How accurate is the Jim Hill report that the Dreamfinder may return to Figment?

[Figments Friend]

Billy Barty will forever be "Figment' to me.

He was PERFECTLY cast.....

The "modern" version does nothing for me actually.

The character of Figment should return to it's original nature, of being a curious and playfully appealing dragon......not the spolied overactive child he is today...

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

YES!! They must change it back.. and also his personality now is kind of annoying.. i want the old figment back more than the dreamfinder even.. they need both to make this work!

The voice was originally done by Billy Barty, who died in 2000, unfortunately. The voice is now done by *insert actors name here* (I don't know who it is), and ofcourse, it's a very distictive voice and very hard to replicate, and quite frankly, while there are discrepancies between the 2 voices, I think Disney got it pretty right. I"ve been told that I can sing One Little Spark just like Billy Barty, but that's besides the point .


Yensid "Can they Imagine too?" tlaw1969

 

[SirNim]

Billy Barty will forever be "Figment' to me.

Agreed...

Shame Disney can't salvage bits and pieces of Barty's recording sessions for a possible new reincarnation of the attraction like they (supposedly) did with Donald Duck (Nash) for Philharmagic...

 

[jedimaster1227]

YES!! They must change it back.. and also his personality now is kind of annoying.. i want the old figment back more than the dreamfinder even.. they need both to make this work!

That is exactly how I feel.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Does anyone know why exactly they got rid of the first version of JII with Dreamfinder? Was it too '80s, outdated? Were the crowds not big enough like they are now? Or was it just a random change?

Not positive, Lee or Marnie can probably correct me if I'm referencing urban legend, but I thought that there were some mechanical difficulties with the ride construct of the original. Due to the weight of the turntables used, I remember hearing of some settling/movement that would have cost a considerable amount to fix, so the opportunity was taken to redesign the ride.

 

[Pongo]

I hope that they fix Figment's voice in the new version. He is just annoying now.

I like Figment's voice better now than in the original version :lookaroun

I thought that in the original version, it sounded like he had been smoking his whole life. All raspy and such.

 

[marni1971]

As far as I`m aware, as part of Kodaks contract renewal in 1997, they stipulated the ride be changed and updated. We still havn`t figured out why upstairs was really closed (though it may not remain like that for much longer) but do know some of the reasons the updating removed some of the less reliable parts of the original ride system;

the rotating flight to imagination scene was going to need major repair work. Contrary to popular belief, there was no turntable, more a framework of show sets, rear projection screens and props some 80ft across that rotated on a central base and ran on railings. This was rumoured to be warping under it`s own weight.

The ride system was too clever for it`s day - cars would slowly buch for load, then alter speed an split like a WEDWay for the ride. Car speed and pacing was never fully under control as planned.

Cars also would fail to align properly with the rotating flight scenary. The ride would shut down regularly - normally a few times a day. At best a cascade stop was triggered, at worse the cars could and did derail when empty.

There was also interface issues with the unload area - the original unload moving belt was removed shortly after the ride opened (alte) because of this.

All in all, a very clever ride that was a little too advanced (as in Test Track??!) Imagine what could be done with the same idea using todays technology.

 

[hokielutz]

I also miss the original version of the ride. I rode JIIWF this past Saturday, and I found myself shaking my head several times during the journey. It seems that a lot of the scenes were thrown together with boring 2-D props. I remember the first version with far more animatronics and three dimensional sets that really grabbed your attention and you had to ride it again and again so you could see the details you missed on an earlier trip. Now in place of the animatronics, its filled with video clips that are really annoying.

The only part of the ride that made an impression was at the end in the large room and Figment's "Imagination" song was in full chorus.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

As far as I`m aware, as part of Kodaks contract renewal in 1997, they stipulated the ride be changed and updated. We still havn`t figured out why upstairs was really closed (though it may not remain like that for much longer) but do know some of the reasons the updating removed some of the less reliable parts of the original ride system;

the rotating flight to imagination scene was going to need major repair work. Contrary to popular belief, there was no turntable, more a framework of show sets, rear projection screens and props some 80ft across that rotated on a central base and ran on railings. This was rumoured to be warping under it`s own weight.

The ride system was too clever for it`s day - cars would slowly buch for load, then alter speed an split like a WEDWay for the ride. Car speed and pacing was never fully under control as planned.

Cars also would fail to align properly with the rotating flight scenary. The ride would shut down regularly - normally a few times a day. At best a cascade stop was triggered, at worse the cars could and did derail when empty.

There was also interface issues with the unload area - the original unload moving belt was removed shortly after the ride opened (alte) because of this.

All in all, a very clever ride that was a little too advanced (as in Test Track??!) Imagine what could be done with the same idea using todays technology.

Thanks for the clarification (as usual). I'll take my small victory in that there did seem to be a mechanical problem as part of the issue....

