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Description
Not that long ago,I did a piece celebrating a now-extinct Walt Disney World attraction,ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter....I decided to do another,on an attraction I really miss,the original Journey Into Imagination ride that was at EPCOT,in the pavilion originally named for it when it opened in 1983.
I recently found out the main reason why the attraction,although still popular at the time,closed in 1998. Like most of their rides,it was expensive to maintain,particularly the mechanics involved in the first scene,which allowed the vehicles to glide alongside the Dreamfinder in his flying machine. Kodak,the original sponsor,ran into some financial troubles in the mid-90's,and only agreed to continue sponsoring the ride if costs were cut. JII closed,and was replaced with the less-impressive Journey Into Your Imagination,which was a considerably shorter ride...the entire section where riders first see the Dreamfinder became part of the queue area. The public was dissatisfied with the new ride,so the Imagineers shut it down and added new renovations in an attempt to fix it. They did not succeed. The result,Journey Into Your Imagination With Figment,which as of this writing is still running,is even worse.

Now...I can accept the fact that they can't bring back the original ride. What I can't accept is that the Disney Imagineers,who've been dazzling us for years with experiences that lift the Disney parks far above the traditional amusement park,could've come up with something so pathetic. At least the infamous Superstar Limo,considered by many to be the worst Disney attraction ever created,closed within a year! Why is this ill-conceived mess still open? Supposedly,EPCOT is going to be getting a facelift over the next decade. Let's hope Journey Into Your Imagination With Figment is one of the first things to go!

Since the image of the Dreamfinder and Figment aboard their fantastic flying machine was most likely born out of a Jules Verne-esque/steampunk aesthetic....well,judge for yourself.

Description
Not that long ago,I did a piece celebrating a now-extinct Walt Disney World attraction,ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter....I decided to do another,on an attraction I really miss,the original Journey Into Imagination ride that was at EPCOT,in the pavilion originally named for it when it opened in 1983.
I recently found out the main reason why the attraction,although still popular at the time,closed in 1998. Like most of their rides,it was expensive to maintain,particularly the mechanics involved in the first scene,which allowed the vehicles to glide alongside the Dreamfinder in his flying machine. Kodak,the original sponsor,ran into some financial troubles in the mid-90's,and only agreed to continue sponsoring the ride if costs were cut. JII closed,and was replaced with the less-impressive Journey Into Your Imagination,which was a considerably shorter ride...the entire section where riders first see the Dreamfinder became part of the queue area. The public was dissatisfied with the new ride,so the Imagineers shut it down and added new renovations in an attempt to fix it. They did not succeed. The result,Journey Into Your Imagination With Figment,which as of this writing is still running,is even worse.

Now...I can accept the fact that they can't bring back the original ride. What I can't accept is that the Disney Imagineers,who've been dazzling us for years with experiences that lift the Disney parks far above the traditional amusement park,could've come up with something so pathetic. At least the infamous Superstar Limo,considered by many to be the worst Disney attraction ever created,closed within a year! Why is this ill-conceived mess still open? Supposedly,EPCOT is going to be getting a facelift over the next decade. Let's hope Journey Into Your Imagination With Figment is one of the first things to go!

Since the image of the Dreamfinder and Figment aboard their fantastic flying machine was most likely born out of a Jules Verne-esque/steampunk aesthetic....well,judge for yourself.