Figment Question

[1disneydood]

I was too young to really remember the last time I saw Figment and DF out there for people to meet. How was Figment controlled? I know that they make these little puppets where you slip a wire down the top of your shirt and take it through your sleave where you can twist it and make it turn its head or pull out further to make his mouth open. I think these are a lot newer and way after they were around, anyone remember how Figment was controlled. In some pictures it looks like a tradition lap-dummy but in other ones it doesn't and you can see his hand (unless DF just took it out for the picture. :lol: )

**SPOILER BELOW**








Fake arm under puppet :lol:

 

[Sledge]

BRILLIIIIIIIIIIANT! You're so smart! Don't know if your right since I have no clue, but sounds good to me. :lol:

 

[wardrobeguy]

I'm sorry the more I think about the image wardrobeguy has painted for me, the more anger and sadness well up inside me. Its making me physically sick.:hurl: So I'll quit with my rant now.

OH NO! I'm so sorry if my post made people sad...I didn't mean to make anyone sick about Imagination's 2nd floor...! Actually, I have vivid memories of ImageWorks from my one visit to Epcot in '85 when I was 14. (I didn't get back to WDW until 2001 to see Epcot again!).

It is sad that the old ImageWorks area is gone, but a lot of its games and cool stuff back in the early 80s would be really kinda lame today. I do agree that the new ImageWorks is a dud, and that very little in the Imagination pavilion actually allows you to use your imagination.

I remember being completely entranced by the old area, but even in it's empty state I thought it was kinda cool to see a part of the original EPCOT Center, and that we were allowed to see it on the backstage tour. It made me smile to see the old neon tunnel. I just like knowing that even if the attraction is gone, that an original part of it is still there. I still have a photo of me standing in the tunnel back in the day. It was a nice Disney memory to have "re-sparked" this year.

 

[Dj Corona]

The skunk smells' appropriate since version 3.0 stinks compared to the original. I don't know if anybody has thrown this idea out there or not, and it'll never happen anyway, but all that new real estate where 20k used to be- the original JIYI would be a sweet addition to Fantasyland. As much as I like Figment, he just always seems a little out of place ( as if his spot in Disney purgatory is any better) Close the abomination in Epcot, and cut him loose in the Magic Kingdom. It makes sense Fantasyland=Imagination.

 

[Sledge]

Yeah and they could put Mr. Toad right next to it. :lol:

 

[trdisneyfan]

The skunk smells' appropriate since version 3.0 stinks compared to the original. I don't know if anybody has thrown this idea out there or not, and it'll never happen anyway, but all that new real estate where 20k used to be- the original JIYI would be a sweet addition to Fantasyland. As much as I like Figment, he just always seems a little out of place ( as if his spot in Disney purgatory is any better) Close the abomination in Epcot, and cut him loose in the Magic Kingdom. It makes sense Fantasyland=Imagination.

They can feel free to bring him to Disneyland

Reading all of this is really bringing back the memories. I would be amazed if Disney were to ever restore that ride, or create an updated ride that was amazing as the original - something that the imagineers could use to flex their own imaginations and uber-creative personalities. But with the current trend of Disney upgrades, Imagination 4.0 will have to be some white-knuckle thrill ride.

It's stupid that they (Kodak) would change something just because that was in the original plan. Was the ride all that unpopular when it was initially changed? Wasn't it obvious that people loved that ride and it just could have used some TLC.

Speaking of proper TLC, has anyone seen the primo job they've done to the DL castle?

Before... http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/photos/popup.mg?ImageID=6347721&Size=Largehttp://darkbeer.smugmug.com/photos/...7721&Size=Large

After... http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/photos/popup.mg?ImageID=10423045&Size=Largehttp://darkbeer.smugmug.com/photos/...3045&Size=Large

Maybe they'll use this as a guide for how to properly restore the classics from now on.

Man, all I can hear now in my head is Dreamfinder's voice echoing...

"But what about science?"

 

[Hank Scorpio]

Great Pictures of the castle, it looks so much more real then WDW's castle. But then perhaps that's just me.

 

[Sledge]

You prefer realistic looking castles over fantasy looking castles at Disney? I agree it does look more realistic and I don't know if I really like that. Disney is supposed to be all fantasy and different from the outside world so I would be kind of disapointed if they made it look like a regular castle. I would be kinda bummed out if I went to DW or DL and they were doing the castle like that the entire time. It's almost a requirement that you get a picture in front of the castle when you go so having all that on the castle would just ruin it.

Also, any one know how the whole birthday cake transformation was done? I heard that everything on it was inflatable but that sounded really weird.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Great Pictures of the castle, it looks so much more real then WDW's castle. But then perhaps that's just me.

I disagree. The first thing that popped into my head was that it resembles a circus tent....

