Pimping Out Dreamfinder and Figment

OF COURSE THEY WOULD! But we park fans knew that already. The suits of the Walt Disney Company merchandizing are once again dragging out Figment and Dreamfinder to bring in some quick cash. EPCOT Center's great Journey Into Imagination was an "E Ticket" classic from opening day. Imagineering Legend (yes, someone who is really deserving of the title!) Tony Baxter created the classic characters and led the team in crafting a modern day must-see attraction. Now, new CEO Josh D'Amaro, it's time to show your true fan colors and get a great new version of the attraction green lit. Make this a D23 to remember!

My Wish List: What I Want From Josh D’Amaro, Disney's New CEO

The man with the mega-watt smile and the infamous wardrobe is now CEO of the company we love and some of us love to hate. Fan of the parks and of Imagineering, "nice guy" Josh D'Amaro takes the helm of The Walt Disney Company today. An expanded Villains land aside, I'm not sure what he'll bring, but I know what I want. After giving the announcement some time to ruminate, here's my wish list as a theme park enthusiast.

Request: Return the Theme Parks and Resorts to Their Best Days

Reality Check: Josh will have much more on his plate than just theme parks and cruise lines. Still, this should be a priority as they are currently the biggest money makers for the company. This has nothing to do with the cast members and everything to do with providing real value for guests' hard earned dollars. Stop nickel and diming those who come to the properties for a relaxing, fun-filled vacation. Josh, you can pick and choose what changes, so think it through and take immediate action.

Recent Action Working Against Him: Do I really need to mention all the price increases??? If I do, this means the executives are even worse off than I thought when it comes to treating your paying customers as guests. 

Recipe for a Quick Win: Bring back some of the perks that have been taken away, and bring them back for free. In case the Company leaders have forgotten, that means at no additional charge to your customers already paying so much for a room at the resorts or for a park ticket. 

Bonus idea: Lower the cost of a character breakfast. Nothing says greed like this. Seeing Disney characters should be a perk of your park ticket and not an excuse to fleece the faithful flock. AND giving guests another choice or two for a quick service meal would help alleviate the frustration with the generally awful list of meals available at a fairly reasonable price.

Request: Let the Hard Core Disney Fans Know You're Listening

Reality Check: Josh has to listen to the Board and the investors as well. However, keeping the fans happy and keeping them coming back for more is something that just makes sense. It breeds long term success and not just short term gain.

Recent Action Working Against Him: Removing Rivers of America and taking the Muppets out and putting them back in where they do not belong.

Recipe for a Quick Win:  Two important steps here and one bonus idea. 1- Green light a new and exciting, thoroughly charming adventure with Figment and Dreamfinder. By doing this, Josh, you will instantly put lovers of the charming purple dragon and his mentor in a good mood and earn instant credibility with hard core Disney park fans (like me) that think the best Imagineering days are behind them. 2- Bite the bullet and give us a brand new Tomorrowland in Walt's park! It is a huge disgrace that original land of the future is a hollow shell of the great, big, beautiful 1967 version.  3- Follow it up by placing a version of Muppet*Vision 3D into the same courtyard as Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. It's all as easy as 1-2-3. I know, I know it's not, but you're the boss now, so make it happen.

Bonus idea: Bring back some of the entertainment that's been closed since pandemic times. You know, that big empty theater in Disney California Adventure? That'd be a good start.

Request: Encourage Imagineering to Tell Original Stories

Reality Check: Intellectual Property use will always be on the burner when it comes to theme park expansion and enhancements. Instead of bad films making poor choices for attractions, work the other direction and save a great concept for the park, then turn it into a film. Would this work? Hard to say. It's a gamble, but maybe it is one worth taking.

