The Walt Disney Firm held its 2025 Annual Assembly of Shareholders on Thursday, March 20, 2025. Throughout this, CEO Bob Iger showcased Disney’s “good marriage of outstanding creativity and groundbreaking technological achievement” that units the corporate aside, whereas sharing highlights of the final yr and looking out ahead at billions of {dollars} of investments within the years to return. Most significantly (by far), he talked about the way forward for Figment.
A couple of times yearly, old style EPCOT followers get new hope that perhaps Walt Disney World will lastly get round to doing the proper factor and reimagine Journey into Creativeness. This publish particulars the newest growth within the decades-long saga of hope and heartbreak as WDW diehards not-so-anxiously await Figment and Dreamfinder being restored to their former glory.
The largest came visiting a decade in the past, when there have been credible rumors of a year-long refurbishment that ended up being derailed when Frozen was a smash success and Frozen Ever After ate up that funds. Most just lately, Disney Legend Josh Gad made a public plea throughout his Candlelight Processional internet hosting duties for Imagineering to present Figment a journey that does him justice. Earlier than that, there was a collection of movies Disney Parks posted wherein Figment visits the Walt Disney Studios company headquarters and Walt Disney Imagineering campus. The movies gave the impression to be teasing one thing, however over one yr later, and it’s been crickets since.
In my opinion, I don’t consider Walt Disney World goes to announce Journey into Creativeness 4.0 with Figment and Dreamfinder anytime quickly. I’ve already began eager about my predictions publish for the 2025 Vacation spot D23 occasion round Labor Day, and regrettably, it received’t be making the listing. Finest case situation at this level is an announcement on the 2026 D23 Expo.
However, there are just a few topics I’ll discover any excuse to report on with out fail as my very own type of protest or a strain marketing campaign. Amongst these are the Cinderella Fort Dream Lights, Night time Parade at Magic Kingdom, Lights of Winter at EPCOT, Restoring Impressions de France, Saving MuppetVision, and the Journey into Creativeness Reimagining.
Walt Disney World is unquestionably not all the time attentive to fan suggestions and complaints, however they’re typically and in the proper circumstances. All of these qualify, so we’ll proceed to push for these items even when the possibilities of success are low. It beats doing nothing. Which brings us to at this time’s replace, which is definitely significant for just a few causes.
In the course of the query & reply portion of the 2025 Annual Assembly of Shareholders, Disney CEO Bob Iger was as soon as once more requested about the way forward for Figment. The query particularly requested whether or not the corporate would think about using Figment in different areas of the corporate outdoors of theme parks, resembling a film primarily based on the character? (Even the BDX Droids pictured above reportedly nodded sure, that he ought to.)
Right here was Bob Iger’s response:
“That is my twenty fourth shareholder name, my 18th as CEO…and I feel the query of Figment has been requested about 15 occasions. I name him ‘good ‘ole Figment.’”
“We all know that Figment is well-liked with shareholders due to the truth that they ask questions on him on a regular basis,” Iger joked. “However we additionally know that he’s well-liked at EPCOT, the place you’ll be able to meet him and expertise Journey Into Creativeness.”
“I’m going to ask our artistic groups to make some type of collection or short-form movies of Figment. Clearly he’s extra well-liked than only a walk-around character.”
Whereas this gave the impression of an off the cuff response, it in all probability wasn’t.
By his personal admission, Bob Iger has been requested about Figment on ~15 of 24 shareholder calls. Irrespective of the precise quantity, that’s a majority of them. Iger is a meticulous planner, and would nearly actually be extensively prepped on the questions he would possibly obtain so as to give good solutions, keep away from misspeaking, and many others. And a Figment query is about as inevitable as one about Disney returning to household values or no matter, so he’s undoubtedly scripted and rehearsed solutions to each.
Underscoring this level is that he particularly talked about the Figment meet & greet. Except he simply occurred to go by it on his go to to Walt Disney World final week (uncertain for the reason that crew escorting him would’ve taken him to what they wished him to see–and Journey into Creativeness wouldn’t qualify), he in all probability wouldn’t know that meet & greet even exists.
The Figment meet & greet was introduced on the D23 Expo earlier than he returned, and debuted as a part of Vacation spot D23, which he didn’t attend. On the threat of stating the apparent, character meet & greets are beneath the CEO’s pay grade. So he would’ve been briefed in regards to the existence of this meet & greet, and included it into his reply.
Assuming it was scripted and rehearsed, this additionally means a few different issues.
The primary is that the Figment function movie by Seth Rogen is useless. If it weren’t, Iger would’ve talked about that as an alternative of Disney+ shorts or a collection. This wouldn’t be even remotely shocking. For one factor, that film was by no means formally introduced and it’s been over two years since we’ve heard something about it. In between, Disney has reduce considerably on streaming manufacturing.
