Techtite's Shows & Parks Reviews!

"...what is "Journey Into Imagination, Starring Figment" like? Well, it's almost exactly like the ill-fated renovation, with a bit more flair, and a lot more Figment. "

---from the review

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How can you revamp a ride? Simple; just do it. However, what if as soon as you revamp it, the ride's popularity takes a nose dive? Well, then you have a problem, because after screwing up the first time, convincing someone that you won't simply screw up again is a tricky thing. I guess it's good news, then, that rumors claim Michael Eisner himself saw the revised Imagination ride in 1999, hated it, and approved roughly 8 million for a RE-revision. However, with all the props of the original ride destroyed, recycled, or sold on eBay --and with a new Kodak store taking some of the ride's old space-- can any revision equal the original?

Let's give a quick back-story to those unfamiliar with Disney buzz words like "Dreamfinder" and "Figment." Among all the attractions of the original EPCOT theme park in 1982, no attraction was as popular as the brilliantly crafted, child-friendly Journey Into Imagination. Led by a man calling himself The Dreamfinder, and accompanied by his friend Figment (of imagination), you're taken on a trip through imagination through the ages. From Edgar Allen Poe to classic fiary tales, it was hard to see "everything" there was to see, in just one trip (as any great ride experience should be). Even though the FX tricks were introduced in 1982, they held their flavor right up until the attraction's ill-fated "renovation" in 1999. Right up to then, lines for the ride spun out the door and around the side of the whole building!

I already said my peace about the ill-fated prior renovation of the ride, in an earlier review. Let's just say it was awful, and move on. The question everyone has asked since 1999 is: how could they improve the ride, given how most of the ride's old space is now a Kodak store? Well, they could bring back Figment; EPCOT is sorely lacking in any childish giddiness lately, which at DisneyWorld, is really annoying (go to Disney with kids, and it's even more annoying). They could also bring back the toe-tapping "One Little Spark" theme song. However, one thing that can't return is Dreamfinder's dream machine, with parts of it now used as some of the "machinery" decor in Mickey's Mouse Works store. What this boils down to is, bringing back this ride's old glory was surely an uphill battle.

That said, what is "Journey Into Imagination, Starring Figment" like? Well, it's almost exactly like the ill-fated renovation, with a bit more flair, and a lot more Figment. You are once again introduced to Eric Idle as a scientist testing your senses. Enter Figment, to teach us that real imagination is not a mere science experiment; it has to be free! Sadly, with the exception of Figment, most of these sets are the same ride, with Figment thrown in. There's the audio of a train approaching, now used as a "joke" Figment makes in the sound lab. There's the "upside down house," which is now allegedly Figment's house. Oh well; at least Figment's back...and he's even singing the original "One Little Spark" song, with a new verse for each of the 5 senses. Cute idea.

The best parts of the ride are the ones that are brand new. At one point, an eye chart is taken over by figment, who uses the various letters to form a sing-a-long. This "sight lab" concludes with a really amusing optical illusion, of a giant butterfly in a giant bird cage which, as you pass it, suddenly disappears! What makes this effect so cool is, it's done by mirrors --not a repeating film loop-- so everyone sees the butterfly-bird disappear, right when you're passing underneath it. Of course, the best of the new segments is the adorable finale, where a gaggle of figments are seen playing in a colorful room of dreams come to life. This was a perfect way to end the ride.

Of course, anyone with memories of the old ride cannot be 100% satisfied. While a gaggle of Figments is a nice parting sight, one can't deny this is a pittance compared to the original ride's brilliance. Blowing dust off the old Figment animatronics puppets is one thing; bringing back the original ride's whimsical magic is something else.

Even so, debates over how a longer, better ride could be re-instated continue among the ride's old fans. For starters: the second floor --once the "Image Works"-- is totally unused now. They could upgrade the ride similar to Spaceship Earth, to seamlessly merge the two levels for a larger ride experience: up, down, and around dreamland. Don't mind me; I'm just imagining new ideas. If only Disney & Kodak hadn't "imagined" this ride needed renovating to begin with. The re-renovation is nice, though old home videos of the original ride are even nicer.