The Status of Imagination

[ORG13]

We will have to diagree, you have been on it but it has been a long time just go watch it again and you might change your mind :shrug:

Its a good ride, but pirates and hm are just a notch above it. And im not a big dreamfinder fan.

 

[Mouse Man]

Dream Finder and Figment is what made the world of imagination. I've been on all three rideds with Dream Finder and Figment, No Figment and of course what we currently have. Dream Finder and Figment was the best and truly needs to come back. Yes it is also time to create a new movie and get rid of Honey I Shrunk the audiance.

 

[SMRT-1]

I see that alot of people on this board post about dreamfinder and his return. IMO a character like Dreamfinder would not be practical anymore, and is nice nostalgia but in no way belongs in imagination anymore, figment possibly but i still do not know how i feel about him, Imagination needs to move into a new age. Honey I Shrunk the Audience, really? Is it still the 90's most guests know what it is, but how much longer is that going to last. Again retro and nostalgia is nice, but leave it to memories and videos and other media and move on.

I don't understand how a new audience would see it as "retro" if they never saw the original. IMO it would please both younger and older people if they brought him back. Dreamfinder was the magic of that ride and now we have Eric Idle.....Realize that if they did bring him back it would be brought into the new age. The original show is gone forever, unfortunately.
I am pretty sure everyone is in agreement that Imagination needs a complete overhaul though.

On another point....if they did overhaul Imagination, think of how much the wait times for Soarin' would decrease. I am not the biggest Soarin' fan either..but it's really sad that you can literally walk onto Journey at any time of the day.

 

[Figment632]

Dream Finder and Figment is what made the world of imagination. I've been on all three rideds with Dream Finder and Figment, No Figment and of course what we currently have. Dream Finder and Figment was the best and truly needs to come back. Yes it is also time to create a new movie and get rid of Honey I Shrunk the audiance.[/QUOTE]

Everything that I have heard about the JII refurb points to the theater being demolished to make way for more ride space :shrug:

 

[dweezil78]

Saying Dreamfinder is retro is like saying Santa Claus is retro. I've said it before and I'll happily say it again -- what made the original ride and characters so great (both for guests and Disney) the first time around, compared to just about every other original EC attraction is that the story and characters were TIMELESS. I think this is also where comparisons to Pirates and Haunted Mansion come in. The genius of those rides is that, with the exception of updated technology over time, they never need updating.

The original Imagination pavilion was perfect. Disney had a main attraction that would need very little updating through the years (with some tech/scene updates aside), surrounded by two additional attractions they could update with ease -- a 3D movie and a collection of fun interactive toys. By keeping both of these side exhibits fresh over time, they could lure guests into the pavilion without the need for an expensive overhaul to the main ride.

Instead, they killed the main ride AND Image Works -- and haven't touched the 3D theater in about 15 years! Yikes.

 

[Figment632]

Saying Dreamfinder is retro is like saying Santa Claus is retro. I've said it before and I'll happily say it again -- what made the original ride and characters so great (both for guests and Disney) the first time around, compared to just about every other original EC attraction is that the story and characters were TIMELESS. I think this is also where comparisons to Pirates and Haunted Mansion come in. The genius of those rides is that, with the exception of updated technology over time, they never need updating.

The original Imagination pavilion was perfect. Disney had a main attraction that would need very little updating through the years (with some tech/scene updates aside), surrounded by two additional attractions they could update with ease -- a 3D movie and a collection of fun interactive toys. By keeping both of these side exhibits fresh over time, they could lure guests into the pavilion without the need for an expensive overhaul to the main ride.

Instead, they killed the main ride AND Image Works -- and haven't touched the 3D theater in about 15 years! Yikes.

Near Perfect Magic Journey's was :lookaroun

 

[dweezil78]

Near Perfect Magic Journey's was :lookaroun

I won't argue with you there (if you're saying you liked it). I LOVED Magic Journeys. It's my favorite Disney 3D film. Unfortunately, even I can't deny that the thing was already dripping with 70s retroness from the moment it appeared on screen in 1982. Still, the concept and visuals from the film IMO never got stale. Just the kids and their style.

 

[Figment632]

I won't argue with you there (if you're saying you liked it). I LOVED Magic Journeys. It's my favorite Disney 3D film. Unfortunately, even I can't deny that the thing was already dripping with 70s retroness from the moment it appeared on screen in 1982. Still, the concept and visuals from the film IMO never got stale. Just the kids and their style.

Actually I didn't know wjat to make of MJ?

 

[sublimesting]

Is this what you want?!? IS IT?!?!? :fork:

 

[dweezil78]

Figment -- I suppose MJ was not for everyone. It was a little trippy/psychadelic and scary at times too. As a youngster though, I loved it! I also heavily associate it with Makin' Memories which was by far my favorite pre-show at the Imagination pavilion. By the time Magic Journeys showed up at the MK though it definitely showing its age. Again though, really just based on fashion style IMO. I still think the camera tricks were a lot of fun and the Sherman Brothers soundtrack remains as chilling and haunting as ever even today!

Anyways, my point wasn't about the specific show featured in there upon opening day, just the fact that it was easily changeable without having to disturb the star attraction of the pavilion. It was the perfect setup for a classic...

