Two Spirited Quickees...Imagination closing

[Yelloweaver]

My 6 1/2 year old loves the Figment ride. We were just there in October and we rode it 6 times in a row.
She is always singing the "Imagination" song, I hope that Figment will always be represented in Epcot/Disney, he's a cool character!

 

[Cesar R M]

Not a jab at you Marni, but I am so sick of this argument!
Sponsorship be damned.

I am the sponsor! Me and every other paying guest who walks through those turnstiles!

Enough already with the sponsorship B.S.

I never pull the Uni card (seeing as how I haven't even been since HP opened), but does every ride, every attraction, every pavilion at USO or IoA have/need a sponsor? Hogwash!

This post was sponsored by Thor(tm)"I LIKE IT!".

(sorry, couldn't resist!)

 

[Admiral01]

My 6 1/2 year old loves the Figment ride. We were just there in October and we rode it 6 times in a row.
She is always singing the "Imagination" song, I hope that Figment will always be represented in Epcot/Disney, he's a cool character!

I hope so too. Figment is the EPCOT character.

Been riding Imagination since my first visit in 1983...and I still find myself humming that classic tune as I walk around the hallways at work, or cook dinner, or decorate the Christmas tree, or garden, or wait in traffic...

 

[George]

There was a recent topic that pretty much debunked any notion that the original Future World even in its later years didn't attract crowds and lines.

I think this is very hard to prove one way or the other. I used to go during the 3-season salute promotion in the late 80's and there would be no lines at the times my ticket was good (this went for everything). During the busy seasons, things were super busy and lines super long. Now, crowds are greater and better distributed throughout the year, so without actual per capita rider ship numbers I find heresay accounts of lines to be mostly useless.

 

[Communicore]

I hope so too. Figment is the EPCOT character.

Been riding Imagination since my first visit in 1983...and I still find myself humming that classic tune as I walk around the hallways at work, or cook dinner, or decorate the Christmas tree, or garden, or wait in traffic...

Figment is from Dr. Seuss, haven't you heard?

 

[JenniferS]

I think Hogwarts was the word you meant. A proud sponsor of.... j/k

Thank you.
I very carefully chose the word "hogwash" because of its similarity to "Hogwarts".

 

[Communicore]

I think this pavilion should be leveled and they build a tent like meet and greet area on the land it was on, kinda like Mickey's Birthdayland/Starland where it's all tents! The meet and greets will have almost very character just like the Fantasmic boat and some rarities like Bernard and Bianca, Gyro Gearloose, and others!

 

[Bairstow]

I think this pavilion should be leveled and they build a tent like meet and greet area on the land it was on, kinda like Mickey's Birthdayland/Starland where it's all tents! The meet and greets will have almost very character just like the Fantasmic boat and some rarities like Bernard and Bianca, Gyro Gearloose, and others!

Character refugee camp?

 

[Communicore]

Character refugee camp?

Yea, haha...EPCOT - Every Princess and Character On Tents

 

[ToTBellHop]

Character refugee camp?

Hey, Mickey and Minnie are still reeling from the loss of their homes due to foreclosure. Mickey is forced to do cheap magic tricks to make ends meet. And poor Minnie is a poodle trainer (dog walker), now? So sad. Damn this economy.

 

[Clever Name]

Imagination 1.0 on the other hand was confirmed by insiders here that in its later years its attendance was deliberately manipulated negatively by management so they'd have a statistical reason to present to executives in order to secure its demolition (they didn't want to pay to maintain it along with the other major E Tickets in Future World they also demolished). They strategically directed attention away from the ride and manipulated guests into thinking there wasn't a ride there at all. It was beloved by all and would not have suffered the attendance decline had Disney encouraged people to ride it and properly directed people towards it.

Your conspiracy theory is entertaining but it doesn't explain why WoM and Horizons suffered the exact same fates. The truth of the matter is that guests just became bored with these attractions over time. You don't need to blame insidious actions by management for the decline in guest attendance at Imagination 1.0. It's perfectly normal for the popularity of attractions such as this to decline with age. Also I agree that the later incarnations of Imagination were poorly done. The designers need to learn that trying to appease the fan base is a big mistake. Instead they should have broken with the past and installed a completely different show. I'm glad that the creative designers at Disney realize that Dreamfinder and Figment need to join Davy Crocket, Dick Tracy and Zorro in the old character home. They can be brought out every so often for the old folks to wax nostalgic over.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Don't get me wrong, I liked Imagination #1 as much as anyone, but, after the jaw dropping beginning with Dreamfinder and Figment, the song and the Dreamship (or whatever it was called) on the turntable, the show was quickly boring.

