EPCOT Figment, well, to be replaced by Figment

[Zak and Wheezie]

The trouble I have with this logic is it’s the very same one that got us the ride we have there now. Because they had a 4D film themed to a film IP at the time in the Magic Eye Theater, Honey I Shrunk the Audience. They stupidly decided, oh yeah, those really popular & profitable characters we have in an equally popular/beloved attraction. We don’t need any of that anymore. Scrap it and make the ‘ride’ an extension of Honey I Shrunk the Audience. Then, when that immediately backfired/failed miserably. Their fix was, oh, then just shoehorn the Figment character into the poorly received Honey I Shrunk ride (ya know, a property Figment has ‘nothing’ to do with..), that fixes everything. (Yeeah.. right).
I’ve made the comparison somewhat before, but it’s the equivalent of deciding all the sudden to retheme Haunted Mansion to a genuinely bad Winnie the Pooh ride inside.. and then, when people complain to bring the Haunted Mansion and its Ghostly residents back, they decide instead… “Nah, just put the ghosts back in and their song and just have them haunt Pooh & Friends in the 100 Acre Wood in each scene. That fixes everything”… like.. what??
Pretty clear to me that isn’t a permanent good fix, let alone a genuine good replacement for an iconic/classic ride.

Another analogy to make for you specifically is like.. imagine you replace a really good say.. animatronic Dragon Tales show someplace w I dunno.. a really cheap/lousy CocoMelon show. People complain like, what the heck? This totally sucks in comparison to the really good Dragon Tales show that was here initially.. so what do they do to “fix” the problem. Hey, why not shoehorn Ord, Zak & Wheezie, and Cassie in there, to sing along to the CocoMelon songs and ‘their’ characters.. but still call it like “Dragon Tales: Singing Springs Jamboree” w little to none of the familiar Dragon Tunes, side characters, settings, etc. and it’s like.. wait, what?! Seriously?? That makes no sense, this is stupid. That’s basically what this is for a large majority of Journey Into Imagination/Dreamfinder & Figment fans. We shouldn’t have to compromise period. We deserve our darkride. Magic Eye Theatre has had its varying films/attractions before, but they never came at the expense of a perfectly endearing, classic ride until they decided randomly at some point to change the guest flow/queue ropes and signage to get attendance numbers down intentionally to “prove” Journey Into Imagination “needed to be changed”. . Nobody would’ve minded slight enhancements here & there. Done to the tech, Lighting effects, new projection mapping, etc. Just as long as it didn’t drastically affect the ride’s story, characters, and theme at hand.

I do agree with this in theory, but I am 100% certain they'd do a Inside Out IP shoehorn if a refurb happens. And as much as I don't want that, it's unfortunately much more likely than just Figment + Dreamfinder. That makes me sad.

The IP isn't what would ruin Figment, it's really the execution. I'd honestly take that Inside Out Figment ride where the characters explore imagination with Figment and Dreamfinder, than a ride with no Inside Out where Dreamfinder and Figment were back but it was terribly executed

The only good option for me is bringing back the 1983-1998 ride, but I just can't see it ever happening. They would've brought it back by now if they were going to.

 

[FigmentsBrightIdeas]

I'm actually really happy they brought back Figment for a meet-and-greet. Unfortunately, the Dreamfinder is in the background, and as we all know, Disney would rather capitalize on nostalgia by just giving us references rather than actually bringing back the Dreamfinder and redoing Figment.

Right, that’s it exactly. However, I’d say it’s moreso about bringing back Dreamfinder & Figment as they were originally rather than reimagining them yet again. Again, it’s been done multiple times and has failed. So I’d rather just restore it back to what was but enhance/improve that classic experience w today’s technology. Also, looking at it from a financial standpoint, it’d be a much better bet and more affordable as technically they have all the resources within their archives, audio, etc. to simply restore & enhance it with the Audio-Animatronic improvements (see new Country Bears, specifically their mechanics) projection mapping tech, etc. they’re able to do now with to great success and praise.

 

[The Leader of the Club]

Figment is in a weird place.
It would take more money to please fans than something like Enchanted Wish or Country Bears required. But Figment isn’t currently well known enough to justify the big promotional push that comes with a new ride. A new Figment ride won’t convince a family to book their first WDW trip, whereas a new Cars ride might.

I believe that Figment either needs to become more mainstream (film, D+ show, etc) or it’ll need to coincide with a larger marketing push (EPCOT 50 perhaps) in order for Disney to pull the trigger.

 

[FigmentsBrightIdeas]

The only good option for me is bringing back the 1983-1998 ride, but I just can't see it ever happening. They would've brought it back by now if they were going to.

