EPCOT Figment, well, to be replaced by Figment

[FigmentsBrightIdeas]

Figment, for whatever reason, has always drawn a particularly intense and obsessive following. I personally find it pretty bewildering that a character from an objectively bad theme park attraction that hasn’t received any notable attention in over 20 years still has such a devoted fanbase.

I’ll tell you the reason. This attraction had the same attendance, popularity, reputation, and merch sales as classics like Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Haunted Mansion have for decades now. The one core difference is Disney hasn’t done the same bafflingly crazy thing they’ve done with Journey Into Imagination over the years and gotten away with it despite all the complaints. Can’t figure out why people are so annoyed? I guarantee if this same thing happened with the attractions I mentioned, the very same thing would be taking place. I gurantee it. The craziest gaslighting/sham operation you’ve ever seen take place in theme park history. Seriously.

Imagine a High School Musical ride replacing Haunted Mansion called ‘Haunted Mansion <high, and to fix it, shoehorn the ghosts back into it in a way not at all remiscent to their original usage and call it “Haunted Mansion with Ghosts”. And then for years pretend it never changed or had very little changes and continue, despite the 20+ year massive amount of evidence against it, using the High School Musical redo elements (Grim Grinning Ghosts that are rapping like 50-cent (they’re now high schoolers in costumes too, as opposed to real ghosts, kinda like how Figment isn’t a creation anymore, but a “discovery” that pops out of nowhere, that ‘isn’t’ an example of the creative process anymore) while doing their moves upside down that resemble little to nothing of their original scenes. They’re still singing & socializing right? So that makes perfect sense), and keep teasing/“testing” us by selling merch of the old themes from time to time, the one folks clamor for back, they sell the highest of anything.. and then go back to selling (and making short form media out of) the junk little to no one likes, just w slight elements of the original further implemented now (in the background) to gaslight people further, despite the long complaints against it. Despite Yale Gracey, Marc Davis, X Atencio, etc. calling it out for what it is & being upset about it for years on top of that. That’s what this is. 100%. Despite some desperately trying to pretend it isn’t when it so blatantly is. Anyone that does this sort of thing, in particular the folks in charge at the company that actually have the power to do something, when they know full well the truth and what they’re doing should be ashamed of themselves, stop doing this, and instead do the right thing & if not, they deserve to be put on blast. Basically what I discussed in my prior post bringing this up.

I said what I said. That is all. Farewell.

 

[UNCgolf]

Figment, for whatever reason, has always drawn a particularly intense and obsessive following. I personally find it pretty bewildering that a character from an objectively bad theme park attraction that hasn’t received any notable attention in over 20 years still has such a devoted fanbase.

The original Imagination is one of the best attractions Disney or any other company has ever built worldwide (and the current version is horrible), but Figment wasn't the driving reason for me.

He was an important part of the attraction and the mascot, but I think Dreamfinder was more important. I also don't think Figment even works well as a character without Dreamfinder (or some other analogue).

So despite loving the original attraction I've also never quite grasped the Figment thing.

 

[aladdin2007]

I’ll tell you the reason. This attraction had the same attendance, popularity, reputation, and merch sales as classics like Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Haunted Mansion have for decades now. The one core difference is Disney hasn’t done the same bafflingly crazy thing they’ve done with Journey Into Imagination over the years and gotten away with it despite all the complaints. Can’t figure out why people are so annoyed? I guarantee if this same thing happened with the attractions I mentioned, the very same thing would be taking place. I gurantee it. The craziest gaslighting/sham operation you’ve ever seen take place in theme park history. Seriously.

