HOME | DD
KileyBeecher β Journey Into Imagination
Published: 2011-04-29 22:15:01 +0000 UTC; Views: 7239; Favourites: 223; Downloads: 206
Redirect to original
Description
The original "Journey into Imagination" attraction opened on March 5, 1983. It began with the omnimover vehicles βfloatingβ in the clouds and seeing the silhouette of a strange blimp mixed with a vacuum cleaner and hearing the humming and singing of its pilot. In the next scene the riders come right next to this vessel and the pilot, an old man with a red beard dressed in a blue suit and top hat, introduces himself as the Dreamfinder and saying that he uses his vehicle, called the Dream Catcher, to collect dreams and ideas to create all sorts of new things.Soon he creates a figment of his imagination: "Two tiny wings, eyes big and yellow, horns of a steer, but a loveable fellow! From head to tail, he's royal purple pigment, and there, Voila! You've got a Figment!" He aptly names is creation Figment!
Loved these guys as a kid! What a lot of memories this piece brought back! And the music from the Sherman Brothers is always memorable!
Check out video of the original ride here as follows:
Part 1 --> [link]
Part 2 --> [link]
Part 3 --> [link]
Check out snippets of the coloring process on my livestream --> [link]
And don't forget to peruse the process boards here -->[link]
Related content
Comments: 73
Given how Epic Mickey's setting was a Disneyland of Forgotten/Rejected concepts,
I kinda wish Epic Mickey 2 had taken place in a Disney World setting with forgotten concepts such as this.
π: 1 β©: 1
Figment isn't quite forgotten. There's still loyal fans out there, and the Imagination Center is still open at Epcot, even if there's hardly anyone in it. He's near the edge, but still has presence and merchandise being made. He's almost semi-intangible, just like the imagination he represents.
π: 1 β©: 0
I was remembering a few hours ago about this wonderful attraction. It came out a month before I was born and I remember seeing it a few years later. It made my imagination amazing and loving anything with dragons in it personally made it better for me. I was working on a drawing of Figment myself, but while in the process my computer decided to restart when I was close to finishing. I didn't save for 2 hours...and lost all the heart earlier to go back to it. I might finish it later though cause I feel determined to. Just will save more next time.
π: 1 β©: 1
Yeah, that's tough when that happens... been there, and done that. Don't give up though. Go back and redo the piece - you'll actually like it much better that the version you had before. And yes, save often, and save multiple versions! Good luck!
π: 1 β©: 1
will do! I plan to, just sorta that night it was a bit late and didn't have the heart to finish it at the time.
π: 1 β©: 0
Wonder when they'll make a movie out of this attraction.
π: 1 β©: 1
Boy, that's a great question! Hopefully they do. They could really do a lot of neat things with it!
π: 1 β©: 1
There is potential in it, but in all honesty I shutter at the thought. Disney's strayed rather far from its humble roots, and I fear that if they attempt to make a movie out of this attraction, like they have some of their others, they'll only succeed in squandering that potential. They'll either try to turn it into a live-action film with CGI-rendered characters or make it entirely using 3D animation.
It might just be my own personal position, but Disney's modern trending of favoring 3D over the classic 2D loses much in the way of fanciful surreality. It lacks the strong energy, organicity, and exaggeration of a well made 2D animated film. There's just so much more you can do with 2D animation that 3D simply misses completely. Characters appear more vibrant, fluid, and free-form when hand-drawn than they ever will rendered using geometric shapes.
If this attraction is to become a feature film it should be animated completely as a 2D feature or return to the classic technique of blending live-action with 2D like in such classics as "Pete's Dragon", "Mary Poppins", and "Who Framed Roger Rabbit". Anything short of that would just not be doing it justice.
π: 1 β©: 2
they should make some kind of movie or tv show from the comics or from the original tv show script tbh, since it was gonna be a tv show way back when.
π: 1 β©: 0
right on! all good points!
π: 1 β©: 0
This attraction REALLY needs an overhaul. There is huge potential in it and I know that Disney Imagineering could successfully bring it out of the shadows if they took the time to use their IMAGINATION.
π: 1 β©: 1
lol! Yeah, I hear ya. Actually I think they had it right in the beginning... they need to go back to that and overhaul the overhaul... haha!
π: 1 β©: 0
I love you to pieces for making this! I'm a diehard fan of the original Journey Into Imagination ride at Epcot. I still consider it (the original) my all-time favorite attraction of any theme park anywhere at any time. This has to be the best fan art I have ever seen! Figment is my favorite Disney character along with Stitch.Β Β
π: 1 β©: 1
Cool! Thanks! Yeah, I think Figment is one of my faves as well!
thanks again!
π: 1 β©: 0
Wow! This artwork is so wonderful!
π: 1 β©: 1
Thank you!
