Rumor Inside Out to Replace Journey into Imagination with Figment?

[brb1006]

I am pretty young and never got to ride Journey Into the Imagination when it was apparently one of the best rides. I've been on the new version only once or twice, and it was so long ago I can hardly remember it. When I grew up a little and became interested in Disney's history I realized and can appreciate why so many people love him. I wish I could have that same sentiment and have tried to adopt it for myself but I just can't; it's not a part of my childhood. That being said, my personal interpretation of Figment is strange. I don't feel like he is a real disney character, I feel like he's this oddball outsider, even with knowing how special he once was. However I don't wish for the parks to be rid of him. It's just that for people younger than me, kids and teenagers today, I don't think they have any sense of who Figment is or what he's supposed to be, not in the current state of his attraction. I wish they could revitalize him somehow but I can't think of any way to do it without it feeling forced. If they do replace Journey and keep Figment in promotions and merch, I think that would make things worse and make his presence even more questionable

You should get a kick out of Martin's upcoming Imagination Tribute video coming this Fall.

 

[marni1971]

Haven't you mentioned that plans already exist for a proper JII overhaul with Dreamfinder and Figment? Or am I just imagining things?

They exist. Have done for a decade now that I know of.

 

[brb1006]

Yeah.. but if you look at the limited edition Epcot merch that comes out every year for F&G, F&W, and FotA, it's not Duffy or Elsa on it.. it's Figment. Right up to dooney and burke bags.

If "nobody knows who he is", a lot of people are dropping coin on high end logo merch unaware of the character.

And rarely Dreamfinder during special occasion (Mostly seen on T-shirts and pins) mostly during D23.

 

[larryz]

Folks, it's called "Epcot," not "F-cot."

Figment is not the be-all, end-all of Epcot's being. That said, putting Inside Out into the Imagination pavilion makes no sense. It's the Imagination pavilion -- not the Emotions pavilion.

Emotions are, however, one of the so-called "Wonders of Life." Does that name ring a bell with anyone else?

 

[Disone]

If you can't tell the difference between Epcot and Fantasyland, you should go do some reading

Feel better? Got that little flame in? Do you feel better now, like you you've really made your point. Good. I am well aware of the difference, I just don't agree that Epcot cannot have Disney created content. Everypark before it and after it does.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

You know that's Great Moments at the Movies, right? Later retooled as The Great Movie Ride? We can't bring it back until after it closes!

Yes. But, It was such a bad placement for Epcot it's the reason the studio park was made for it later on..

 

[Lora Baines Bradley]

I was singing to myself as I scrolled through the News & Rumors section when I saw this title and yelled quite loudly, "WHAT THE HECK?"

If an IP must be put in there, Inside Out is the best fit. There is some sort of irony, though, that an original EPCOT Center attraction inspired Inside Out and, if this comes to fruition, Inside Out will replace something the park used to stand for. Not saying the JIIWF is good, far from it, but I make a point to ride it every trip and make it known to multiple CMs that hey, I would like Dreamfinder back and a non obnoxious Figment. In case the CMs can turn over any sort of feedback, which I doubt, but it doesn't hurt to try.

 

[Turtle]

The lead director and writer of the movie was one of the imagineers who created Cranium Command, and that attraction was effectively Inside Out's inspiration.

Source? I'm nearly certain that Pete Docter, writer and director, was never an imagineer.

 

[hopemax]

Source? I'm nearly certain that Pete Docter, writer and director, was never an imagineer.

Not Imagineer...but one of his early jobs was as an animator on the Cranium Command pre-show.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Do we know what Epcot is supposed to be when all of these replacements and additions are implemented in 5 years or so? Are they still going to try to present the park as having some kind of cohesive message or theme, or is the idea going to be that this is basically WDW theme park #2 with a weird name?

I think everyone agrees that the current incarnations of Imagination and Figment are terrible, but removing this for yet another movie-based ride seems to be close to the final nail in the coffin for this park having any unique identity. Spaceship Earth will increasingly seem like some sort of weird anomaly the way things are going.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

I really don't have a problem with this, of course I would prefer an original IP but at this point I just want something new and decent to replace Imagination.

 

[Just4Pics]

Literally no reason not to use the Wonders of Life building.

If UoE is going to become space themed with GotG then it would actually interrupt the overarching theme of that area to have a space themed ride, then a Inside Out ride, then a space themed ride, then a space themed restaurant. It would make more sense (and even be somewhat true to the original vision) to turn that whole area into an enlarged space pavilion.

Not saying I agree with GotG or IO taking over, but this is where we're at now....

 

[fgmnt]

I just find this being any more than a passing wisp in the Bobs' eyes to be perplexing. Is Inside Out really displaying the potential to move more merchandise than Figment (and DF)? If you evict Figment from that pavilion and the attraction that replaces it isn't a 100% surefire hit, you'll have irate and disillusioned purists, sure, but you'll also have the same amount of guests disinterested in the pavilion.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Do we know what Epcot is supposed to be when all of these replacements and additions are implemented in 5 years or so? Are they still going to try to present the park as having some kind of cohesive message or theme, or is the idea going to be that this is basically WDW theme park #2 with a weird name?

I think everyone agrees that the current incarnations of Imagination and Figment are terrible, but removing this for yet another movie-based ride seems to be close to the final nail in the coffin for this park having any unique identity. Spaceship Earth will increasingly seem like some sort of weird anomaly the way things are going.

Magic Kingdom 2 with countries and no castle?

 

[Just4Pics]

I blame Kodak

In all seriousness, Kodak has done a lot of damage to Epcot, from destroying JII to killing Mt Fuji before it even started.

They deserve to go bankrupt.

 

[DocMcHulk]

Figment continues to be a HUGE draw for merchandise. They previewed the Dooney & Bourke Food & Wine Festival bags at D23 and it's 100% Figment:

Yes, but look at it through Disney corporate eyes. A popular character in a small population of people... or, a popular set of characters (Inside Out) in a VERY large population of people. It's easy to see they'd have no problem ditching Figment in a heartbeat if it meant reaching a larger audience for merch. And they can still sell "retro' Figment gear for those who remember him.

 

[DisneyDodo]

I thought the plan was to replace JIIWF with trackless IO ride and then create a Figment movie for the Magic Eye Theater so as not to evict Figment from the park

 

[MissM]

Yes, but look at it through Disney corporate eyes. A popular character in a small population of people... or, a popular set of characters (Inside Out) in a VERY large population of people. It's easy to see they'd have no problem ditching Figment in a heartbeat if it meant reaching a larger audience for merch. And they can still sell "retro' Figment gear for those who remember him.

I'm not saying Inside Out isn't popular. But Figment: 3 Dooney & Bourke purse releases; Inside Out: zero.

Figment has become the default mascot for Flower & Garden and Food & Wine festival and all it's merchandise for several years now. And it sells. Very well. Disney is making plenty of money off of Figment and as long as people continue to buy, no reason not keep doing it.

 

[NormC]

And build the bar and casino complex you have always wanted.

Now its time for Disney to announce that RCID is actually the tribal nation of the Shmoehawk Tribe... thereby allowing Disney to build a casino.

Props to whoever recognizes the boston radio host who named the tribe

Charles Laquidara?

 

[Ignohippo]

Pete Docter actually created a mockup of the transformation of this into Inside Out with the help of the Imagineers back in early 2015.

From what I understand, nothing has come of it (which makes literally zero sense to me). The movie was certainly successful enough. Dreamfinder and Figment even made cameos in his concept.