 

[b94ronman]

my first time in EPCOT was 1988, I was an 18 year old kid whose mindset was not to be at Disney but rather the beach - i have a pretty good memory of the trip - EPCOT changed my thoughts - the one ride that really stuck out and blew me away was Imagination - My next trip was in 1998 for the opening of Animal Kingdom - the ride again that I couldn't get enough of was Imagination - so much that I videotaped the ride so I could show it to people who had never been on it - not knowing it would be one of the few ways that I can now enjoy it, (though any video of it can never come close to what it was actually like to be on it) when I watch it now, it brings back that feeling I had when I did ride and how amazing that ride was! It also makes me sad that it is something chances are I'll never ride again in my lifetime. It 100% was as good as HM & PoC and (i can't remember who posted as I'm typing but I agree) was I ride that could have survived for generations just as other disney classics have and would have needed nothing more than some plus-ing from time to time. Whoever ordered the demo of it hopefully was fired long ago - you would think that somewhere in the Disney company they would have a board that approves & prevents things from just being done. I assume they do - but how this got approved especially w/ the follow-up plans for what became of the pavilion is just amazing. It makes me think that somewhere some idiot who ends up in charge and has no real connection with these parks could say the HM is in need of a change and demo it for something cheaper to maintain - scary! (no pun intended) Hopefully we will see a day where they restore Imagination back to it's glory and maybe surpass the original, not just the current one we were stuck with. Journey into Imagination was a true work of art.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

I love Figment, and removing him from Imagination was of course, a huge disaster. I also loved the original dark ride, and would love to see something on that scale return to the pavilion. However (and I'll probably have a WDW Magic lynch mob coming after me for saying this), if Dreamfinder returns, I hope they update his appearance a bit. He's always looked like a child molester to me.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Is this what you want?!? IS IT?!?!? :fork:

It Could be worse.....:lookaroun

Ohh If only General Grizz was still around..

 

[EPCOTPluto]

It could be worse.....

Kind of reminds me of that old JII concept Imagineers threw out about you going through a rock star's imagination... :lookaroun

Figment's reaction is priceless, though. :lol:

 

[JEANYLASER]

that will be worsethan ever! I wanted to bring back Dreamfinder!

 

[ORG13]

Dreamfinder=Santa Clause got to argue there lol, and again I said the design of dreamfinder is retro, not the idea. I love the idea and the vision of the character, just not the character itself.

 

[UrbanDonovan]

Instead of bringing back Dreamfinder, why not just add the Mayor of Imaginationland from those three classic episodes of South Park.:ROFLOL:

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I missed all the fun threads today....:lookaroun:lol:

Status of the pavilion? There are lots of grand plans for all 3 attractions. They just need funding.

I suddenly hate Fantasyland and Star Tours.:lookaroun

Sorry, I had to...:lol:

Figment's not gonna go anywhere. Disney learned their lesson from the 2000 disaster to not keep him out of the Imagination ride. And Figment works more effectively when he's with Dreamfinder.
YOu just sound like someone who's never ridden or seen video of the original, which was a Haunted Mansion/Pirates tier dark ride that never should have been completely replaced, only plussed.

Exactly, though, even Channing could remain, if done right....

I doubt that, however, unless he has a very small, small role.

No i have, and the only reason I say he is "imparactical" (probably not the best choice of words for what I meant) is because dreamfinder is a little to retro for my taste. Im not saying the "idea" of a character like dreamfinder is a bad idea, Im saying the actual character from the old attraction would not work. In my eyes some are just clouded by nostalgia. Dont get me wrong him and figment were a dynamic duo, much better than Channing and Figment, but the 80's early 90's dreamfinder either has to be updated or created into a character, different, but much like himself.

Just needs to be modernized, IMHO.:shrug: Not TOTALLY revamped, but just brought up to speed.

The companys wants to, but it`s a complicated process. No idea if he`d be `updated` but he would be more than a cartoon on a screen. Glendale and TDO know how lavish the original ride was and what they need to do to top it, and they also know this would be the last chance after 1999 and 2002.

*siiiiiigh*

Sounds awesome.

Supposedly. And I'll agree with you, I always like the original Figment, but Dreamfinder made me feel a little creepy inside.

What is with people and that?!:lookaroun:lol: I loved the pair of them.:lol:

Everything that I have heard about the JII refurb points to the theater being demolished to make way for more ride space :shrug:

That might be a bit too much, but yeah, I have that too.

 

[dweezil78]

Disney would be foolish to remove the 3D theater. We're on the verge of a renaissance for the format (or at least that's the industry's intention), and these films are going to be more popular than ever. As old as 3D is, a well done show can still bring in huge crowds and the big theater definitely has the room to support them too. Would be such an odd move to get rid of it unless they planned on rebuilding somewhere else.

 

[raven]

Disney would be foolish to remove the 3D theater. We're on the verge of a renaissance for the format (or at least that's the industry's intention), and these films are going to be more popular than ever. As old as 3D is, a well done show can still bring in huge crowds and the big theater definitely has the room to support them too. Would be such an odd move to get rid of it unless they planned on rebuilding somewhere else.

There is actually new technology in 3D which Disney hasn't used yet. A new digital camera with the 2 lenses closer together (think the distance between your eyes) that can focus nearly exactly like the human eye. The result is a much clearer image that's more realistic. Much easier than making your eyes and brain focusing on the close-up Tinkerbell, butterfly or bouncing cartoon character effect. So with that, I'd love to see an entirely new 3D movie filmed for this spot using that technology. I'm talking about axing HISTA and coming up with a new feature though.