Rumor Inside Out to Replace Journey into Imagination with Figment?

[Horizons78]

Regarding Disney likely 'ignoring' any campaigns or fans rallying behind a cause.....

They sure listened to us when it came to Epcot's 25th Anniversary.



Disney announced they had nothing publically planned to honor the occasion, which caused much uproar in the fan community and with Park enthusiasts.
A friend of a little dragon you might know started a campaign during the uproar, right here on this very Forum, in February of 2007 with a thread.
It attracted so much attention in the coming months, and snowballed into such a 'fan movement' that Disney did a complete turnaround and announced a few months later plans for a in-Park event to honor the anniversary.

All it takes is ONE person to start it off, have dedicated fellow fans help spread the word and contribute to the cause, and the next thing you know Disney does a complete turnaround and follows suit.

By October 1st, thousands of fans as well as ex-cast, Imagineers, current cast, Disney Company personalities, and more decended on the Park to enjoy what we had ALL helped make happen -
A officially Disney sanctioned, fully endorsed in-Park celebration for Epcot's silver anniversary.
Even Marty Sklar flew into town for this!

'We Did It!'



Not bad for a bunch of fans that Disney wanted to 'ignore'.
They listened, and acted.

A amazing day.

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I will forever remember:

• Listening to Marty Sklar’s wonderful presentation in the Harvest Theater
• Having dessert in the Odyssey and meeting so many forum members
• The great deluge of rain
• Jim McPhee personally coming to check in with the group after Illuminations
• The singing march out of the park after the burn off

What an amazing day.

 

[marni1971]

I will forever remember:

• Listening to Marty Sklar’s wonderful presentation in the Harvest Theater
• Having dessert in the Odyssey and meeting so many forum members
• The great deluge of rain
• Jim McPhee personally coming to check in with the group after Illuminations
• The singing march out of the park after the burn off

What an amazing day.

Indeed it was.

 

[Epcot_Imagineer]

With Martin's whistle in the UK thread we can assume that Disney is probably going to green lit something there... Why they won't do that with Imagination? Are they afraid of replacing Figment and then losing merchandise? How can they think that Imagination is not a priority and UK is?

As someone pointed out to me in the UK thread, with the Skyliner opening, execs likely want/need an attraction to eat some people near that entrance along with Rat. With the upcoming 2-year work on SSE, I wouldn't be surprised if Imagination is being kept open to absorb some displaced crowds. If we're going to see any action on JII, I'd bet on it not occurring until after SSE/Rat/UK; but this is all speculation on my end.

 

[Figments Friend]

I will forever remember:

• Listening to Marty Sklar’s wonderful presentation in the Harvest Theater
• Having dessert in the Odyssey and meeting so many forum members
• The great deluge of rain
• Jim McPhee personally coming to check in with the group after Illuminations
• The singing march out of the park after the burn off

What an amazing day.

Yes!
All of those moments are forever burned into my brain as well, among others.

Meeting Marty Sklar after said presentation, where he shook my hand and said quote ' thank you for kicking them ( Disney ) in the a** to get going on this!'


Those cool 'retro' Guide Maps given out that day.

The 'press conference' upstairs in the Norway Pavilions' VIP lounge.

Leaving the Park for the night with the core group of fans singing Pavillion songs along the way, with Third Shift employees / landscapers hard at work.
They were looking at us with some priceless expressions.

Witnessing our own Martin be the very last Guest to exit the Park turnstiles that night ( a moment you had to be there for to fully understand )

-

 

[jt04]

As someone pointed out to me in the UK thread, with the Skyliner opening, execs likely want/need an attraction to eat some people near that entrance along with Rat. With the upcoming 2-year work on SSE, I wouldn't be surprised if Imagination is being kept open to absorb some displaced crowds. If we're going to see any action on JII, I'd bet on it not occurring until after SSE/Rat/UK; but this is all speculation on my end.

Agreed. Epcot 2.0 is going to be the longest of all the 2.0 projects at wdw. Most of a decade is my guess. At least.

 

[FigmentJedi]

With Martin's whistle in the UK thread we can assume that Disney is probably going to green lit something there... Why they won't do that with Imagination? Are they afraid of replacing Figment and then losing merchandise? How can they think that Imagination is not a priority and UK is?

I'm fully convinced at this point that Imagineering is ride or die for Dreamfinder and Figment as an attraction update and have been deliberately putting an Imagination refurb off because Chapek is still infatuated with Inside Out and as you know, IP takes priority now.

 

[trainplane3]

I'm fully convinced at this point that Imagineering is ride or die for Dreamfinder and Figment as an attraction update and have been deliberately putting an Imagination refurb off because Chapek is still infatuated with Inside Out and as you know, IP takes priority now.

Isn't that the case of CoP? WDI wants to update it but everytime they make an attempt, the higher ups come in and start demanding more and more ridiculous things to be added/changed so then WDI just drops it.

 

[FigmentFan82]

I'm fully convinced at this point that Imagineering is ride or die for Dreamfinder and Figment as an attraction update and have been deliberately putting an Imagination refurb off because Chapek is still infatuated with Inside Out and as you know, IP takes priority now.

