Agent H
Well-Known Member
Obviously someone with enough power to get a movie greenlit cares
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EPCOT Figment, well, to be replaced by Figment
- Thread starter Walrus from Paris
- Start date
Agent H
Well-Known Member
it may take 10 it may take 15 years but sooner or later it will happen the problem is that there’s always bigger fish to fry but rest assured at some point some executive will think hey figment plushies sell really well maybe if we make a better ride more of our non pass holder guests will buy them
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WorldExplorer
Well-Known Member
If Figment sells ridiculous crap tons of merchandise as is why should they bother "fixing" him?
They had a whole "revitalize Epcot" project and didn't touch the darned thing. Not even a queue refresh. Not even a new sign.
They don't care. They care that people are willing to buy merchandise with him on it. They do that already.
If they did redo the ride, the thing is going to coast by on "well, it's not the previous one". It won't be actually good. Fan expectations are rock bottom and have been conditioned to accept "not the worst thing possible" as acceptable (remember when they released that Muppet video and people started saying putting Muppets in the ride was a great idea as if "previously existing thing mocks ride for sucking" is not exactly what we currently have?) and no one nowadays has any clue how to do anything but make surface level references to stuff.
I have absolutely no faith that anyone at Disney understands the heart of what made the original ride work and I have no faith that any of them have the vision to make a new ride celebrating creativity.
All Disney does nowadays is "recognize thing and like it because you recognize it", which is like the polar opposite of imagination. This is the same company that keeps slapping the Horizons robot butler onto things as if it mattered.
"That's not fair, WorldExplorer; the Imagineers are fully capable! They just do the stupid crap because higher ups make them!" Okay. What reason do we have to believe that exact same thing would not get in the way of a Figment redo? Because I don't see one.
And no, I don't expect them to just rebuild Journey, either. I don't think the fanbase for it is as big as people would like to believe (where's the Dreamfinder solo merchandise?) and I don't think Disney REALIZES how creatively bankrupt they are.
They had a whole "revitalize Epcot" project and didn't touch the darned thing. Not even a queue refresh. Not even a new sign.
They don't care. They care that people are willing to buy merchandise with him on it. They do that already.
If they did redo the ride, the thing is going to coast by on "well, it's not the previous one". It won't be actually good. Fan expectations are rock bottom and have been conditioned to accept "not the worst thing possible" as acceptable (remember when they released that Muppet video and people started saying putting Muppets in the ride was a great idea as if "previously existing thing mocks ride for sucking" is not exactly what we currently have?) and no one nowadays has any clue how to do anything but make surface level references to stuff.
I have absolutely no faith that anyone at Disney understands the heart of what made the original ride work and I have no faith that any of them have the vision to make a new ride celebrating creativity.
All Disney does nowadays is "recognize thing and like it because you recognize it", which is like the polar opposite of imagination. This is the same company that keeps slapping the Horizons robot butler onto things as if it mattered.
"That's not fair, WorldExplorer; the Imagineers are fully capable! They just do the stupid crap because higher ups make them!" Okay. What reason do we have to believe that exact same thing would not get in the way of a Figment redo? Because I don't see one.
And no, I don't expect them to just rebuild Journey, either. I don't think the fanbase for it is as big as people would like to believe (where's the Dreamfinder solo merchandise?) and I don't think Disney REALIZES how creatively bankrupt they are.
Zak and Wheezie
Active Member
My mind is so conflicted on this, but as I think about it more and more, I start thinking that maybe it's a good thing that they're not redoing the 2002 version. If they're never gonna bring the original back, then please maybe just... don't touch Figment right now. Because a refurb now might be so incredibly soulless it makes the current ride look like the original.
FigmentsBrightIdeas
Well-Known Member
Truthfully, I believe this is a complete lie. If effort/investment was put into marketing it in commercials, etc. and making a point to say it’s something you’ve gotta see as part of your EPCOT experience (just like it used to be), it would. And fan/public goodwill is ‘everything’, it determines how much money will be made and everything. You want that goodwill/good word of mouth, cause ‘that’ is the thing that’s gonna bring more people in, thus more profits.
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rle4lunch
Well-Known Member
They can't market a clunky a $$ ride that can't even attract lifelong Epcot goers (I've been going since 1982 when I was 6} anymore. I agree, they think "why fix something when it still makes money?" That's their M.O. on alot of their subpar rides and attractions. Milk them till they're a dried up liver spot.
Then drop a nostalgic popcorn bucket for the rubes to scoop up and sell on eBay. It's gold, Jerry!
The next iteration of Figment will be ride vehicles that look like popcorn buckets and popcorn falls on you throughout the whole ride.
Cmdr_Crimson
Well-Known Member
Yet, here we are and we haven't even seen a Spaceship Earth Popcorn bucket yet....
It's been the same ride with minor enhancements, movement of scenes but the whole thing has been the same ever since...
