EPCOT Figment, well, to be replaced by Figment

[ImperfectPixie]

Here's the thing, typically the nicer a cake looks, the worse it typically tastes. I don't think I would want a bite of that cake and I certainly wouldn't bite into a cake from a random stranger in the parks that other people have eaten from as well. I'm not a germaphobe and I'm still disgusted by the idea!

Yeah...gifting a pre-packaged snack is one thing...but something someone made and brought to the parks? I don't think I know anyone who would partake.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Ah, worse than I thought, then. Not to diminish the sculpting, but a cake should be a cake, IMO. With buttercream or at least something that's not fondant.

Oh, so you're one of them fondant haters? That explains a lot.

I'm also disgusted that "cake decorating" is now often just Rice Krispies, foam, and wood covered in modeling chocolate and icing. I've also wondered what happens with the creations in those "cake" decorating contests, and if they are eaten by the audiences or thrown out. So wasteful if they aren't consumed. Of course, they have to actually be consumable... This could so easily lead to a larger discussion about culture in general, best to stop now.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Sad fact of the day, courtesy of @DreamfinderGuy : JIYIwF has been around half of Epcot's life.

And every day it's around is another day it survives longer than the original ride was around.

 

[Mickeynerd17]

Sad fact of the day, courtesy of @DreamfinderGuy : JIYIwF has been around half of Epcot's life.

And every day it's around is another day it survives longer than the original ride was around.

It may be a sad fact, but when it finally leaves there will be a large group of us who grew up with that ride, me included.

It may not be the original, but it is my imagination ride and it will have a special place in my mind.

 

[trainplane3]

It may be a sad fact, but when it finally leaves there will be a large group of us who grew up with that ride, me included.

It may not be the original, but it is my imagination ride and it will have a special place in my mind.

I basically grew up with it too and it'll hold a special place.
First visit to WDW and I got to ride the original in its final year of operation a few times.
Next visit I got to see the disaster.
Visit after that, I got to the disaster with Figment.

The special place is the dumpster. A toilet. A sewage treatment plant. Bottom of the ocean. Figzilla can go there too. If people want a good Figment MnG, they should go the route of BB-8 or Groot. An advanced AA of Figment that is controlled behind the scenes and interacts with guests would be something worthy of "imagination". At bare minimum, take the Dreamfinder approach and have a "institute" member carry a puppet around.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

It may be a sad fact, but when it finally leaves there will be a large group of us who grew up with that ride, me included.

It may not be the original, but it is my imagination ride and it will have a special place in my mind.

And in his Farts ..I mean Hearts...Hearts...Yeah..

 

[Brer Panther]

Personally, I'd much rather take Journey Into Imagination With Figment over a ride with no Figment at all.

 

[UNCgolf]

Personally, I'd much rather take Journey Into Imagination With Figment over a ride with no Figment at all.

I wouldn't -- I'd rather have a great attraction even if it didn't involve Figment.

Of course, I've always felt that Dreamfinder was what really made the original ride work. I like Figment and he was an important part as well, but through the Dreamfinder framing. I don't think Figment really works without Dreamfinder (or some similar character with a similar place in the story; it doesn't have to be Dreamfinder specifically).

 

[Mickeynerd17]

The special place is the dumpster. A toilet. A sewage treatment plant. Bottom of the ocean.

And in his Farts ..I mean Hearts...Hearts...Yeah..

Not exactly what I had in mind, but I see your point.

Personally, I'd much rather take Journey Into Imagination With Figment over a ride with no Figment at all.

This. As much as people diss the current ride, we can't lose sight of the fact that we at least HAVE a figment ride.

Just imagine JIYI running for 20 years, or having the whole pavilion demolished a la Horizons for something else lackluster. I'm not a fan of that idea.

I'm not trying to advocate for the current ride. Don't get me wrong, it has a TON of problems and should've never existed in the first place, but it's what we have. I'd rather have lackluster figment than no figment at all.

Heck, I still find it fun to ride in the front car just to see the drive motors.

 

[Mickeynerd17]

My introduction to figment was not the best. Back in 2005 when I first visited Epcot, I found figment to be downright creepy. I historically would be freaked out by broken/cheap animatronics, and the sound room + the animation style was a really bad mix. I'd go ride it, but I'd rather ride Test Track 1.0 or Spaceship Earth.

I didn't really appreciate figment until I discovered in 2015 there was a far superior attraction before the current version. Now I'm addicted to figment merch, walk the pathways of future world with my shoulder figment with pride, and can't get enough of the character.

As for Figzilla, I never experienced that. They'd stopped that M&G by the time I arrived or I don't recall it at all. Just as I wished to have a photo with the original entrance fountain I hope my wish of a proper figment M&G comes true someday.

