Disney Parks has posted a sequence of movies that includes Figment arriving to California with a suitcase an thought bag & guide and a dream his creativeness. In these movies, the character visits the Walt Disney Studios company headquarters in Burbank and Walt Disney Imagineering campus in Glendale.
The first in a sequence of 5 movies options Figment letting his creativeness run wild in Legends Plaza in entrance of the Group Disney headquarters (the Michael Eisner or “Seven Dwarfs” constructing–the place Bob Iger and the opposite c-suite head honchos work). Within the second video, Figment meets a superfan of his (eager eyes ought to acknowledge that bench). The third options Figment unloading a bunch of unimaginative junk from a bag at a safety checkpoint.
Within the fifth video, Figment demonstrates the 5 senses by visiting varied areas of the studio. He checks out the multiplane digital camera on show within the foyer, smells meals within the commissary, and so on. Most notably, Figment touches former Imagineer Tony Baxter’s handprints on his Disney Legends plaque. For many who are unfamiliar with him, Baxter created Figment for the unique Journey Into Creativeness attraction at EPCOT and has been fairly vocal lately about getting a crack at redoing the experience.
The remaining video is the end result of every thing that got here earlier than it, with the character carrying a notepad labeled Figment’s E book of Concepts. He walks by means of the halls of the headquarters and meets with workers, earlier than lastly strolling by means of the doorways of the storied Walt Disney Imagineering constructing in Glendale.
D23 adopted up with their very own movies that remix the identical footage of Figment on the Walt Disney Studios and Imagineering headquarters, whereas additionally including pictures of Figment with the statues in Legends Plaza and touching Marty Sklar’s plaque.
We’ll begin with the apparent, which is that Disney hasn’t introduced something in or alongside these movies. Completely nothing official has been stated about Journey into Creativeness getting a fourth model. They’re toying with us.
They know they’re toying with us, too. Regardless of cliches about social media accounts being “run by interns,” that’s not how any of it truly works with Disney. A sequence of posts like this may be workshopped, contain (a number of) conferences throughout departments, and undergo layers of approval. None of that is executed on a lark. It’s all purposeful and strategic.
Disney is aware of precisely what they’re doing by ending on a shot of Figment coming into Walt Disney Imagineering, the reactions and feelings it’ll evoke from followers. That’s exactly the purpose. They need the hypothesis. The excitement. The hope. The weblog posts like this one. (Hey, it’s not falling right into a entice if we bounce into it willingly!)
Whether or not the video truly means one thing or is teasing at an announcement to return is anybody’s guess. I’ve heard some followers speculate that this pertains to the upcoming Seth Rogen Figment movie. I’m extremely skeptical of that being the case. For one factor, that film was by no means formally introduced and it’s been over a 12 months since we’ve heard something about it. In between, Disney has in the reduction of considerably on streaming manufacturing, after which there have been writers’ and actors’ strikes, the latter of which was actually simply resolved.
Even when the movie remains to be in growth (an enormous “if”), this doesn’t appear to be the time to share or tease an replace on it. This additionally doesn’t appear to be the way in which of doing so. These movies deal with Tony Baxter and Marty Sklar, two Imagineering legends well-known for being instrumental to EPCOT Middle. It additionally ends with Figment ending the Imagineering constructing.
Admittedly, studying something into the movies might be unwise. However if you happen to’re going to attract conclusions, the video is main you in direction of ones about EPCOT, not a film.
Comic story: we will’t have candles anymore as a result of Yossarian the Cat likes to “play” with the flame and saved burning himself. On a completely unrelated be aware, my honest perception is that Disney Parks is purposefully teasing an upcoming announcement for a reimagining of Journey into Creativeness at EPCOT. I’ll be the primary admit that’s coloured by me very a lot desirous to consider. (I’m like Mulder and UFOs, however with manner worse luck!)
I’ve held out hope for a Journey into Creativeness reimagining for years, and been burned by a variety of rumors and bulletins that by no means got here to fruition. (I nonetheless can’t watch Frozen with out serious about what may have been had that film not been a smash hit.) Level being, what I feel will or ought to occur shouldn’t be taken significantly by anybody.
With that stated, assuming for the sake of argument {that a} Journey into Creativeness reimagining had been going to occur, I feel that is most likely how it might look. Josh D’Amaro wouldn’t simply point out it in passing as one of many fast hits in the course of the Disney Parks Panel on the 2024 D23 Expo.