Recent Action Working Against Him: About every Pixar film in recent release. And some lackluster recent attractions. Want some help? Take a long, hard look at how the Company screwed up Tiana's Bayou Adventure and never let something like that happen again. Inviting in one of your greatest Imagineers, Tony Baxter, to coach the project team and then blow off his suggestions is a misfire if not an outright disgrace. The Princess and the Frog is a terrific film with incredible characters and great music! It should never have been wasted on such a poorly scripted plot for the attraction. Aside from the last scene, the entire execution feels off. Need more to consider as further evidence? How about dumping the original memorable trilogy film of Star Wars for something else for Galaxy's Edge? What was everyone thinking? Certainly, someone in the building had to say it to the team planning it all. Well, at least Disneyland is going to try to fix some of the mistakes. Do I need to talk about Avengers Campus?

Recipe for a Quick Win: None. Brainstorm, innovate, work at it until you get something very, very good. Can it be done? Walt did it. You probably can as well! By chance if the movie comes first, don't wait decades to come up with a park attraction built on it.

Disney Ruined the Figment Ride- So He Rebuilt It

 A rebuilt Journey into Imagination at Epcot? It's the dream of many fans of Figment and Dreamfinder. One man made it a reality. I can only imagine - can you imagine, too?- the hours it took to bring this all together. Out of the ultimate respect for its creator, I'm only posting a link to his creation instead of showing it on the blog. Go here. Now.

Goodbye, Figment, Goodbye

My beloved mascot of EPCOT Center and Journey into Imagination. What is there to say about Figment that hasn't been said? Imagineer Tony Baxter created him with a dash of childish delight, and I just couldn't get enough of the attraction and theme song! Of course, it became obvious I just had to buy a stuffed version of this little dragon. Be it a Kodak project made it all the better! It's been over 40 years he's been at my home. My kids played with him, but over time, he was delegated to a dark corner of the closet. 

Quite an appropriate picture of how Disney CEOs Michael Eisner, Robert Iger, Bob Chapek, and Robert Iger again have treated him. They have largely ignored him, just pimping him out when they need a merchandise sale boost and want to convince unsuspecting park goers that they really do have the beloved Old Epcot in mind. 

As for me, as we pack up our life and move to a new home, it's time to admit that little purple dragon needs to move in to the afterlife. Tired eyes, broken horns, a sacking neck that doesn't sit straight, dirtied body, and a tear or two means it's time to say goodbye. So, goodbye, Figment, goodbye. One day, maybe a new generation of Disney CEOs- ones who can really dream with childlike wonder- will bring you an attraction worthy of your name...

Figment Asks "Can They Imagine, too?"

Now that Imagineer Zach Riddley's EPCOT seems almost complete, like many fans of Figment, I'd make a hard to disprove case that the original EPCOT Center attraction Journey into Imagination is the most beloved Disney attraction created since Pirates of the Caribbean. Before that, I say the most beloved attraction title was given to Disneyland's opening day classic Peter Pan's Flight. I'll be very, very curious to see how the revisions to the second park at Walt Disney World bring in the crowds, ie. increased attendance or flattened. Are Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, The Journey of Water inspired by Moana and the new night time show Luminous enough?  Will all the changes enhance Epcot's reputation among guests too young to remember when it was great? If it doesn't succeed, the Imagineers can always come back to Figment as they always do when they need a boost in revue and fan excitement. Fans of the purple dragon and his friend Dreamfinder will lap it all up. This one included.  

(Photograph copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

An Evening at Epcot, A Look at Our World

Spaceship Earth is a beautiful icon! World Showcase is just stunning- especially at night! Not only is it the focal point of what once was Future World at Epcot, it stands as a symbol of discovery and optimism. Not the discovery of Disney intellectual properties and characters but the discovery of the world around us. The great original Imagineers that designed this place believed in the ability of man to make the world better if he chose. The place has been inspiring folks since its opening.

Let me repeat myself. Here are the hard, cold facts: EPCOT Center ceased to exist years ago.