 

[JustInTime]

Personally, I'd much rather take Journey Into Imagination With Figment over a ride with no Figment at all.

Disagree. The ride is shameful.

 

[TheEPCOTHistorian]

Hi everyone! I finally made an acciunt here, just to post this. It seems like Walt Disney Records produced a cover of One Little Spark last year, credited to "Iver Heath". After extensive research, this name has no tied social media, no previous or current ties to Walt Disney Records, and no other established works. It seems like the person doesn't exist. Very interesting to say the least.

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ֊ᗩζᗩᗰ]

Hi everyone! I finally made an acciunt here, just to post this. It seems like Walt Disney Records produced a cover of One Little Spark last year, credited to "Iver Heath". After extensive research, this name has no tied social media, no previous or current ties to Walt Disney Records, and no other established works. It seems like the person doesn't exist. Very interesting to say the least.

AdventHealth tie-in.

News - Walt Disney World & AdventHealth "One Little Spark Lights Up For You" announcement May 6 10am ET

Originally part of the end of temp screening thread at https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/walt-disney-world-to-end-temperature-checks.973037/ but likely needs its own thread.

forums.wdwmagic.com

 

[TheEPCOTHistorian]

Wasn't there an AdventHealth tie-in with Figment? Song used in an infomercial or promo product?

News - Walt Disney World & AdventHealth "One Little Spark Lights Up For You" announcement May 6 10am ET

Originally part of the end of temp screening thread at https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/walt-disney-world-to-end-temperature-checks.973037/ but likely needs its own thread.

forums.wdwmagic.com

Wow, just searched this, and you're right. Maybe I'm just overeager

 

[Casper Gutman]

I wouldn't -- I'd rather have a great attraction even if it didn't involve Figment.

Of course, I've always felt that Dreamfinder was what really made the original ride work. I like Figment and he was an important part as well, but through the Dreamfinder framing. I don't think Figment really works without Dreamfinder (or some similar character with a similar place in the story; it doesn't have to be Dreamfinder specifically).

This is absolutely correct. What is Figment now? A purple ball of annoying sound and fury, signifying nothing. He had meaning because of his involvement with the ride, which itself had meaning because it tied into the broader concepts that animated original EPCOT. Modern Figment is a lump of kitsch designed to move merchandise to people hungry for something Disney demolished. In fact, the antagonistic twerp in the current ride bears only a physical resemblance to the creature of child-like wonder in the original.

Narratively, as UNC says, Figment doesn’t really work without a mentor- figure - a Dreamfinder. I’d LOVE a huge, beautiful Figment and Dreamfinder dark ride that captures the spirit, scope and… imagination of the original. That’s the only way Figment can become Figment again.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

This is absolutely correct. What is Figment now? A purple ball of annoying sound and fury, signifying nothing. He had meaning because of his involvement with the ride, which itself had meaning because it tied into the broader concepts that animated original EPCOT. Modern Figment is a lump of kitsch designed to move merchandise to people hungry for something Disney demolished. In fact, the antagonistic twerp in the current ride bears only a physical resemblance to the creature of child-like wonder in the original.

Narratively, as UNC says, Figment doesn’t really work without a mentor- figure - a Dreamfinder. I’d LOVE a huge, beautiful Figment and Dreamfinder dark ride that captures the spirit, scope and… imagination of the original. That’s the only way Figment can become Figment again.

This is why it always bugged me that Figment is just one of the "Latest Discoveries." Like how was he found to become that? Was he locked in a storage locker? And if Dean Finder coexists in this attraction (albeit being a door) wouldn't the Institute realize that it was one of Dreamfinder’s sparks of imagination considering he's the Dean of the Institute?

 

[Casper Gutman]

This is why it always bugged me that Figment is just one of the "Latest Discoveries." Like how was he found to become that? Was he locked in a storage locker? And if Dean Finder coexists in this attraction (albeit being a door) wouldn't the Institute realize that it was one of Dreamfinder’s sparks of imagination considering he's the Dean of the Institute?

You have just given this much, much more thought then anyone employed by Disney ever has.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

You have just given this much, much more thought then anyone employed by Disney ever has.

Well, this makes sense...

Whereas this....Does not..

 

[Rodj]

If there is one thing I like with the current ride, it is the music loops of some of the scenes. My favorite is the loop during the scene at the dock outside the Touch & Taste labs when transitioning to the upside down room. When a new ride comes, I hope they bring back the music composer who made these, because in my opinion they seem more energetic and joyful compared to the original ride's music. Thanks to a video during a hold up of the scene, I was able to create a nearly clean loop of it:

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ֊ᗩζᗩᗰ]

Wow, just searched this, and you're right. Maybe I'm just overeager

Right there with you. A New Journey... Is long overdue. Hey thanks for the link: