Journey Into Imagination Photos

WDWFigment · Jul 18, 2007

Does anyone have any photos (preferrably as large as possible as I'm trying to make some into desktop backgrounds) of scenes from the original Journey Into Imagination attraction, ImageWorks, and the Imagination building itself?

I know the normal suggestion would be to try Google Images (and Google itself), but I have tried there with various search queries and found very little. I also perused over 25 pages of Webshots with various queries and found very little (although I did discover that a lot of guests like to put on Figment hats and play with puppets in the gift shop and then take their pictures).

If you have an especially large number of pictures, you can email them to me (tom.bricker@gmail.com), but I'm sure others would love to see these pictures as well!

EDIT: This is not in the Photo Request forum because no ever posts or reads the posts there, so it would be pointless to place this topic there.

Bobster · Jul 19, 2007

Not as old as you'd like, but here's a shot of the building from last summer ...

You can find a size of this image up to 1680x1050 on my site as follows:
http://www.wdwlive.com/walt-disney-world-photos.html?s1=18&s2=490&s3=3800

mousermerf · Jul 19, 2007

Your best bet is to get ahold of the books "Since the World Began" and "Walt Disney's Epcot Center" as both have concept art and photos of the original attraction and pavilion.

jeffb · Jul 19, 2007

I wish I had more, but here is an exterior shot from Aug 1983. I would try the Disney Extinct Attraction photo group on flickr. http://www.flickr.com/groups/disney_graveyard/pool/

PKD · Jul 19, 2007

jeffb said:
I wish I had more, but here is an exterior shot from Aug 1983. I would try the Disney Extinct Attraction photo group on flickr. http://www.flickr.com/groups/disney_graveyard/pool/

The days of when Journey HAD a reason for long lines

Nemo14 · Jul 19, 2007

Wow - I remember waiting in lines like that for it. It was such a releif when you finally got into the shade!

jeffb · Jul 19, 2007

convrsboy said:
The days of when Journey HAD a reason for long lines

And the original ride was designed to handle 2,576 people an hour. so that really is a long line.

cb3k · Jul 19, 2007

Those lines are unbelievable. And whats even more unbelievable is that they were occuring 2 years before I was even born. Can anyone weigh in on why the ride was so popular at that time...I know it was an amazing ride and is still regarded as a classic, however I am just curious if at that time there was a lot of buzz over it being "advanced" or "simply amusing"..what was the hype surrounding JII?

WDWFigment · Jul 19, 2007

I found this photo in the Flickr group (photo by "The Maggot Prince") and have no idea where it's from. Does anyone know.

Also, I've seen a postcard with the image behind Figment on it, but this looks like a poster. Does anyone know if this poster was ever sold at EPCOT? I'd LOVE to have it.

Imaginationeer · Jul 19, 2007

That's an original model that was on display at the pin event one of the last few years, the icture was released in a framed pin set. That should answer your questions.:wave:

SpenceMan01 · Jul 19, 2007

WDWFigment said:
Also, I've seen a postcard with the image behind Figment on it, but this looks like a poster. Does anyone know if this poster was ever sold at EPCOT? I'd LOVE to have it.

Looks laminated...almost like a placemat. I have a placemat of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves along the pathway in the hub near Crystal Palace/Adventureland, so I know they used to make them.

Empress Room · Jul 19, 2007

cb3k said:
Those lines are unbelievable. And whats even more unbelievable is that they were occuring 2 years before I was even born. Can anyone weigh in on why the ride was so popular at that time...I know it was an amazing ride and is still regarded as a classic, however I am just curious if at that time there was a lot of buzz over it being "advanced" or "simply amusing"..what was the hype surrounding JII?

Although the original JII was, in fact, a great ride, complete with whimsy and creativity, and the entire Imagination pavillion (with an open upstairs) was a cutting edge sensory experience, the lines outside of the pavillion in 1983 were, in part, due to what WDW was in 1983.

