Journey into Imagination with Figment Refurbishment

[General Grizz]

I've been informed that the Journey Into Imagination with Figment will have its first refurbishment December 1st thru December 7th.

If anyone is visiting the attraction afterwards, please let us know how its been refurbished!

 

[One Lil Spark]

I'm going for Christmas/New Years week, so I'll give you an update if no one else has yet Griz! Good to see you up and moving on here again. Have a wonderful day everyone. :wave:

 

[General Grizz]

Be sure to watch the video at www.figmentsimagination.com closely to see what's new!! Thanks!!

:sohappy:

 

[Kenan]

Its going down for a rehab already? Oh gosh, (as a fellow friend would say)...it just opened. I wonder what went wrong...although when i rode it, the scene where the sound of the train comes at you, Figments right eye was out of proportion

 

[wdwcrazy]

It's only a week downtime. Probably just some cosmetic rehabs, nothing major.

 

[General Grizz]

Well, there have been a few errors. There have been reports that a few times, the finale scenes didn't lower. Many times, show doors didn't close, causing the other scene dialog to drift in at the wrong time. Also, in scenes such as the eye lab, the One Little Spark was not coordinated with the speakers. Behind you you could hear Figment start singing, where the speaker near the eye chart started a few seconds later. Once a girl fell on the ride track in the load, which may call for safety gates. All in all, it is good to have a few tweaks.

 

[wdwcrazy]

When I rode it, it took a while for the final scene to reset. We started riding into the room then it finally went dark but we had already seen everything. I guess they'll be fixing that too.

 

[General Grizz]

Hah!! That was neat!! What was it like seeing everything lift back up? Was the music to Imagination still playing?? :lol:

 

[animegirllover]

Okay, this ride will be down for rehab first, but when I get there, it will be up.

 

[cuteypatooty78]

Well let me give you my two cents on JIIWF. I thought the ride was ok but definetly like the original version better. None of my other family members wanted to ride it again and when we first got to the ride we were the only ones in the que line. I miss the old version

 

[TravisMT81]

the other night in one scene there was no sound LOL. Figment was still flappin his lips.

 

[mickeyfanatics]

I just saw this attraction Sunday and everything worked fine (except that they have a door for Dean Finder). Anyone know who Dean Finder is? I remember Dream Finder. I agree that this attraction is much better now than it s second incarnation (with that annoying British Guy everywhere, sorry, I do not find him funny). One thing I want all of you to think about the next time you get to the eye chart room, this used to be the carousel room with all of the white scenery highlighted with the classical version of One Little Spark and colorful lighting.

 

[General Grizz]

How do you know that was the Work of Art Scene??

BTW - The original of course was better than any of the other rehabs of the attraction in this pavilion, agreed by 95% of guests. Probably because it was a Jounrey Into Imagination.

 

[WDWspider]

Maybe better than the second version, but still zero wait time with often no one in the queue, maybe this is still due to the stinko impression the second one left, but I think the only hope for Imagination is a completly new concept at this point. Mind you, I may have gone in November, but the crowds were unusually high this time... many rides had thirty minute waits. Norway and Living with the Land where at 45 minutes, but JIIwF was totally opposite, and it is basically a new ride, bad signs I think. Even when we went in Oct 99 and crowds were very low, we had to wait 20 minutes for the second Journey that was so bad. I think with Tapestry of Dreams, we could have seen a great place to Reintroduce Dream Finder in JIIwF and other parts of EPCOT, oh well.

 

[General Grizz]

One day spider-man, one day.

Yup, in June there was no wait. It's pretty weird. Looks like Disney really messed it up too far in 99. Dang it, they really need more public opinion in their refurbishments. After all, it's FOR the public! "We" decide who rides it...if you think about it... (I mean as the entire "Disney" public as a whole)


Is it even on the map?

 

[WDWspider]

Originally posted by grizzlyhall
One day spider-man, one day.

Yup, in June there was no wait. It's pretty weird. Looks like Disney really messed it up too far in 99. Dang it, they really need more public opinion in their refurbishments. After all, it's FOR the public! "We" decide who rides it...if you think about it... (I mean as the entire "Disney" public as a whole)


Is it even on the map?

Well, my nephew who has never been to Disney before and knows nothing about prior versions of rides said something to the effect "Well it was OK, but I wouldn't ride it again". However on Peter Pan's Flight (which is relatively short) he said "That's my favorite ride in the park". So you can make a short ride very entertaining if you want, but JII ver 2 and 3 just can't deliver. Now the new One Little Spark is nice to hear again, I found that it made little sense with the new lyrics... yes it fit the new concept, but it was a tad odd to have a song in a ride like that. I don't know, version 3 did have more space filled, and the Butterfly is in a better spot now, but it still seems hollow and like even more stuff should be going on in an Imagination Institute (like the candy experimentation room in Willy Wonka - lots of stuff happening in there and less organized).

 

[General Grizz]

Yeah; I also was chilled to hear One Little Spark last time I rode it in June. But I've come to realize I've been brainwashed riding it. Yes, I am glad "Figment" (he needs an attitude adjustment, that pest! I have to let the original out of his jail cell!) is back and the new ride has more color and fluff, but then I realize...



MY GOSH! This is nothing compared to the original!!!


The original ride was a true classic. Sure, it was slow-moving. Sure, it opened in 1983. But these classic attractions have such a charm that make them timeless. Kinda like Kitchen Kabaret to Food Rocks? When Disney decided to change it, they gave a pavilion that stands for what the entire Walt Disney progressful message is (a dream can be a dream come true/man has a dream and that's the start) - this limitless theme - and they give it a low budget.