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
Posting this here, for anyone who just might be visiting Epcot this weekend….
As President and Charter Member of the Tony Baxter Fan Club, tis’ my duty to announce -
Disney Legend Tony Baxter will be visiting Epcot for the Festival of the Arts THIS weekend ( February 1st and 2nd ).
He will appearing at Communicore Hall at the Disney Fine Art area on both Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 2, and again from 3 to 5.
Disney Fine Art recently released a pair of prints featuring two of Tony’s own personal art pieces, both of which can be viewed and purchased here -
disneyfineart.com
Be sure to stop by and wish him a very happy birthday on the 1st!
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As President and Charter Member of the Tony Baxter Fan Club, tis’ my duty to announce -
Disney Legend Tony Baxter will be visiting Epcot for the Festival of the Arts THIS weekend ( February 1st and 2nd ).
He will appearing at Communicore Hall at the Disney Fine Art area on both Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 2, and again from 3 to 5.
Disney Fine Art recently released a pair of prints featuring two of Tony’s own personal art pieces, both of which can be viewed and purchased here -
Tony Baxter
Tony Baxter was born on February 1, 1947, in Los Angeles and raised in Santa Ana, California—a prime location and era for a future Disney Imagineer. Growing up, Tony was a Disney fan but was especially intrigued by Walt Disney’s weekly TV series “Disneyland,” based on the soon-to-open park and...
disneyfineart.com
Be sure to stop by and wish him a very happy birthday on the 1st!
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Zak and Wheezie
Active Member
That actually got me thinking. So, let's just say that some worker at a company wanted to make a Dragon Tales ride (this is assuming this company owns the rights to it). After all, a lot of 20-somethings loved Dragon Tales when they grew up as kids. Surely this'll be a hit, right?
Unfortunately though, they forget to take into account the bigger picture. And that's kids. Very few kids today even know what Dragon Tales is. And you might say, "okay that's true, but they could easily reintroduce these timeless characters to kids through their parents! Maybe we could reboot Dragon Tales and get it popular with the kids again!"
Okay, sure. Sounds good, right? But this company owns Cocomelon too (again, this is just a scenario where both Dragon Tales and Cocomelon were owned by the same company). Well, why waste time trying to take a risk on a Dragon Tales reboot when Cocomelon is already really popular with kids today? What's the point? So, they instead make Cocomelon: The Ride.
This is Disney's POV:
Considering the Dreamfinder and the pre-1998 ride is even older than Dragon Tales at this point, and it's last year open was 26 years ago (Dragon Tales stopped airing 14 1/2 years ago, for comparison), they're even more irrelevant at this point and even more absurd of an idea, at least in Disney's eyes.
Kids born in 2020 sure as hell don't know the Dreamfinder, teenagers born in 2010 don't know the Dreamfinder, and most grown adults born in 2000 won't know the Dreamfinder; if they do, it won't be from experience, as they weren't even alive when the original ride was still operating. Even 30 year olds born in 1994 and 1995 will likely barely even remember the original ride, if at all.
Refurbishing a ride to restore the 1983 version when most people under like 32-35 would have little/no memory of the original ride over just selling merch to kids and opening a Figment meet-and-greet and just keeping the ride as-is really doesn't make sense to Disney's POV.
Figment is still popular as a character. Maybe not as much with the ride, but the kids still seem to love Figment. I've had to wait in surprisingly long lines for Figment over my trips in the last 5 or so years. Why waste money closing the ride, taking like two years to reopen it and add in the Dreamfinder? Maybe it'll make a tiny bit more money, but not enough to justify a whole ride refurbishment.
From my POV, he deserves to reunite with Dreamfinder, but with the current state of Disney theme parks, I just can't see it happening for at least 5-10 years, if ever. We might live in a world where, in the year 2037, Figment has outlived Great Movie Ride, Splash Mountain AND Muppet-Vision 3D. And that just makes me miserable.
TL;DR - making a massive refurbishment to bring back the 1983 ride (this would also include audio and visual enhancements, polishing up the ride) over just keeping the ride as-is really isn't financially viable. It wouldn't make them any money in the grand scheme of things.
All Disney cares about is the money, and if they don't have to rework Figment, they won't.
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
And speaking of my boy Tony Baxter…and the current topic of why the current ride never seems to get redone…
He once said to me that the only way to get the Imagination Attraction ‘fixed’ is to convince WDW Management that it NEEDS to be done.
And that’s the trick…
They have to be motivated and see a need to make it happen.
Thus far, no need has been seen.
Lots of talk, but talk is cheap.
Action speaks louder than words.
So, how do you convince them that this should happen?
That is NEEDS to happen?
Follow the money….
That is your homework assignment, folks.
Discover the answer and you just might see changes.
