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Thread: More Mouse: Remembering the Magic: Imagination! Pavilion

  1. #1
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    More Mouse: Remembering the Magic: Imagination! Pavilion

    Remembering the Magic: Imagination! Pavilion by Jonathan Heigl

    We get 'One Little Spark of Inspiration' as we remember the history of the Imagination! Pavilion

    Read it here!


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  3. #2

    I agree with you that Journey into the Imagination needs a good updating. Both Captain EO and Honey I shrunk the audience are stale and need updating. There are so many 3D movies in the World that are just better (Bug's Life, Philharmagic) and the ride itself is just starting to feel old. I like the concept of imagination (and you think with Disney they should be able to do imagination epically) but making the imagination ride more interactive would be a first step. I also think that Disney should add a "History of Imagination" exhibit which goes into the imagination process of Classic Movies, rides, etc. Let people watch clips of interviews with Disney legends about the making of movies, imagineers about how they took concepts and made them rides, etc. I think it would be a fascinating exhibit that you could spend hours in.


  4. #3

    I somewhat share the opinion of the author...Journey Into Imagination is a cute, but dated, ride. Personally, I don't think going "back to the past" is the way to change it. If there is thought of doing a fairly minor update to the ride, I'd suggest going for some randomness - for example, it would be fun to have several possible results in the smell room, ranging from pleasant to unpleasant. There's more than a few opportunities like this in the attraction, and a minor update to make the ride more enjoyable each time through would go a long way to bringing some more guests to the pavilion.

    I'd be in favor of ANYTHING that replaced Captain EO. The film is just awful, with a "campy" script that doesn't come across to today's audiences and technology that is so far behind what is doable today that it's pathetic.

    In the ideal world, I'd love to see this entire pavilion re-imagined. Imagination is a great theme for EPCOT, and I have no doubt that Disney's Imagineers could come up with an outstanding E-ticket ride based on this theme. If they did this, it might be possible to work in a homage to the old attraction (for example, Figment appearing as a minor character in a scene), but I certainly don't think it would be necessary to base the majority of a new attraction on the old one. While it was cute and fun in its time, it just was never good enough to merit that kind of treatment.


  5. #4
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    I'm with you in thinking that Journey with Figment is a cute and good attraction. Granted, I never saw the original. But from the picture of DreamFinder, I'm pretty sure my kids would be creeped out. The lines never seem to be very long, and that's just fine by me. It means my kids, who love the ride, get right through.

    As for Captain BoringO, dump it. This, to me, is the climax of Disney's not wanting to spend any money to improve this park. Add that in with all the cuts to World Showcase, and you have a lot of people wondering why they visit this park anymore.

    Working for Disney. No, no. Working (in a Modesto office) for (the money to take a trip to) Disney (World/Land)

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  6. #5

    A nice summary of the history of probably my least favorite Epcot pavilion, although it's had a few strong points. One minor correction - the moving floor didn't appear in the first run of Captain EO, but with the Honey I Shrunk The Audience show. It was used for the return of EO, but on my last few trips it's been (wisely) turned off. The effect never did quite fit the EO movie, IMO.

    And as much as I've enjoyed EO over the years, it's time for something else to move in.

    The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
    - James Taylor

  7. #6

    I have been to all three versions of the ride and I say we need to bring Dreamfinder back. But hear is my idea, since this pavilion is close to World Showcase have it be both about Imagination of the Inventors that made the world a better place (Future World), and the Artists that brought culture to the world (World Showcase).

    Just hope the pavilion gets a sponsor soon and will make it a wonderful place.


  8. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by mkelm44 View Post
    I agree with you that Journey into the Imagination needs a good updating. Both Captain EO and Honey I shrunk the audience are stale and need updating. There are so many 3D movies in the World that are just better (Bug's Life, Philharmagic) and the ride itself is just starting to feel old. I like the concept of imagination (and you think with Disney they should be able to do imagination epically) but making the imagination ride more interactive would be a first step. I also think that Disney should add a "History of Imagination" exhibit which goes into the imagination process of Classic Movies, rides, etc. Let people watch clips of interviews with Disney legends about the making of movies, imagineers about how they took concepts and made them rides, etc. I think it would be a fascinating exhibit that you could spend hours in.
    Making Journey Into Imagination with Figment more interactive would be a great short term solution! I still believe a complete overhaul of the pavilion is necessary, but those interactive elements should be a quick and easy addition for Disney to do in the short term.

    Quote Originally Posted by jms1969 View Post
    I somewhat share the opinion of the author...Journey Into Imagination is a cute, but dated, ride. Personally, I don't think going "back to the past" is the way to change it. If there is thought of doing a fairly minor update to the ride, I'd suggest going for some randomness - for example, it would be fun to have several possible results in the smell room, ranging from pleasant to unpleasant. There's more than a few opportunities like this in the attraction, and a minor update to make the ride more enjoyable each time through would go a long way to bringing some more guests to the pavilion.

    I'd be in favor of ANYTHING that replaced Captain EO. The film is just awful, with a "campy" script that doesn't come across to today's audiences and technology that is so far behind what is doable today that it's pathetic.

    In the ideal world, I'd love to see this entire pavilion re-imagined. Imagination is a great theme for EPCOT, and I have no doubt that Disney's Imagineers could come up with an outstanding E-ticket ride based on this theme. If they did this, it might be possible to work in a homage to the old attraction (for example, Figment appearing as a minor character in a scene), but I certainly don't think it would be necessary to base the majority of a new attraction on the old one. While it was cute and fun in its time, it just was never good enough to merit that kind of treatment.
    See my response above about adding interactive elements to the ride. I think it's a great idea! While I don't, personally, think Captain EO is awful, I do want to see it replaced. I do think your idea of a new E-ticket ride for the pavilion is a good one, especially where homage is paid to the old attractions. People, in general, like to see that type of thing. For example, the new Test Track pavilion design has subtle "old World of Motion logos" placed in it, and I, personally, really appreciate that.

