As soon as yearly or so, old fashioned EPCOT followers get new hope that perhaps Walt Disney World will lastly do the correct factor and reimagine Journey into Creativeness. This publish particulars the most recent improvement 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.
Usually, I like to start out these posts with ‘fast recaps’ of those ongoing tales. That might be impractical right here, as there have been many causes for false hope. 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 finances.
The latest was a collection of movies Disney Parks posted on social media final vacation season that includes Figment arriving to California with a suitcase an concept bag & e book and a dream his creativeness. In these movies, Figment visits the Walt Disney Studios company headquarters in Burbank and Walt Disney Imagineering campus in Glendale. The movies appeared to be teasing one thing, however over one yr later, and it’s been crickets since.
In my opinion, I don’t imagine Walt Disney World goes to announce Journey into Creativeness 4.0 with Figment and Dreamfinder anytime quickly. I simply wish to be upfront about this, as my many posts about reimagining Journey into Creativeness through the years might be misconstrued as providing false hope.
That’s not the intention in any respect. There are a couple of 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 Citadel Dream Lights, Evening Parade at Magic Kingdom, Lights of Winter at EPCOT, and the Journey into Creativeness Reimagining, amongst a handful of others. (Now you can add “Saving MuppetVision” to that record–relaxation assured, extra posts are approaching that individual subject.)
Whereas I don’t suppose Walt Disney World is all the time aware of fan suggestions and complaints, they positively are typically and in the correct circumstances. All of these qualify, so we’ll proceed to push for these items even when the probabilities of success are low. It beats doing nothing.
Within the case of Journey into Creativeness 4.0, the brand new purpose why Walt Disney World is unlikely to proceed with a reimagining is 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 lots of its introduced initiatives by no means being completed.
This attitude was kind of reiterated in the course of 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 lots of of tens of millions of {dollars} of funding at minimal. Magic Kingdom might pretty simply eclipse $2 billion relying upon the size 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 area. Not precisely formidable. Moreover, new particulars have been revealed about Take a look at Observe 3.0, a journey being funded by Chevy Bucks. Suffice to say, the amount of cash Disney will spend money on EPCOT over the subsequent couple of years is next-to-nothing. The distinction between EPCOT and the opposite three parks actually says all that must be stated. EPCOT will not be the precedence–it’s deemed “achieved” for causes past me.
Now that your expectations are correctly in examine, the most recent improvement is that Disney Legend Josh Gad has publicly referred to as on Walt Disney Imagineering to reimagine Journey into Creativeness. For individuals who are unaware, the real-life Olaf is definitely an enormous Walt Disney World fan, and has been visiting the parks over the past a number of days for enjoyable as a part of his Candlelight Processional internet hosting duties. (I believe the rationale he agreed to the gig was for the free journey.)
Based mostly on his Instagram account, Gad has made visits to all 4 parks (together with Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Celebration) and even stopped to pay his respects to the GOAT, MuppetVision 3D (his phrases–but in addition mine). That’s how you recognize he’s certainly one of us.
His Walt Disney World exploits clearly included EPCOT, the place he posted a photograph of Figment from Journey into Creativeness: “Hey @waltdisneyimagineering name me. We have to give this man the journey replace he deserves.”
I’m not naive sufficient to suppose one celeb, even a Disney Legend, will make a distinction in getting a brand new Journey into Creativeness with a single social media publish. That is very true as well-known individuals have grow to be oddly vocal about Walt Disney World and Disneyland lately, expressing some sturdy and particular opinions.
However perhaps Josh Gad ought to matter? For one factor, he did exit of his technique to endorse CEO Bob Iger and the present Disney Board of Administrators in the course of the firm’s proxy combat with activist buyers. An endorsement that may’ve been unsolicited, however most likely not.
As famous, he’s additionally the voice of Olaf, and there are like a half-dozen Frozen sequels (or so it appears) in improvement. Except Disney plans on melting-off Olaf in Frozen 7, retaining Gad blissful might not be a foul concept. He’s the center and humor that present the movies wanted levity. That reindeer can’t do all of the heavy lifting himself.
Whereas I’m skeptical that even a name to CEO Bob Iger from Disney Legend Josh Gad, and star of the corporate’s largest franchise at this level, would make any distinction in getting Journey into Creativeness reimagined, what I can say is that it ought to. As we’ve stated 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 20 years. The final model was solely a band assist, meant as a fast repair for the actually abysmal second model. That third model–once more, a short lived answer–is now the longest-running model of Journey into Creativeness.
It’s no secret that whilst 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 Sights That Have Aged Poorly at Walt Disney World. We not too long ago (half-heartedly) defended Journey into Creativeness as certainly one of a number of sights at EPCOT that it is best to not skip, which is a “controversial” opinion as a result of the attraction actually 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 basically solely a half-joke.
