Video: Original Journey into imagination

[David R]

I posted this as a reply to another thread but I thought that there may be many others who may like to see this, so I thought I'd start this thread.

For those of you who don't remember the original ride, Journey Into Imagination, here's a video of it:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nhEEBPnuro
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9E4yNg_eFI
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpSpNCg0MV8

It's a little dated so some things are hard to see, but you'll get an idea of what it used to be like. Although it doesn't do it justice, you know how different it is to experience a ride in person vs. watching a video.

There's a single part video out there too but I don't think it shows things as well as this one and the audio is much better in this 3 part video.

Enjoy!

 

[phisigprincess]

I've watched that before and I just love it. It really bums me out that it's not the original anymore. I tried to explain to my DH why it was so much better back then, but he just didn't get it. We miss you Dreamfinder! And thank goodness Figment is back!! That was an awful time when he wasn't there!!!

 

[jngwright]

I loved the original and was so disappointed in 2004 to see how it had changed. I kept waiting for SOMETHING to happen...
I laughed during the first clip, seeing that guy filming with the giant camcorder. Remember when we almost needed an additional suitcase for our vidoecameras??

 

[phisigprincess]

I loved the original and was so disappointed in 2004 to see how it had changed. I kept waiting for SOMETHING to happen...
I laughed during the first clip, seeing that guy filming with the giant camcorder. Remember when we almost needed an additional suitcase for our vidoecameras??

My parents still have their huge camera from 1989! We call the Action 4 news cam. And the first camera we had back in 1984 did come with its own suitcase!

 

[dtauer]

Wow! Look at those queue lines at the beginning of part 1 of the video. I can't remember any time that this ride hasn't been almost a walk on since it was redone.

The joke in our family is when we're sick of waiting in lines, we can always walk over to the new version of this ride and not have to wait.

 

[marmermea]

Thanks for this video. It is so interesting!

 

[nhpooh]

We all love the original ride, now it's just blah! As someone has said no wait lines here. Thanks for the video, I needed it.

 

[LoraJ]

I love this version of the ride. But I also don't mind the new version. The new version is better than whatever they had before it.

 

[dtauer]

I just finished watching part 3 and the video shows a staircase that looks like it allows you to go to the top of the pavillion. Through the glass top you can see Spaceship Earth and a lot of Epcot.

Can you still get up to this top floor, I don't remember a way to get up there from the last time we were there.

 

[David R]

Unfortunately you can't. If you enter the ride now and you look to your left, you'll see this staircase. Surrounded by a metal screen as if it was a prison. Very sad.

I saw the rainbow tunnel in a magazine as a kid living overseas and one of my dreams was to have a picture taken in that tunnel and I can still clearly remember the day I finally stood in it as a teenager and my friend asking me why in the world I'd like to have my picture taken in there and I just smiled. That picture has been very special to me for years, it was the realization of a personal dream.

 

[Princess19]

I posted this as a reply to another thread but I thought that there may be many others who may like to see this, so I thought I'd start this thread.

For those of you who don't remember the original ride, Journey Into Imagination, here's a video of it:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nhEEBPnuro
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9E4yNg_eFI
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpSpNCg0MV8

It's a little dated so some things are hard to see, but you'll get an idea of what it used to be like. Although it doesn't do it justice, you know how different it is to experience a ride in person vs. watching a video.

There's a single part video out there too but I don't think it shows things as well as this one and the audio is much better in this 3 part video.

Enjoy!

Wow, thanks so much. I really miss that ride... that entire pavillion was very creative and a ton of fun. The new Journey into Imagination ride doesn't even come close to comparing to the original. Why did they chane the ride again? Was there any significant reason(s)? Does anyone have any info on this?

 

[disgram]

Just finished watching all 3 parts and I have such fond memories "floating" through my mind. This was my dd's favorite ride. She is now 30. I have pondered what there is about this version that we all liked so much and I think that I have an answer. This version is so "Disney-esk". I don't know if it is a real word, but it is what I think Mr. Disney would have designed. Like IASMW. We "Remember the Magic"( I borrowed this from the 25th ann. of WDW). It brings up the feeling that we got the first time we walked down Main Street at the MK and saw the castle for the first time. Some of us still get that same feeling each time we see it. Whether it is grey stone, pink icing, or done up with gold floating characters, we love it!!! This is DISNEY!