To not be the bearer of dangerous information, however I’d hazard a guess the entire “Magic Kingdom Universe” deliberate for Disney+ that was introduced again in 2021 is useless. However c’mon, it’s 2025 and there haven’t been updates on nearly any of that…did we actually suppose it’s nonetheless taking place?!
Extra just lately, we’ve discovered that Jon Favreau is writing and producing a Disney+ reside motion/animated hybrid collection about Oswald the Fortunate Rabbit. That is rumored to be a part of the director’s bigger-picture plans for a Mickey Mouse Cinematic Universe. Maybe Figment will be a part of that?!
Extra optimistically, Iger’s feedback being scripted and rehearsed additionally presumably means he’s not simply going to ask the creatives a couple of Figment collection or shorts. It means one thing is already being explored or, hopefully, within the early levels of lively growth.
Iger is aware of phrase travels quick and that Figment followers like me are a rabid bunch. He’s going to be requested about Figment subsequent yr, and the yr after that, and many others., and my folks aren’t going to be happy if he comes again in a yr and say: “Aw shucks, I attempted my greatest, however these darned creatives mentioned there’s completely nothing artistic we are able to do with Figment, worldwide mascot of childhood marvel and creativeness. Sorry dorks.”
That might represent an impeachable offense (CEOs are impeachable, proper?!). We geeks could be hitting up Nelson Peltz so quick and begging him to revive his marketing campaign to revive the magic and so forth. Additional reinforcing the notion that this was deliberate and never impromptu is Disney Parks rapidly posting about this on social media, relatively than strolling again the feedback or ignoring them:
🚨 Figment replace! pic.twitter.com/DqXN4dWWVL
— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) March 20, 2025
Much less optimistically, it means there’s in all probability nothing coming quickly for Journey into Creativeness 4.0 at EPCOT. Regardless that the query particularly requested about films and the corporate’s different companies, Iger would’ve taken the chance to tease a reimagined journey if it had been shifting ahead anytime quickly. Identical to he did with the Pandora enlargement at Disneyland lengthy earlier than it was formally introduced.
As famous above, that is pretty unsurprising. Walt Disney World is unlikely to proceed with Journey into Creativeness 4.0 as a result of administration hung the ole “mission completed” banner with the opening of Spirit Halloween Superstore CommuniCore Corridor. With that, they declared the overhaul accomplished, regardless of a lot of its introduced initiatives by no means being completed.
This angle was roughly reiterated throughout the current D23 Expo. There have been tons of bulletins for Walt Disney World, together with new lands and sights at Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. Every of those parks will, conservatively, see tons of of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} of funding at minimal. Magic Kingdom might pretty simply eclipse $2 billion relying upon the dimensions and scope of its new lands.
In the meantime, the one factor introduced for EPCOT was a brand new lounge inside Spaceship Earth…which takes over a lounge house. Not precisely bold. Moreover, new particulars had been revealed about Check Observe 3.0, a journey being funded by Chevy Bucks. Suffice to say, the amount of cash Disney will put money into EPCOT over the following couple of years is next-to-nothing. The distinction between EPCOT and the opposite three parks actually says all that must be mentioned. EPCOT just isn’t the precedence–it’s deemed “completed” for causes past me.
However, I’ve taken a sacred oath to advocate for Journey into Creativeness 4.0 each time the chance presents itself, so I’m going to proceed with that, but once more, right here. As we’ve mentioned many occasions and for a few years, it’s time to reimagine the Creativeness pavilion (Figment referred to as–needs adjustments!).
That’s hardly a daring assertion–it’s been time for nearly twenty years. The final model was solely a band assist, meant as a fast repair for the really abysmal second model. That third model–once more, a brief resolution–is now the longest-running model of Journey into Creativeness. (Let that sink in.)
It’s no secret that at the same time as diehard Figment trustworthy, we don’t love the present incarnation of the journey. 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 did defend Journey into Creativeness as considered one of a number of sights at EPCOT that you must 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 de facto 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 much longer than it existed!–or are a voracious shopper of Disney historical past movies, you possible have zero affinity for Figment and would possibly even be confused by why the present character has such a powerful fan following. (He doesn’t! It’s the previous Figment we love!)
The present Journey into Creativeness attraction and the pavilion as an entire are underutilized. The journey routinely is a walk-on or has an precise wait time of underneath 5 minutes. The theater has been displaying the Pixar shorts for some time now, which was additionally meant to be a band assist following the elimination of Captain EO. Together with Journey into Creativeness 4.0, I can consider few higher touchdown places for MuppetVision 3D than the Creativeness pavilion.
Previous to the massive D23 bulletins, Disney management expressed a want to extend capability of the parks by reimagining areas which might be at present 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. Even with out precise enlargement, there’s a lot untapped potential with the Creativeness pavilion.