The character invasion of of Epcot's recent years is here to stay, be it Ratatouille in France, Guardians of the Galaxy in the old Universe of Energy building, Coco in Mexico, or even more Disney film characters in Future World to go alongside Nemo in the Living Seas. The two true unique characters designed specifically for the park, most interestingly, Dreamfinder and Figment, are being left to rot in the now embarrassing Journey into Imagination with Figment. (Sorry, Mr. Tony Baxter.)

Fans are blaming the suits at the Walt Disney Company for this change, and in many ways, they would be correct in doing so. Always responsible to shareholders of the company to turn a profit, they must act to ensure that should grow much larger year after year. Guest experiences are now added in ways that are designed to extract cash from the buying public, from the lowest end customer who can afford a single day at the theme park of their choice to those on the other end of the spectrum, rich guests needing the ill-advised cabanas in the Magic Kingdom (thankfully now long gone) or the $15k meal at Disneyland in the former Disney Gallery space. 

Satisfying investors is the new bottom line of the last 40 years or so. Altruism no longer exists, at least in the corporate world, unless its to gain favor in the minds of consumers. Granted, Walt Disney himself ran a company as well and had to account for his sound business practices to brother Roy, but he kept the satisfaction of the guest foremost in his mind. Certainly, a respected form of altruism.

Still, the business folk are not the only reason change is coming to Florida's second Disney theme park. In addition to the changes in corporate America, I assert that we primarily have ourselves to blame. 

Yes, it is our fault Epcot is changing. Why? As a people, we've changed. We've wandered from the original vision which was established for the park as inscribed on the dedication plaque:

To all who come to this place of Joy, Hope and Friendship - Welcome.

EPCOT is inspired by Walt Disney's 

creative vision. 

Here, human achievements are celebrated through imagination, wonders of enterprise  and concepts 

of a future that promises new 

and exciting benefits for all.

May EPCOT Center entertain, inform and inspire

 and above all, 

may it instill a new sense of belief and pride 

in man's ability to shape a world

that offers hope to people everywhere.

The EPCOT Center that opened in 1982 was built to educate, inform, and inspire and instill pride in man's ability to shape a hopeful world. What was the inspiration? The wonders of this incredible world. Wonders of exploring not only what could be designed by the most gifted of human minds (Transportation, Energy, Communication) but also of those designed by an even bigger creator, worlds created by one infinite in wisdom and power (The Living Seas, The Land, The Wonders of Life, Space). An exciting world awaiting exploration laid out by the Ultimate Imagineer. A world also given to us to nurture and steward.

Now, bear with me here. Especially those of you who have not explored any world of faith or who have and have rejected the thought of a Creator. (I'm not going into that argument. I'm sticking with my original point that it is because of us that the park must change, so please keep reading.) Here's the logic:

The Disney suits follow the dollar. That's their job. It's what we pay them to do. Yet the changes at Epcot all begin with us. Every time we enter the parks, buy merchandise, or view the latest slice of filmed or live entertainment, we are telling the suits at Disney what we want and how much of it we want. When we stopping buying, they rethink their approach and their products. It really is that simple. And what do we want now? We want to be entertained. 

By and large, we no longer want to be the investors in our world and contributors to making it better. We just want to consume. We have looked away from our intended purpose which began with God in stewarding His beautiful creation. Boy, lest you think I'm pointing fingers, I want you to know I struggle with this! It's way easier to kick back and relax than it is to work hard to make a difference. It goes even deeper.

Since you and I have moved away from giving God the credit for His creation and/or accepting the roles He gave us, we instead look to man for fulfillment and answers. We're no longer fascinated by the fact we can have 1- Infinite worlds to explore, 2- An opportunity for a relationship with the Infinite Creator God, and finally, 3- a responsibility to positively impact the world we live in. This covers the gamut from caring for creation to protecting the rights of the most vulnerable of people. We have shifted our focus, so business has shifted their focus in order to make a profit from us.

We humans (park guests and the Imagineers that create attractions) have moved from being inspired by God's creation and the gifts He has given mankind. Instead, we rely on broken and selfish people to fill us and make us happy. Eventually, this brings us to a place of discouragement and general hopelessness when our plans fail or when the people we look to let us down. 

