The Mouse Knows Best Podcast

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

One Extinguished Spark: Why It Is Time to Retire Figment

Ever since the golden era of EPCOT Center, a lovable fellow with two tiny wings and eyes big and yellow with horns of a steer has established himself as an iconic Disney theme park character that has acquired a mass of diehard devotees across multiple generations. This fantastical creature, adorned head to toe with royal purple pigment, has been a Walt Disney World staple since the early 1980s, and nowadays, you can find this fabrication of one's mind acting as the unofficial mascot of Epcot, as evidenced by his excessive presence on festival merchandise and more. Furthermore, in a day and age in which all aspects of retro Epcot have been slowly but surely fazed out, he has survived not one, not two, but three separate versions of the Journey Into Imagination attraction located in Future World West. Against all odds, the venerated Figment has endured and has thus passed the test of time. Long after the demise of other attractions from Epcot's heyday, Figment and his attraction are still standing.

But why? Why is Figment allowed to survive while the entire park around it significantly evolves?

Now, please do not misunderstand where I am coming from with this question. As I stated in my post from last week, I consider myself to be somewhat of an Epcot purist, so Figment holds a special place in my heart to a degree. Alongside the Dreamfinder and the original incarnation of Journey Into Imagination, Figment epitomized the specialness of EPCOT Center. The entire Imagination pavilion was a work of Imagineering art from the physical structure to the whimsical magic on display aboard the ride itself, and Figment was the key to its entire success. It is impossible to think about old school Epcot without also thinking about Figment, for our beloved purple dragon contributed substantially to the legacy of vintage EPCOT Center.

That was then, though, and this is now. 

Photo courtesy of the Disney Parks Blog

In the late 1990s, Disney decided to reimagine the Imagination attraction, changing it from Journey Into Imagination to Journey Into Your Imagination. The Dreamfinder was replaced with Eric Idle's Dr. Nigel Channing, and Figment himself experienced a drastic character change. Figment was a costar in the original version of the attraction, an inspiring and genial spirit that entertained guests of all ages, but in this updated version, his role was reduced to small cameos as he was relegated to being a mere minor supporting character. With these unwelcomed changes, Imagineers had ripped out the soul of the ride and the pavilion itself, and fans responded accordingly, rightfully opting to express their disappointment in this new yet far-from-improved version of the attraction. As a result, Journey Into Your Imagination lasted only two years, and with its closing, it was time to go back to the drawing board.

In 2002, Journey Into Imagination with Figment debuted with Figment in an expanded role and the Sherman Brothers' earworm "One Little Spark" reinserted to hopefully satisfy the angry mob of fans. With these alleged improvements, Imagineers hoped to recapture the magic of the original attraction, but upon this new version's debut, it was clear that the original spark had dissipated entirely. Figment, a constant source of entertainment from 1983 through 1998, had become a nuisance, essentially acting like an annoying mosquito on a humid Florida night. He was no longer a joy but was rather bothersome, an aggravating presence in an attraction that had become a shell of its former glorious self. Figment's role had certainly increased, but at what cost? In the span of half a decade, Figment had gone from adored to abhorred. 

Now, over the past several years as this version of the attraction continues to operate, fans have convinced themselves that Figment is above criticism as well-intentioned people seek to hold on tight to the last remaining remnants of EPCOT Center from the past. Fueled by nostalgia and by memories from yesteryear, Figment has developed and sustained an unrivaled cult following amongst Epcot purists and casual vacationers alike. However, the truth of the matter is this: Figment has been an irritant longer than he has been an inspiration. The original version of Journey Into Imagination, and therefore the original version of Figment, survived for fifteen years, but we are currently in year twenty-one of Figment's troublesome reign of disturbance if you combine the years of operation for Journey Into Your Imagination with the years of operation for Journey Into Imagination with Figment to this point. It has been over two decades since Figment was anything but an exasperation, and it is time for us to officially let him go.

Epcot fans from all walks of life need to come to grips with the reality that prime Figment is gone and has been for a while, and we need to accept the fact that the characterization of modern-day Figment is a stain on the legacy of the Imagination pavilion. The way Disney has treated Figment since the late nineties is nothing short of disgraceful and quite disrespectful to the original Imagineers who created a character for the ages. What once was a wonderful character has now become nothing more than a marketing ploy, with the attraction serving as merely a grand commercial for Figment merchandise. We need to stop trying to convince ourselves that the latest incarnations of Figment and Journey Into Imagination with Figment are exceptional. Undoubtedly, Figment and his attraction were remarkable once upon a time, but those days are long gone. Today, they are both black eyes on the once-proud theme park, a dismal footnote in the grand story of EPCOT Center, and for the good of Imagination's legacy, I believe it is time for Disney to retire Figment and have his characterization faults be consigned to oblivion.

The attraction presently operating in Epcot needs to be completely redone and infused with new life. I advocate for the creation of something entirely new, perhaps an attraction based on a well-known intellectual property such as Pixar's Inside Out. At the end of the day, I would do something- anything- to help restore some honor to the Imagination pavilion. It has been a rotting corpse for far too long and now is the time to breathe some life back into it by any means necessary. Barring intervention by Disney Legend Tony Baxter, I think the best course of action to accomplish this is to let Figment retire with what little dignity he has left. It pains me to even think about an Epcot without a Figment-led Imagination pavilion, but the right decisions are oftentimes the hardest ones to make.