Same here, but we gotta try and have faith they Infact will. They brought back the OG Enchanted Tiki Room (granted, a bit needlessly shortened despite DL having pretty much the full length show) after Under New Management, but again, it proves that it isn’t impossible to bring the original back substantially to guest satisfaction & general goodwill. But a lot of why they haven’t yet is due to neglect and ludicrous political corporate egos that make no sense. My hope is current leadership will eventually be replaced soon, if they have no plans of changing direction after their current predicament as of late, that is

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

I know we all groan whenever they somehow milk a dragon

Please don't bring this idea up in a thread where someone keeps bringing up Dragon Tales. I liked the show as a child, but I fear where the conversation will go if we continue down this path.

 

[FigmentsBrightIdeas]

Figment is in a weird place.
It would take more money to please fans than something like Enchanted Wish or Country Bears required. But Figment isn’t currently well known enough to justify the big promotional push that comes with a new ride. A new Figment ride won’t convince a family to book their first WDW trip, whereas a new Cars ride might.

I believe that Figment either needs to become more mainstream (film, D+ show, etc) or it’ll need to coincide with a larger marketing push (EPCOT 50 perhaps) in order for Disney to pull the trigger.

Are we honestly sure about that? Think about the grand openings of things like Expedition Everest and Soarin’ and such..

Like, if it’s well marketed, is a genuinely good ride than has good word of mouth from people, and looks appealing enough (which, who ‘wouldn’t’ think those characters, the theme of discovering what imagination & creativity can do, and those colorful detailed show scenes looked genuinely appealing if marketed & shown off right?) it’ll get park ticket sales for sure. If it’s new & it’s Disney and it’s got charm & character, it’ll sell, period. Moreso if it has good worth of mouth & reputation behind it. Dreamfinder, Figment, and the original Journey Into Imagination have ‘all’ of that. Also helps the Sherman Bros. wrote the song, and again, who doesn’t love something that screams “Classic Disney” all over?

 

[FigmentsBrightIdeas]

that’s the thing even, like, even if you are to make that argument. It’s not something that doesn’t have a sure bet, it indeed has a built in fanbase and all the qualities that make an instantly successful attraction that’s ‘very’ easily marketable if done right, and will indeed get ticket sales to come see it. It ‘is’ a sure bet. Moreso w good worth of mouth, which it already has. Bringing it back will only boost what’s already there. It’s something new & exciting to see for those who haven’t experienced it before, it’s a “long missed, beloved classic returned w newly enchanced magic”, people will absolutely wanna go see that.

 

[The Leader of the Club]

Are we honestly sure about that? Think about the grand openings of things like Expedition Everest and Soarin’ and such..

I mean, I feel like Everest and Soarin are easier to market to modern audiences. Everest is a roller coaster through a mountain and Soarin is a hang gliding simulator.
I just can’t see a tv commercial getting across the idea of Figment & DreamFinder as easily. I think most people would ask “what movie is that dragon thing from?”

 

[Homemade Imagineering]

Patience or smth

 

[FigmentsBrightIdeas]

I mean, I feel like Everest and Soarin are easier to market to modern audiences. Everest is a roller coaster through a mountain and Soarin is a hang gliding simulator.
I just can’t see a tv commercial getting across the idea of Figment & DreamFinder as easily. I think most people would ask “what movie is that dragon thing from?”

yet Universal has Earl the Squirrel and Jack the Clown for Halloween Horror Nights and everyone gets what/who they are. If they’re specifically marketed as “‘Meeting’ Dreamfinder & Figment as you take a wonderful, whimsical Journey into Imagination’, not so hard to get across. Haunted Mansion ghosts, same thing. Sure, you ‘might’ have some folks ask the question if they’re in anything else, But all it does it spark more curiosity to find out more about and/or ride it. Newfound discovery is a good thing, especially when it’s something great. It’s how we fans became fans ourselves. We never knew who they were or what the ride was like initially, but upon experiencing it for ourselves, we found that we loved them and wanted to visit again & again after. Not sure why that’s such a hard concept for some folks (mostly in management) to grasp.

 

[Brer Panther]

'If you have to rely on fart jokes to make them laugh, you're not a good comedian".

Frozen has at least one fart joke in it ("I don't know if I'm elated or gassy") and everybody loves THAT movie.

I'd honestly take that Inside Out Figment ride where the characters explore imagination with Figment and Dreamfinder, than a ride with no Inside Out where Dreamfinder and Figment were back but it was terribly executed

How would the Emotions even encounter Dreamfinder and Figment? What would they be doing in Riley's mind?

