John Lasseter Visits Imagination Pavilion

[Goofyernmost]

That's actually not true. Attendance dropped because someone in operations decided to re-route the queue to Honey I Shrunk the Audience to block off the ride entrance and marketed it as though it were the main attraction when the original design was intended to be Ride first upstairs second and Magic Eye third, The problem became that since the Magic Eye deposits you away from the pavilion toward World Showcase, Most Casual guests did not know there was even another ride there due to lack of publicity. Disney used this artificial problem as leverage to convince Kodak to finance JIYI.

Good point. I had forgotten about that. My first trip to EPCOT was in February of 1983. The first place we went was Imagination. The line stretched on for what seemed like miles. After spending an hour or so in line and making hardly any progress, we decided to skip it. The next time I went, I was traveling in the queue that I thought was for the ride and ended up in the god awful Capt. Ewooooo! When we got out of the movie there we were outside and had to re-queue for the ride. I was so angry, I almost screamed. Once again we decided to skip it. In future visits I knew where the queue for the ride was and finally managed to see it. To be honest, until now if I knew about that change, I wasn't conscience of carrying it with me. I always thought that it was something stupid that I did causing me to miss the one thing I wanted to see.

I should have been more specific about the "boring" part. For me, riding along side the Dreamfinder was an absolute jaw dropping experience. All I could think of was how did the do this. After that it all seemed anti-climatic to me. Not boring as much as less spectacular for me.

 

[pmaljr]

It now should just be called "Journey Into A Gift Shop" ...

 

[ExtinctJenn]

It now should just be called "Journey Into A Gift Shop" ...

Serious irony there as well when you consider said gift shop now sports Dreamfinder related merchandise... not to mention it's nothing but Figment related stuff and not a single Eric Idle reference or even an Imagination Institute reference outside of the symbol being on a few things.

 

[IWant2GoNow]

And look at the colour palette. Pale blues and purples. lovely. No garish reds or oranges.

Makes me think they went with a more "eye popping" color scheme to distract your eyes away from the filthy, mildew-looking building above. I was upset over Imagination's deplorable condition but seeing these pictures makes me sick & I almost feel as if today's Imagination Pavilion is the "ghetto" of Epcot.

 

[IWant2GoNow]

A power wash and lose that red, orange, blue color scheme on the lower half. Maybe I'm alone, but I've always thought it looked awful (and was obviously a cheap way of sprucing things up).

"This building is looking a tad dated. What can we do to fix it?"

"Well, we could always redesign part of the structure, maybe build a --"

"Ahem..." (Rubs thumb against fingertips)

"I'll send somebody to Home Depot."

My first trip was when I was 12 in 1994 with my parents. I really wish I could vividly remember everything about that trip or at least would have had a better appreciation for it back then. I know most of the members on this forum who are able to remember those days long for it to feel the same, but is there anyone at all who actually feels it could be revived anymore? Or are we all just stuck sliding down the hill of quality forever?

 

[montyz81]

Good point. I had forgotten about that. My first trip to EPCOT was in February of 1983. The first place we went was Imagination. The line stretched on for what seemed like miles. After spending an hour or so in line and making hardly any progress, we decided to skip it. The next time I went, I was traveling in the queue that I thought was for the ride and ended up in the god awful Capt. Ewooooo! When we got out of the movie there we were outside and had to re-queue for the ride. I was so angry, I almost screamed. Once again we decided to skip it. In future visits I knew where the queue for the ride was and finally managed to see it. To be honest, until now if I knew about that change, I wasn't conscience of carrying it with me. I always thought that it was something stupid that I did causing me to miss the one thing I wanted to see..

You were there one month before my first trip. These were the "No Horizons, Living Seas and Wonders of Life" years. Anyway, We had the same issue, My father was smart enough to recognize that we weren't going to the right place so we changed and went to the right line.

I remember when I watched Jurassic Park for the first time that the "ride" experience that he had set up in the movie reminded me of when we fist met dream finder on the turning table. I was 12 years old and loved every minute of that ride and park. Still the only park I remember in great detail from my 1981 and 1983 visit. I can't remember much about Magic Kingdom from either of those two years. I remember pretty much everything from Epcot Center.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Can't speak to the validity of this, but I took the Undiscovered Future World Tour this week and we were told that Kodak actually owns Figment and Dreamfinder and that Disney was trying to get the rights. Seems like Kodak would be happy to unload these since they are in big trouble. Anyone know if this is true?