 

[Wicked Queen]

TOTALLY with you 100%

so annoying about the upstairs and trhe whole ride is awful, the original ride was my favorite part of EPCOT since i was a kid, and while Im not opposed to change, this was such a low budget slop job VERYYY disapointing :hurl:

What I want to know is who are they trying to fool with the cheap "back of the giftshop" version of Image Works. With the original ride, the entire upstairs was devoted to the Image WOrks play area. There were countless things to do and see. Now they have 3 or 4 different things in the back of the gift shop and thats it, which most people ignore I might add. What the hell are they doing with the second floor?

Also, is it just me or is the new ride like 1/3 of the length of the orginal?

Sorry, to get so worked up!! As you can tell by my name, avatar, and signature, I am an avid fan of the original incarnation of this ride, and to this day it still upsets me that they took it away.

 

[PurpleDragon]

OH NO! I'm so sorry if my post made people sad...I didn't mean to make anyone sick about Imagination's 2nd floor...!

No apology needed, its not your fault. It just bothers me that instead of resuing the original site for a new imageworks, they decided to use a 50 sq ft section in the back of the gift shop with a few computer games and then slapped "Imageworks" on it. They have a huge amount of real estate to use in that pavilion, but they decided to squeeze the new ride and the new imageworks in a tiny secition that barely takes up 1/3 of the space in it. Its just a waste to me.

I agree with your statement about some of the old Imageworks stuff being lame by todays standards. But if they used that same upstairs area with the wonderful themeing and put new cool stuff with todays technology, it would be much better, and not so crowded feeling.

 

[waltdisny]

Also, any one know how the whole birthday cake transformation was done? I heard that everything on it was inflatable but that sounded really weird.

It was. There was some repainting around the base, an other areas, but all of the goodies were inflatable jobs held in place with guy wires. They were similar to the Inflatables you see in people's yards during holidays.

Personally I didn't like it. Glad is wasn't permenent like the wand.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Im used to seeing a proper castle, I grew up near this

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/stirling/stirlingcastle/

But my favourite castle is this and it sure as hell isnt a proper castle

http://www.neuschwanstein.com/english/

 

[Figments Friend]

Castles rock...but i want a better JII!!!


I want a better Imageworks too....PLEASE!!!

Enought with the cheap crap..bring on the long lost
"Disney Quaility"

 

[Bagheera]

But my favourite castle is this and it sure as hell isnt a proper castle

http://www.neuschwanstein.com/english/

Ah, but if you turn it around, it's a proper Disney castle...

 

[Rotel1026]

I do agree that the new ImageWorks is a dud, and that very little in the Imagination pavilion actually allows you to use your imagination.

You're supposed to "imagine" that it's great and that you're having a great time. :lol:

 

[FigmentJedi]

There's an explanation to why Figment is obnoxious and tough on Channing, he misses Dreamfinder. With Channing around, he's bored and wants to take his stress without Dreamfinder out onto someone, though he is still a nice guy, he's a bit bitter and slightly self centered, but this is because there's no Dreamfinder.

 

[figmentfan]

FIGMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Disney likes destroying our memories of our favorite rides. There hoping our anger will turn into profit for them!?!?! Does that make any sense? It make much sense as destroying very Popular attraction and replace it with garbage!

Disney has many characters, but there only a limited number of theme park characters. Figment, Dreamfinder, Skippy, and so forth. It seems that Figment and Dreamfinder are the most popular of the theme park characters. As I type this, I am looking at my shrine of Figment!!!! Sorry Dreamfinder. (R.I.P)

 

[Hakunamatata]

FIGMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Disney likes destroying our memories of our favorite rides. There hoping our anger will turn into profit for them!?!?! Does that make any sense? It make much sense as destroying very Popular attraction and replace it with garbage!

Disney has many characters, but there only a limited number of theme park characters. Figment, Dreamfinder, Skippy, and so forth. It seems that Figment and Dreamfinder are the most popular of the theme park characters. As I type this, I am looking at my shrine of Figment!!!! Sorry Dreamfinder. (R.I.P)

I would be willing to bet that the reason that Figment is only a theme park character is because Kodak owns the licensing rights to him. If Disney owned him, I would almost guarentee that there would be cartoons, coloring books, backpacks, etc...

 

[PurpleDragon]

I would be willing to bet that the reason that Figment is only a theme park character is because Kodak owns the licensing rights to him. If Disney owned him, I would almost guarentee that there would be cartoons, coloring books, backpacks, etc...

There were!! I had a figment key chain, stuffed animal, and a magnet. There were lots of other products too. They had everything from coloring books to t-shirts to backpacks. Some of them even featured Dreamfinder as well.

I have never heard of a sponsor owning the rights to a theme park character! They are sponsors, meaning they give money to help with the upkeep of the ride, in return they get a large amount of advertising on the ride and in the pavilion. I never remember hearing anything about getting the rights to a Disney character just for sponsoring a ride. If that was the case you would have seen figment trying to sell Kodak film to you on TV at some point.