Rumor Figment, well, to be replaced by Figment

[Inspired Figment]

Are both Figment AAs originally from the Dream Mobiles? I know I read when they decided to fix JIYI they had to track down a few of them that had been taken home by Imagineers.

No they’re not, not fully that is. Sound Lab Figment has the same mold & movements as the OG Figment wearing an artist’s beret & bow tie opening and closing a pot of rainbows figure. But he’s been retrofitted onto one of the Dream Mobile mechs so he’s able to lift up and down and turn left & back to center as that figure did.

The Detour to Figment’s Upside Down Open House scene Figment uses the same mold and has a lot of the same movements as the OG Image Technology/Film Finale Figment, just his sweater has been changed from short sleeved to long sleeved.

 

[Inspired Figment]

And despite what some insiders/disney news sites have said in the past ..
‘None’ of the Figment figures used in the upside down open house itself or the current “blast” finale are original 83-98 figures. All completely brand new. I know the original ride and its figures and the way they look well. None of them look like the ones used there.
Only one that’s from the original.. at the very least is a recreation of the original is the hitchhiking astronaut Figment (originally from the transition from the Performing Arts/Theatre scene to Science & Technology, just repainted at the very very end of the current ride before the unload.

 

[Rodj]

Only one that’s from the original.. at the very least is a recreation of the original is the hitchhiking astronaut Figment (originally from the transition from the Performing Arts/Theatre scene to Science & Technology, just repainted at the very very end of the current ride before the unload.

That one is definitely a recreation as this is the original one:

 

[Figments Friend]

As has been mentioned in this thread over the years, by myself included, is that all of the Figment figures residing in the current version of the ‘Imagination’ Attraction are all repros or new models.

All of the Original ‘Journey Into Imagination’ Figment figures are in private collections, the Walt Disney Archives, and also in a storage warehouse Disney owns in Kissimmee.
Those actually might have been moved by this point…but I digress….

The only two Original Attraction figures I have yet to have tracked down are the iconic ‘Artist Figment’ figure ( holding his pot of rainbows ) and the equally iconic Finale Figment ( last figure we see, in his ‘Kodak’ colored sweater ).
All the others are accounted for, except those two.

For some time I have suspected that the original AA mech of the Original Finale Figment has been re-used for the current Attractions’ ‘Transition to Figments’ House’ figure.
It is the only full bodied proper AA to appear in the Attraction, has all the same movements (when working correctly ), and would also explain the missing figure from my track down list.
Obviously the skin and clothing are updated additions as neither match the original in paint scheme or fabrics.
That is to be expected but still….i have long suspected what lies underneath is the Original mechanical build.

Would be nice to get some confirmation of this….after all this time.


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[Rodj]

For some time I have suspected that the original AA mech of the Original Finale Figment has been re-used for the current Attractions’ ‘Transition to Figments’ House’ figure.
It is the only full bodied proper AA to appear in the Attraction, has all the same movements (when working correctly ), and would also explain the missing figure from my track down list.
Obviously the skin and clothing are updated additions as neither match the original in paint scheme or fabrics.
That is to be expected but still….i have long suspected what lies underneath is the Original mechanical build.

The only defense I have against this is that the original did not seem like it had as smooth of movement(especially the arms) compared to the current one when looking at the 2003 POV video.

 

[Inspired Figment]

The only defense I have against this is that the original did not seem like it had as smooth of movement(especially the arms) compared to the current one when looking at the 2003 POV video.

Truth be told.. the original figure also had alot more range of movement/smoothness initially. As can be seen in this 1983 POV from its month of opening (March ‘83). But yeah.. shows just how much maintenance can make a difference on these figures and what neglect or lowering of the hydraulic pressure from their original specs can do to them. And truth be told, judging by this video, pretty sure the current detour figure is ‘infact’ the original film finale mech. :

 

[Inspired Figment]

Got upclose with the one auctioned last summer in Burbank! Surreal experience knowing the history of the figure, but I got some fantastic footage of him. The latex is a little worn and the maintenance zipper on the back of his neck has been stitched shut, so don’t think he’ll sadly ever run again

I was there also! Shame I didn’t run into ya. Lol! I have a hunch though about that “maintenance zipper”. I don’t think those were on the OG figures, see how there isn’t any usual patterns of a zipper fastener being there at any point, I genuinely think they were initially just sewn up using thread like that until someone got the bright idea to add a zipper to the newer cosmetics/skins they made for these figures, to not just make it easier for those not sewing inclined to do maintenance but to prevent any more damage that could be done to the skin/cosmetics itself.

On a side note.. The latex skin may have to be repaired or replaced with a fresh mold of the same skin, but I def think mechanics could probably easily be fixed up and up and running again with the right know-how & drive behind it

 

[Inspired Figment]

View attachment 782212

The Figment with the pot of marbles there is Infact just a static/solid non-animatronic figure, reusing the same mold as the OG artist Figment holding the pot of rainbows, but of course wearing the film finale sweater/shirt. He was initially used in the Centorium & Kodak Camera Shops. There’s another one that’s constantly used still to this day that reuses the same mold as the Flight/Opening Scene figure and (again) wears an identical shirt/sweater to the film finale figure which used to be displayed in the Kodak camera shop within the pavilion.

