Journey Into Imagination remake AGAIN

[Blumonkeyboy]

I understand how figment brings imagination in on the current ride, but without him it was Journey into YOUR Senses. OH OH OH better yet Journey Into your (LACK THERE OF) imagination

 

[ChrisFL]

That or it might be because it was almost 20 years ago...

not even close, it was still open about 8 years ago IIRC

 

[YoHo]

Around then. I know I rode the new one in 99 or 2000 and it had just had the added figment mods. Old one in 1996, so that was what 11 years ago.

 

[All Aboard]

The original attraction closed in October, 1998. Having a discussion comparing the current attraction to the original is completely ridiculous. The turnstyles can do the talking. While the original did drop off in attendance, the current attraction NEVER attracted guests. It was a bomb from day one. Even the train wreck that is Gran Fiesta is attracting unknowing victoms right now.

YoHo's dead on. The original drew you into a story, a story about Dreamfinder and Figment venturing out in the universe in search of dreams, ideas, thoughts and IMAGINATION. Then, bringing it all back to the Dreamport. The current is what? Here's a toilet on the ceiling, here's an eyechart, how about skunk smell, you like that? We got more, just wait, here's a train coming...

Ask guests coming off the attraction, "so, what's it about?" Think anyone can answer that?

 

[YoHo]

It's like those Imagineer that commercials on the Disney Channel, but in attraction form.

 

[adabob]

There is a part of the ride that there is a bunch of Figments and they are figures and not screen chracters and that is what the original ride was

They need to put dreamfinder is i vagley remember is when i was young kid like 3

It should be changed to a Fantasyland ride
Great Thread

 

[DizzneyDAnn]

I miss the old one, too. I went on it after not realizing they had changed it and was so sad. The first one was magical. They changed it a few times. didn't they. I think the version now is better than the middle one.

 

[AmberLuvsWDW]

My DH will be thrilled if they change it back!!

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

The current ride is beyond boring. It is a good place to sit down and cool off but that is about it. While some on this post do not remember the older attraction I totally agree with those that do that it was a much better ride in terms of image and color. IMHO there are certain rides that make up the baseline of the park and provide some nostalgia.
Figment was, for all intents and purposes, the logo "Mickey" character for Epcot. Had they played their cards right they could have at this point in time shoved him down our throats in everything from movies and cereal to even band aids! They could have made a Sat cartoon series about his adventures with Dreamfinder and then a feature length movie a la Shrek etc. So in effect they killed a goose that would have laid a golden egg for them in light of the fact that they are trying to aligne rides, movies and merchandise to conner the market. With him just stuck in the middle of this ride perfoming stupid antics he is NOT that lovable. I wonder if they know HOW much they missed the boat on this one?

 

[fightinfire21]

I hope that they if they do somthing that they add something to the upstairs of the pavillion. I can remember being up there on my first trip in 1996 and then we got to go up there last year on a behind the scenes tour last September. It is a real shame... all the old "toys" just sitting around up there. What a waste of space. They could really add somthing special to that area and give us somthing to spend an extra hour at while there.

 

[manning]

um, it's an amusement park ride.

i really dug figment when i was a little kid, but I also stuck twist ties in my nostril when i was a little kid. Can't you just go with it?

I am probably having trouble going with it because I never stuck twist ties in my nostrils.

 

[manning]

Now if only they could do this, if it were possible

Hand you a pair of 3D glasses and have the whole ride be in 3D.

If that could be done, WOW!!!

 

[YoHo]

I hope that they if they do somthing that they add something to the upstairs of the pavillion. I can remember being up there on my first trip in 1996 and then we got to go up there last year on a behind the scenes tour last September. It is a real shame... all the old "toys" just sitting around up there. What a waste of space. They could really add somthing special to that area and give us somthing to spend an extra hour at while there.

What's kinda sad about this is that by 1996, the upstairs portion had already been hit bad and wasn't anything near as good as it had been in the 80s and early 90s.

 

[Blumonkeyboy]

The sad part is it will be hard to return it. 1 dreamcatcher was sold on Ebay and one is in Mousegears. then there is that the current Image works is where some of the ride was. In all the hardest would be dreamcatchers i think.

