History Main / OurTimeTravelIsDifferent

* ''TheButterflyEffect'' actually uses this analogy to allow the Main Character to revisit his memories; and then later change them.

'''Videocassette Time Travel''': According to this theory, time is like a videocassette ([[WhatAreRecords for those of you born after 1995, videocassettes are what we played movies on back in the dark days before [=DVDs=]]]). Normally, time is on "play" and traveling backwards or forwards is like pushing "rewind" or "fast-forward". This theory originated in H.G. Wells' ''TheTimeMachine'' (which obviously predated the videocassette, but it's still a good analogy).

'''[[OurWormholesAreDifferent Wormhole Time Travel]]''': The theory here seems to be that going back in time immediately puts you in another dimension. Usually, this dimension will be some kind of wormhole or "[[TimePortal time tunnel]]" composed of flashing lights and cool special effects. You may even see images from famous moments in history fly by as a helpful gauge of when you're going. In less serious versions, the tunnel may be decorated with clocks and calendars or be labeled with years. Depending on the story, the wormhole links the user to a different spot on his own timeline or to a different spot on the next timeline over; the difference is largely academic.

* The "Time and Punishment" segment from the ''WesternAnimation/The Simpsons'' episode ''[[WesternAnimation/TreehouseOfHorror Treehouse of Horror V]] sees Homer travel back in time through a dimension filled with clocks.

'''Instantaneous Time Travel''': Who says you need to see anything when you go back in time? Used in the ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' films, this is where time travel is simply instantaneous. One second Marty [=McFly=] is in 1985. Then there's a flash of light and he's in 1955. Simple as that.

'''Unseen Time Travel''': This covers all instances where the time travel occurs off-screen. Often a form of MentalTimeTravel. For example, if you fell asleep and then woke up to find yourself in TheMiddleAges. Another variation of this occurs if all the audience ever sees is the traveler leaving from and arriving in various times, i.e. the traveler's point of view is never shown. Either way, it's impossible to determine which of the above theories is in place.

* ''GroundhogDay'' Phil wakes up in a GroundhogDayLoop

* In ''SplitInfinity'' (the movie, not the novel by PiersAnthony), the main character falls from a barn loft in 1992 and wakes up as her great aunt in 1929.
* In ''{{Primer}}'', the time machine is a solid box which you have to stay inside for the duration of the trip. One character mentions that he heard a sound like the ocean -- it's unclear whether that was just the machine or not.

It is, of course, presumed that you're invisible (and intangible) while traveling through time in this manner, i.e. people on the outside don't see someone standing around for years and years while moving ''very'' slowly. Modern works take this for granted, but H.G. Wells actually gave it a HandWave, essentially explaining that the traveler is going through time too quickly to be seen. (This doesn't quite explain how the traveler isn't ''[[FridgeLogic solid]]'', but never mind.)[[hottip:*:Well, that could be explained if time was a discrete variable, since if you go 5x fast, your atoms would only be there in one out of 5 "instants"; but of course, that brings a whole another set of problems.]]

* ''MiraiSentaiTimeranger'' and to a lesser extent ''Series/PowerRangersTimeForce'' when summoning the CombiningMecha.

->"''I'm standing at the time portal, which scientists say, follows 'Franchise/{{Terminator}}' rules. That is, it's one way only and you can't go back. This is in contrast to, say, 'Film/BackToTheFuture' rules, where back and forth is possible, and of course '[[Film/TimeriderTheAdventureOfLyleSwann Timerider]]' rules, which are just plain silly.''"

* The book version of ''HarryPotter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' (but not the film).

* The [[TheFilmOfTheBook film version]] of ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban'' (but not the book).

* The [[TheFilmOfTheBook film version]] of ''HarryPotter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' (but not the book).

* ''Somewhere in Time'' (1980 film)

* The book ''Sonic The Hedgehog in the Fourth Dimension'' (also involves time machines using the two methods described below, but quite a few pages of narrative go into describing a trip made using a time machine using this method).

* ''[[http://www.tru-lifeadventures.com TRU-Life Adventures]]''

* Isaac Asimov's ''Pebble in the Sky'' has an excellent example.

* ''A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court''

* Used in an episode of ''S Club 7 in Miami'' (aka ''{{Miami 7}}''), where the group went into fog on a boat in the BermudaTriangle and fell unconscious, waking up in the 80s with clothes from that time. They regained their original clothes when they re-entered the fog to go back to their own time, except for Hannah, who kept her 80s shoes for reasons that were never explained.

* HarryTurtledove's AlternateHistory novel ''Guns of the South'' has time travel via square platforms that apparently dematerialize the user in a fashion similar to ''Franchise/StarTrek'' transporters. We only ever see them in use once, as [[spoiler:a Confederate soldier shoots at someone using the platform, causing it to break down and eventually explode.]]

* We never see Bruce Willis (or any of the other time travelers) actually go through any time travel process in ''12 Monkeys''... we just cut to the next scene.

* In ''Futurama'', Farnsworth made a time machine that acted this way, although it could only go forward in time. The machine was completely unaffected by outside events, such as explosions.

* The PlanetOfTheApes variety could be number 3, but as it's never shown, we can't say for sure. It's not one or two, though, based on some of the dialogue from ''Escape''.

** George "Yankee" Longago, an obscure [[TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] superhero, had the power to travel through time while asleep, usually based on his subconscious desires.
* In ''TimeAndAgain'' by Jack Finney, the protagonist surrounds himself with objects from TheGayNineties while living in a Victorian Penthouse overlooking Central Park; by [[IWishItWereReal imagining himself]] to be in the 1890s he wakes up one day and ''is'' in the 1890s.

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' and ''TheLegendOfZeldaOracleOfAges''.

* {{Godzilla}} vs. King Ghidorah uses a variant of this; when the characters time-jump everything around seems to speed up or reverse like in videocassette time-travel, but a few moments later they enter a tunnel of crazy psychedelic special effects and arrive at their destination.

* ''MiraiSentaiTimeranger'' and to a lesser extent ''PowerRangersTimeForce'' when summoning the CombiningMecha.
** In the case of ''PowerRangers'', It has always used "time hole" time travel since [[MagicAIsMagicA season 2.]]

* In ''VisualNovel/UminekoNoNakuKoroNi'', Ange is split / time travels when she jumps off the roof of the hospital, but there is no detail given as to the process by which she actually does it, since the third installment ends with her jumping off the roof, and the fourth installment begins with her already in the meta-world. Granted, of course, that the meta-world itself is outside of the time-space continuum.

* ''SevenDays'' uses this one; different from others in that the protagonist needs to steer ("fly the needles") in order to land on Earth. Even with his better than average ability, his time machine still winds up miles away from where he left.

-->-- '''Reporter''', ''SouthPark''

* ''SapphireAndSteel'' just arrive at whatever place and time their assignment is set, usually walking in through the front door. However, at the end of Assignment 2, we see Steel [[MoodWhiplash jump into the air and vanish]], but, like many things in this show, it's never explained if this happens all the time or even if they're time-travelling or just moving between dimensions, so...

It is, of course, presumed that you're invisible (and intangible) while traveling through time in this manner, i.e. people on the outside don't see someone standing around for years and years while moving ''very'' slowly. Modern works take this for granted, but H.G. Wells actually gave it a HandWave, essentially explaining that the traveler is going through time too quickly to be seen. (This doesn't quite explain how the traveler isn't ''[[FridgeLogic solid]]'', but never mind.)