Let's face it, when this picture was taken, there was no MGM, no AK, no water parks, no downtown Disney, no miniature golf, fewer resorts etc to absorb and spread out the crowds. There was just the MK (itself containing less attractions and rides) and EPCOT Center, which itself had positive buzz because it was brand new.

So, yes, the original incarnation of JII was infinitely better than its successors and the pavillion as a whole contained many more activities - justifyng longer lines; however, one needs to view a picture like this with a little historical perspective, IMHO.

Figment82 · Jul 19, 2007

cb3k said:
Those lines are unbelievable. And whats even more unbelievable is that they were occuring 2 years before I was even born. Can anyone weigh in on why the ride was so popular at that time...I know it was an amazing ride and is still regarded as a classic, however I am just curious if at that time there was a lot of buzz over it being "advanced" or "simply amusing"..what was the hype surrounding JII?

In August 1983, the ride was just 5 months old so it had all of the "newness" hype surrounding it like any ride today. It was one of the most technologically advanced rides of its time, and so full of detail and wonderful characters, that it's very easy to see why people would line up like that.

Plus, the park itself was not even a year old at that point.

Dizknee_Phreek · Jul 19, 2007

convrsboy said:
The days of when Journey HAD a reason for long lines

lol, I was thinking the same thing. So sad to see how it ended up. Hopefully that will change very soon, and we'll start seeing lines like this again!

bgraham34 · Jul 19, 2007

Wow I can never remember the lines like that. But boy would I love to wait in one of those one more time to ride the old version one more time.

marni1971 · Jul 19, 2007

In August `83 the ride itself was only 5 months old... in a new park that WAS cutting edge...and it was the height of summer.

I`ll be happy to scan some large format old publicity shots if you are still looking?

WDWFigment · Jul 19, 2007

marni1971 said:
In August `83 the ride itself was only 5 months old... in a new park that WAS cutting edge...and it was the height of summer.

I`ll be happy to scan some large format old publicity shots if you are still looking?

Those would be great. I scanned some of the pictures from the EPCOT Center book (83, I think) and another WDW book, but they aren't exactly what I'm looking for. But truthfully, I don't think anything short of taking my digital camera onto the old attraction would satiate my desire for JII pictures at this point.

So...does anyone have access to a time machine?

But seriously, if you could scan those publicity shots, it would be greatly appreciated!

Cmdr_Crimson · Jul 19, 2007

WDWFigment said:
Also, I've seen a postcard with the image behind Figment on it, but this looks like a poster. Does anyone know if this poster was ever sold at EPCOT? I'd LOVE to have it.

Well believe it or not I found the image Swimming on the web..It's not a poster but at least you can do something with it!

http://www.bigbrian-nc.com/0100-/50153-800.jpg

marni1971 · Jul 19, 2007

WDWFigment said:
But seriously, if you could scan those publicity shots, it would be greatly appreciated!

Okay. Bear in mind they are mainly exterior pics, not ride photos. I`ve a few interior shots here and there. For the original ride pick up my JII - Martins Ultimate Tribute video for a full multicam - source audio ridethru with concept and construction section.

-for free, as always, at the usual places

raven · Jul 19, 2007

Empress Room said:
Let's face it, when this picture was taken, there was no MGM, no AK, no water parks, no downtown Disney, no miniature golf, fewer resorts etc to absorb and spread out the crowds. There was just the MK (itself containing less attractions and rides) and EPCOT Center, which itself had positive buzz because it was brand new.

I went to WDW in 1993 and there was definately a Downtown Disney called the Marketplace. I distinctively remember the giant kaleidoscope which is now a clock by the World Of Disney store. I'm not sure but I believe River Country was around as well back then. The crowds weren't nearly as large as they are today. Epcot was new and everyone wanted to go because no one had ever done a theame park like that before.

Journey Into Imagination Photos

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