Never saw the old Figment, but I do love the new one!!
Let me compare them like this.
Think of a "new" version of
Wizard of Oz, if Dorothy went to Oz, and the first time she met the good witch in Munchkinland, Glinda told her that she could go home by clicking her heels together... and she did.
Similarly, Disney simply took virtually ALL of the story and adventure out of the Imagination attraction.
In the original JiI, there was a very complex and interesting scene where we were introduced to Figment by his "creator," Dreamfinder (who, himself, was a rather jovial "Santa Claus-type" character,) and together they then escorted us through many scenes which portrayed the use of imagination in the fields of Theater, Music, Science, Art, Films, and much more.
This was an attraction that paid homage to what Disney is famous for... all aspects of creativity! And they used every sort of lighting, film imagery, laser, and sound effect technology available at that time to convey the message.
The "tracks" that the
omnimover cars traversed (same cars they have now, and some of the same tracks they have now) were very long and complex. It seems like they "chopped off" at least half the the ride when they "upgraded" it the first time.
I can NOT see HOW ANYONE would consider that and "UPGRADE!"
What if (heaven forbid) they cut Madame Leota's seance, and the ballroom, attic, and graveyard scenes out of Haunted Mansion during an "upgrade?"
I don't think guests would be too happy with that, either.
By comparison to its original popular form, Journey Into Imagination now simply is not much of an attraction at all.
And I think the mostly empty queues attest to that opinion.