Journey into Imagination with Figment closing

[GeorgeG]

Here's some background-

Kodak, the original "Journey Into Imagination" attraction's corporate sponsor since the opening of Epcot, had an agreement with Disney that stated the attraction must be "updated" for the year 2000.

Little did anyone know that the "creative minds" in WDImagineering would not be nearly as creative in 1998 as they had been in 1980!

The new "Journey Into Your Imagination" ride was one of the biggest disappointments in the history of Disney parks. There was NOTHING left of what had made the original ride such a major crowd pleaser (and that also meant that there was no Figment in that version!)

So, they finally "re-did the re-do" and you now still see the result:
"Journey Into Imagination With Figment."
Its "cute," (and, obviously, Figment is back) but the current ride is nothing but a far too short, sliver of the amazing first version of the ride.

In the grand scheme of these kind of things, re-designing the original ride was a colossal blunder.

There's a saying that goes, "Do you want to trade the devil you KNOW for the devil you DON'T know?"
(Meaning that if you don't like your situation NOW, how do you know that you won't move into a WORSE one by making a change?)

I'll paraphase it in the case of "Imagination" to say to Kodak/Disney...
"Do you want to trade the ANGEL you KNOW for the POSSIBLE devil you DON'T know?"

The original version of this ride is my all-time favorite attraction at Epcot.

It was so RICH in details that I'm sure that I never saw "everything" in it, even after literally dozens of ride-throughs.

The scenes were diverse and always surprising.
The musical arrangements were complex and interesting.
The characters were engaging.

There was even a "ride photo" that displayed as you rode along near the end.
What a tragedy that this was "lost" in an untimely and entirely AVOIDABLE set of missteps.

I'll assume that there was an entire CHAIN of memos and meetings where warnings of
looming problems were ignored (or not spoken strongly enough.)

I have seen so many majorly ill-advised corporate decisions made in all kinds of companies.

So sad that in a "vast bastion of creativity" like Disney, could they make such an unfortunate move
as to lose the original artistic creation that was the first version of Journey Into IMAGINATION.

Yes, the '90s brought about a significant decline in Disney imagineering that has yet to recover (anyone remember that hideous birthday cake around the castle in '96?). I'm not sure what, if any, corporate changes were behind the changes, but things have been going downhill ever since.

It's possible the new generation of guests found the old "magic" lame and boring and that triggered the swing towards more thrill rides and the "amusement park" mentality. That seems to have carried over into the dining, as well.

I liked Epcot when it was geared more towards adults, but still had some interest for younger folks. All the parks have lost a significant amount of class, but at least old geezers like me can still enjoy hanging out and watch tourists spend their money (thank you all for supporting the Florida economy). In just the past ten months I have observed a well=dressed gentleman wearing boots and spurs (I'm still trying to figure out where he parked his horse), some young ladies walking around on a cold Christmas Day wearing less material than a few of my handkerchiefs, and no less then three young ladies who needed to tuck a totally out and flopping piece of anatomy back into what I suppose was some sort of clothing. You can't make this stuff up! Yup, the entertainment has shifted from paid performers to, well, misguided guests. Yup, give me back the original Journey Into Imagination and I'll be happy.

 

[KeepSwimming]

Although I agree that the pavillion could use an "update", I hope that does not mean closing Figment permanently. Everytime I ride that one I feel a little connection with Walt....isn't imagination what it really is all about?

Figment for President.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

To be honest, I don't remember the original, and I don't think I ever rode on it when there was no Figment. The only one I remember is the current one. It's not the best ride ever, but it's OK.

I have doubts this is accurate to begin with. If this were true, I think it would be unwise. There are only 9 actual rides in all of Epcot (if I counted correctly). Mission: SPACE, Test Track, Spaceship Earth, Journey into Your Imagination, Sum of All Thrills, Nemo, Soarin', Maelstrom, and Gran Fiesta Tour.

They should add something more before refurbing existing stuff.

 

[salabencher]

Rode the ride tonight. I spoke with several CM's 2 had no Idea, the third, a greeter advised there are many rumors floating around and some big wig from Pixar was there a week or 2 ago riding the ride. She advised EO will be outa there in August.

 

[JimmyV]

There are only 9 actual rides in all of Epcot (if I counted correctly). Mission: SPACE, Test Track, Spaceship Earth, Journey into Your Imagination, Sum of All Thrills, Nemo, Soarin', Maelstrom, and Gran Fiesta Tour.

They should add something more before refurbing existing stuff.

Your logic is sound in theory. But in practice, hardly anyone rides Journey Into Imagination. (And there is no reason for the people here to jump all over that statement. Of course all you Dis'ers do. You are hard corp. But you make up a negligible percentage of overall visitors). So while adding something new would technically add another ride, refurbishing something that exists to the point where people ride it again would really do the same thing.

 

[stitch34]

well, EO has to go... as does HISTA. But we LOVE Figment!
me and kids first started going to WDW 3 years ago (just returned from 10th trip.. yes, we are hooked!)
Figment and JII is a must for us... usually ride it twice, actually. Just a fun ride for us and kids love it. We've obviously never seen the original so can't compare it... but for us, yeah, we'd really miss it.
I do wish they would add another ride or two to Epcot. SSE, Soarin', TT, JII, Nemo and Mexico... that's about it for us.... doesn't take us longer than 2 hours to do those and hang in FW... would be nice to have some more rides. Mission space we haven't tried yet!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Your logic is sound in theory. But in practice, hardly anyone rides Journey Into Imagination.

And actually, after I did some counting, only Magic Kingdom has more than 9 rides anyway. DHS and Animal Kingdom both have 9 or less, too. I mean, each has shows, but not actual rides.