The corporate would construct as much as the announcement with a bunch of breadcrumbs and a sequence of teases over the course of months, telegraphing their intentions to make such a disclose to generate pleasure and pack the Anaheim viewers with diehard EPCOT followers. The reveal itself could be as splashy as potential, getting Tony Baxter and Figment (and Dreamfinder, if he’s to be concerned) on stage to share the information because the grand finale of the Parks Panel.
With the 2024 D23 Expo taking place August Sept. 11, that is concerning the time these teases may begin. So now it’s a matter of seeing what else occurs within the coming months.
Whereas I can’t say whether or not that is false hope or a honest signal that Journey into Creativeness is being reimagined, what I can say is that it needs to be. That it’s time to reimagine the Creativeness pavilion (Figment referred to as–needs modifications!). That’s hardly a daring assertion–it’s been time for effectively over a decade. The final model was solely a band support, meant as a fast repair for the really abysmal second model.
It’s no secret that whilst diehard Figment devoted, we don’t love the present incarnation of the experience. It made our lists of the 10 Worst Attraction Replacements at Walt Disney World and 10 Points of interest That Have Aged Poorly at Walt Disney World. We lately (half-heartedly) defended Journey into Creativeness as considered one of a number of points of interest at EPCOT that it is best to not skip, which is a “controversial” opinion as a result of the attraction really is divisive.
The present Journey into Creativeness has low visitor satisfaction scores relative to different rides of its variety. We’ve routinely remarked that first-timers confuse Figment for a Spyro the Dragon knock-off, which is absolutely solely a half-joke.
Except you’re a toddler of the Nineteen Eighties or 90s who skilled the unique attraction–which has been gone for a lot longer than it existed!–or are a voracious shopper of Disney historical past movies, you possible have zero affinity for Figment and may even be confused by why the present character has such a robust fan following. (He doesn’t! It’s the outdated Figment we love!)
Not solely is visitor satisfaction low, however the present Journey into Creativeness attraction and the pavilion as an entire are underutilized. The experience routinely is a walk-on or has an precise wait time of beneath 5 minutes. The theater has been exhibiting the Pixar shorts for some time now, which was additionally meant to be a band support following the elimination of Captain EO.
Earlier this 12 months, Disney management expressed a want to extend capability of the parks by reimagining areas which are presently underused. There are a number of such spots in EPCOT, however other than Wonders of Life, I can’t consider any which have as a lot potential for absorbing extra crowds because the Creativeness pavilion. There’s a lot untapped potential.
This method to rising attendance with out increasing makes an incredible quantity of sense. Though CEO Bob Iger and Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro have touted a plan to speculate $17 billion in Walt Disney World and one other plan to double funding to $60 billion in Disney Parks over the subsequent decade, they’ve additionally conceded that the spending will begin slower and ramp up within the again half of the last decade.
As we’ve identified repeatedly, Disney has an excessive amount of debt and never sufficient liquidity to front-load spending. Which means that regardless of the 10-year plan is for Disney’s Park & Resorts, it’s essentially backloaded. That’s why this weblog has targeted on determining streaming, ESPN, linear tv, and so on. It’s not that we actually care about these divisions–we’re parks followers at the beginning–it’s that every one of that may be a prerequisite earlier than investing in Walt Disney World.
That alone places the begin of growth plans in late 2024 or 2025. This doesn’t imply Disney gained’t announce huge plans earlier, however we possible gained’t see important development on something till then. Spending most likely doesn’t begin in earnest till October 2024 or possibly even 2025. That’s the purpose at which we’d count on work to start on the Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom, which means you most likely have (at the very least) one other 12 months to experience Dinosaur.
To that time, there’s additionally a motive why Walt Disney World will begin with Tropical Americas reasonably than the ‘Past Large Thunder’ venture in Magic Kingdom. Properly for one factor, Animal Kingdom is in far more pressing want of assist. However the different huge motive is that Tropical Americas is usually a reimagining reasonably than a recent construct, and may be completed a lot, a lot quicker. (Whereas we hope there’s a brand-new Encanto experience on this land, there’s no assure of that.)
However this can be a submit about EPCOT and Journey into Creativeness, not Animal Kingdom. Attending to the purpose, if you happen to take a look at the present Disney Parks Challenge Timeline, you’ll discover completely no main points of interest on the horizon after Tiana’s Bayou Journey opens in 2024. If rumors are to be believed and that attraction is ready to open early, that leaves at the very least a 2-year hole between that attraction and Tropical Americas.
