" Journey Into Imagination: The Tragic Tale of Disney's Lost Attraction Masterpiece" article

FettFan

FettFan

Well-Known Member
Cmdr_Crimson said:
What's even sadder is how much Figment merchandise is sold...If there's barely anything there in the Pavillion maybe 3 or 4 shirts and maybe a hoodie here and there..They don't even put ANY Figment merch in Mousegear or Gateway Gifts...He use to be more prominent everywhere not just shoehorned into a corner to be forgotten...

My Range of "Happy" Figment Emotion is for this...
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Including World Showcase.
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Heck, I remember when Gateway Gifts was practically "The Figment Shop", back in the good old days.
Now it's the exact same generic merchandise you find at every other Disney gift shop.



Makes me wonder how long it will be before we start seeing Frozen merch popping up at Memento Mori...
 
Disneytwinmom

Disneytwinmom

New Member
Goofyernmost said:
In spite of the "original" being outdated, one would be hard pressed to find a more jaw dropping beginning then when you are riding along side the Dreamfinder and Figment. That got me every time. It didn't matter how many times I saw it. It was perhaps the most amazing AA display that has ever been shown and the originality of the turntable (although kinda used in CoP) is an engineering marvel. That said, however, the rest of it was pretty boring. Not as bad as the present one is, but, a yawner anyway. That is why most people only remember the beginning and unless they see a film of the rest would be at a loss to describe it.
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terrible pic but here ya go! I agree it was very cool!
 
Magicart87

Magicart87

No Refunds!
Premium Member
One of the bests...and I never got to experience it. I got a serious case of Foaxnostalgia. Dreamfinder was before my time but dang if that wasn't a great attraction. Thanks Youtube for the trip down someone else's memory lane! Wish it were still here. Current version is just so bleh.
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
A new version of the original, with today's technology, could be the jaw dropping, epic E ticket that Futureworld needs.

New script with same story, new animatronics, same ride path with updated ride system and state of the art visuals. The more you look into the original attraction - and pavilion in general - the more amazing it was.

What's more annoying is it wouldn't take that much work. The bones and the building are there already.

Sticking a movie tie in where she doesn't belong is today's Epcot.
 
THEMEPARKPIONEER

THEMEPARKPIONEER

Well-Known Member
marni1971 said:
A new version of the original, with today's technology, could be the jaw dropping, epic E ticket that Futureworld needs.

New script with same story, new animatronics, same ride path with updated ride system and state of the art visuals. The more you look into the original attraction - and pavilion in general - the more amazing it was.

What's more annoying is it wouldn't take that much work. The bones and the building are there already.

Sticking a movie tie in where she doesn't belong is today's Epcot.
Click to expand...
For a company thats all about numbers they pretty much just flushed money down the toilet. Imagine if they just left it and made some upgrades. Fresh coat of paint, new projections and replace all the screens in image works and they would have been golden. Same with Spaceship Earth... they could have skipped that elaborate screen system on the ride cart which probably cost just as much as the Magic Kingdoms parade route system and had a tomorrows child ending. Heck in that case they could have just cut out some of Jeremy Irons narration and left most of the beginning alone.
 
mcompanik

mcompanik

Member
The whole pavilion definitely needs to change. The first time I saw the Mystic Manor ride through, I said that they could use the same ride, just change the characters and story. I'm not sure if it would fit in the current pavilions space, but even if it was a bit smaller, it would be better than what we have now. As far as upstairs, do something, anything with it. How about a restaurant? Not sure about the view of the lagoon (never had the pleasure of going up there), but if is good, it would be a great place to see Illuminations. Since like every company, Disney is about making money, It would definitely bring people to the park and keep them there longer, which would cause them to spend more money. It would add merchandise, which would cause people to spend more money. If it is extremely popular, there could be a movie tie in, which generates ticket sales and merchandise possibilities outside of the parks, which causes people who can't go to the parks spend money.
In other words, you have to spend money to make money. This is a prime opportunity for them to do so. The pavilion screams for something to be done with it. (I also just realized that as I am writing this, I'm drinking my coffee out of my Figment mug)
 
Haymarket2008

Haymarket2008

Well-Known Member
marni1971 said:
A new version of the original, with today's technology, could be the jaw dropping, epic E ticket that Futureworld needs.

New script with same story, new animatronics, same ride path with updated ride system and state of the art visuals. The more you look into the original attraction - and pavilion in general - the more amazing it was.

