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View Full Version : WDW Rated & Reviewed - Journey Into Your Imagination with Figment



Red Randal
08-15-2006, 02:59 PM
Sorry for the lack of posts recently, I've been busy with work recently. Now, however, it's vacation time for me as I head to the Vacation Kingdom on Friday the 18th. My trips are YOUR benefit...expect a review of Soarin next week. For now, it's one of Walt Disney World's more maligned attractions.

Journey Into Your Imagination with Figment
"Here's what happens when you combine a classic beloved attraction with a heaping pile of trash."

Intro: This is the third version of the ride, updated after its disastrous run during the Millennium celebration without the loveable title character. It stars Eric Idle as Dr. Nigel Channing.

Queue: Never really one to stand in, it should be pointed out that you are here for an Imagination Institute open house (presumably related to the award ceremony next door). This would all make more sense if the pavilion was actually called the Imagination Institute instead of just calling it Imagination. Come to think of it, do they even call it “Imagination?” It used to be the “Imagination Pavilion” or “Journey into Imagination.” I think now it is just a ride and a movie in a weird looking building.

Ride: Channing welcomes us to the ride through open house and promises to teach us about imagination. Figment, a little purple dragon-like character and institute discovery, wants to come along but Channing refuses, so Figment just makes himself invisible and comes along anyway. Into the sound labs where Figment stops by to tell us that listening is not about ears but about imagination. Okay then. Channing moves us onto the sight lab “in a scientific, Figment free, manner.” Not so fast, as Figment interrupts a simple eye exam with a song. We drive by some optical illusions on the way to the smell lab. Oh boy. Figment unleashes some odors on us and the less said about this the better. Figment’s interference causes Channing to cancel our stops at the touch and taste labs so Figment hijacks the tour and takes us to his upside down open house. Nice how he had that thing all ready, just in case. Channing finally throws in the towel and joins Figment in a song to conclude the ride.

Postshow: The Image Works...a "creative playground." It is about as good as you are willing to let it be.

Thoughts: On the surface this is a great ride. It sticks to the theme, tells a story, and is entertaining. It is a million times better than the ride it replaced and actually is more at home in Epcot than the original. However, when you look farther into it, there are a lot of problems here. The ride has too much dead space in between many scenes. This is dead space that the Imagineers chose to fill with, well, not much of anything. The 10 second stretch (an eternity in a ride like this) between Figment promising to take us to his open house and our arrival are filled with empty space and some signs that glow under black light. This was done so Disney could dim the lights and get you to focus on reading some silly signs and ignore the empty space you were riding through. Compare this to, say, Pirates, where EVERY SQUARE INCH is themed. Seriously, imagine (no pun intended) going through Pirates and after the battle scene spending 10 seconds going through a room with nothing in it but a sign that points you in the direction of some Caribbean town and then entering the next scene. That’s what this ride does, and it doesn’t do it just that one time, it does it a whole bunch of times. This just makes the ride look cheap and that is not the kind of image you want to project. Problems aside, however, this ride is basically good, so it’s still pretty much thumbs up from me. I just wish they’d fill that empty space with something. Don't be too hard on it just because its not the original.

Overall Rating: ** 3/4

Jared
08-15-2006, 03:07 PM
I gave the attraction two stars and agree with most of your review. The part with the glowing signs really is a joke and reminds me of a cheap carnival dark ride. There are good elements in Journey Into Your Imagination with Figment but the ride will always be compared to the original. The link my be unfair, but until there is an attraction that tops Journey Into Imagination, people like us will always be disappointed.

threeh
08-15-2006, 06:54 PM
I actually only went on this the first time our last trip and I really enjoyed the ride. Figment is cute and my kids had a blast (get it, blast of smell??). I think it will be a do not miss for up coming trips. :mickey:

Mousemates
08-15-2006, 07:18 PM
We do figment everytime we go...its just got the feeling of missing something to me...maybe its the dead spaces you talked about...its not bad...it could just use some plussing by the imagineers.

MMouse6937
08-15-2006, 08:17 PM
Figment is my favorite character at WDW (besides Mickey). I love the ride and I go over and over again everytime we are at WDW. It's not the best ride ever but it's one of my favorites! :thumbsup:

mecllap
08-15-2006, 10:48 PM
I wish the poll had been worded in a way that I could have given it a top rating. But, of course, the ride is not as good as it once was. It used to be quintessential Disney, with Dreamfinder, and the other stuff in the building after the ride. When we were there in May, we were thrilled that a large Figment character was there for visits -- kind of hidden away past the HISTA moving. So I keep asking folks to ask for Figment and visit the character to keep Imagination live and well.
I think Figment represents the Imagination and Magic of WDW and should be really prominent (altho not turned into another teeny-bopper thrill ride!).

ChipnDaleGal
08-16-2006, 06:53 AM
I love Figment and I love this ride! My daughter and I ride it multiple times each trip and we enjoy it everytime!! :thumbsup:

Spaceship Tigger
08-16-2006, 07:06 AM
I like this ride and think they did a good job adding in variations of the "One Little Spark" song into it. I agree, however, that it would be better with fewer dead areas and a few more additions.

Grammie Bear
08-16-2006, 07:57 AM
I think that if you met figment on the original ride this one can be a dissappointment however if you went on the ride that had replaced the original one you feeling would be happy to have figment back. My grand kids met figment for the first time and of course fell in love with him. So bottom line " nice to have you back Figment, we missed you"

NJGIRL
08-16-2006, 10:11 AM
I don't care for this version of the ride and would skip it but my son loves it so we will ride it every time.

Goofyguy2
08-16-2006, 10:30 AM
I really do miss the old version of this ride!!!!

KAJUNKING
08-16-2006, 10:33 AM
i really miss the old version

DDBird
08-16-2006, 11:08 AM
On our first trip to Disney Figment was not part of the ride. Second trip and he was back. I think a much better ride with him there. We all really enjoy it and try to make the Journey every time we are at Epcot.

Stu29573
08-16-2006, 11:53 AM
It's good that Figment's back...but I'd like to see Dreamfinder too....

Crow
08-16-2006, 08:41 PM
2 also...they could do so much more w original character Figment, and bring back Dreamfinder

mecllap
08-16-2006, 11:30 PM
We were so delighted to find the character near Honey I Shrunk the Audience in May -- hopefully lots of people will visit him and keep him around. (I'd also like Dreamfinder back -- but the big purple guy is great). One Little Spark!!!!!!!

chrisb26
08-16-2006, 11:45 PM
I gave this ride three stars. It for sure isnt the best ride by any means. It is also not the worst. We do always go on this ride when we go to EPCOT. It is also nice to know that when you go to EPCOT during spring break when you keep experiencing 100 min wait times I.E.(Test Track, Mission SPACE, and Sorin') that you can go on a ride that has a 0 wait time. Never have to wait in a line which is always a plus!

KAJUNKING
08-17-2006, 12:23 AM
I wish the poll had been worded in a way that I could have given it a top rating. But, of course, the ride is not as good as it once was. It used to be quintessential Disney, with Dreamfinder, and the other stuff in the building after the ride. When we were there in May, we were thrilled that a large Figment character was there for visits -- kind of hidden away past the HISTA moving. So I keep asking folks to ask for Figment and visit the character to keep Imagination live and well.
I think Figment represents the Imagination and Magic of WDW and should be really prominent (altho not turned into another teeny-bopper thrill ride!).
:ditto: couldnt agree more! :mickey:

mcjaco
08-17-2006, 10:21 AM
Channing welcomes us to the ride through open house and promises to teach us about imagination. Figment, a little green dragon-like character and institute discovery, wants to come along

GREEN DRAGON???? Sheesh, he's purple. :figment:

Red Randal
08-17-2006, 10:41 AM
GREEN DRAGON???? Sheesh, he's purple. :figment:

How in the good name of all that is Disney did I let that typo stay in there for so long? :blush: Of course Figment "from head to tail is royal purple pigment!" Thanks for pointing out that serious Epcot faux pas!

Vedderthanyou
08-17-2006, 10:46 AM
I never got to see the dreaded second incarnation of this ride...does anyone know where I could see it online?

thanks,

Brad

mcjaco
08-17-2006, 04:29 PM
How in the good name of all that is Disney did I let that typo stay in there for so long? :blush: Of course Figment "from head to tail is royal purple pigment!" Thanks for pointing out that serious Epcot faux pas!

The Figment Nation would be beating down your door!!! :thedolls: :D

AXOAlum
08-17-2006, 05:53 PM
I gave it "one of the better rides around" for the simple fact that DS loves "Fig-A-Ment" so much. We couldn't IMAGINE going to Epcot & missing Fig-a-ment :cloud9:

The Bookseller
08-17-2006, 11:29 PM
I saw the first version and the current version of the ride. The current version borred me stiff. I clearly remember the original "Imagination Pavilion with Dreamfinder, Captain EO and the game part that dint looked like they have been ripped-off a mall's food court.

I might sound bitter but that pavillion was my favorite place when I was a kid. Now, it's a big bore. I have heard they will bring back Dreamfinder soon! :) This WILL bring back some magic! :mickey:

Please, do it for Figment! :figment:

LAURA.WDWLOVER
08-18-2006, 05:51 AM
I miss the original Journey! :( :( The second version was a disaster!! :ack: :ack: Journey with Figment was a big improvement but it still has a LOOOONG way to go before it's half as good as the original.

Red Randal
10-01-2007, 11:32 PM
Bump! Happy Birthday Epcot!

GrmGrninGost
10-02-2007, 07:59 PM
I give it 3 stars. The original version I would give 4.5 stars. The second version? Let's not even go there! I hope sometime in the future that Disney will once again change this ride. Dreamfinder needs to be found and returned to his former glory alongside Figment! :mickey:

Sean Riley Taylor's Mom
10-02-2007, 08:47 PM
Figment is one of our favorite characters and we like the ride. It is not our favorite but, we always ride it a few times each trip.

crltkcagle
10-02-2007, 08:54 PM
It is a really cute ride and my kids love it, but i miss the old figment I grew up with. Something just feels like it's missing from the new attraction. :figment:

Polynesian Dweller
10-02-2007, 08:56 PM
Agree that Figment is a good character but this is supposed to be Journey into Imagination and is one of the least imaginative rides anywhere. A ride in an Imagination pavillion has to be imaginative to warrant more than a 2 star rating.

cal5755
10-02-2007, 10:12 PM
I have to agree here. The original was so much better and I will always compare it. My Dh and DC love it though as they have never seen the original. We do this everytime we are in Epcot, however it is not one of my personal must do's anymore.

SpecJoe Magic
10-03-2007, 05:57 AM
This is one of my least favorite attractions in all of WDW. It has such a cheap and empty feel to it. My wife pointed out to me last time that it only goes through 3 of the 5 human senses before just tossing that idea out the window even though that's what the open house is supposed to be all about. They try to mask it by saying that Figment takes over the tour and takes guests to his upside down house instead, but the real reason for that is because the upside down area is left over from the terrible second version of the ride and they didn't want to bother with replacing it. It's a disgrace that doesn't even feel like a Disney attraction to me, and it deserves to die a horrible death. Its improvment over the second version shouldn't even matter because that isn't really saying much of anything. This opinion doesn't even take the original version into account. I don't even want to think about that because it makes me sick to dwell on how amazing it used to be.

DizNee143
10-04-2007, 10:57 AM
its ok ride now...its something to do..
but i would love to know why they redid the ride in the first place? why take something good and make it extremely bad?? sometimes disney really makes me wonder...

EPCOT84
10-05-2007, 02:21 AM
It's good that Figment's back...but I'd like to see Dreamfinder too....


I didn't know he had gone away but comparing the original ride to today's, it is a nice update. I do miss the more dream like ride before, with Dreamfinder, especially the pastel scenes rolling around the clouds, the film stip area going around Figment in the center.

Like the other rides and films that use actors, it seems a let down from the traditional audio animatronic rides and it means eventually it will be changed again.

Marker
10-05-2007, 09:00 AM
Unless I missed something, this topic (poll) said to "Rate Journey Into Your Imagination with Figment", it made no mention of compare it to previous versions of the ride.

To me, the ride's target audience has NO IDEA about the previous versions, they judge the ride based solely on whether or not they like what it is NOW. And it seems as though the ride is a success in that goal, kids seem to love it.

It's us "adults" that have the hang ups about what it USED to be. For me, if the kids love it (the target audience), then it's a good ride.

And I will say that I am glad they brought Figmet back. I wish they'd use him more extensively all around Epoct, let him stand for Imagination and Discovery, things that Epcot are supposed to be about. But that's just my thought.

goofysbabe
10-05-2007, 09:38 AM
I know alot of people don't care for this ride, but we love it. It's a can't miss for my kids. The last time we were there my kids were chosen to be Jr. Scientists and they wore white jackets & goofy glasses and were taken to the front of the line and a CM rode the ride with them and they chatted and had a good time. After they were given a special photo op with Figment and certificates. We were also given fastpasses to HISTA. What a fun time!!!!!!!!!!!

magicman
10-05-2007, 12:14 PM
I loved the orignal, and I don't think this version compares. I give the ride *** only because I think Figment is one of the very best characters.

I sincerely hope that the rumoured overhaul of JIYI becomes a reality. It would be my #1 priority if it was up to me to decide.

animalkingdomguy
10-22-2007, 08:57 AM
We ride this attraction every trip and the younger family members like it. It's fun and a good little ride to enjoy and cool down on a hot day.

diz_girl
10-22-2007, 10:33 AM
The ride was enjoyable (3 stars), but I loved the original (5 stars). I don't recall the second incarnation - maybe I missed it. I still have my Figment pendant that I got when I first rode it. Note to self - wear the pendant every time that I go to WDW.

Anyway, is that song now running through everyone else's head too?

TheRustyScupper
10-22-2007, 11:17 AM
1) The original Journey was such a good ride.
2) But, it shows what WDW greed can do for/to the guest.
3) Repeat, greed, pure greed.

4) Joni Mitchell was right - Pave Paradise, and put up a parking lot.
5) In this case, they Paved a Good Ride, and put up a souvenir store.
6) Just like they did with Mr Toad - a new ride with 1/3 cut out for a store.