It's even more of a downward spiral when it comes to purchasing products. The goal of the advertising agency is to get us to buy and keep buying. Isn't this the true goal of marketing? To make us unhappy without the product they are selling? Then to also make sure that we are never thankful for what we do have, keeping us prone to buy more. It's a vicious cycle.

When people or products fail to create long term fulfillment, we look for something else or for something within ourselves. We begin idolizing our own capabilities, strengths, and seemingly limitless potential, instead of giving the honor to God who created us and the world we live in. The trade off is emptiness because we often disappoint ourselves. Sometimes that is the worst of all to handle.

Due to our self-focus and our humanism, despair engulfs us as we look around and see man's plans fail. Even men with good solid other-centered goals. Why? Because men desire different things. Even good things can be in conflict with each other because priorities are different from person to person.

Rulers of nations view life differently, some good and some evil. Common people have differing values, so my plans may conflict with your plans. The result of all this tension? We get frustrated, angry, and burned out. Or on a global scale, war replaces peace as men strive to get what they want. Everyday there are new battles being fought in the streets among conflicting groups and ideologies. All this tires our souls and damages our spirits.

Sooner or later, we decide we've had enough. Our desire for comfort becomes the primary focus of our lives, bringing with it increasing desire to just be entertained and taken into worlds different than the one we have (talking Cars, magical princesses, Star Wars, etc). The Walt Disney Company has data compiled over generations telling the suits what we want so they can sell it to us. 

You and I can go into a movie theater after a grueling day, and we can walk out a few hours later feeling happy and fulfilled because we've forgotten our real life situation. Isn't this true? I know it is for me. For some of us, we go even further and decide we want to live there full time. It's why we love the theme parks. It's why a place like EPCOT Center has an incredible fan base from folks that experienced its greatness in the early years. We left the park not only happy but hopeful for that great big beautiful tomorrow. Who wouldn't want to experience that again and again?

The problem with this phony lifestyle of entertainment is It only temporarily satisfies us. So we lavish high praise on what man has created and desire to live in that place, keeping the real world safely, quietly, in the background.  When addicted to it, our entertainment becomes our prison because we trade in a very real and exciting world for one that is imaginary. We trade what's best for what is less than what we can have. 

A constant life of fantasy (or Fantasyland) is good for no one.

"On the Tombstone of America, the inscription will read: They Entertained Themselves To Death." - Leonard Ravenhill

Let that sink in. This quote above, by the renowned English pastor, applies not only to America as a nation but us as individuals. 

Back to Epcot. All our love of and addiction to entertainment and imaginary worlds is why the park is changing.  We're no longer enthralled with science and nature and new discoveries. Nor are we fascinated by the God that created it all- which leaves us looking to ourselves and others. The cycle of emptiness continues as looking to others will never fulfill our human hearts. 

It's too late for the direction of Epcot, but not for us. When we honor Him and reflect on who He is and what He has done, our world becomes filled with wonder, joy, thankfulness, and hope. The more we look to God, the more we become who we were intended to be- beautiful and unique individuals all reflecting His glory. With this freedom and true self, we become inspired. We want to go deeper with Him, know more about Him and the world He created. 

(Photographs from ResortTV.)

One Little Spark for 2023!

Happy New Year! Here's a great attraction poster for  the unbuilt Spark Gap coaster for Discoveryland at Disneyland Paris. What, was this really for Disneyland Paris, you say? If you're like me, you were certainly convinced for many years that this was actually only set as a part of Discovery Bay, Imagineer Tony Baxter's legendary land. The one that never made it past the drawing boards for Disneyland. Good ideas never die they say. (I still say "One Little Spark" belongs to Figment and Dreamfinder, though.)