Except you’re a baby 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 client of Disney historical past movies, you doubtless have zero affinity for Figment and may even be confused by why the present character has such a powerful 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 journey routinely is a walk-on or has an precise wait time of below 5 minutes. The theater has been exhibiting the Pixar shorts for some time now, which was additionally meant to be a band assist following the removing of Captain EO. Together with Journey into Creativeness 4.0, I can consider few higher touchdown places for MuppetVision 3D than the Creativeness pavilion.
Final yr, 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. There’s a lot untapped potential with Journey into Creativeness.
In fact I’m biased, however I believe a Journey into Creativeness reimagining 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. We now know that isn’t going to occur in any significant sense.
I additionally suppose that Disney is mistaken in its evaluation that the half-baked EPCOT overhaul is “over.” I believe that they’re already discovering this by way of attendance since summer season, and that development 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 achieved, and the almost definitely candidates are reimaginings. A number of are potential at EPCOT, as mentioned in our Listing of What EPCOT’s Overhaul Wants in Part 2. That’s unsurprisingly topped by JII4, but in addition on the record 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 clearly requires minimal funding in EPCOT as different parks are the main target. I’m skeptical that’s really potential or sensible, and the corporate might need to divert a few of these assets from Magic Kingdom–a park needing no assist to start with–to EPCOT because it turns into obvious the park will not be “fastened” from an attendance perspective.
As for when this might occur, nicely, it relies upon upon how rapidly Disney is disabused of the notion that EPCOT wants no additional significant funding. It’s potential that this has already occurred.
EPCOT has seen constantly low crowds since June, which is mockingly sufficient when the overhaul was accomplished. With the D23 Expo occurring solely a few months later, it’d’ve been untimely for making an announcement.
I’m not that optimistic. Disney is notoriously gradual to answer traits, so it’s extra doubtless that it’ll take till Epic Universe opens. Whereas there’s appreciable debate over whether or not that’ll 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 undergo. (The typical household solely has so many trip days to allocate to theme parks, and that quantity is below 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. Provided that it’s only some months after Epic Universe opens, that’s most likely nonetheless too quickly for Figment information, but it surely all is determined by how dangerous the ‘injury’ is for EPCOT.
Disney might scramble to greenlight and make a splashy however surface-level Journey into Creativeness announcement on the occasion. Provided that the 2025 Vacation spot D23 is occurring at Walt Disney World, the house crowd would go completely nuts over the information. Once more, I don’t wish to give false hope–that is most likely unrealistic. They’ll really announce Wonders of Life being changed by a Automobiles Bar as a substitute.
Actually, I’m type of okay if it does take Walt Disney World till the early 2030s to reimagine Journey into Creativeness.
CommuniCore Corridor is a joke. World Celebration is about as impressed as an workplace park in Anytown, USA. Competition overlays because the overhaul completed have been pathetic. If that is the very best present EPCOT can provide, then it’s lower than the duty of redoing Journey into Creativeness.
As I’ve stated earlier than, I nonetheless think about Walt Disney Imagineering. Their work-product elsewhere demonstrates that they aren’t the issue. I’ve far much less religion within the executives on the helm. If previous precedent is any indication, Imagineers are going to get one crack at a Journey into Creativeness overhaul within the subsequent 20 years. As a fan enjoying the lengthy recreation, I need that to be a incredible reimagining. Whereas I’d love for my daughter to take pleasure in it whereas she’s younger, I’d moderately have it’s achieved nicely than achieved quick. Perhaps which means outwaiting present administration.
As we’ve stated earlier than, the ultimate purpose why a reimagining of Journey into Creativeness might and may occur is repairing relations with followers and constructive 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 a couple of years in the past.
For Bob Iger, getting Journey into Creativeness 4.0 greenlit needs 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 achieved on that entrance. Way more importantly (to him), Iger is anxious about his legacy.
Then there’s Josh D’Amaro, who’s allegedly within the operating as a successor CEO. Followers have seen D’Amaro favorably over the previous couple of years regardless of 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 file at this level is mainly 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 means of undoing plenty 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 might outweigh so many prior negatives ones. Loads can be forgiven by followers within the blink of an eye fixed. We’d win, the executives who wish to bolster their statures would win. Everyone wins.
An overhaul of Journey into Creativeness can be each a legacy challenge and one thing that might outline the in any other case underwhelming World Celebration neighborhood of the EPCOT transformation, tying it collectively right into a extra cohesive challenge. Figment would grow to be 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 achieved 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 Legend Josh Gad’s public plea for a reimagining of the Creativeness Pavilion? Do you suppose JII4 might be introduced on the 2025 Vacation spot D23? Or is that this simply extra false hope for followers? 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!