    Quote Originally Posted by DisneyGator View Post
    I'm with you in thinking that Journey with Figment is a cute and good attraction. Granted, I never saw the original. But from the picture of DreamFinder, I'm pretty sure my kids would be creeped out. The lines never seem to be very long, and that's just fine by me. It means my kids, who love the ride, get right through.

    As for Captain BoringO, dump it. This, to me, is the climax of Disney's not wanting to spend any money to improve this park. Add that in with all the cuts to World Showcase, and you have a lot of people wondering why they visit this park anymore.
    Again, I am a fan of Captain EO, but the time has come once before, and now once again, where it must be retired. It IS dated and doesn't fit the theme of the pavilion at all. Epcot, in general, does need quite a bit of imagination put back in it. However, it is still my favorite park!

    Quote Originally Posted by danyoung View Post
    A nice summary of the history of probably my least favorite Epcot pavilion, although it's had a few strong points. One minor correction - the moving floor didn't appear in the first run of Captain EO, but with the Honey I Shrunk The Audience show. It was used for the return of EO, but on my last few trips it's been (wisely) turned off. The effect never did quite fit the EO movie, IMO.

    And as much as I've enjoyed EO over the years, it's time for something else to move in.
    Thanks for that correction! Sometimes when I write I have to stop and come back to it another time. In this case, I must have melded the two runs of Captain EO together and I just never caught that in proofreads. Thanks!

    Quote Originally Posted by Boundyman View Post
    I have been to all three versions of the ride and I say we need to bring Dreamfinder back. But hear is my idea, since this pavilion is close to World Showcase have it be both about Imagination of the Inventors that made the world a better place (Future World), and the Artists that brought culture to the world (World Showcase).

    Just hope the pavilion gets a sponsor soon and will make it a wonderful place.
    I, too, hope the pavilion gets a sponsor soon. However, I find it difficult to believe that a sponsor would be ok with the pavilion the way that it is right now. I would think they would want a reimagining, so until and unless Disney has plans for the pavilion, I don't foresee a sponsor signing on...but, of course, that is just my opinion!
    "Like a grand and miraculous spaceship, our planet has sailed through the universe of time. And for a brief moment, we have been among its many passengers."

  9. #8

    The Imagination Pavilion is the epitome of the "Disney can't win" scenario. Update a "classic" attraction and people complain. Don't update it, people complain.

    I still think the original Journey Into Imagination ride was the best of the three. The second version was forgettable. The current version with Figment is cute and I really enjoy it, but it's not quite as good as the original.

    I'm a huge fan of Captain EO. It's a perfect combination of nostalgia and actual fun for me. I know that is mostly because I'm a huge Michael Jackson fan, but it's an attraction I never miss. Plus, I love the idea of a beloved "extinct" attraction coming back to life. On the other hand, I hated Honey I Shrunk the Audience. It was just terrible. I saw it three times -- once when it was new, once about a year later, then once about five years after that just to remind myself why I thought it was so bad.

    Saddest for me is what has happened to the ImageWorks. The loss of the upstairs part was tragic, and it robbed Future World of one of its most magical places. Then, the slow dismantling of the "new" ImageWorks downstairs has turned that portion of the building into an embarrassment.

    In an ideal world, this is what I'd like to see:
    1) A reconstruction of the original track layout of Journey Into Imagination and a return of Dreamfinder to the ride. Use all new, high-tech effects and technology throughout the ride to create an updated version of the original attraction.
    2) A new movie put in the theater. While I love Captain EO, it is time for him to retire. Put in a great pre-show, then some really mind-blowing 4-D movie delving into the subject of imagination. (Maybe do "EO after dark" or something like that, so that guests could still experience Captain EO, giving people a reason to return to the pavilion a second time.)
    3) Put the ImageWorks back upstairs where it belongs, and make it amazing. Some virtual reality stuff. Teach kids ways to create art in the 21st century. Upgrade the rainbow tunnel with fiber optics.


  10. #9

    I don't understand the EO-hate. I'm not a big Michael Jackson fan, but even I recognize the groundbreaking achievement the film represents, and it's as good a film as many others of its era. How is it "dated", any more so than, say, Return of the Jedi, is dated?


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  11. #10

    Fyi

    Hopefully your post will inspire folks to check out Martin Smith's excellent tribute video of the original Journey Into Imagination Pavilion; There was a wonderful storyline and point to the original that you've missed in your otherwise thorough description.

    And the upstairs Image Works was open from day one of EPCOT Center. Magic Journeys almost did not open on time, but just squeaked in. It was the ride alone that was delayed until 1983.


  12. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Ron Schneider View Post
    Hopefully your post will inspire folks to check out Martin Smith's excellent tribute video of the original Journey Into Imagination Pavilion; There was a wonderful storyline and point to the original that you've missed in your otherwise thorough description.

    And the upstairs Image Works was open from day one of EPCOT Center. Magic Journeys almost did not open on time, but just squeaked in. It was the ride alone that was delayed until 1983.
    Yes, Martin Smith does have excellent videos. Although I did not explicitly mention it, I did list the dates for the original version (upstairs version) of ImageWorks as opening day of Epcot (October 1, 1982). Thanks for reading and commenting!
    "Like a grand and miraculous spaceship, our planet has sailed through the universe of time. And for a brief moment, we have been among its many passengers."

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