Which do you think was better, Journey into Imagination or The Great Movie ride?

[mergatroid]

And when I talk about Journey, I'm referring to the original 1983 version rather than the later reincarnations of it.

I often read on here how much of a miss Journey is, though much of this may be due to the later versions agreeably being less enjoyable or remarkable than the first. I personally can't remember being blown away by the original one though I did like it, but agree the other versions were a step down.

The Great Movie Ride however impressed and excited me immensely from my first ride onwards and despite looking forward to Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, TGMR will be sadly missed by myself. I do get the impression on here though that the original Journey has reached a legendary status that I don't quite agree with and I personally fell that TGMR was superior though the way it's spoken about on here doesn't reflect that.

So between the two, which would you say was the better (or more enjoyable attraction)?

 

[Goofyernmost]

Over all TGMR was better, but, that was because Journey went downhill quickly after you left the jaw dropping meet up with The Dreamfinder and Figment. Everything else was anti-climatic in my opinion where GMR actually saved the best to almost last. So we left with that jaw drop still in place. Don't get me wrong though I loved Journey and went over and over again, but, if I'm honest, it was mostly for the beginning and the rest of it was just something else to see for me.

 

[brb1006]

Journey Into Imagination plus the original Imageworks.

 

[the horned king]

I voted TGMR, first time I went on that ride our car got taken over by the mobster I was hooked

 

[Inspired Figment]

Original Journey into Imaginations, hands down! Dreamfinder & Figment are both iconic, unforgettable characters. The song, “One Little Spark” is wonderful , and the incredibly detailed, whimsical scenes throughout were perfectly executed. The whole concept was timeless, it was pretty much a reflection of Disney and all of EPCOT as a whole. A journey through every creative field and the idea that everything comes from one inspiring idea that then leads to a collection of a bunch of ideas, which in-turn leads to both new discoveries and new creations. EPCOT was always supposed to be an inspirational park and that ride was no exception to that rule. It really shouldn’t have been drastically changed the way it was. To a short, dated, cheaply made, poorly thought out tie-in to Honey, I Shrunk the Audience (a 3D show that was already completely dated and irrelevant at the time) that isn’t even about creativity. It’s instead a bad fan fiction of Figment getting his revenge on Channing for the awful Institute backstage tour ride in between (that had little to no Figment at all), while trying to be a lesson on the 5 senses, which isn’t even Imagination. The senses are *perception*. How your mind perceives the world around you. Not how you create things. It’s an absolute travesty.
The original was truly timeless and on the same caliber as MK’s Haunted Mansion and Pirates. All it really needed were effects and technology upgrades. Drastically changing it the way they did was and still is (I believe) the biggest mistake Disney ever made in it’s history.

 

[aw14]

My daughter is very into "old hollywood" and I think she shed an actual tear over losing TGMR. My wife and I enjoyed it as well, but not the way she did

 

[Inspired Figment]

Over all TGMR was better, but, that was because Journey went downhill quickly after you left the jaw dropping meet up with The Dreamfinder and Figment. Everything else was anti-climatic in my opinion where GMR actually saved the best to almost last. So we left with that jaw drop still in place. Don't get me wrong though I loved Journey and went over and over again, but, if I'm honest, it was mostly for the beginning and the rest of it was just something else to see for me.

Anti-climactic?? I’m not really sure where you’re seeing that. The whole idea of the ride is that Figment, along with us guests, learn from Dreamfinder about what using your creativity can lead to and accomplish in the world. In the end, Dreamfinder tells Figment that “Imagination is our key to unlock the hidden wonders and discoveries of our world”. The original finale with Figment in the center and all the film projections. Those film projections are supposed to represent all the occupations and things Figment can aspire doing and achieving, while using his full creative potential.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Anti-climactic?? I’m not really sure where you’re seeing that. The whole idea of the ride is that Figment, along with us guests, learn from Dreamfinder about what using your creativity can lead to and accomplish in the world. In the end, Dreamfinder tells Figment that “Imagination is our key to unlock the hidden wonders and discoveries of our world”. The original finale with Figment in the center and all the film projections. Those film projections are supposed to represent all the occupations and things Figment can aspire doing and achieving, while using his full creative potential.

Yup, yawn, and just a regurgitation of somethings that we already knew. I'm not talking about content or intent, I am talking about emotional attachment and being gob-smacked by the wonderment of the show. The show! After seeing and experiencing the start up of Journey, the remainder, although true and interesting does not hold the awe of the start up. That start up was a major spark of inspiration.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Journey Into Imagination had an incredible post show, making it overall better.

The Great Movie Ride was an all time great and should have never been closed.