Journey into Creativeness 4.0 ought to’ve been fast-tracked to debut earlier than 2027. Walt Disney World wants extra between now and when Tropical Americas opens to supply some semblance of competitors to Common’s Epic Universe. It’s too late for that, so it ought to be a 2028 venture. (Realistically, it’s extra like a 2029 or 2030 venture, at greatest.)
I additionally suppose that Disney is mistaken in its evaluation that the half-baked EPCOT overhaul is “over.” I think that they’re already discovering this through attendance, and that pattern will solely speed up as Epic Universe eats into the attendance of Animal Kingdom and EPCOT to disproportionate levels.
At that time, one thing will have to be completed, and the almost certainly candidates are reimaginings. A number of are potential at EPCOT, as mentioned in our Checklist of What EPCOT’s Overhaul Wants in Part 2. That’s unsurprisingly topped by JII4, but in addition on the listing are updates to different former Future World pavilions in addition to additions to World Showcase.
That is each my hope and my expectation. Walt Disney World’s present 5-year plan requires minimal funding in EPCOT as different parks are the main target. I’m skeptical that’s truly potential or sensible, and the corporate may need to divert a few of these sources from Magic Kingdom–a park needing no assist to start with–to EPCOT because it turns into obvious the park just isn’t “fastened” from an attendance perspective.
Disney is notoriously sluggish to reply to developments, so it’ll in all probability take till Epic Universe opens for that realization to happen. Whereas there’s appreciable debate over whether or not Common’s new park will eat into Walt Disney World attendance or a “rising tide lifts all boats,” our expectation is that it’ll be a little bit of each. That Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios will profit, whereas EPCOT and (particularly) Animal Kingdom will endure. (The common household solely has so many trip days to allocate to theme parks, and that quantity is underneath 4.)
Realistically, that places the earliest conceivable announcement of Journey into Creativeness 4.0 on the 2025 Vacation spot D23 occasion at Walt Disney World, which can happen over Labor Day weekend. As talked about above, I doubt that’ll occur. It’s too quickly after Epic Universe opens, and likewise, I think Spaceship Earth or one thing going into the Wonders of Life pavilion is the extra instant precedence and decrease hanging fruit.
Above all else, the rationale a reimagining of Journey into Creativeness might and may occur is repairing relations with followers and optimistic PR. As pent-up demand continues to fade, attendance drops and Epic Universe opens, Walt Disney World will want the diehards greater than it did just a few years in the past.
For Bob Iger, getting Journey into Creativeness 4.0 greenlit ought to be a no brainer transfer. Though it’s unlikely he himself is a Figment fan, Iger has demonstrated upon returning that he does care (considerably) about visitor goodwill and fan disenchantment–however there’s far more work to be completed on that entrance. Way more importantly (to him), Iger is worried about his legacy.
Then there’s Josh D’Amaro, who’s within the working as a successor CEO. Followers have considered D’Amaro favorably over the previous couple of years despite all that’s occurred, largely as a result of Chapek has taken the blame–and D’Amaro is far more likeable. However the tides are beginning to flip–and that’s regardless of an enormous slate of D23 Expo bulletins. D’Amaro has but to show himself (his monitor document at this level is principally simply CommuniCore Corridor and Tiana’s Bayou Journey), and a reimagined Journey into Creativeness might assist increase his inventory.
Bringing again Figment and Dreamfinder is a surefire approach of undoing numerous the outrage and model harm from the previous couple of years, quieting the complaints and criticism. I can’t consider some other single optimistic announcement that may outweigh so many prior negatives ones. Loads could be forgiven by followers within the blink of a watch. We’d win, the executives who wish to bolster their statures would win. All people wins.
It’s already been an honest couple of years for Figment followers. We’ve gotten some nice merchandise (that has bought like hotcakes), an incredible new e-book, and the meet & greet stays well-liked. (Talking of which, I ought to in all probability get round to sharing images from Child Bricker’s first Figment encounter.) A brand new collection on Disney+ could be one other small victory for Figment followers, and if Bob Iger follows by on it, I promise to park Megatron in entrance of the tv for 12 hours per day (who at present isn’t allowed any display time), watching it on loop to additional indoctrinate her into the Figment fandom. However we nonetheless want extra; Figment deserves extra.
An overhaul of Journey into Creativeness could be each a legacy venture and one thing that may 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 turn out to be the face and mascot of the new-look EPCOT, elevating the in any other case underwhelming central backbone within the course of. Walt Disney World has completed sufficient dipping its toes into the pool to check the recognition of Figment. It’s past time for a redone journey.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Disney CEO Bob Iger saying he’s going to push creatives to make a collection or shorts about Figment? Might this be a precursor to Journey into Creativeness 4.0? Or is that this simply extra false hope for followers? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation that now’s 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!