Would love love love them to look to the Figment Marvel Comics run for inspiration. I don't mind waiting for the refurb if waiting means getting something special with Figment and Dreamfinder again!! Fingers crossed!!

 

[Figments Friend]

I really want to hear the full story about Martin leaving the park! I may be incorrect, but I believe I was the final guest out of EPCOT on the 35th anniversary so this is of interest to me.

Only @marni1971 can tell the tale best.
It's a cool moment.


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[montyz81]

Only @marni1971 can tell the tale best.
It's a cool moment.


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I can't tell you how many times I watched the Video of the 25th Annv and the discussion with Jim McPhee. Was that actually @marni1971 the last one to leave the park in that video?
I so wish I could join the group that goes down for these Annv parties. I am still dealing with my wife who thinks visiting every year is too much. (Wait till she sees where I plan to retire. I intend to be a riverboat operator on the Sassagoula River when I retire.)

 

[Figments Friend]

I can't tell you how many times I watched the Video of the 25th Annv and the discussion with Jim McPhee. Was that actually @marni1971 the last one to leave the park in that video?

I'm not sure if i have seen the video you mention, but if it was at night time after Park close, then likely yes.....it was him.


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[marni1971]

I really want to hear the full story about Martin leaving the park! I may be incorrect, but I believe I was the final guest out of EPCOT on the 35th anniversary so this is of interest to me.

Only @marni1971 can tell the tale best.
It's a cool moment.


-

I can't tell you how many times I watched the Video of the 25th Annv and the discussion with Jim McPhee. Was that actually @marni1971 the last one to leave the park in that video?
I so wish I could join the group that goes down for these Annv parties. I am still dealing with my wife who thinks visiting every year is too much. (Wait till she sees where I plan to retire. I intend to be a riverboat operator on the Sassagoula River when I retire.)

I was just very lucky

 

[DanielBB8]

I'm fully convinced at this point that Imagineering is ride or die for Dreamfinder and Figment as an attraction update and have been deliberately putting an Imagination refurb off because Chapek is still infatuated with Inside Out and as you know, IP takes priority now.

This ignores Imagineering that broke the original version. It was the fans that wanted to save Figment and not Dreamfinder. You can’t have one without the other. Chapek has the leadership to make Imagination the priority. They just have too many priorities. So regardless, we just have to wait.

 

[marni1971]

That is awesome! Your experience leaving the park certainly looked like an awesome moment.

Based on your departure, I'm pretty sure I was the last one out on the 35th after all. I was hanging around the very front for a while and once the security guards showed up they told me I was the last guest out similar to how they told you. I wasn't sure if I really was, but after seeing your video I'm pretty sure I really was the last one out! So cool!

We probably saw each other. I left by the front gate sometime after the official closing time.

 

[FigmentJedi]

This ignores Imagineering that broke the original version. It was the fans that wanted to save Figment and not Dreamfinder. You can’t have one without the other. Chapek has the leadership to make Imagination the priority. They just have too many priorities. So regardless, we just have to wait.

Imagineering is not a monolith and the people behind that initial redo are either gone or incredibly remorseful of what they did.

There have been Imagineering pitches for a Dreamfinder and Figment redo since at least 2006, with budgets being snatched away by projects like Nemo and Frozen. And the comic book was written specifically to serve as a pitch document/means of illustrating people's interest in the characters to executives. That motivation was also shared by that Museum of the Weird comic they started the Disney Kingdoms comic line with.

But when you have someone like Chapek lurking about, it's a lot harder to see things through in that particular fashion. And Marvel lost interest in doing Disney Kingdoms ever since the Tiki Room book flopped and the main WDI editor of the books left Disney for Evermore.

 

[brb1006]

I can't tell you how many times I watched the Video of the 25th Annv and the discussion with Jim McPhee. Was that actually @marni1971 the last one to leave the park in that video?
I so wish I could join the group that goes down for these Annv parties. I am still dealing with my wife who thinks visiting every year is too much. (Wait till she sees where I plan to retire. I intend to be a riverboat operator on the Sassagoula River when I retire.)

Here's footage of the re-dedication ceremony.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

Yeah, I'm not sure Tom's direction for the parks was good long term. Film attractions rarely have the ongoing fan base as those that are more "Classic Disney".

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

I'd take Baxter's line up of attractions any day...

 

[Haymarket2008]

I realllllllly don’t think there are Imagination conspiracy theories like the ones being “discussed”.

 

[Figments Friend]

Let's get back to talking about the future, and what that might bring.
We all agree something should be done to improve the experiences within the Imagination Pavilion.

So, WDI and Burbank peeps reading this -
( I know you are....( waves )

Fix the current 'Imagination' Attraction at Epcot.
Make it actually imaginative again.

Outside IP / Pixar free...please.
This is NOT needed at this Pavillion.
NO 'Inside Out' nonsense.

Build on what came before ( the Original Attraction ), the elements that worked, and improve that concept in a creative and engaging way.
Remember, you already have two very successful and engaging characters in Dreamfinder & Figment as well as a storytelling potential jackpot to play with.

And for the sake of all that is holy, budget a serious investment into it.
NO 'half measures'.
Go big, or just go back to your attic space / basement.
This project is LONG overdue.

Make it happen.
Now.

P.S. - Keep the original glass pyramid Pavillion.