The current attraction has the old turntable (which was HUGE, almost 3 minutes to go around it) and the entire Monsters scene (giant letters, cat/bat, genie, Figment on book, Figment closing book, to "Some Happy Songs"/Theatre) is unused. Still, the Imagination idea has become so...full of limits it seems. We're not introduced to the importance of the imagination until the end, but it's not emphasized to leave that "wanting to create" effect the original had. Plus, now the Image Works is a bunch of computers!! Upstairs, the original was built in 1982, but the stuff in there is pure imagination compared to what is downstairs; software that can be downloaded on to the computer.

I know I'm rattling on...lol...sorry. In the morning I usually have this much energy after a nice breakfast. Heh....

 

[One Lil Spark]

Originally posted by grizzlyhall
Yeah; I also was chilled to hear One Little Spark last time I rode it in June. But I've come to realize I've been brainwashed riding it. Yes, I am glad "Figment" (he needs an attitude adjustment, that pest! I have to let the original out of his jail cell!) is back and the new ride has more color and fluff, but then I realize...



MY GOSH! This is nothing compared to the original!!!


The original ride was a true classic. Sure, it was slow-moving. Sure, it opened in 1983. But these classic attractions have such a charm that make them timeless. Kinda like Kitchen Kabaret to Food Rocks? When Disney decided to change it, they gave a pavilion that stands for what the entire Walt Disney progressful message is (a dream can be a dream come true/man has a dream and that's the start) - this limitless theme - and they give it a low budget.

The current attraction has the old turntable (which was HUGE, almost 3 minutes to go around it) and the entire Monsters scene (giant letters, cat/bat, genie, Figment on book, Figment closing book, to "Some Happy Songs"/Theatre) is unused. Still, the Imagination idea has become so...full of limits it seems. We're not introduced to the importance of the imagination until the end, but it's not emphasized to leave that "wanting to create" effect the original had. Plus, now the Image Works is a bunch of computers!! Upstairs, the original was built in 1982, but the stuff in there is pure imagination compared to what is downstairs; software that can be downloaded on to the computer.

I know I'm rattling on...lol...sorry. In the morning I usually have this much energy after a nice breakfast. Heh....

It's okay Griz! A good breakfast is known to make someone enlightened and passionate!

It's just a sign of the times. The original opened almost 20 years ago, and the new generation is different than the one back then that fell in love with JII. They were thinking that the short scenes and choppy segements would please people now. No one has an attention span really anymore. Oh well... no need to get up on my soap box this morning. (I haven't eaten any breakfast yet!) All we know is that Disney messed up with this one...

Why else would they need to change it totally so frequently if they didn't know they messed up!

Have a wonderful day!?

 

[General Grizz]

Heh; good points there. But it's interesting to hear how Spider-man's nephew called the new attraction "OK" and Peter Pan "far superior". Spider-man, did he give any reasons? This is very interesting.

Still, the new ride doesn't bring in many people. I so wonder why...Figment is on the sign. I thought commercials were being made...which reminds me...

Anyone see any EPCOT Educational Videos? A school nearby my office actually has these Figment cartoons where Figment is animated on a 3-D world and tells stories to two children. I actually have a Horizons Quiz and Lesson Plan book. It's so interesting. I'll have to post it here.

I say, a ride that has phenominal effects that is truly 21st Century. A ride with Figment, and Dreamfinder at least a tad somewhere, that incorporates a inspiring, imaginative image works. The ride doesn't have to be 14 minutes, but surely a little longer than now to emphasize the true importance of imagination in our world. There needs to be that inspiration...that little touch that'll start one shivering. Then, Imagination has been put to work and who knows what'll touch you!

 

[disneyphilip]

Originally posted by grizzlyhall
Yes, I am glad "Figment" (he needs an attitude adjustment, that pest! I have to let the original out of his jail cell!)

OH, PLEASE. DON'T START WITH THAT AGAIN, GRIZZLYHALL!!!

There's no (and I mean "NO") "original" Figment! There's only one Figment, just as how there's only one Mickey Mouse, only one Donald Duck, only one Goofy, only one Pluto, only one Winnie the Pooh, only one Tigger, etc.

Don't get me wrong. I have a soft spot Disney's classic attractions too, but you're obessiveness is bothering me!

Sure, Figment is different in the new ride, but it's still THE SAME FIGMENT THAT ENTERTAINED US IN THE ORIGINAL RIDE...he just behaves differently! They DID preserve his classic persona/antics while giving him characteristics that would make him appealing to the newer audiences, though. I believe he's always a been a mischievious type at times...it's just that we hardly got to see that side of him in the original attraction, with Dreamfinder around to keep him in line and tell him to behave.

Many other beloved Disney characters (including the ones I mentioned) have had different personalities over the years.

Take Goofy for example. In the old days, he didn't talk too much and he was (I think) goofier. In newer productions, he's louder, talks more and is more aggresive, obnoxious and proactive than reactive. However, they DO preserve his classic persona/antics while giving him characteristics that would make him appealing to the newer audiences at the same time. (Does this mean you're now going to criticize Goofy, et al and say that they have "original" counterparts that are locked away as well, huh Grizzlyhall?!)

However, we still Figment's "fun-loving" side in the new attraction and in merchandise items. Figment's new merchandise items bring back memories of the original attraction as well.

Figment DOES NOT need an attitude adjustment...he's just great, he's fine as he is and he's NOT a pest! He's a lovable (and popular) figure...and a profitable merchandising icon!

LONG LIVE THE FIGMENT OF IMAGINATION!!!