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He once said to me that the only way to get the Imagination Attraction ‘fixed’ is to convince WDW Management that it NEEDS to be done.
And that’s the trick…
They have to be motivated and see a need to make it happen.
Thus far, no need has been seen.
Lots of talk, but talk is cheap.
Action speaks louder than words.
So, how do you convince them that this should happen?
That is NEEDS to happen?
Follow the money….
That is your homework assignment, folks.
Discover the answer and you just might see changes.
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Agent H
Well-Known Member
This Is awesome!Posting this here, for anyone who just might be visiting Epcot this weekend….
As President and Charter Member of the Tony Baxter Fan Club, tis’ my duty to announce -
Disney Legend Tony Baxter will be visiting Epcot for the Festival of the Arts THIS weekend ( February 1st and 2nd ).
He will appearing at Communicore Hall at the Disney Fine Art area on both Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 2, and again from 3 to 5.
Disney Fine Art recently released a pair of prints featuring two of Tony’s own personal art pieces, both of which can be viewed and purchased here -
Tony Baxter
Tony Baxter was born on February 1, 1947, in Los Angeles and raised in Santa Ana, California—a prime location and era for a future Disney Imagineer. Growing up, Tony was a Disney fan but was especially intrigued by Walt Disney’s weekly TV series “Disneyland,” based on the soon-to-open park and...
Be sure to stop by and wish him a very happy birthday on the 1st!
-
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
Yes, it is!
I have seen no news about this anywhere….so ya’all have the ‘insider intel’.
I think it’s a pretty big deal Tony is coming to Epcot for an artist signing…and on his birthday weekend, too!
A rare East Coast opportunity for Park fans to meet a true living Legend.
You Figment fans had better show up in droves and visit with him!
THIS IS YOUR BIG CHANCE to meet the man who has not only given us Figment & Dreamfinder, but an incredible series of Attraction blockbusters that have defined the Disney Theme Park experience for the last five decades.
So get yourself to Epcot this weekend, folks.
He loves talking to the fans and is very open to discussion.
And be sure to view and perhaps consider purchasing some of his lovely artwork, too!
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Zak and Wheezie
Active Member
I live about 7 hours from WDW, so theoretically I could ride down there, but I can't (dealing with medical issues right now). Because of this, I am not a true Figment fan™.Yes, it is!
I have seen no news about this anywhere….so ya’all have the ‘insider intel’.
I think it’s a pretty big deal Tony is coming to Epcot for an artist signing…and on his birthday weekend, too!
A rare East Coast opportunity to meet a true living Legend.
You Figment fans had better show up in droves and visit with him!
He loves talking to the fans and is very open to discussion.
Buy some of his lovely artwork, too!
-
Agent H
Well-Known Member
Yes, it is!
I have seen no news about this anywhere….so ya’all have the ‘insider intel’.
I think it’s a pretty big deal Tony is coming to Epcot for an artist signing…and on his birthday weekend, too!
A rare East Coast opportunity for Park fans to meet a true living Legend.
You Figment fans had better show up in droves and visit with him!
THIS IS YOUR BIG CHANCE to meet the man who has not only given us Figment & Dreamfinder, but an incredible series of Attraction blockbusters that have defined the Disney Theme Park experience for the last five decades.
So get yourself to Epcot this weekend, folks.
He loves talking to the fans and is very open to discussion.
And be sure to view and perhaps consider purchasing some of his lovely artwork, too!
-
this the coolest thing to ever happen to CommuniCore hall!Yes, it is!
I have seen no news about this anywhere….so ya’all have the ‘insider intel’.
I think it’s a pretty big deal Tony is coming to Epcot for an artist signing…and on his birthday weekend, too!
A rare East Coast opportunity for Park fans to meet a true living Legend.
You Figment fans had better show up in droves and visit with him!
THIS IS YOUR BIG CHANCE to meet the man who has not only given us Figment & Dreamfinder, but an incredible series of Attraction blockbusters that have defined the Disney Theme Park experience for the last five decades.
So get yourself to Epcot this weekend, folks.
He loves talking to the fans and is very open to discussion.
And be sure to view and perhaps consider purchasing some of his lovely artwork, too!
-
Zak and Wheezie
Active Member
There's one thing I am curious about. Prior to August 2010 when Kodak let go of the sponsorship, there was an exhibit with Figment appearing throughout. It seemed to be some sort of interactive stage activity:
What was this like? I'd love to see some more footage of this. It looked pretty cool (not "OG ImageWorks cool", but still cool).
What was this like? I'd love to see some more footage of this. It looked pretty cool (not "OG ImageWorks cool", but still cool).
Agent H
Well-Known Member
right? I’m talking to you figments friend
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
Yep.
Officially listed on the WDW Website, under the Artist Signings.
Screen shots of the schedule for both days, listing Mr. Baxter -
You can trust the President of the Tony Baxter Fan Club.
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