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Rumor Figment, well, to be replaced by Figment
- Thread starter Walrus from Paris
- Start date
TikibirdLand
Well-Known Member
I've only watched the first episode. But, I'm in awe of both Ron and Mark! Didn't realize that Mark was as genuine in person as he is "on stage" in the Disney Parks videos. I hope to see more of him in that role. Also, Ron provided insight on why Figment is really so beloved: Dreamfinder loved him so much! As he says, Figment isn't a pest! Great videos and thanks for turning me on to Ron's channel!
ETA: Just watched the second episode. Tom Nabbe's stories are fascinating. This is the kind of stuff I had expected on Disney+. Just think of the number of Marks and Toms out there that Ron could interview and tell their life's stories? I would totally watch every episode. I hope Ron Schneider continues his series on YouTube!
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Inspired Figment
Well-Known Member
Mhm.. and trust me, that statement about the current ride compared to the original is alot more symbolic about the current state of this company than you even realize… and it’s been going on for WAAY too long.
Inspired Figment
Well-Known Member
If the ride as it currently stands is supposed to showcase what the company feels & understands about the quality & importance of Imagination for the past couple decades, both it’s importance within improving our future & regarding the survival & integrity of the company, along with its fans. (that it’s a constant interference & “just thinking upside down”) Well.. I think that speaks volumes (and not in a good way I might add)..
Inspired Figment
Well-Known Member
We certainly have, that’s a sculpt done by Larry Nikolai in the early 90s for a Kodak award statue that I don’t think was ever produced fully or may have only been produced in limited numbers
(Credit goes to Larry Nikolai for uploading these to his Facebook page) 
Inspired Figment
Well-Known Member
Inspired Figment
Well-Known Member
The imagineers behind the current ride ‘intentionally’ made him obnoxious to jab at the fan complaints the first Honey I Shrunk IP retheme they did got in ‘99-‘01, “Journey Into YOUR Imagination”.. so think, Tiki Room: Under New Management but in reverse, it’s ridiculous. But yes, most people buy Figment merch due to the memories of the original ride and how he was portrayed there.
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Cmdr_Crimson
Well-Known Member
Still wondering if they will have the figure in the entrance plaza, in front of the attraction sign or in the fountain area where they use to have the figment bush.
Inspired Figment
Well-Known Member
Give this a watch when you get the chance.. you’ll get the love for Figment (and Dreamfinder) after this I think. The ride ‘used’ to be a timeless classic on par with Pirates & Haunted. But yeah.. the ‘02-current one.. an absolute embarrassment. Even Tony Baxter, who was the creative director on the original, continues to very vocal about his distaste for how the ride’s been updated. (He had no involvement with the one standing now) just as most guests have been that knew/know of the original;
CaptinEO
Well-Known Member
Given this, it's very surprising they havent fixed the character in 20 years. It'd probably be better to close the new ride than have it continue to operate.
I am definitely not a fan of sarcastic imagineering. Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout used to have a line where Rocket Racoon says "Disneyland, well that's not thematically consistent", to make fun of fan complaints. Incredicoaster's preshow has a line about how they are just putting their name on an existing roller coaster. It's all bad show and it shows a lack of respect for their customers.
Inspired Figment
Well-Known Member
The biggest reason is because Iger & Chapek believe “they already fixed it” by “bringing Figment back” (though it’s not bringing the attraction back like most folks expected), Figment is still a beloved character due to the memory & iconic status of the original attraction, along with having more capacity within the park.
Otherwise, the reason the ride was changed to begin with was essentially inner corporate politics.. “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience” in the Magic eye theatre being advertised/promoted as the ‘main’ attraction in the pavilion as opposed to a complimentary attraction (like the past couple films) to artificially drop attendance numbers for the ride & upstairs ImageWorks area was the ‘key’ part I believe in getting the Honey, I Shrunk/Institute retheme greenlit. ‘Not’ the contract with Kodak that required updates every 10 or so years. They had a ride & interactive area that was perfectly fine. They even updated the ImageWorks during its lifetime with new activities to keep it up to date but nothing that compromised the overall theme & integrity of the pavilion & attraction. Along with the films in the theatre. No reason they couldn’t have simply enhanced & added the special effects and things that were cut due to the budget constraints in the preexisting ride. But whatever..
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Inspired Figment
Well-Known Member
I could argue that if you look at the bigger picture with Guardians & Incredicoaster. Those are actually shots at upper management (the collector & prison is Bob Iger in how he treats their properties and parks. Lol! Us guests are recruited to help WDI’s mission in ‘Breaking Out’ of its “prison” status ). (“Sure, slap our name on an old ride” and then Edna responds that it’s what rich corporations call “synergy” (lol) .. But still, it sucks they even have to do those bad rethemes or that they even have to vent about those problems through an attraction to begin with.
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Inspired Figment
Well-Known Member
The same could be said for the Tiki Room: Under New Management. Unlike the common belief that it was done to craptalk the original attraction as a way to be “hip & trendy”. It’s actually done to jab at “New Management” and what they think of the Tiki Room (through Iago).. thankfully now it’s back to the original show, but again, my above statement still applies to this. They shouldn’t even have to deal with the garbage they have to deal with from management & in turn, feel the need to vent through these attractions.
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Inspired Figment
Well-Known Member
I’m thinking the entrance plaza, but I certainly wouldn’t mind him being in the fountain area where the OG Figment topiary used to be.
Granted, I think the best course of action would be to have the Figment statue be at the entrance and the topiary be brought back in the area it was in. But yeah, still I’m happy to see Figment more prominently represented in the parks these days as he should be. Only thing that would truly make it worthwhile would be restoring the attraction to what it used to be with the improvements it ‘should’ve’ received 20 years ago as opposed to the lousy film IP treatments it got instead.
Brer Panther
Well-Known Member
He's just torturing Dr. Nigel Channing because he hated the second version of the ride as much as the rest of us did.
DoleWhipDrea
Well-Known Member
It's a mix. I've seen small children really form an attachment to Figment and "One Little Spark." There are fans that still love classic Figment and don't associate his current behavior as his true character. And I'm sure some people just find him to be a cute purple dragon.
I didn't grow up with the ride or experience the original attraction, but I love learning about Disney Parks and their history. I knew that Figment had a big fanbase heading into my trip, but I was trying to go light on details so that I could just experience the parks for the first time without too much influence - I just tried to learn what were must-dos as a Disneylander that was going for the first time. After riding the current iteration during my first trip to Epcot as an adult, I was puzzled as well - I found the skunk scene to be particularly obnoxious. Then I came across this two-part series by Defunctland and Yesterworld, and the whole story of the pavilion (and EPCOT's layered history) hooked me.
Watching the ride-throughs of the original attraction, seeing footage of what was once there, as a Disney Parks fan I couldn't believe that the pavilion was butchered like this. The original Journey Into Imagination was on the level of the classics like Pirates of the Caribbean, and never should have been messed with the way that it was - just have it's special effects updated when better technology became available. And unlike many other beloved attractions that were eventually completely bulldozed without any hope of coming back, the Imagination Pavilion still stands, which gives fans hope that Figment can be reunited with the Dreamfinder and the pavilion returned to it's former glory.