 

[cherbear]

Now if only they could do this, if it were possible

Hand you a pair of 3D glasses and have the whole ride be in 3D.

If that could be done, WOW!!!

Actually, "that other park" that I don't like to mention has a 3D spiderman ride. It was neat.....but it's not DISNEY! So, it IS possible.

 

[cherbear]

Now if only they could do this, if it were possible

Hand you a pair of 3D glasses and have the whole ride be in 3D.

If that could be done, WOW!!!

Actually, "that other park" that I don't like to mention has a 3D spiderman ride. It was neat.....but it's not DISNEY! So, it IS possible.

 

[minnie61650]

I cannot imagine never having experienced the REAL Imagination attraction.

.

It would be great if JII was revamped to follow the story line of the original JII.
I miss the original Figment. At least this one has Figment in it a lot more than the first redo. When Kodak sponsored the original Figment Disney signed a contract that the ride would be redone before the year 2000. For those of you never got to experience the original Figment or if you would like to relive it this is a great website.

http://figmentsimagination.com/

Here is an except from that website that explains why the Original Figment ride was Changed:

"It has been confirmed by a Disney source that the original Journey Into Imagination was closed due to a contract agreement between Kodak and Disney. The contract stated that JII was to be changed by the year 2000. The original JII, due to large amounts of projectors, sets, lighting and animatronics, was VERY expensive to maintain each year. JII was the most advanced attraction of its kind in the US when it opened in 1983. Even when it closed, the technology involved with producing the show was ahead of other theme park attractions. Many Imagineers were not at all happy about making the changes because they had fear that the new attraction would fail. Armed with a budget far less than they had to build the original JII, the replacement opened and the fans were not happy. WDI realized that mistakes were made but at this point, there is no physical way to return the attraction to its original state because of the way the building has been altered and the money that would be needed to do it is not there. The current budget to redo JIYI is still not enough to restore the magic we all miss. But we will be able to see Figment again! "




This excerpt is from this site:

http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id37.htm

The chances of Figment making a full return looked bleak. Disney sold part of the ride props on eBay and used one of Dreamfinder's flying machines as a prop in the Mouse Gear store. Then the ride closed in the winter of 2002 for renovation and reopened in June of 2002 as Journey Into Imagination with Figment. While Eric Idle and the Imagination Institute are still featured, Figment has been added to every scene and a new version of One Little Spark is sung. Dreamfinder is still MIA but one of the lab office doors is now labeled as belonging to "Dean Finder".

 

[stemikger]

The original was awesome and then when I went on the new one, I was so disappointed. It is cute, but nothing like the original. Hopefully they will bring it back to the way it was.

 

[kileybeth]

funny, I rarely read on this board but was feeling a little lost about everything new hapening and out of the loop so thought I'd pop in. . .

mine & my 6 kids perspectives.

1st time to see Dreamfinder 1985, it was one of our favorite attractions (DH and I only)

took son to Disney ( 4years old) 1986 It was hands down his favorite Character, more so than lots of traditoinal ones. Also character interaction with Dreamfinder and his puppet Figment was awesome.

took second son (when he was 4 yrs old) to see Dreamfinder and Figment 1990, he loved the song and could still sing it today if you asked him I think

took third son in 1994 , think ride had been changed at this point, my older two flaberghasted , "that stunk" where did Dreamfinder go?

several more trips with younger kids (a daughter, some toddlers, older boys as well) when we went on last time at least Figment was back and a little of the fun lyrics but what a poor imitation and I agree no story line at all.

and who really wants to smell skunks for petes sake? give me coconut anyday!

so, yes it all changes but my littlest ones will never get to understand why their 25 year old brother still has a purple "dragon" in his collection! I even tried to buy them souvies at the exit gift shop and they just where not interested at all in Figment! so sad.

now tiki room changes? love it!

 

[Barb]

While version #3 isn't nearly as awful as version #2 (which was just plain bad), it's entertaining. I loved the original and would welcome bringing some of that back, including the Dreamfinder.

Now if they could just figure out a way to bring back Horizons and World of Motion.