can dream it, we really can do it – And that’s the most exciting part! – Horizons at Epcot