In that point, Common is opening Epic Universe in Summer season 2025. Walt Disney World gained’t have a direct ‘reply’ to that new park. Whether or not they need to is one other subject for one more day. But it surely’s already too late for a brand new experience or land to debut at Walt Disney World alongside Epic Universe. That ship sailed at the very least a 12 months in the past.
About the one factor that might be completed in that timeframe is experience reimaginings. Personally, I’m skeptical even that’s adequate time for any unannounced tasks, nevertheless it’s at the very least believable. A redone Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster might be executed in 6-8 months and could be a colossal draw with mainstream audiences.
Over at EPCOT, revisiting Wonders of Life with Inside Out 2 could be an ideal match for that pavilion, and supply a wanted family-friendly possibility for World Discovery. In the meantime, a reimagined Journey into Creativeness could be an enormous hit with followers and revitalize that nook of EPCOT.
So the timeline is sensible, and reimaginings definitely match with Disney’s plans to speculate $60 billion–however much less of that up entrance. (I do know a number of Walt Disney World followers gained’t like listening to this, however I think now we have a superb 5+ years of redone rides earlier than we see something brand-new. Actually, as a lot as I’d love each, there are such a lot of rides in sorry states which are overdue for TLC that I’m type of fantastic with this method.)
About the one factor that makes the prospect of a Journey into Creativeness announcement on the 2024 D23 Expo much less possible is different potential tasks at EPCOT. We already know that Take a look at Monitor 3.0 is coming, however that’s being funded by Basic Motors and largely has a unique target market than the family-friendly Figment experience. Each may occur concurrently.
Nevertheless, Spaceship Earth can also be overdue for a refurbishment and that might be essential as a result of experience system sooner reasonably than later. That’ll most likely be a year-long venture, and it’s troublesome to think about each it and Journey into Creativeness happening on the identical time.
Then once more, it’s robust to see Disney closing Spaceship Earth and placing up new development partitions proper after the partitions come down across the Big EPCOT Grime Pit. So it’s conceivable {that a} reimagining of Journey into Creativeness will leapfrog Spaceship Earth.
The ultimate motive why a reimagining of Journey into Creativeness may and may occur is repairing relations with followers and constructive PR. For Bob Iger, this needs to be a no brainer transfer. Though it’s unlikely he himself is a Figment fan, Bob Iger has demonstrated upon returning that he does care about visitor goodwill and fan disenchantment–however there’s extra work to be executed on that entrance. He’s additionally involved about his legacy.
Likewise, Josh D’Amaro nonetheless seems to be within the operating as a successor CEO. Regrettably, that’s not a place followers vote on, however there have been rather a lot of mainstream media items about fan complaints concerning the parks. If D’Amaro turns into the heir-apparent, you higher consider that CNBC, Wall Road Journal, and so on., will all be operating items concerning the man who presided over a interval of fan unrest being promoted.
Bringing again Figment and Dreamfinder is a surefire manner of undoing a number of the outrage and model injury from the previous couple of years, quieting the complaints and criticism. I can’t consider another single constructive announcement that will outweigh so many prior negatives ones. So much could be forgiven by followers within the blink of a watch.
An overhaul of Journey into Creativeness could be each a legacy venture and one thing that will outline the in any other case underwhelming World Celebration neighborhood of the EPCOT transformation, tying it collectively right into a extra cohesive venture. Figment would develop into the face and mascot of the new-look EPCOT, elevating the in any other case underwhelming central backbone within the course of. Not solely that, however Figment has already “confirmed” that he can actually transfer merchandise and is a extremely profitable meet & greet character.
Walt Disney World has executed sufficient dipping its toes into the pool to check the recognition of Figment. It’s past time for a redone experience. There are a number of extremely compelling causes to maneuver ahead on this in 2024. It’s the second-best time to do one thing, with essentially the most logical time being a decade in the past.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Do you suppose 2024 will lastly be the 12 months {that a} reimagining of Journey into Creativeness is introduced? Assume Disney is purposefully teasing that with these movies or are they only giving us false hope once more? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation that now could be the second-most logical time for a Journey into Creativeness overhaul? Any questions? Listening to from you is half the enjoyable, so please share your ideas within the feedback!