Pretty sure that's false.

 

[cynic710]

My first trip was when I was 12 in 1994 with my parents. I really wish I could vividly remember everything about that trip or at least would have had a better appreciation for it back then. I know most of the members on this forum who are able to remember those days long for it to feel the same, but is there anyone at all who actually feels it could be revived anymore? Or are we all just stuck sliding down the hill of quality forever?

i think we surpassed what disney set out to do, i think we went beyond what the park was supposed to be as far as technology, style and substance. nobody knew what society would be like so many years after the creation of the parks, and though its still popular and loved, i think it has become something different to both the visitors of the past and newbies. i think a transition that the park is already on (FLE) is a step towards a new goal, or at least a time table of recapturing society with imagination and wonderment, the pace is staggering from the outside in, but i think things are not as grimm as thought.

basically, i think were in a transition phase, and may be in it for a while. but the end result will be awesome.

 

[IWant2GoNow]

i think we surpassed what disney set out to do, i think we went beyond what the park was supposed to be as far as technology, style and substance. nobody knew what society would be like so many years after the creation of the parks, and though its still popular and loved, i think it has become something different to both the visitors of the past and newbies. i think a transition that the park is already on (FLE) is a step towards a new goal, or at least a time table of recapturing society with imagination and wonderment, the pace is staggering from the outside in, but i think things are not as grimm as thought.

basically, i think were in a transition phase, and may be in it for a while. but the end result will be awesome.

Well put. I can only say that I hope you're right about the transition phase. The management team needs to go SOON that's all I know. Start spending money & taking risks on new ventures.

EDIT- Until then I may have to bust out my Epcot Facepalm Guy avatar again. Haha.

 

[Goofyernmost]

You were there one month before my first trip. These were the "No Horizons, Living Seas and Wonders of Life" years. Anyway, We had the same issue, My father was smart enough to recognize that we weren't going to the right place so we changed and went to the right line.

I remember when I watched Jurassic Park for the first time that the "ride" experience that he had set up in the movie reminded me of when we fist met dream finder on the turning table. I was 12 years old and loved every minute of that ride and park. Still the only park I remember in great detail from my 1981 and 1983 visit. I can't remember much about Magic Kingdom from either of those two years. I remember pretty much everything from Epcot Center.

Don't mean to be too picky, but if you remember EPCOT from 1981 you have a really good memory. EPCOT opened in October of 1982.

 

[muteki]

i think we surpassed what disney set out to do, i think we went beyond what the park was supposed to be as far as technology, style and substance. nobody knew what society would be like so many years after the creation of the parks, and though its still popular and loved, i think it has become something different to both the visitors of the past and newbies. i think a transition that the park is already on (FLE) is a step towards a new goal, or at least a time table of recapturing society with imagination and wonderment, the pace is staggering from the outside in, but i think things are not as grimm as thought.

basically, i think were in a transition phase, and may be in it for a while. but the end result will be awesome.

That may be true in some cases, but certainly not all. I think even today we haven't reached a level of technology depicted in most of the original pavilions. Maybe that animatronic has 80's hair or the motion is a little jerky, but you can't say that the world we live in today is anything close to what was depicted in Horizons, Living Seas, etc. If I am wrong, someone please point out where I can pick up a hover car, or what rent is like in that underwater city.

 

[cynic710]

That may be true in some cases, but certainly not all. I think even today we haven't reached a level of technology depicted in most of the original pavilions. Maybe that animatronic has 80's hair or the motion is a little jerky, but you can't say that the world we live in today is anything close to what was depicted in Horizons, Living Seas, etc. If I am wrong, someone please point out where I can pick up a hover car, or what rent is like in that underwater city.

when i said that i meant in the style of the park, not the literal sense of what the attraction was conveying. think of back to the future, were certainly not going to be anywhere near what they conveyed 2015 to look like, but the style of the movie is in fact 20+ years old and in a dated fashion.