 

[TwilightZone]

I never really liked great movie ride, I dunno it never caught on with me as much as it did for other people. So journey into imagination for me.
Although GMR's ending (not the closure, the final scene) did make me cry if that means anything.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

The Great Movie Ride. I wish they hadn't closed that.

 

[DisneyGentlemanV2.0]

The original was truly timeless and on the same caliber as MK’s Haunted Mansion and Pirates. All it really needed were effects and technology upgrades. Drastically changing it the way they did was and still is (I believe) the biggest mistake Disney ever made in it’s history.

The upside down toilet captured everything that had gone wrong with TDC.

 

[brb1006]

The Great Movie Ride. I wish they hadn't closed that.

But Dreamfinder and Figment

 

[correcaminos]

Maybe I just don't like horrible looking animatronics, but Journey (the original with image works) was above and beyond the Great Movie Ride. I do miss the old JII but won't miss the Great Movie Ride really at all. It was beyond time for it to be updated/replaced.

 

[LUVofDIS]

Journey into Imagination is the winner for me, not by much though. From the first time I rode through that attraction I was hooked. The song and characters I still remember to this day. My wife and I will bust out with that song every now and than. The song is the only reason I ride it to this day, that and my wife really likes the newest version. This is why I can not trust this woman.

TGMR is also awesome, I enjoyed riding it up until it was sadly closed down. We would ride once or twice for every HS visit and we usually visited at least twice per trip. The only tune that would get stuck in my head was the Mary Poppins tune.

 

[Musical Mermaid]

The Great Movie Ride. Look at how much longer it lasted too. They took something that was going to be a movie pavilion at Epcot and turned it into the big highlight attraction at a new park. Riding both this and Journey into Imagination when I was a child, this was far more captivating and inspired me to watch many of the films. Maybe as an adult, it is easy to see bad acting from some cast members, but when I was young, I really believed they were bandits or gangsters and loved the special effects, which made it more thrilling than something like Imagination. The Munchkin Land set made me feel like I was a part of the Wizard of Oz too.

Journey into Imagination was cute and had a catchy tune. I don’t remember being wowed by it as a child, but I don’t remember thinking it needed to go away and be replaced either. Still, it wasn’t as engaging and epic as the Great Movie Ride.

 

[TheDuke]

I've just never been that into Journey into the Imagination. Even the original. Meanwhile, GMR would be a top 5 all time Disney attraction for me.

 

[ChrisFL]

There's absolutely no contest, Journey into Imagination FAR outdid TGMR in most areas. While I appreciate TGMR for what it was....Imagination was on a whole other level of proper Disney imagineering

Edit: Though I do think this poll is skewing the other way just because it's been 2 decades since the original Imagination closed and TGMR JUST closed....plus people can confuse the other, much more crappy iterations of Imagination that came after

 

[Inspired Figment]

There's absolutely no contest, Journey into Imagination FAR outdid TGMR in most areas. While I appreciate TGMR for what it was....Imagination was on a whole other level of proper Disney imagineering

Edit: Though I do think this poll is skewing the other way just because it's been 2 decades since the original Imagination closed and TGMR JUST closed....plus people can confuse the other, much more crappy iterations of Imagination that came after

I totally agree 100%. And that’s really the saddest part about this whole ordeal. The fact that the awful Institute redo with Dr. Channing has been around for this long and thus has tarnished Figment’s image to many people when the original ride had SO much more to offer. I still do have a tiny bit of faith that maybe they’ll eventually bring it back and upgrade the tech and effects or put in a new Inagination ride starring Dreamfinder & Figment that’s close to the spirit of the original. But.. of course, knowing how unpredictable and mismanaged the company is now, I’ve been trying my hardest not to get my hopes up and to keep my expectations low. Though, i will say, the recent merchandise and exposure of Figment & Dreamfinder’s certainly surprised me. Especially the upcoming Tsum Tsum set... but I really don’t know. Guess we just have to wait and see.

 

[TwilightZone]

I totally agree 100%. And that’s really the saddest part about this whole ordeal. The fact that the awful Institute redo with Dr. Channing has been around for this long and thus has tarnished Figment’s image to many people when the original ride had SO much more to offer. I still do have a tiny bit of faith that maybe they’ll eventually bring it back and upgrade the tech and effects or put in a new Inagination ride starring Dreamfinder & Figment that’s close to the spirit of the original. But.. of course, knowing how unpredictable and mismanaged the company is now, I’ve been trying my hardest not to get my hopes up and to keep my expectations low. Though, i will say, the recent merchandise and exposure of Figment & Dreamfinder’s certainly surprised me. Especially the upcoming Tsum Tsum set... but I really don’t know. Guess we just have to wait and see.

Wasn't there a poll that was basically made to see if people still liked figment, and it turned out more people liked figment than expected, which is causing disney to now have even more troubles planning a replacement (or at least as of when I read that).