Imagination! Or Journey Into Imagination

**aimster** · 06-08-2005, 06:54 AM

I've been on all 3 rides and the original is by far the best. Before made the dreadded "Imagination Institute", the pavillion was painted in beautiful shades of blue and purple. The queue was enormous... light and airy as natural light from the glass pyramids was able to shine through. The ceiling was decorated with paintings of scenes from the attraction. Dreamfinder was just so original and whimsical. He reminded me of a red-haired Santa Claus. And figment in his initial incarnation was like a wide-eyed, curious child. Now he's kinda like Bugs Bunny in a purple dragon suit. As much as I adore Eric Idle (I am a HUGE Monty Python fan), his character of Dr Nigel Channing needs to just... go away.

And I would give almost anything to see the old Dream Worls upstairs opened again. The current one is actually where part of the original ride queue was. The elevator and stairs to the old Dream Works are still there. It makes me sad every time I see them. I found out much of the original playground up there is still intact too... just waiting to be put back into use again. Currently the space is used for cast member training and manager meetings. The reason the area closed is because Disney didn't want to pay the insurance (cheapskates). Makes me so mad because I could spend a whole day playing up there. It was so creative and original. I miss the rainbow tunnel thing.

And then there were the meet & greets with Dreamfinder and Figment. It was a total experience because Dreamfinder would really make the kids think and use their imaginations. He'd approach a child and say something like, "Now what are you?" The ne Figment walkaround character is cute... better than I expected Disney culd pull off. But to me he will always be that little squirt Dreamfinder always carried around with him.

When they took Figment out of the attraction, Disney received MILLIONS of complaints. Most any attraction has ever received. Mikey the Grinch even said "Figment has gone to Figment Heaven." Nice. I'm glad he's back, but now we need his friend Dreamfinder back too. It's just not the same with one and not the other. I think this attraction could be saved if Disney is willing to really put some effort and money into it and bring back the glory days of the pavillion. Alot of the old sets are just hidden behind black curtains and I'm sure new sets could be rebuilt from photos of the old ones that did get destroyed. Come on Disney... I know you can do it!

**FigmentJedi** · 06-08-2005, 09:34 AM

Wait, they are? Regarding old sets behind curtains..
And as for Figment's personality change, I think you'd change if a parental figure was taken away from you by a despicable man like Eisner. I think Figment is taking his anger out on Channing through practical jokes and grabbing attention from him. Figment just doesn't listen to Channing because Channing has too small an imagination to help care for an orphaned dragon created from psychic energy and dreams....
Or am I just overanalyzing him?

**marni1971** · 06-08-2005, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Jspider

any links for comparisons between the three versions?

My soon to be released 'JIYI and with Figment' video at Disney Central IRC - this includes an explanation of what exactly happened between all 3 versions.

As for the thread question, the first was the best by far. The current one is okay. The 2nd one was an out and out embarrasment.

**aimster** · 06-08-2005, 02:11 PM

Like someone else already posted, check out http://www.figmentsimagination.com for details of all 3 attractions. Another good site is http://www.friendsoffigment.com .

**TheDisneyInquisitor** · 06-08-2005, 02:39 PM

Let me get this out first, the second version (Journey into Your Imagination) was downright horrible. Okay now. In my personal opinion, I like the latest version (Journey into Imagination with Figment) the best. I think Dr. Nigel Channing is 10 times better than boring old Dreamfinder. When Dreamfinder came out to do meet & greets, he looked like a mixture of Amelia Earheart (I know that's spelled wrong) and a pirate. I also love how they united the whole pavillion as the Imagination Institute. I think the latest version is calm enough that it will attract young kids, but also exciting and funny enough to attract other audiences. The average Disney purist will 99% of the time say the original, but hey, I'm also the kind of person that likes George of the Jungle 2 and Muppets Wizard of Oz.

-Michael

**VBdad55** · 06-08-2005, 07:20 PM

Dreamfinder obviously asked too much of some guests...to use their minds and imaginations..I thought he was a wonderful, whimsical character.....and JII 1 was by far the best if only for that reason. JII 3 is dumbed down to have wider appeal supposedly.

**WDW1974** · 06-08-2005, 09:50 PM

It's kinda emblematic of the problems of the Disney Co. of the past decade that an attraction that's supposed to celebrate the boundlessness of imagination actually shows none.

**BackIntoYourSystem** · 06-09-2005, 08:01 AM

I Totally agree with you And there wasting so much space upstairs where the rainbow tunnel is they should at least use it for something besides board meetings and training i mean how stupid are they?

**ChiMike** · 06-09-2005, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by aimster

Alot of the old sets are just hidden behind black curtains and I'm sure new sets could be rebuilt from photos of the old ones that did get destroyed.

Can anyone verify this? I have only heard that everything was ripped out and destroyed.

**TheDisneyInquisitor** · 06-09-2005, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by ChiMike

Can anyone verify this? I have only heard that everything was ripped out and destroyed.

Although, I don't know for sure, I doubt there are any of the old set left. The majority of the layout has changed. The turntable is where the queue is and everything else has changed. I think Planet7 posted a diagram of the layout somewhere here. Again, I could be wrong, but I don't see anywhere dark enough that we wouldn't see it.

-Michael

**ChiMike** · 06-09-2005, 02:41 PM

Thanks .. makes sense

**WDW1974** · 06-09-2005, 07:03 PM

It's possible some of the sets are still there in some form. I believe many of the older parts of SSE are still there behind black curtains as well. I know the huge spacecraft is still in the dome when you are traveling backward.

**Mr. Eggz** · 06-09-2005, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by WDW1974

It's kinda emblematic of the problems of the Disney Co. of the past decade that an attraction that's supposed to celebrate the boundlessness of imagination actually shows none.

**ChiMike** · 06-09-2005, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by WDW1974

It's possible some of the sets are still there in some form. I believe many of the older parts of SSE are still there behind black curtains as well. I know the huge spacecraft is still in the dome when you are traveling backward.

No kidding! I never noticed that, how easily is it seen? I never made it out.

**Ride Warrior** · 06-09-2005, 07:30 PM

However you look at it...forward, backward or upside down, Figment doesn't really live up to his name. He's close to the only real thing that is left from the original ride.

Although, I've heard rumor that they've placed Dream Maker amongst the recycleled America Sings characters at DL's Splash Mountain.