 

[montyz81]

Don't mean to be too picky, but if you remember EPCOT from 1981 you have a really good memory. EPCOT opened in October of 1982.

I didn't type it correctly. I went down in 81 and 83. Of both of those trips, I mostly remember my visit to Epcot Center in 83. I was making the point that I didn't remember as much from the Magic Kingdom in each of my 2 trips as I did in one visit to Epcot Center in 83. However, I do have Epcot Memories from 1981 as I do remember seeing the Epcot Center Monorail beams under construction going into the MK parking lot. I also remember going into the preview show that was on Main Street. I remember seeing the entire model of Epcot Center on display while we waited for the show.

 

[montyz81]

when i said that i meant in the style of the park, not the literal sense of what the attraction was conveying. think of back to the future, were certainly not going to be anywhere near what they conveyed 2015 to look like, but the style of the movie is in fact 20+ years old and in a dated fashion.

What are you talking about. I have an appointment for my Hover Conversion next week!

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

This might have something to do with the new pixar movie coming out...
"The Untitled Pixar Movie that takes you inside the Mind"
The name is obviously going to change, but the movie has been described as the journey into a young girl's imagination. It is to be released in 2015, meaning an attraction could be designed in time for it's release.

I for one would be happy to see the change. However, this is not because I don't like the current state of the attraction, I actually really enjoy it! I just think every Pixar attraction turns out amazing and with the potential this movie has.... I can't even start to imagine it.

AND DON'T WORRY! Figment could be used in a show to replace EO

I'm thinking the exact same thing, and hope that the "Untitled Pixar" movie about the thoughts inside a girl's head are used to re-do the ride. Figment is cute, but I don't think he and Dreamfinder ever had their own big budget film, or much of backstory, so I think using a Pixar film here as a starting point is a great idea. They could always have a Figment cameo, or use him elsewhere.

I'd be really surprised if they didn't do this.

 

[sshindel]

What are you talking about. I have an appointment for my Hover Conversion next week!

Plus, if you have enough money, you can get a pair of these on eBay:

 

[FrankLapidus]

I'm thinking the exact same thing, and hope that the "Untitled Pixar" movie about the thoughts inside a girl's head are used to re-do the ride. Figment is cute, but I don't think he and Dreamfinder ever had their own big budget film, or much of backstory, so I think using a Pixar film here as a starting point is a great idea. They could always have a Figment cameo, or use him elsewhere.

I'd be really surprised if they didn't do this.

So a ride has to have a big budget film behind it in order to be successful? They could just put some effort into improving the existing ride, using two characters in Figment and Dreamfinder who have proven to have enduring popularity with guests over the years, even when Disney have turned their attraction into a shell of what in once was.

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

So a ride has to have a big budget film behind it in order to be successful? They could just put some effort into improving the existing ride, using two characters in Figment and Dreamfinder who have proven to have enduring popularity with guests over the years, even when Disney have turned their attraction into a shell of what in once was.

I know that with the fans, Dreamfinder and Figment are known entities, but I feel that Dreamfinder is sort of dated, in terms of the victorian style dress and big beard, he looks like Mr. Kangaroo's long lost brother who took one LSD trip too many during the 1970's.

Most Epcot probably wouldn't have a clue who this guy is . . . plus the old jumbled ride looks too Jewels Verne for "Future World", IMHO.

I don't think a ride needs a big budget film to be a success, but if the Pixar film has great characters and a good story, I can't see why that couldn't be used in a ride. Plus, a solid storyline is better than just singing about Imagination, IMHO, though I like the song, for a ride I want a little bit more story.



Figment was supposed to be Epcot's Mickey Mouse (they didn't want to use Mickey in Epcot as they wanted Epcot to have its own identity), but decades later we've got Mickey, Gaston, and a ton of other Disney/Pixar characters in Epcot.

 

[ExtinctJenn]

Maybe instead of the film impacting the pavilion, the pavilion will impact the film. When we journey into her imagination we'll find it devoid of anything other than darkness, dust and cobwebs?

 

[Clever Name]

...he looks like Mr. Kangaroo's long lost brother who took one LSD trip too many during the 1970's.

Captain Kangaroo?