4. Technology
Technology is, of course, fickle. The original ride had its fair share of problems and delays when it first opened, largely due to its ambitious turntable introduction sequence. But, even a ride as goofy and fun as Journey into Imagination fit the larger ethos of Epcot -- a celebration of technology above all. There was even a section of the ride devoted to science and the advancements in biology, chemistry, and aeronautics.
Of course, ImageWorks was a high-tech playground, featuring technologies that we might consider commonplace today, but were state-of-the-art at the time. Magic Palate allowed guests to use a computer and stylus to draw pictures directly on a digital screen. Dreamfinder’s School of Drama used blue-screen technology to superimpose guests into scenes from the Wild West, or a sci-fi adventure. The iconic Rainbow Corridor tracked guests’ motion through it, changing colors along the way.
Both ImageWorks and Journey into Imagination were, essentially, using technology to help guests tap into their creativity even further. These attractions understood that technology can be a useful tool for unlocking one’s imagination.
5. Fun
With Journey into Imagination, ImageWorks, and Captain E.O., Epcot had created a kind of playground. The actual ride, itself, wasn’t the entire pavilion, but merely a starting point – one designed to inspire guests to let their imaginations run free in ImageWorks. When the attraction was redesigned, its sense of play was lost. There’s no clearer example of that than the fact that ImageWorks is now, mostly, a gift shop.
More than anything else, this is the primary criticism of the pavilion in its current form: it’s just not as much fun anymore.
When the redesign was so poorly received in 1999, Disney tried to fix the problem. But in doing so, they missed the point just as badly. People love Figment, yes, but what was most lovable about the original Journey into Imagination wasn’t Figment or Dreamfinder or One Little Spark – it was the sense of fun and joy that those characters represented. All the rest of this stuff – spectacle, music, whimsy and technology – was secondary to that.
A ride doesn’t have to have Figment and Dreamfinder to be all of those things to be fun (look at Mystic Manor out in Hong Kong). But, hey – they sure do help.
Comments
So the thing is they are thinking of refurbishing the pavilion into an Inside Out theme ride. I don't think it's a good idea to do that after the complaints on the Journey Into Your Imagination. So I would turn it back to the original with an updated animatronic of the Dreamfinder and probably title it "Journey Into Imagination with Dreamfinder and Figment" so fans are engaged
I don't think anyone would have an issue with the rainbow's return! I remember walking through it at 4 years old and thinking this is the most awesome thing ever! I would love to give my kids that same feeling! We go to Disney every year and though we love it I feel like it has list it's nastolga feel! I used to feel like I was transported back in time or to a new place as I walked through the parks now I feel like I'm on a very stricken schedule and I'm the white rabbit from Aluce "I'm late... I'm late... For a very important date... No time to say hello, goodbye, I'm late I'm late I'm late!"
I am hesitant about bringing this up but any use of a rainbow might suggest a particular groups agenda.
Are you seriously suggesting that disney shouldn't use rainbows because you interpret it as a homosexual symbol? Oh god, the children are going to be exposed to rainbows, the horror!
I would also suggest an improvement of the CG animation being used. It looks slip-shod by 1998 standards. The same problem exists in Soarin', Mission: Space, and Dinosaur and probably in another few spots around WDW. This could be fixed easily, but it means spending a few dollars, so they put it off.