Can of worms, indeed!
Ssidious, you are
not alone. Millions of people were enchanted by Epcot's original Journey into Imagination pavilion.
The ride closed in October 1998: there is no known reason why. Every person I have asked has given me a different answer. I've heard that the turntable structure was so heavy, it was sinking and cost too much to maintain. Others have said Kodak signed an agreement saying the ride should be changed. But the
real reason as to why
Figment and
The Dreamfinder were stripped from one of the most classic Disney pavilions is pretty unknown.
The ride was cut down. An "Institute" took over, featuring Eric Idle, host for Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. The building's color tones changed from more innocent blue and purple to contrasting red, blue, and orange. The upstairs level was closed down; Disney didn't want to pay the insurance to allow guests to experience the original creations up in the Image Works. The area music changed from fanciful original music to the score of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids/Audience. In short, the new pavilion was bordering on the obnoxious.
The new ride - Journey into YOUR Imagination - set guests spinning into the Imagination Institute's variety of lab experiments. After guests found out their imaginations weren't at their optimum levels ("There isn't much upstairs imagination-wise! But that's just right for our experiments..") Guests were shown several illusions; an intense train simulation, a "fish swimming out of water," a series of walls with blinking lights "making noise," an upside down house, a room of forming constellations...
And, in short, guests were
outraged. Not only was the attraction cheap and dull - unlike the original, not an animatronic or artistically detailled scene was in sight - but the ride was
too intense for children (in terms of loud noises/annoyance).
The charm was gone. This made Journey into Your Imagination, which opened in September 1999, the most complained about attraction in Walt Disney World History (although I'm not sure if Stitch's Great Escape has taken that spot on record). Disney's Imagineers had to act to give Figment a larger role.
Of course! Pumping in seven million dollars and slapping Figment would solve the problem. Right?
Wrong.
The version of the attraction you rode, Ssidious, still does not capture that Disney magic that we saw in the original show. Sure, a purple dragon is back. But study his character; instead of being filled with childish delight, Figment annoys, examines his fingernails, and acts
extremely hyperactive (this can especially be seen in the Kodak camera demonstration in the post-show What-If? Labs). Heck he even
farts on us. (Okay, it's not "technical" farting, but that would not make a difference). Wikipedia.com summarizes this:
"The current ride has received mixed opinions, some saying Figment has become obnoxious and annoying and hoping for a future rehab working Dreamfinder back in, while others are just glad he’s back."
Whereas the original ride featured the world's largest hollogram as only a detail as part of a set, the new attraction features random treadmills, watercoolers, boxes, and lab materials for its 'attention to detail.' Also, the show is no longer an interaction between
you and the imagination. Rather, it is a dialog between Figment and Dr. Nigel Channing. Channing learns the lesson -
we do not.
The experience is no longer real. The absence of a Dreamfinder walkaround makes the pavilion merely a ride without the true Disney magic. Remember that the Dreamfinder helped improve the vacations and lives of hundreds of thousands of Disney visitors. A 6'9 "Figzilla" cannot do such. If Dreamfinder can be brought back to the Imagination pavilion, at least he can inspire children to dream, create, and think. There was even a story posted on the Internet of how the Dreamfinder helped extend the life of a boy dying of a very serious disease.
That is dedication and Disney magic, and it's a true shame he was let go of. It's very easy to make this change, and I hope Disney can understand that.
As for the Image Works post show, the upper level is closed off to guests. The Image Works used to feature a giant Rainbow Corridor, an area where guests could conduct their own orchestra, act in a drama starring Dreamfinder, and even paint a picture of ride scenes - - through the air. Although most of these inventions were created in the early 1980s, they are
unparalleled.
It's almost hilarious to go to the new Disney-MGM Studios Animation Tour to find what is essentially Microsoft Paint replacing original animators. In fact, in a recent Disney Magazine, a giant photo covering the latest "update" of the tour features a child using a touch screen to color Timon. The
regression is tremendous. That kind of technology was already outdated almost twenty five years ago with the original Image Works. Has Disney forgotten
how to create unique experiences? Or is it the budget?
The current Image Works features about 8 to 10 screens where guests can wave their arms in between sensory bars that magically pick up their motion. This triggers Figment to play his instrument. Of course, the computer materials are in plain guest view... the experience - for what it's worth - is ruined. Most of the area resembles a
McDonalds Playplace with multi-color circular tube decor - tackier than the Wonders of Life decor (which at least has purpose and inspiration behind it) - and is essentially a line of computers where guests can email home photos of themselves. Nothing new - this has been available in Innoventions for years. Magic lost.
And don't forget the massive gift shop, where guests can spend plenty of money on the Figment merchandise. (Also remember that when Figment was removed from the ride, there was
plenty of merchandise on sale for the character. How ironic.)
The problems continue. Speakers, vents -- all visible. Art is secondhand to budget... as was story. Imagineers should be congratulated for their efforts to make the Imagination ride better... but Disney's accountants are stretching the creative team so thin.
It's unfortunate that the one Disney pavilion dedicated to the themes of inspiration and creativity that define Disney magic has been left to suffer so much. And poor guest attendance reflects that abandoned magic.
Perhaps one day, Disney can catch its sparks of inspiration once again, so that children young and old can truly appreciate the 21st century technologies that deliver art, meaning, and delight that we have expected out of such a company.
Information on the original attraction:
http://www.intercot.com/edc/Imagination/jiiscript1.html
http://www.figmentsimagination.com/story1.html
http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id37.htm
Photos of the new ride:
http://www.allearsnet.com/tp/ep/mil_img.htm