And you are right that it's not a popular ride, so it could use a facelift. But the Wonders of Life pavilion has been going unused for years. And World Showcase is a gloried shopping mall. There's a lot of potential being unused right now. Why waste time on a ride that's not all that popular when you can add something new instead?

 

[JimmyV]

There's a lot of potential being unused right now. Why waste time on a ride that's not all that popular when you can add something new instead?

I guess it all depends on whether they waste time on it, or scrap it and start over. If it the latter, then they are better off doing it at an existing pavillion that already has infrastructure in place. "Something new" suggests starting something from scratch which is almost always the hardest and most expensive option. There are a lot of mysteries about wasted space and upgrades at Epcot. Can they really find NOTHING worthwhile to do with the WOL pavillion? Can they really find NOTHING worthwhile to put in the Odessey restaurant space? The lack of ambition at Epcot is astounding, IMHO.

 

[Vowelmommy]

I hope if it is true, it will be after our trip in August. I know my young kids would have enjoyed Figment, actually I just got custom clothes made with Figment on them!

 

[mmtska]

I miss the original. I don't remember no Figment either, but I was really sad when we rode it 2 years ago. I don't really love the new version, but I will definitely riding it in a week!

 

[Liberty Belle]

oddly enough we've never ridden on the Figment ride. Each trip we try to ride something new and Figment was slated for September. Guess we're onto plan B!

You haven't missed much.

I'm excited to see what goes in its place.

 

[scjo68]

no less then three young ladies who needed to tuck a totally out and flopping piece of anatomy back into what I suppose was some sort of clothing. You can't make this stuff up! .

Sorry for veering off-topic, but this struck me as hilarious!

 

[Tomh]

Much like the Tiki Room, I would LOVE to see a reworking of the Journey Into Imagination "reminiscent" of the original! Dream finder must return!

 

[iheartdisney]

It has been an interesting week on the boards. One has been running a lengthy thread concerning the "alleged" sale of the Disney Parks to an outside party. One mention has been an Arab Prince and the other being China itself. Anyway, everyone there is pretty convinced that it is a done deal.

Another is the reduction in service of the monorails and how it is just the forerunner of the complete elimination of the entire fleet...relying on buses and boats for all transportation. Everyone there is convinced that this is a done deal.

And now JII is closing. What will there be left to do at WDW. Will we just arrive at the parking lots, pay our $14.00 to park, board a tram and travel the complete circumference of the parking lot only to be returned to our cars where happy waving mechanical (broken) CM's will wave Bye Bye and say have a Magical Day.

It's almost funny. Not that some of that couldn't happen but the degree of excitement generated is usually reserved for events such as World War III. Hopefully everyone next week will have come down from the 4th of July holiday week and function on a more "calm" level.

Oh, yea. Robo great post and history lesson there. It's too bad it doesn't seem possible for people to learn from past mistakes.

Agreed I just wanted to add...

It is like Christmas every time a thread begins, "I was talking to a CM"...

 

[CurlyJo224]

Much like the Tiki Room, I would LOVE to see a reworking of the Journey Into Imagination "reminiscent" of the original! Dream finder must return!

What they're doing with the Tiki Room is the only thing that gives me hope for Figment. Nostalgic, but updated would be the way to go.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

At this point I will comment that it would not be very hard to reinstate the original. The turntable and original tracks were not removed. Flooring was put in over the tracks; when that is removed the original tracks will be in place and structurally sound.

Ron, who was the original walk-around Dreamfinder (for about two years) was the one who was at Destination-D in May (and interviewed in the current Orlando Attractions magazine). Steve, who was the primary walk-around Dreamfinder for 15½ years before the original ride closed currently lives in the Orlando area; although he does not currently work for Disney, he would be willing to drop his current job and return. If you remember meeting Dreamfinder, it was probably Steve.

 

[darthspud]

The thing we have to remember is that the only reason the Tiki Room is coming back is because of the fire... so unless some one wants to set fire to JII I think this is just one of those rumors that comes and goes year in and year out..

As much as I would love a return of the original I think I would much rather see new things added to EPCOT I think the money could be used better.. yes its current form is junk but its junk that people keep riding and dissers and other annually returning guests make up such a small percentage of people that go to the parks annually I don't really think they would rip out something that people keep riding and using as a time killer before their Soarin fastpass... if that was the case then WOL wouldn't be a glorified function hall..

Just my 2 cents..

 

[FlightlessDuck]

It has been an interesting week on the boards. One has been running a lengthy thread concerning the "alleged" sale of the Disney Parks to an outside party. One mention has been an Arab Prince and the other being China itself. Anyway, everyone there is pretty convinced that it is a done deal.

So, where's that thread?

 

[mjallemand]

I've ridden every version of the ride and while the current version isn't terrible, it doesn't hold a candle to the original version starring the Dreamfinder himself.

Here's hoping Figment as a character doesn't go away forever.

 

[Planogirl]

To be honest, I don't remember the original, and I don't think I ever rode on it when there was no Figment. The only one I remember is the current one. It's not the best ride ever, but it's OK.

I have doubts this is accurate to begin with. If this were true, I think it would be unwise. There are only 9 actual rides in all of Epcot (if I counted correctly). Mission: SPACE, Test Track, Spaceship Earth, Journey into Your Imagination, Sum of All Thrills, Nemo, Soarin', Maelstrom, and Gran Fiesta Tour.

They should add something more before refurbing existing stuff.

Plus Ellen's Energy Adventure.

But that aside, I agree that Disney should definitely add something. This struck me as all rather sad yesterday when my teen son started asking if we couldn't replace Epcot with MK when we go next month. It's a short trip and I'd planned to only visit two Disney parks with one being DHS.

He asked what there was to do at Epcot once you rode "a few rides". From his perspective, not much and that's a shame because I remember a place that was quite a bit different at one time.