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Journey into Imagination - Then and Now

Disney Analyst

Disney Analyst

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I started watching old videos of the first version of the ride (I have only experienced the current), and I got very curious. I started finding videos of people sneaking upstairs, surfing through old threads.. generally just trying to understand and gather information. I know I've seen talk of the old ride system, with its carousels and such...

I'm very curious how the current track/show scenes line up with the first version of the ride. Does anyone have a blue print of the original? Anyone know how it lines up, are there empty rooms on the first floor where the old ride existed?

What are your thoughts, memories?
 
Bairstow

Bairstow

Well-Known Member
Also from the video:

Imagination_1983_show_scene_layoutw.jpg


Imagination_1999_show_scene_layoutw.jpg
 
englanddg

englanddg

One Little Spark...
WondersOfLife said:
I've always thought that the current version wouldn't get so much flack if the original never existed.
Click to expand...
Well, rather pointless. Had the original never existed, the new version, even if they somehow came up with it later, would probably have long since been replaced.

It's the intense connection Figgy made with children of the 70s / 80s / 90s that went to the parks between 83 and 99 that are now having their own kids and taking them to Disney that keeps it going.

They need to do something for the ride, the question is what.

And, while I don't think they need to replicate the original, I do think they need to bring back the feel of it, as well as the whimsical story and character of Figgy.

The current ride, it's a mess.
 
WondersOfLife

WondersOfLife

Blink, blink. Breathe, breathe. Day in, day out.
englanddg said:
Well, rather pointless. Had the original never existed, the new version, even if they somehow came up with it later, would probably have long since been replaced.

They need to do something for the ride, the question is what.

The current ride, it's a mess.
Click to expand...

Oh yes. No doubt about that. I don't personally like the attraction. I just think that it wouldn't have gotten any "hate" and would be one of those attractions that just kind of "existed" for a period of time with no audience.. Basically like it is now, but without anyone complaining about what USED to be there.

Kind of like the Circle of Life film or Star Tours 1.
 
englanddg

englanddg

One Little Spark...
WondersOfLife said:
Oh yes. No doubt about that. I don't personally like the attraction. I just think that it wouldn't have gotten any "hate" and would be one of those attractions that just kind of "existed" for a period of time with no audience.. Basically like it is now, but without anyone complaining about what USED to be there.

Kind of like the Circle of Life film or Star Tours 1.
Click to expand...
But, pretty much no one I know of dislikes the Circle of Life or the new Star Tours.

I don't think I've ever read that anywhere...though I'm sure there's someone, it certainly isn't a prevailing fan sentiment.

Circle of Life replaced a rather bland film about agriculture and environmental awareness. Symbiosis.



The only complaint I could even link to people not liking Circle of Life would be the general complain of many who grew up with EPCOT Center who don't approve of including cartoon IPs (or movie IPs) in Futureworld. The other is just a dark humor that the Circle of Life storyline is amusing as they were planning an Amusement Park (Timon and Pumba) before realizing what it would do to the environment...rather funny that Disney would put something in that criticizes Theme Parks, even if indirectly. :P

As far as Star Tours, I think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn't like the "Adventure Continues" version.

Both of these were relative upgrades which improved the attractions (or at least didn't stomp all over them). The current Imagination, did not.
 
WondersOfLife

WondersOfLife

Blink, blink. Breathe, breathe. Day in, day out.
englanddg said:
Both of these were relative upgrades which improved the attractions (or at least didn't stomp all over them). The current Imagination, did not.
Click to expand...

I was getting at the fact that the original Star Tours and the current Circle of Life just kind of exists/existed without general complaints.. But just kind of sits there.

Which is what the current attraction of Imagination! would be doing right now if the original never existed. Not horrible enough for a bunch of complaints but not popular enough for anyone to ever talk about it.

Trying to think of a better example.... Kind of like the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show at HS. It never replaced anything major.. And now, it's not really technically good enough for anyone to talk about it from their recent trip report.. Or bad enough for anyone to complain about it. So it's just kind of... There.

And since it never replaced an outstanding attraction, it's not getting any flack for just "existing."
 
englanddg

englanddg

One Little Spark...
WondersOfLife said:
I was getting at the fact that the original Star Tours and the current Circle of Life just kind of exists/existed without general complaints.. But just kind of sits there.

Which is what the current attraction of Imagination! would be doing right now if the original never existed. Not horrible enough for a bunch of complaints but not popular enough for anyone to ever talk about it.

Trying to think of a better example.... Kind of like the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show at HS. It never replaced anything major.. And now, it's not really technically good enough for anyone to talk about it from their recent trip report.. Or bad enough for anyone to complain about it. So it's just kind of... There.

And since it never replaced an outstanding attraction, it's not getting any flack for just "existing."
Click to expand...
VotLM replaced Here Comes the Muppets, which was fine, because the Muppets were moving to their recently opened home in the new Muppet Studios section the year prior, so no one minded it very much. Here Comes the Muppets replaced what used to be the end of the Backlot Tour.

And, VotLM is a popular IP, set well, and a nice show. So, yeah, no complaints. People like it, and they still do.

And, it's mentioned in quite a few trip reports.
 
WondersOfLife

WondersOfLife

Blink, blink. Breathe, breathe. Day in, day out.
englanddg said:
VotLM replaced Here Comes the Muppets, which was fine, because the Muppets were moving to their recently opened home in the new Muppet Studios section the year prior, so no one minded it very much. Here Comes the Muppets replaced what used to be the end of the Backlot Tour.

And, VotLM is a popular IP, set well, and a nice show. So, yeah, no complaints. People like it, and they still do.

And, it's mentioned in quite a few trip reports.
Click to expand...

Reflections of China. Is that a better example?
 
WondersOfLife

WondersOfLife

Blink, blink. Breathe, breathe. Day in, day out.
englanddg said:
Well, that film was updated in the mid 2000's. But, I guess.

The current Figment ride isn't TERRIBLE. It's just not what it was.
Click to expand...
That's what I'm getting at! If the original NEVER existed, it wouldn't be bad enough for people to complain about it.. But it wouldn't be good enough for people to talk about it.
 
Blackie Pueblo

Blackie Pueblo

Active Member
I've said it before and I'll stand by what I've said. The problem with Journey into Imagination now is...it doesn't really promote imagination like it use to. Now it's more like a lesson on the five senses and how to use them. Which doesn't match what they use to promote. It was so much fun before and promote to children how important and fun the imagation is to children. Now it's trying to be too "Scientific" and Seasame Street" for lack of examples. Plus no offense, Eric Idle is not as much fun as Dreamfinder. Figment and Dreamfinder went hand in hand in the literal Journey Into Imagination. I loved the characters so much when I was younger I wanted more Figment and Dreamfinder in the parks like MK has all the known characters.

Plus the exploratory area at the end was just so much more fun and really got your creative juices flowing. Now it just feels like a Museum of Science and Industry.
 

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