Why Journey Into Imagination Should Close at EPCOT

[Josh Lee]

Journey Into Imagination. It used to be one of the must-dos in EPCOT, but now Journey Into Imagination with Figment rarely gets over a 5 minute wait.

Disney seems to care more about Figment the character than the Journey Into Imagination attraction. Figment has become the staple mascot of EPCOT, but doesn't have a good enough ride or pavilion to really showcase him.

Disney is more focused on what movies made money and making rides for them. They need to focus on the classic rides that desperately need attention. This includes Journey Into Imagination.

Disney has given up with Journey Into Imagination. They don't care anymore. They sealed up all of Imageworks and made the upstairs of Journey Into Imagination into a DVC Lounge. This made it clear that Journey Into Imagination was dead.

Disney has also done a lot with the theater that previously housed Captain EO. Now it's a Disney Pixar short film showcase. That's what I wanna do at a theme park: watch short films.

Disney has already ruined this attraction. It's a shell of it's former self. It would be easier to close this attraction than try and re-do it. Disney has already tried and failed.

Kathy wouldn't agree, but hopefully some of you do.
-Josh Lee

 

[soniam]

I think it used to be one of the must-dos in its previous incarnation. I would do it if they brought that back. The current one is unwatchable.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Oh it will close one day, probably soon, don't worry. And be rethemed to something else.

 

[TikiMan0228]

Bring back the Dreamfinder!!! I love listening to the original ride audio. Horizons is another favorite I like to listen to.

 

[Jhondy210]

Blasphemy!!! Figment is one of my favorite rides and I love riding it multiple times each trip!

 

[SaintsManiac]

 

[Jennasis]

They need to make it an Inside Out attraction...prominently featuring Figment LOL

 

[DebbieB]

They want a corporation to sponsor any updates. Kodak is no longer the sponsor.

 

[Dreamport]

They need to make it an Inside Out attraction...prominently featuring Figment LOL

I would not mind an update with these characters. Imagination is crucial to the Disney company. You'd think they'd want to take better care of this attraction. A return to the original (including Dreamfinder) would be my ideal wish but featuring the Inside Out crew with nods to old D.F. and Figment would potentially mend my broken heart over the pavilion.

 

[MissouriPrincess]

My family loves this ride. My daughter loves Figment right now, and I would hate to see this ride go. She even bought a stuffed Figment with her trip money, and she wants a Figment birthday party. I know it's a little strange, but she just really fell in love with it. I guess I fail to see how some other similar rides are better because they are classics, but this one should go.

 

[happypaws]

This was my favorite ride on my first trip to Disney in 89. I was 4 and I remember taking my dad on it over and over. I even have that old figment stuffed animal somewhere still.
Coming back on future trips to see it closed and then change was just really sad.
I agree OP that this version might be time to close.
I also agree with Dreamport that an Inside Out revamp with DF and Figment has potential, perfect blend of old and new.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Too bad they can't take some of the profit they are obviously earning on dessert parties and use it for new attractions.

 

[GaryDis]

Too bad they can't take some of the profit they are obviously earning on dessert parties and use it for new attractions.

For the Star Wars dessert party, with a capacity of 140, assuming all adults at $70/each, that comes to ballpark $10K (very generously). I've seen Wishes quoted as over $40K a night, so if the Star Works show is just a quarter of that, the dessert party is just covering the cost of the show (since no one else is paying specifically for it), without even considering th cost of the party.

But let's say we don't apply the income against the show costs, since they'll have the show anyway. $10K/night comes to $3,650,000. A new ride can run $100,000,000. So that's over 25 years before the Star Wars dessert party could pay the cost of a new ride.

 

[Klayfish]

Journey Into Imagination. It used to be one of the must-dos in EPCOT, but now Journey Into Imagination with Figment rarely gets over a 5 minute wait.

Disney is more focused on what movies made money and making rides for them. Well duh. Sounds like a sound business model to me. They need to focus on the classic rides that desperately need attention. This includes Journey Into Imagination.

Disney has given up with Journey Into Imagination. They don't care anymore. You know this for a fact, or is this just your personal opinion? They sealed up all of Imageworks and made the upstairs of Journey Into Imagination into a DVC Lounge. This made it clear that Journey Into Imagination was dead.

Disney has also done a lot with the theater that previously housed Captain EO. Now it's a Disney Pixar short film showcase. That's what I wanna do at a theme park: watch short films. Sounds like your lamenting the passing of Captain EO and ripping the short films. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Captain EO a short film?




See my comments above in red. Listen, I'm all for nostalgic stuff too, and I really hate to see things that I loved as a kid in the 70s and 80s disappear from WDW. However, I recognize times change and I can't be the "get off my lawn" guy for everything. I want to see some classic stuff stay too, but things change. Maybe it's not so much that Disney gave up on Journey as it is the guests visiting Epcot have different expectations than they did 10 or 20 years ago. It's kind of hard to rip Disney for building rides based on their most popular recent movies. I don't hear people ripping them for making more Frozen things and now building Star Wars land. Disney is a business. I also sorely miss Captain EO. I'm one of the very few of my generation who isn't ashamed to admit I LOVED Michael Jackson when he was in his prime. So it's a shame it's gone, but they put another short film in it's place. On the whole, I don't disagree that much of Epcot needs updating, but I don't believe Disney just gives up and doesn't care. I'd bet they do care and I'd bet it's on their list somewhere, but there are already a ton of other projects going on, so it doesn't surprise me that nothing is being done with it...yet.

 

[kbelle8995]

I have nostalgic feelings for Figment and the original ride. I rode it a lot when I was a kid. I also really loved the original Image works. I was always dragged out of there by my parents.

I would hate to see Figment thrown out of the park completely and I would also like to see Dreamfinder come back. But right now Disney is focused on other areas.

 

[Wackdawg]

I agree that JII should be updated. However, I disagree with using Inside out. They should just redo the entire pavilion to its original state, but with modern technological devices to attract this generation as well as enticing the older generations to come back and enjoy the attraction they knew and loved so well. Example would be using the newer animatronics we have seen on other newer attractions like SDMT and using that type of technology with a revamped JII. Also use the upstairs like before but with newer and more exciting attractions. Figment should always be an integral part of EPCOT and remain its mascot.

 

[Josh Lee]

I think it used to be one of the must-dos in its previous incarnation. I would do it if they brought that back. The current one is unwatchable.

I just rode it on my trip this past weekend and couldn't stop playing Pokemon GO the whole time it was so bad

 

[Josh Lee]

A whole bunch of stuff with red comments

Captain EO was more of a 3D experience than short film

 

[Josh Lee]

I think an Inside Out attraction would fit, but I don't know if it would get many people. Does anyone know how much revenue Inside Out took in? I'm not sure if it was that successful.

 

[AngiTN]

We, well DGD, like it and you can find waits more than 5 min, thanks to FP+. Believe it or not, to please DGD, we waited about 25 min for it. I don't think it should close and hope it doesn't.

I would like to see it become "more" random in the things you see during the ride. They could change so you didn't always get the skunk smell fairly easily, I'd think.