What's more annoying is it wouldn't take that much work. The bones and the building are there already.

Sticking a movie tie in where she doesn't belong is today's Epcot.
Click to expand...

Was any of what you described part of the "plans" for the refurbishment that never came to fruition in 07-08? I agree with every point you made.
 
G8rchamps

G8rchamps

Well-Known Member
As tech changes around us any ride needs updates...that said, what better way to see the future than the imagination? Space, Cars, energy - all views into the past. Lets all imagine out Journey into the Imagnation and keep Figment (yes I still have my stuffed animal I got as a 13 yr old boy)
 
The Empress Lilly

The Empress Lilly

Well-Known Member
Goofyernmost said:
In spite of the "original" being outdated, one would be hard pressed to find a more jaw dropping beginning then when you are riding along side the Dreamfinder and Figment. That got me every time. It didn't matter how many times I saw it. It was perhaps the most amazing AA display that has ever been shown and the originality of the turntable (although kinda used in CoP) is an engineering marvel. That said, however, the rest of it was pretty boring. Not as bad as the present one is, but, a yawner anyway. That is why most people only remember the beginning and unless they see a film of the rest would be at a loss to describe it.
Click to expand...
Surprisingly, for me it is the reverse. I thought the first bit boring. Stationary, while Figs and Dreamfinder chatter on endlessly. The second half was what it was all about!

The thing with the scenery moving along with you, is that ultimate you are left with the feeling of not moving at all. I think the turntable was a bit too clever for its own good, too much emphasis on pushing the medium and too little on guest experience.
Of course, one would wish current WDW *would* try to push the limit of dark ride storytelling, but okay.
 
The Empress Lilly

The Empress Lilly

Well-Known Member
article said:
1) Imagination did need to change. Even if Kodak hadn’t demanded it, the ride – while nostalgic and beloved – was no longer fit for a spot in a park determined to showcase innovation. Not in its then-current state, at least. And today’s technology could do wonders to tell the story of Dreamfinder, Figment, and the four realms of Imagination.
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Why would Imagination needed to have changed? The pavilion was not about innovation, it was about imagination. It needed to show creativity, not technology. It showed an ingredient, not a product. Imagination was precisely the one FW pavilion that needed very little updating.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
The Empress Lilly said:
Surprisingly, for me it is the reverse. I thought the first bit boring. Stationary, while Figs and Dreamfinder chatter on endlessly. The second half was what it was all about!

The thing with the scenery moving along with you, is that ultimate you are left with the feeling of not moving at all. I think the turntable was a bit too clever for its own good, too much emphasis on pushing the medium and too little on guest experience.
Of course, one would wish current WDW *would* try to push the limit of dark ride storytelling, but okay.
Click to expand...
I'll give you that as a possibility. I was awestruck at the technical aspect of it. The length of time that it allowed to set up the story without having to stop and listen. I was in my late thirties before I ever saw it the first time, so maybe my focus was somewhat different, but, I still maintain that when someone remembers that ride, what they remember is that turntable beginning and, for the most part, the rest comes back when you see a photo or a video.
 
W

WendyGirl1979

New Member
The Empress Lilly said:
Why would Imagination needed to have changed? The pavilion was not about innovation, it was about imagination. It needed to show creativity, not technology. It showed an ingredient, not a product. Imagination was precisely the one FW pavilion that needed very little updating.
Click to expand...
This. Watching the video, I was shaking my head that the ride was 'dated'. Mechanical nightmare? Certainly and I understand if taking out the turntable was the only way to save the whole shebang. But other than updating the behind-the-scenes technology, we could still be flying with the Dreamfinder today. I enjoyed the article otherwise, just disagreed with the writer's conclusions.
 
Jamie2016

Jamie2016

New Member
Well, I know that Eisner hated Figment (which is why he was removed originally from JII 2.0), but other than that I don't know much and neither does Ron. The ride was originally supposed to open with the rest of Epcot, but the turntable was causing problems. It was screwing itself into the ground but the ride was closed for a time and fixed after the first year. The other issue was that, at any given moment, only about 1/2 to 2/3 of the effects worked, but there was so much going on that most people never noticed... Like I never knew that the balloon in turntable was supposed to subtlety rise and fall like floating.. I never saw it, but Ron says it was there. He also said there was supposed to be another floor to the turntable.. You would go through the dream port and then through the top half of the turntable (where the imageworks was). Of course again, money got in the way. Ron was so lucky, he got to wander through the ride when it was wasn't operating.
 

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