What about for you? What good ideas have you had that should be coming back into play for the new year? I'm rethinking my life in several areas- spiritual, physical, and more. It's time for one little spark of inspiration. I'm asking God to reveal himself in fresh ways this year and to show me what He wants from me in this next season of life. Whatever that may be, I know it will be an adventure in living, full of the unexpected. 

What will be unexpected in the Disney world of things? An early opening for Tron Lightcycle Run at the Magic Kingdom? A completion ahead of time for Moana's Journey of Water? I'd certainly like to see Disney suits come up with something to go toe to toe with Universal's Epic Universe.  I'm sure the Imagineers have some great ideas, but I do not trust the suits anymore. I'd be happy to be surprised, though. I'm sure you would as well! Regardless, may your new year be blessed as you walk out your life. I pray it is one where you grow closer to the one and only loving God, the Immortal Eternal Being who gives us life through Jesus Christ. 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Journey Into Imagination: Stepping Tones Concept Art

For all the pieces of concept art I have and have seen, this one was a new one to me. But what a find! EPCOT Center's Journey into Imagination was one of the most beloved attractions of all time and certainly without a doubt, an Imagineering masterpiece. Tony Baxter and team pulled off something not done all too often. They created a brand new ride filled with different moods, everything from charming to suspenseful. I could go on and on about this adventure, but this post is about the concept art for the Image Works and its fun little area, the Stepping Tones.

As with Epcot itself, what guests find in today's Image Works is a shadow of what once was. Imagine if you will dancing and jumping around brightly colored stones in the floor that light up a dimly lit room and play musical notes. Back at the park opening, there was always a crowd waiting to play. And what fun it was! 

Thankfully, the rest of the area was filled with creative games like this. So, unless you wanted to spend hours in the "aftershow" of Figment and Dreamfinder's adventure, you didn't linger too long in any one place. 

If it is done well or even opens at all, I can see the proposed Play pavilion being the spiritual successor to the Image Works. It may be too IP character heavy for my tastes, but it will appeal to today's young kids, especially those who can't ride the nearby Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. But only time will tell.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Another Look at Disneyland's Unbuilt Discovery Bay

Every few years or so, it seems as if unseen concept art surfaces for Disneyland's unbuilt and abandoned concept Discovery Bay. Today, I present one more. Imagineer Tony Baxter (don't you wish he'd write a book?!?) worked with some of the company's best and brightest to get it just right. Here, this concept art by Harper Goff gives us a great picture of what the future should have held.

 In the area now occupied by Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, this ambitious project would have hosted a variety of attractions, shops and great restaurants that would have bridged the theme between Fantasyland and Frontierland. A San Francisco of the Golden Age (think some steam punk here) would house a major E Ticket attraction based on the film Island at the Top of the World while another drew guests in featuring a little dragon friend of a blustering and lovable professor type character. Does this sound like Figment and Dreamfinder? Yes, it does- and find out more about the project here. 

I won't spill all the beans, but beyond this one article, there's many others on the blog that will help you fill in the picture. It's definitely worth your time! But be forewarned- it may make you wish that Discovery Bay was built instead! 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Tony Baxter, Tim O'Brien, and a Birthday Surprise

It's often difficult if not impossible to keep up with all the websites, blogs, articles, and books that focus on the Walt Disney Company, it's theme parks, and in particular, Imagineering. 

While I appreciate all of the Imagineers and their work in the parks, it's no surprise to longtime readers of the Insights blog that I find the work of Tony Baxter to be one of Imagineering's best artists. Be it Journey into Imagination, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, Indiana Jones Adventure or the whole of the most beautiful Magic Kingdoms, Disneyland Paris, his work and the work of the teams he assembled is practically unparalleled in Disney park history.

Tony and his adorable friend Figment.

Theme park historian and write Tim O'Brien has written one of the most comprehensive looks at Tony's life, work, and impact on the Disney world. "First of the Second Generation of Walt Disney Imagineers" is filled with stories and rare photos. A great read you just can't put down. In fact, I read the entire tome in one sitting, receiving it just days ago as a birthday present from my very thoughtful wife.