 

[FigmentsBrightIdeas]

yet Universal has Earl the Squirrel and Jack the Clown for Halloween Horror Nights and everyone gets what/who they are. If they’re specifically marketed as “‘Meeting’ Dreamfinder & Figment as you take a wonderful, whimsical Journey into Imagination’, not so hard to get across. Haunted Mansion ghosts, same thing. Sure, you ‘might’ have some folks ask the question if they’re in anything else, But all it does it spark more curiosity to find out more about and/or ride it. Newfound discovery is a good thing, especially when it’s something great. It’s how we fans became fans ourselves. We never knew who they were or what the ride was like initially, but upon experiencing it for ourselves, we found that we loved them and wanted to visit again & again after. Not sure why that’s such a hard concept for some folks (mostly in management) to grasp.

On another note too.. if everything relied on someone’s prior association w something in order to get ticket sales or profit back. How come places like Knott’s Berry Farm are still extremely popular to this day, with their Ghost Town & residents, and all their themed dark rides not themed to anything pre-existing? That’s what I thought..
sure, you’ve got Camp Snoopy. But do you genuinely think, people are ‘only’ going there to visit Snoopy, Charlie Brown and his friends at Camp Snoopy because they’ve seen them on TV specials & comics elsewhere? Highly doubtful. It’s because the rides themselves look fun & interesting, and that there are plenty of things to do there.

 

[The Leader of the Club]

yet Universal has Earl the Squirrel and Jack the Clown for Halloween Horror Nights and everyone gets what/who they are.

Most people outside of the fandom don’t know Earl or Jack. I’d argue that Figment is WAY more popular than them. Even if they did, Universal isn’t making Earl the Squirrel rides.

I’m just thinking of people like my aunt. She doesn’t know/care what a Figment is, but she does know Lightning McQueen and Olaf. She wouldn’t buy a t-shirt with Earl the Squirrel on it, but would buy merch featuring the Grinch.

Figment’s current audience is APs and theme park fans. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, that may not inspire Disney to allocate the budget needed to redo his ride.

 

[DreamfinderGuy]

This ignores the fact that they are 1. Making a movie 2.keep making merchandise and 3. theme an entire building after him 2 months out of the year

All of these are cheaper than fixing the ride and give them a better ROI, so yeah that does not invalidate that they don't care about the ride whatsoever.

 

[FigmentsBrightIdeas]

Most people outside of the fandom don’t know Earl or Jack. I’d argue that Figment is WAY more popular than them. Even if they did, Universal isn’t making Earl the Squirrel rides.

I’m just thinking of people like my aunt. She doesn’t know/care what a Figment is, but she does know Lightning McQueen and Olaf. She wouldn’t buy a t-shirt with Earl the Squirrel on it, but would buy merch featuring the Grinch.

Figment’s current audience is APs and theme park fans. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, that may not inspire Disney to allocate the budget needed to redo his ride.

Part of the trouble is they’re strictly focused on ‘one’ form of guest, one that’s focused on seeing what they’ve already seen, rather than folks that wanna experience the entire resort and buy based on the experiences they’ve had. There’s room for both and I just think it’s shortsighted and ultimately doesn’t make as much profit to invest in the guest that honestly isn’t going to spend as much, let alone visit more, long term.

 

[Agent H]

All of these are cheaper than fixing the ride and give them a better ROI, so yeah that does not invalidate that they don't care about the ride whatsoever.

I was responding to them not caring about the ip not the ride I don’t believe that all that is greenlit and no one in the company cares about the ip

 

[Agent H]

All of these are cheaper than fixing the ride and give them a better ROI, so yeah that does not invalidate that they don't care about the ride whatsoever.

it has to happen someday right now I’d imagine spaceship earth is a bigger priority and maybe after that they do wonders of life but sooner or later they will have nothing else to do in Epcot to increase attendance

 

[DreamfinderGuy]

I was responding to them not caring about the ip not the ride I don’t believe that all that is greenlit and no one in the company cares about the ip

Nobody with any power "cares" about the IP. They care about what makes money. Figment makes money so they do the least they can with him to make the most profit. This is also why they don't redo the ride, big expense for no benefit other than some fan goodwill which, again, does not bring in the money.

 

[DreamfinderGuy]

it has to happen someday right now I’d imagine spaceship earth is a bigger priority and maybe after that they do wonders of life but sooner or later they will have nothing else to do in Epcot to increase attendance

Current rumors have Imagination happening before Wonders but Imagination has also been "five years away" for the last decade or so. Redoing JII isn't something that will really boost attendance, neither is SSE but they don't really have a choice when it's the icon of the park.

 

[The Leader of the Club]

Nobody with any power "cares" about the IP. They care about what makes money. Figment makes money so they do the least they can with him to make the most profit. This is also why they don't redo the ride, big expense for no benefit other than some fan goodwill which, again, does not bring in the money.

The people who care enough to book trips for a new Figment ride already book trips for new EPCOT festival merchandise.