Imagine a High School Musical ride replacing Haunted Mansion called ‘Haunted Mansion <high, and to fix it, shoehorn the ghosts back into it in a way not at all remiscent to their original usage and call it “Haunted Mansion with Ghosts”. And then for years pretend it never changed or had very little changes and continue, despite the 20+ year massive amount of evidence against it, using the High School Musical redo elements (Grim Grinning Ghosts that are rapping like 50-cent (they’re now high schoolers in costumes too, as opposed to real ghosts, kinda like how Figment isn’t a creation anymore, but a “discovery” that pops out of nowhere, that ‘isn’t’ an example of the creative process anymore) while doing their moves upside down that resemble little to nothing of their original scenes. They’re still singing & socializing right? So that makes perfect sense), and keep teasing/“testing” us by selling merch of the old themes from time to time, the one folks clamor for back, they sell the highest of anything.. and then go back to selling (and making short form media out of) the junk little to no one likes, just w slight elements of the original further implemented now (in the background) to gaslight people further, despite the long complaints against it. Despite Yale Gracey, Marc Davis, X Atencio, etc. calling it out for what it is & being upset about it for years on top of that. That’s what this is. 100%. Despite some desperately trying to pretend it isn’t when it so blatantly is. Anyone that does this sort of thing, in particular the folks in charge at the company that actually have the power to do something, when they know full well the truth and what they’re doing should be ashamed of themselves, stop doing this, and instead do the right thing & if not, they deserve to be put on blast. Basically what I discussed in my prior post bringing this up.

I said what I said. That is all. Farewell.

Its almost comical how management sees the ride as good enough, when they know it isn't, but purposely continue to ignore it because they know what everyone wants. They refuse to give in. Over 20 years now and the same mentality still holds inside the company halls. It really is unbelievable. I know you were referring to other things more or less but it just adds in an extra couple points to yours. An entire generation or more later and were still stuck with it as is. I know its been mentioned by the 50th,.def won't be before that I don't think and that's a long while still, but oh well we have gone this long, lets go for another generation yet.

 

[HMF]

Its almost comical how management sees the ride as good enough, when they know it isn't, but purposely continue to ignore it because they know what everyone wants. They refuse to give in. Over 20 years now and the same mentality still holds inside the company halls. It really is unbelievable. I know you were referring to other things more or less but it just adds in an extra couple points to yours. An entire generation or more later and were still stuck with it as is. I know its been mentioned by the 50th,.def won't be before that I don't think and that's a long while still, but oh well we have gone this long, lets go for another generation yet.

I am still betting that we are likely in the last year or so of this sad incarnation of the attraction and I am not famous for my optimism.

 

[Figments Friend]

Ride will never change until Tom Fitzgerald retires.

Kick em’ out….

-

 

[HMF]

Ride will never change until Tom Fitzgerald retires.

Kick em’ out….

-

Is he the last one standing of the 2nd Gen Imagineers?

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

Clearly people like the ride enough as even this version still moves merchandise and can get a line at times. Also the logic is that one ride exists and the other ride does not. Disney is going to be selling Frozen merch more likely than chocking the giftshop at the end of Frozen Ever After with Maelstrom merch. Maybe they should start selling Great Movie Ride merchandise outside of MMRR? Or Brer Rabbit outside of TBA!

I don’t think any of this negates the fact that the ride is in desperate need of another redo, and that it does start sometimes to get a little tiresome to get lots of new merch rather than any firm commitment to actually fixing it up.

I get “Pixie Duster” thrown at me left, right, and center on this site because I’m very satisfied with most of the current projects that are underway. But I’ll gladly stand ten toes down on the assertion that this incarnation of the ride is laughably terrible and absolutely needs some TLC to bring it back closer to what it started as.

And while I DO think whatever the folks with the Figment avis in this thread are doing (seriously, some of these essays are a little concerning), I really cannot blame anyone for wishing that Disney would actually do something with this ride if they’re gonna insist on pushing Figment as much as they are.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

I don’t think any of this negates the fact that the ride is in desperate need of another redo, and that it does start sometimes to get a little tiresome to get lots of new merch rather than any firm commitment to actually fixing it up.

I get “Pixie Duster” thrown at me left, right, and center on this site because I’m very satisfied with most of the current projects that are underway. But I’ll gladly stand ten toes down on the assertion that this incarnation of the ride is laughably terrible and absolutely needs some TLC to bring it back closer to what it started as.

And while I DO think whatever the folks with the Figment avis in this thread are doing (seriously, some of these essays are a little concerning), I really cannot blame anyone for wishing that Disney would actually do something with this ride if they’re gonna insist on pushing Figment as much as they are.

No no I agree that this ride desperately needs an update; I just don’t get the need to be so mad that they are providing merch for a ride that is currently there vs something that hasn’t been around for so long. To me, it seems worse to have merch for the superior ride that you aren’t bringing back

 

[bmr1591]

Probably old, but I haven’t seen this tshirt before. I was surprised to see Disney referencing Dreamfinder at all.