Two Spirited Quickees...Imagination closing

[Vader2112]

Star Wars Holiday Special?

Hey who could get enough of Bea Arthur singing Good Night Good Bye in the Mos Eisley Cantina?

 

[The Duck]

I'm going to stick my neck out and say that I don't get all of the Phineas and Ferb excitement by some of the people on these boards. I realize that I'm of a different generation than the average P&F fan (I'm 51) and I also realize that P&F are still reasonably popular but I don't see the sense in converting the entire Imagination pavilion to a P&F theme.
If Disney had themed one of their major attractions to Rescue Rangers, Tail Spin or even DuckTales back when those programs were at their peak, how likely would it have been to still be relevant today? Figment, on the other hand, has proven to be popular in spite of 2 unpopular refurbs and (IMHO) seems to be the only logical choice for Imagination.
I feel that a P&F overhaul would be as short-sighted as Avatar in DAK (but that's a debate for another thread!).

 

[montyz81]

Is this accurate?

I assume that original track is still there, just underneith all the flooring. I remember being on the new ride and seeing some tracks go into a solid wall as part of one of the new scenes. Can anyone confirm that is the truth? I have to believe they could use it still for a new ride as well as reconstruct the turntable.

 

[FigmentJedi]

What about disney turning it into a tron dark ride? That fits the look and feel of future world and the imagination/future concept. (And they are working on another tron sequel, I've heard... ) Who cares if the movies are unpopular? Create an ip starting with an awesome ride, to help build up interest in the brand, ala pirates of Carib.

Merchandise, mini light cycles etc would be easy to tie in, I'm sure.... Maybe make an end of line club with an outdoor elevator to access it, with alcohol and dance music atmosphere... As part of an immersive tron area, like they're doing with Star Wars land and the cantina.... Ahhhh I wish disney had more imagination.

We already have a Tron ride, it's Test Track 2.0.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I assume that original track is still there, just underneith all the flooring. I remember being on the new ride and seeing some tracks go into a solid wall as part of one of the new scenes. Can anyone confirm that is the truth? I have to believe they could use it still for a new ride as well as reconstruct the turntable.

That is very clearly fake track--it doesn't go anywhere. The original track is gone.

 

[DizFiz]

I'm outraged by this news.... Disney thinks that using P&F in that space will make it great again but Disney was the one that turned the pavilion into the filth it is now. Bringing it back to the original design would be better off.... I know the turntable was problems so just rework that part and just rework the access for upstairs to be handicapped friendly. I know its not as easy as that but I feel it would be better than doing a P&F overlay. Besides P&F will never achieve the greatness of figment.

Coming to think of it I'm all for a imagination upgrade just don't kick figment out of the space.

 

[tissandtully]

I'm outraged by this news.... Disney thinks that using P&F in that space will make it great again but Disney was the one that turned the pavilion into the filth it is now. Bringing it back to the original design would be better off.... I know the turntable was problems so just rework that part and just rework the access for upstairs to be handicapped friendly. I know its not as easy as that but I feel it would be better than doing a P&F overlay. Besides P&F will never achieve the greatness of figment.

Coming to think of it I'm all for a imagination upgrade just don't kick figment out of the space.

No reason to be outraged, nobody knows this is true, I seriously doubt P&F will land there.

 

[NoChesterHester]

How would everyone feel if the building actually were demolished and a new building put in its place?

 

[tissandtully]

How would everyone feel if the building actually were demolished and a new building put in its place?

That would be fine with me! Maybe bring some future to Future World.

 

[JEANYLASER]

who is taking over Imagination?

 

[sshindel]

How would everyone feel if the building actually were demolished and a new building put in its place?

For me, it would initially sting, but if they replaced it with an attraction that was high-quality, I'd get over it (at some point). Demolish it for more space to put Food and Wine tents? I'd organize a riot. Demolish it to replace it with a great attraction that holds true to Epcot's mission? I'd live.

 

[CDavid]

How would everyone feel if the building actually were demolished and a new building put in its place?

About the same way I felt when Horizons met the wrecking ball - a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

I am NOT reading through 47 pages of babble...I just need to know if/when I need to make a trip to WDW before Figment and Ozzy's lights go bye bye

Any dates thrown out there yet for either?

 

[BlackCauldron]

That feeling that through knowledge of science, history, and the global landscape, and with the ability to dream and imagine, that anything was possible. That was what I always felt when I stepped through the gates in those early years when EPCOT was still EPCOT, before the utter reimagining of Future World rendered it a complete failure.

Best quote ever and illustrates perfectly the original purpose of the pavilion and to the concept of the original EPCOT Center as a whole. Disney - what have you done to EPCOT?

 

[Communicore]

How would everyone feel if the building actually were demolished and a new building put in its place?

I'm all for the implosion, the less remnants of the original pavilion, the better!

 

[Communicore]

Figment is Huge for merchandise, so it seems like he will still be in Epcot one way or another.

Haha yea, since he is "from Dr. Seuss" according to a guest he's certainly a merchandise bonanza!

 

[Oddysey]

I assume that original track is still there, just underneith all the flooring. I remember being on the new ride and seeing some tracks go into a solid wall as part of one of the new scenes. Can anyone confirm that is the truth? I have to believe they could use it still for a new ride as well as reconstruct the turntable.

Yes the original track is still there. This is the reason you feel hollow spots in the floor while walking through the main queue and in certain areas Imageworks. However, I believe the track leading to the wall is a fake track that had nothing to do with the original ride, but I cannot say that with absolute certainty.

 

[marni1971]

Yes the original track is still there. This is the reason you feel hollow spots in the floor while walking through the main queue and in certain areas Imageworks. However, I believe the track leading to the wall is a fake track that had nothing to do with the original ride, but I cannot say that with absolute certainty.

Fake.

And they'd better paint everything pale purples again.

 

[flynnibus]

According to Illuminating Epcot...

http://www.illuminatingepcot.com/epcot-news/breaking-imagination-pavilion-to-close/

Probably another echo chamber post... meaning they are just repeating what they've read elsewhere vs being a new source.

 

[TP2000]

Probably another echo chamber post... meaning they are just repeating what they've read elsewhere vs being a new source.

Exactly.

Or they've got a "source" who is a shift supervisor at Imagination (they wear a radio, so they must be cool!) who read the latest rumors on the Internet and then regurgitated it back to them after talking about it a lot in the break room.

And since there is very little actual information in that blog, and a thin veneer of faux insider scoop over what amounts to a web-educated guess, I'm betting the information from their "source" came from this very thread started by @WDW1974 .