π: 1 β©: 0
It is so fun to fly in our machine. Have you ever dreamed of flying like a dragon?
π: 1 β©: 1
Yup! I have. I've dreamt of breathing fire like one too!
π: 1 β©: 1
Oh really?
π: 1 β©: 0
This is the Journey Into Imagination that I miss the most.
Older Journey Into Imagination: Fun, whimsical, a feast for the eyes everywhere you looked, and with two lovable characters that were your guides through imagination's elements.
Current Journey Into Imagination: Cold, sterile, lacking the elements made the older version such a treat every time I rode on it.Β Sad, really...
π: 1 β©: 0
They NEEEEED to overhaul the whole Imaginations Pavilion AND make figment a duo with the Dreamfinder again ;_;
π: 0 β©: 1
Yeah, they really should... it worked so much better when they teamed to two together! And dare I say... it was a much more imaginative attraction back then!
π: 0 β©: 0
Thank you! Muchly appreciated!
π: 0 β©: 0
This is really beautiful and very nostalgic. Figment was my favorite character in Epcot and still is.
I'm going to Disney World in September and hoping to see the third version of this ride in person. It would be kind of cool if they could get a Nigel Channing look-alike with the Figment Puppet, since Nigel took over DreamFinder's place. I actually like Nigel, since I love Eric Idle.
π: 0 β©: 1
Cool! Glad you like it! Yeah, the attraction is still pretty cool even though they departed from the original concepts. It's a little less about the creative process and a little more about education. But the ride is still very entertaining and figment's antics certainly make it worthwhile! And yes, Eric Idle does a good job as Nigel, but nothing will ever top the Dreamfinder in my book!
Thanks for the comments!
π: 0 β©: 1
You're Welcome. It's still nice to see the old ride on You-Tube. It brings back a lot of memories when I was a little tyke.
Plus, I was glad they put "One Little Spark" back in the ride. Since that was my favorite Disney Park song.
π: 0 β©: 1
Yeah, the Sherman Brothers knew how to make a classic song, didn't they?! What was amazing was that they made so many songs, and everyone of them had that catchy ring to it... geez... now I'll be humming this tune all weekend! 
π: 0 β©: 0
Aw hell yeah! Figment and Dreamfinder! Love it, nice work, man!
π: 0 β©: 1
hehe! Thanks, man! Appreciate the comment!
π: 0 β©: 0
I love that ride it's a shame they changed it up.
π: 0 β©: 1
Yes, i agree. I'm not totally sure why they did it either, unless they wanted to somehow work the 5 senses theme into the attraction. I would think that as an Epcot attraction, they might have felt more learning should be going on. Thanks for the comment!
π: 0 β©: 1
You're welcome
At lest they left the Huanted Mansion alone I'm happy about that.
π: 0 β©: 0
Thanks! Very appreciated!
π: 0 β©: 0
I remember this ride at epcot, it was one of my favorites. Back in the day I drew Dreamfinder and figment myself. Thanks for a marvelous nostalia trip
π: 1 β©: 1
Cool, man! Glad to hear you dig it. Ya it was intended to be a bit of a throwback to the 80s. It's Funny stuff in that they coincidentally brought the characters back for one night at Destination D. Read more here --> [link]
Thanks for the comment!
π: 1 β©: 1
aww, thanks. I remember when I last went to EPCOT (probably 18 or so years ago), the ventriloquist with the figment puppet used to be around. I found that whole pavillion truly amazing. I wish I could go there again, even though EPCOT seems to have changed so much from what I remember
π: 0 β©: 0
Lovely design and style you did in this piece,including the details as well.
π: 0 β©: 1
Thank you very much!
π: 0 β©: 1
Figment! Figment! Figment!
I love that guy
your drawing is really beautiful and colorful 
π: 0 β©: 1
Awesome! Glad you enjoy it!
π: 0 β©: 0
My family didnt want to go on the Journey Into Imagination ride last time, I was fairly disappointed...
We went on Captain EO instead....
It was good but, Journey Into Imagination is still better
π: 0 β©: 1
Yeah, i hear ya... so much to see there and so little time... sometimes you have to sacrifice the things you've tried and done before for those that are "new". "Journey" won't be leaving anytime soon, maybe you'll catch it next time!
π: 0 β©: 1
hopefully I will get on it
It's not that we didn't have time to go on, its that nobody else wanted to go on. D:
π: 0 β©: 0
Oh, I remember this one. It was one of my favorites. I got really sad when I found out they closed it down.
π: 0 β©: 1
Yup, they re-imagined the ride to feature the five senses and the imagination Institute. I think they were trying to make it fit into the science and learning aspects of Epcot. It's still cool and a lot of fun, but nothing will ever come close to the original!
π: 0 β©: 0
| Next =>