Imagine my surprise at turning the pages and seeing Mr. O'Brien quote my blog, referencing a pair of articles, The Great Tony Baxter Debate! (Part One and Part Two) Wow. It's as close to fame as I may ever get- aside from meeting a handful of famous singers and having my kids grow up next to a now known Hollywood actress. 

Thank you, Tim, for a birthday gift I'll never forget.

A Figment of Our Imagination

Disney Imagineer Tom Morris has a particularly interesting Twitter account. If you're a fan at all of classic Disney attractions and theme parks, it certainly deserves a look! (And he'll always be an Imagineer to me, by the way. So will Tony Baxter.)

Take a long look at this great piece of art depicting a green and yellow Figment of our imagination. Certainly his color scheme is a little different, but that same impish, playful side is easily seen. Can't you just see Dreamfinder coming by to pick him up for a Journey into Imagination? Oh, the days of classic EPCOT Center!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Tony Baxter's Unbuilt Fantasyland

Imagineer Tony Baxter has been the driving force behind some of Disney's greatest theme park attractions. Do you absolutely love Splash Mountain? Is the Indiana Jones Adventure the first attraction on your must-do list at Disneyland or is it Big Thunder Mountain Railroad? Are you still mourning the demise of Epcot's epic Journey Into Imagination and miss Figment and Dreamfinder?  If the answer to any of these is yes, you're probably a big fan of Tony's work. (And take it from me- you've got to see Disneyland Paris, where he led the entire design team for the park! Great article here.)

Perhaps you find yourself drooling over concepts for the never built  Discovery Bay. Well, now it's time to add another piece of concept art to fawn over. Presenting Tony's unbuilt Fantasyland. (Do click on it for the largest size possible.) Have fun exploring!
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Want more Tony Baxter? He's a hotly debated subject. Start here at Part One of at two part look at why he's loved, hated, and so much a part of Imagineering's past. Finish here at Part Two.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

First Dreamfinder, Now Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Will Big Thunder Mountain Railroad pave the way for a new Journey into Imagination?

Not sure how I feel about Disney attractions being turned into comics. I will say I love that Dreamfinder and Figment are making such a splash. It gives me a bit of hope that a brand new Journey Into Imagination is on the way to Epcot. 

Regardless of the outcome, the cover of the comic is quite beautiful. And worthy of being saved on your computer.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Re-Imagined Journey into Imagination on the Way to Epcot

If seeing is believing, then Marvel comics new series with a young Dreamfinder and Figment means a totally updated re-do to Journey into Imagination at Epcot cannot be too far behind. First broken by Geek & Sundry, sounds like a June 2014 comic is a definite. But a re-do of a beloved Epcot addition? We can dream(finder) can't we?

(Art copyright Disney / Marvel.)

Imagination Revitalized

"A dream can be a dream come true..."  

With D23 just around the corner, and the web ablaze with rumors, I am holding on to just the tiniest little spark of hope that the Imagination pavilion could be revitalized. In its original Tony Baxter led incarnation, Figment and Dreamfinder took us into a world of wonder, charm, and discovery. For me, at one small level, Journey into Imagination set the foundation for everything else to be discovered at Disney World's second park. It held the promise of a warm and friendly future, one where friendship and caring replaced corporate profits and leveraged takeovers.

Here's to hoping all those internet rumors are true! Wouldn't it be just wonderful if Imagination returned to its status as a must-see attraction? Future World just needs that touch of magic, and Epcot needs it as well. What Epcot also needs in Future World is a new attraction that lasts more than 5 minutes...

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.) 

Dreamfinder in a Real World

Tomorrow on the Insights blog: A fresh look at a Dreamfinder of a different sort and the impact on Our Imagination...
(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Kodak Moment: Figment of Our Imagination

Just a fun family reunion made a little more special by the appearance of our two favorite Epcot characters, Figment and Dreamfinder. Another great time circa 1992.