 

[Senderella]

I'd love to see a revamped JIYI. As much as I love the current ride (it's a favorite of mine.. something about little purple dragons & the song :lol: ) I don't get how the senses = imagination. :veryconfu I don't like the scientist guy. That's how expendable he is to me.. I can't even remember his name. It had been about 20 years between Disney trips for me...between the last trip w/ my parents and then the start of trips with my DH...Figment stuck with me all those years. The original JIYI that is. I'd talk about a little purple dragon (I couldn't remember his name for the life of me after 10 yrs) and people would think I was nuts. I was beginning to think he was just that.. a figment of my imagination...until we finally started planning our trip and I was doing my homework. They definately need to do something because as someone else said, a lot seems like 2-d set props.

They really need to do something about the front half of Epcot. There's only a few things that hold DH's & my interest. I try to avoid Living Seas because I can get lost for hours in there LOL. We hit those and spend the rest of the day at WS. It seems to me there's more to explore & do back there, but even then, they could do some more with the countries they have. Something more than mainly restaurants/shopping. There are a few rides, but we're not interested in standing and watching a movie about the country. I know this is just the opinion of 2 people (me & Dh), but they can do so much more with Epcot.

 

[frankd1962]

I like Figment's voice better now than in the original version :lookaroun

I thought that in the original version, it sounded like he had been smoking his whole life. All raspy and such.

Billy Barty was the original voice of Figment before they closed it. I haven't been on it since the first closing and bringing back Figment without Dreamfinder (Chuck McCann did his voice). His voice was always like that.

 

[Buford]

Billy Barty was the original voice of Figment before they closed it. I haven't been on it since the first closing and bringing back Figment without Dreamfinder (Chuck McCann did his voice). His voice was always like that.

Chuck McCann did the first half, Ron Schneider did the second :wave:

 

[polarboi]

I don't get how the senses = imagination.

Yeah... I totally agree. Riding the current version always feels to me like my Journey Into Imagination is actually a journey into Sesame Street. ("Let's talk about the senses! Woooo!")

I'm all for kid-friendly rides, but I don't really want to have to apologize to my friends for taking them on Imagination!

-p.b.

 

[jedimaster1227]

Let Ron do the Dreamfinder's voice again! :sohappy:

 

[Senderella]

Yeah... I totally agree. Riding the current version always feels to me like my Journey Into Imagination is actually a journey into Sesame Street. ("Let's talk about the senses! Woooo!")

I'm all for kid-friendly rides, but I don't really want to have to apologize to my friends for taking them on Imagination!

-p.b.

LOL Exactly. I lovvvvve Figment & JIYI don't get me wrong... but the whole senses/imagination thing really throws me.

 

[jedimaster1227]

LOL Exactly. I lovvvvve Figment & JIYI don't get me wrong... but the whole senses/imagination thing really throws me.

The senses make the story feel restrained and predictable. For me, I could see something new everytime I rode the original, because it was so much to take in. With the current version, it is just what is shown and there is nothing more to see past that.

 

[Senderella]

The senses make the story feel restrained and predictable. For me, I could see something new everytime I rode the original, because it was so much to take in. With the current version, it is just what is shown and there is nothing more to see past that.

I love rides like that.. and books/movies. To notice something new every single time you experience something (ride/book/movie/whatever) I think is the sign of an excellent job. There are a lot of rides where you can hear me squeal out in a hushed whisper "ooooh! I didn't notice that before! look!" I think the coolest thing in JIYI (that can possibly relate to imagination in some shape or form) is the disappearing butterfly in the cage.

 

[PintoColvig]

I think the coolest thing in JIYI (that can possibly relate to imagination in some shape or form) is the disappearing butterfly in the cage.

The butterfly is the only thing worth seeing.

 

[jedimaster1227]

I love rides like that.. and books/movies. To notice something new every single time you experience something (ride/book/movie/whatever) I think is the sign of an excellent job. There are a lot of rides where you can hear me squeal out in a hushed whisper "ooooh! I didn't notice that before! look!" I think the coolest thing in JIYI (that can possibly relate to imagination in some shape or form) is the disappearing butterfly in the cage.

That is the kind of thing I look for in any type of thing I will be doing over and over again; something new to find each time. With these newer rides (especially at Epcot), you don't have that experience anymore. For example, with Horizons, each set was so elaborate that you could never seen everything in one ride. With Mission:Space, the film doesn't change, and the buttons don't actually do anything. The experience is always the same.

 

[Senderella]

That is the kind of thing I look for in any type of thing I will be doing over and over again; something new to find each time. With these newer rides (especially at Epcot), you don't have that experience anymore. For example, with Horizons, each set was so elaborate that you could never seen everything in one ride. With Mission:Space, the film doesn't change, and the buttons don't actually do anything. The experience is always the same.

Definately agree with ya Jedi. Most of my favorite rides are the super old dark rides where you really can't possibly to expect to see every little detail...unless you ride it like 84,000 times in one day. I adore Epcot, but it's not as... hmmm what's the word i'm looking for?... you don't get that feeling really of an exploring child. When I go through say, HM and see something new, I get the big eyes and the smile and it's like seeing something brand new for the first time. At Epcot it's more of the "Ok we're here! Time to shop!" :hammer: