On March 5th, 1983 everyone's favorite (or least favorite) figment of the imagination, Figment was released into the wild as the Journey Into Imagination attraction opened in Epcot.
This is separate from the Imagination! pavilion, which opened with Epcot on October 1st, 1982. For the first few months of its operation, the Imagination! pavilion showcased the 3D film Magic Journeys. Written and directed by documentarian Murray Lerner, this film looked at the world through the eyes of a child. Both the song for the film ("Magic Journeys") and the song for its preshow ("Makin' Memories") were written by Disney Legends, the Sherman brothers.
The film was removed in 1986 to make way for Captain EO, a futuristic 3D sci-fi film starring Michael Jackson, written by George Lucas, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Captain EO was replaced in 1994 by Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. In 2010, Captain EO made a reappearance as a tribute following the death of Michael Jackson where it played until being replaced by the Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival in 2015.
The Imagination! pavilion also housed ImageWorks, touted as the "creative playground of the future". This area was in the space upstairs from Journey into Imagination which is now a DVC Lounge. It featured exhibits such as Dreamfinder's School of Drama, Pin Screens, Stepping Tones, Figment's Coloring Book, the Rainbow Corridor, Electronic Philharmonic, Kaleidoscopes, Vibrating Mirrors, Voice Activated Lumia, and Bubble Projectors. The Rainbow Corridor gained perhaps the most recognition, as Michael Jackson had a notable series of photographs taken here.
The attraction itself featured a jolly, red-bearded man who introduced himself as the Dreamfinder. He was the pilot of a steampunk-esque blimp, which he used to collect dreams and ideas to create all sorts of things. He went on to create a figment of his imagination, the little purple dragon known as Figment. The ride, an omnimover (continuously moving) vehicle, takes riders through the Dreamport, where ideas are being sorted, then into rooms for Art, Literature, Performing Arts, and Science. The final scene saw Figment imagining himself as a number of great careers before the Dreamfinder invites guests to use their imaginations at ImageWorks.
The original ride closed on October 10th, 1998. and reopened just under a year later on October 1st, 1999 as Journey Into YOUR Imagination. This new attraction saw Guests touring the Imagination Institute and acting as test subjects for Dr. Nigel Channing's new invention, the Imagination Scanner. The scanner revealed that Guests had no imagination. Dr. Channing showed Guests through different labs throughout the Institute--Sound, Illusion, Color, Connections, and Gravity--before running the test again, this time showing Guests' minds buzzing with imagination.
While the original attraction had been well-received by Guests, Journey Into YOUR Imagination was panned by Guests and critics alike. For this new version of the ride, the Dreamfinder was removed completely and Figment's role was reduced to the occasional cameo. Guests also complained about the shortened length of the ride, as the track size had been scaled down due to budget cuts during the renovation. Finally, the classic theme from the original attraction, the Sherman Brothers' "One Little Spark", had been removed for Journey Into YOUR Imagination.
After only 2 years in operation, Journey Into YOUR Imagination closed on October 8th, 2001. The current iteration of the ride, Journey into Imagination with Figment opened on June 2nd, 2002. This version again sees Dr. Nigel Channing leading Guests on a tour through the Imagination Institute, with a goal of visiting labs based on the five senses. Guests journey through Sound, Sight, and Smell, with Figment interfering in each lab. Dr. Channing decides to stop the tour before the Touch and Taste labs, and Figment takes over, inviting the Guests to his open house, which is his literal upside-down house. He teaches Dr. Channing that imagination should be set free. The finale features Figment using his imagination to be anything he wants to be, with Dr. Channing imagining he is the moon, as they both sing "One Little Spark".
Today, you won't catch the Dreamfinder anywhere in the parks, save for two small homages at the Imagination pavilion. One such tribute is a door in the queue of the attraction that bears that name "Dean Finder". The other is in the Figment Meet and Greet at ImageWorks, where a silhouette of the Dreamfinder's vehicle can be seen in the clouds of Figment's backdrop.
Figment, on the other hand, is everywhere. Beyond his attraction and the meet and greet contained therein, you will find Figment on pieces of merchandise throughout Epcot. He is frequently the icon for Epcot's festivals and events. Most recently, Figment served as the unofficial mascot for 2024's Festival of the Arts.
From the whimsical Journey Into Imagination attraction to his ubiquitous presence in Epcot's festivals and merchandise, Figment continues to captivate hearts and minds with his colorful charm. While the evolution of the Imagination pavilion has seen its share of changes over the years, Figment remains a timeless symbol of creativity and inspiration, reminding us all to embrace the power of imagination in our everyday adventures.
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