 

[ford91exploder]

Actually, could that be a good sign? Maybe Disney wants to get the fastpass equipment installed and have it working before a new attraction is installed so that it will work right away when the new attraction opens.

Disney outsources most of its IT operations, The reason EVERYTHING got a MickeyHead was a contract stated all attractions to have MickeyHead contract was completed as written with all attractions having MickeyHeads, The right hand rarely if ever talks to the left hand at TWDC, So they installed MickeyHeads which will never be used because the Operations scheduling folks never talk to the IT folks.

Guess they can go right into Gov't contracting building stuff which will never be used..

 

[ford91exploder]

Your conspiracy theory is entertaining but it doesn't explain why WoM and Horizons suffered the exact same fates. The truth of the matter is that guests just became bored with these attractions over time. You don't need to blame insidious actions by management for the decline in guest attendance at Imagination 1.0. It's perfectly normal for the popularity of attractions such as this to decline with age. Also I agree that the later incarnations of Imagination were poorly done. The designers need to learn that trying to appease the fan base is a big mistake. Instead they should have broken with the past and installed a completely different show. I'm glad that the creative designers at Disney realize that Dreamfinder and Figment need to join Davy Crocket, Dick Tracy and Zorro in the old character home. They can be brought out every so often for the old folks to wax nostalgic over.

Same thing happened to 20K, TDO has a LONG history of manipulating figures so they can offload operating expenses.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Same thing happened to 20K, TDO has a LONG history of manipulating figures so they can offload operating expenses.

This. We all know the 20k debacle. When TDO wants a ride gone, they will do whatever they can to justify its closure. And qualified members who know such things well such as Lee and Martin have confirmed the Future World manipulation. No conspiracy theory at all, lets not turn this discussion into a bunch of Jimmy Thick caliber asinine BS.

 

[Clever Name]

Same thing happened to 20K, TDO has a LONG history of manipulating figures so they can offload operating expenses.

Same thing happened to 20K in that is was hot, smelly, cramped and the audio seldom worked properly. Not only was it very uncomfortable, but it was boring as well. It ran for over 20 years and became an embarrassment in its last years. Thank goodness that WDW had the common sense to remove 20K.

 

[rorr4]

There are plans. Lots of them. TDO won't implement them without sponsorship.

As it stands, last I heard, V3 should continue to be available well into next year.

I assume the attraction should still be going for this http://www.disneyparksmerchandise.com/events/imagination-gala-save-the-date/?instance_id=

 

[Clever Name]

I assume the attraction should still be going for this http://www.disneyparksmerchandise.com/events/imagination-gala-save-the-date/?instance_id=

Yes indeed, waxing nostalgic over old attractions and characters is still in fashion.

 

[FigmentJedi]

I'd say Imagination was the most timeless and endearing of the Big 3 extinct Epcot attractions and indeed before the sabotage, wasn't it the most popular attraction in the park after Spaceship Earth? World of Motion is really dull from the videos I've seen and as fantastic as Horizons was, it probably could have used a couple of updates.

 

[Bairstow]

I'd say Imagination was the most timeless and endearing of the Big 3 extinct Epcot attractions and indeed before the sabotage, wasn't it the most popular attraction in the park after Spaceship Earth? World of Motion is really dull from the videos I've seen and as fantastic as Horizons was, it probably could have used a couple of updates.

It's hard to rank the late, great Future World dark rides, but World of Motion definitely wasn't dull. It may not have been as innovative in terms of the ride vehicle or concept as Horizons or Imagination, but it was absolutely crammed full of wall-to-wall animatronics and Marc Davis gags. In that sense it felt very much in company with Davis masterpieces like the Haunted Mansion or Pirates, in style if not in quality. I understand why it had to go; EPCOT had about 2 mammoth dark rides too many and no thrill rides, and Test Track has proven to be a cornerstone of the park.