 

[Randy K]

Wasn't there actually 3 versions of this ride. 1.)The original in the video which I never went on and 2.)when we went the 1st time in 2001 there was no figment. The whole ride was with John Cleese and it wasn't very good. 3.)When we rode it this last July it now has Figment and John Cleese is only in parts of it. It was alot better than what we saw in 2001.

 

[Mickeygolf]

That brought back wonderful memories of my first trip with my wife who was just my girlfriend at the time. We've been married for 16 years now with 3 kids and they've made multiple trips with us since that first time. I love all the details of that ride. It's exactly the type of experience Walt Disney would have been very proud of. It is a real shame my kids will never experience that same ride, because it was so great.

Did anyone notice in part 2 at about the 1:30 mark or so there was a carousel with paper animals on it and the Peacock's back side was a great hidden Mickey.

That was just a great ride!!!

 

[Mme. Leota]

Thank you so much for posting this!!! Imagination was also my favorite ride when I first went to EPCOT when I was about 11. I am 33 now. I didn't go back to Disney between the time I was 15 and about 28 and had forgotten a lot about the original, but I didn't forget the rainbow tunnel and was so bummed when it was gone. The entire pavilion was so beautiful back then. Why oh why would they change it??? It seems a lot shorter now, also. Looks like there is a ton of wasted space there now. The video was great but it also makes me very sad. My DH and my DKs to be will never know the full joy of this attraction. I agree, the original was so classically Disney. The new one just lacks that special something.

 

[Lucky82061]

Yup there are 3 incarnations of this ride. The first being the amazing ride int he video's.. (I barely remember it seeing as how I was about 6 when I went on it the first time ) the second was redesigned and opened in 1999 for the millenium.. but very little figment.. so they redisgned it again and opened as what we know now in 2002. I like the new ride.. it's well cute I guess is the best way to put it but it seems to be lacking something... and I think the longest I've ever had to stand in line for it was 3 minutes when it was pouring rain outside Oh and rumors are they might be refurbing it soon to try and bring it back to its original form... crossing my fingers for that

 

[phisigprincess]

Yup there are 3 incarnations of this ride. The first being the amazing ride int he video's.. (I barely remember it seeing as how I was about 6 when I went on it the first time ) the second was redesigned and opened in 1999 for the millenium.. but very little figment.. so they redisgned it again and opened as what we know now in 2002. I like the new ride.. it's well cute I guess is the best way to put it but it seems to be lacking something... and I think the longest I've ever had to stand in line for it was 3 minutes when it was pouring rain outside Oh and rumors are they might be refurbing it soon to try and bring it back to its original form... crossing my fingers for that

If I recall correctly, there was no figment at all in the 2nd version. I remember riding it in 2000 and almost crying! Though he was still in the gift shops.

 

[dtauer]

Wasn't there actually 3 versions of this ride. 1.)The original in the video which I never went on and 2.)when we went the 1st time in 2001 there was no figment. The whole ride was with John Cleese and it wasn't very good. 3.)When we rode it this last July it now has Figment and John Cleese is only in parts of it. It was alot better than what we saw in 2001.

Sorry, please don't take a small correction as a negative, but I'm kind of a Monty Python fan and I believe it's Eric Idle in the new ride. However, John Cleese, and his voice, have been used in a couple of Disney movies and attractions, so I understand the confusion.

Either way, I agree that the original was better.

 

[nflder]

Great video - thanks so much. I have a question can anyone remember the ride where toward the end Figment almost blows up a lab. I was at epcot when I was in my teens and I can remember this scene but don't know what ride it was or if was just a figment of my imagination!

 

[tink576]

Great video - thanks so much. I have a question can anyone remember the ride where toward the end Figment almost blows up a lab. I was at epcot when I was in my teens and I can remember this scene but don't know what ride it was or if was just a figment of my imagination!

I believe you are talking about the current ride...towards the end...I hope the rumors are true though and that they refurb to make it more like the old one...but the parts have all been sent to the other parks so who knows