 

[𝕴𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖗97]

Truth be told.. the original figure also had alot more range of movement/smoothness initially. As can be seen in this 1983 POV from its month of opening (March ‘83). But yeah.. shows just how much maintenance can make a difference on these figures and what neglect or lowering of the hydraulic pressure from their original specs can do to them. And truth be told, judging by this video, pretty sure the current detour figure is ‘infact’ the original film finale mech. :

So then the detour figure is reskinned from the original then?

 

[Figments Friend]

So then the detour figure is reskinned from the original then?

In theory, yes.
Not officially confirmed but as i noted earlier this has been my suspicion for several years.
This is primarily because I have yet to have privately tracked down where the Original Attraction ‘Finale Figment’ AA went after removal.
That, and the figures very similar set of movements.

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[Figments Friend]

I was there also! Shame I didn’t run into ya. Lol! I have a hunch though about that “maintenance zipper”. I don’t think those were on the OG figures, see how there isn’t any usual patterns of a zipper fastener being there at any point, I genuinely think they were initially just sewn up using thread like that until someone got the bright idea to add a zipper to the newer cosmetics/skins they made for these figures, to not just make it easier for those not sewing inclined to do maintenance but to prevent any more damage that could be done to the skin/cosmetics itself.

On a side note.. The latex skin may have to be repaired or replaced with a fresh mold of the same skin, but I def think mechanics could probably easily be fixed up and up and running again with the right know-how & drive behind it
View attachment 782439
View attachment 782442

Original skin.
Has the original paint job ( badly faded in the pink belly areas ) and is showing the common discoloring from age.
Originals had a unique color patterned paint job with subtle airbrushed shading.
The airbrushed highlights and shading often fades from these Original figures due to light exposure and aging materials.

The back of the head seam is showing bad discoloring due to the likelihood of improper glue being used to seal it for display purposes, resulting in that brownish blemish.

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[Brer Panther]

I wonder if they'll reuse any of the Figment animatronics for this hypothetical fourth version. It'd be nice if they at least found a spot for the hitchhiking spacesuit Figment since that's a reference to the first version.

 

[Haymarket2008]

I wonder if they'll reuse any of the Figment animatronics for this hypothetical fourth version. It'd be nice if they at least found a spot for the hitchhiking spacesuit Figment since that's a reference to the first version.

Honestly I hope they don’t. Figgy deserves some brand new machinery. Imagine him bouncing along the ride vehicle like Olaf in Frozen Ever After. He needs that fluidity of movement.

 

[Inspired Figment]

Honestly I hope they don’t. Figgy deserves some brand new machinery. Imagine him bouncing along the ride vehicle like Olaf in Frozen Ever After. He needs that fluidity of movement.

I always thought it’d be cool to bring back the original ride & show scenes with new audio-animatronics & spfx in the way you’ve described. So the same audio & scenes we all remember but with improved AAs with better movements and sculpts more in line with the traditionally animated looking designs we’ve seen in the 2D animation done for the ride.:
Along with better projection mapping effects (like for instance in the Realm of Art scene). Kinda think about what they did with DL’s Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln or how they updated The American Adventure.

 

[Inspired Figment]

Part of the issue we’re dealing with though is.. Disney may not want to put in the full budget to neccesarily update the AAs entirely for instance, nor would it be the most practical in their (most likely) view when they have most of the material to use already.. ya know.. So it may be more cost effective to just reuse the existing figures & molds and put new electronics/mechanics in them like they’re doing with the Country Bear Jamboree. Which really isn’t a problem. We all love those OG AAs, but yeah. We’ll see what they’ll do I guess. But ultimately I feel the best scenario is to bring back the original ride we all remember cause everyone loves it, and as the old saying goes.. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. The ‘02-current’ ride w the unneccesary film IP tie in retheme (in this case, the Honey I Shrunk/Medfield College connected sci fi flicks) is the one that’s broken, ‘not’ the 83-98 original. The building has all the infrastructure to do it still, just needs some tlc in sections of it. But the company has all the original molds, audio, blueprints etc. in the Archives to recreate it with tech & spfx enhancements similar to how DL’s updated their classic Fantasyland rides. So again.. regardless on if they decide to go with new figure sculpts with more advanced movements or the original sculpts with the original movements but with updated electronics/mechanics inside, as long as they have the core foundation/ride show scenes properly brought back. It’ll be an instant/guranteed win. Both for newbies and the nostalgics at heart.

 

[Rodj]

Not sure if this was due to an audio effect the video uploader added, but only Figment's "low toned" lines were audible here during the finale, and Dr. Channing's voice was cutting out:

 

[Homemade Imagineering]

Not sure if this was due to an audio effect the video uploader added, but only Figment's "low toned" lines were audible here during the finale, and Dr. Channing's voice was cutting out:

Even the attraction is self aware of how irrelevant Channing is

 

[𝕴𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖗97]

Not sure if this was due to an audio effect the video uploader added, but only Figment's "low toned" lines were audible here during the finale, and Dr. Channing's voice was cutting out:

He was actually being bleeped. His true personality is finally coming through.

 

[Bocabear]

It is funny, all these years when "Steam Punk" has been popular, and Dreamfinder and the Dream Port were basically right there before it ever became a thing... Dreamfinder was the OG Steampunk hero character.......then they rebuilt the ride removing him and all of those design elements... when at that point they should have doubled down on them...
I hope they come up with something new and better and bring Dreamfinder back with Figment....

 

[FigmentFan82]

Truly what's old is new again. I just want some life brought back into this attraction and have it embrace the wonderfulness of Figment and Dreamfinder too. The people demand it!