The original Journey Into Imagination is one of the best attractions ever created by Walt Disney Imagineering, and Figment is one of the greatest character creations in Disney theme park history without question. It is for the sake of these legacies that I believe now is the time for fans and for Disney to say farewell to Figment and his attraction for good. Right now, it may be possible that more people know Figment from merchandise items that from his own attraction (those wait times are never long, you know), and do we really want him to go down in history that way? Time can heal all wounds, and with retirement and closure, we will soon forget about the last twenty-one years and begin to rewire our brains to primarily remembering peak Figment instead of rock-bottom Figment. 

Photo courtesy of the Disney Parks Blog

I know it may sound counter-intuitive to suggest that, for Figment to be remembered well, his attraction needs to close, but I think the attraction closing would do more for Figment's legacy than would continuing to operate such a lackluster attraction. Think back to when Maelstrom closed a few years ago to make way for Frozen Ever After in the Norway pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase. Fans were livid and began to memorialize Maelstrom as if the Haunted Mansion was shutting down simply because Anna and Elsa were moving in. Maelstrom, in reality a pretty average attraction, is now considered a beloved and classic attraction chiefly because it closed. I think the same could happen if Disney decided to retire Figment and close his attraction. With such a move, fans would swiftly forget about the disappointing last couple of decades and only remember Figment and his attraction fondly. If Maelstrom can get a legacy bump upon closing, think about the legacy bump the Imagination pavilion would get.

In Star Wars- Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, Kylo Ren wrestles with how to deal with his tortured past, and he concludes (and thus gives us the theme of the entire movie) by stating, "Let the past die. Kill it, if you have to." With Figment and Journey Into Imagination, that is exactly what needs to be done. The spark of one of Epcot's most treasured pavilions has been all but extinguished, and we are now left with the choice of what to do with a flame that is no longer burning with pride. In my humble opinion, fans need to let the past die, and Disney needs to kill the Imagination we have grown accustomed to for this to happen. While I know this opinion will not be shared by everyone, I believe the only way for Figment and Journey Into Imagination to be redeemed is to go the path of other classic Epcot attractions such as World of Motion, Horizons, and Universe of Energy. We look back at those attractions with rose-colored glasses, freely looking past their flaws and focusing only on their greatness, and I so want us to do that with Imagination in the years to come. I want Figment to be remembered as a legend, not a punchline. I want that one little spark to burn again in the minds of every Imagination fan. This may sound like a drastic proposal, but desperate times call for desperate measures, don't they?

One bright idea, one right connection, can give our lives a new direction. Now is the time to give Figment's life and legacy a new direction.

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Dreaming and Doing: Why Horizons Is Imagineering's Greatest Achievement

In the late 1990s, an iconic attraction located in EPCOT Center's Future World East was left in a state of closing limbo. Beginning with the loss of General Electric's sponsorship in 1993, Disney had decided to essentially put a timer on the life span of one of its best attractions to date. Everyone agreed that this attraction was spectacular, so why had Disney seemingly numbered its days? After a while, the timer went off, and the attraction was scheduled to close for good on January 9, 1999, before being demolished right before the eyes of legions of fans who adored this one-of-a-kind attraction. Ever since that day, these same fans have elevated this attraction to a heavenly realm of admiration, for it truly was a special attraction that has become the poster child for the Imagineering days of yesteryear.

Today, despite a rather unceremonious closing, Horizons endures as the pure embodiment of what classic EPCOT Center stood for, a bonafide combination of all aspects of the park's subsequent pavilions to create one epic attraction designed to gives guests an optimistic look at the future like only Disney could offer. It carried out gracefully the overall goal of EPCOT Center in the way it purely entertained, educated, and inspired guests from all walks of life and from all age groups. Fans who fondly recall memories of this attraction and even fans such as myself who do not remember personally experiencing this attraction can agree that there has never been anything quite like Horizons in the history of Walt Disney Imagineering.

Photo courtesy of the Disney Parks Blog

Horizons wanted to give guests a vision for the future, a vision that seemed attainable and a vision that seemed hopeful. Its oft-quoted thesis statement plainly explained what kind of vision for the future Horizons wanted to present: "If we can dream it, we can do it." It was a simple declaration, but to this day, such a mantra reminds all of us that we have the ability to make a better future for ourselves today. In a world that so often looks at the future in a bleak manner, Horizons emphasized that, if we work together and dream big, we have a reason to look forward to tomorrow. Horizons unapologetically saw a future that was to be embraced, not dreaded, for today holds the challenge to make this world a better place to be. It implored guests to welcome these challenges with open arms because Horizons understood that everyone had the capacity to impact the future in a positive way as long as they dreamed boldly and acted determinedly.

To say Horizons was ahead of its time would be quite the understatement. For an attraction that debuted in 1983, its prediction of the future was, more or less, stunningly accurate. From robots doing mundane chores to the idea of communicating face-to-face with one another via technology, Horizons seemed to have its finger on the pulse of the future. Sure, some of its predictions remain audacious and lofty, but that was part of its appeal and its charm. Horizons dared us to dream big, to dream dreams that redefined the status quo and pushed society into a great, big, beautiful tomorrow. It balanced a presentation of a feasible future with a grandiose one, altogether showcasing a future that seemed to have already arrived and a future that is still yet to be grasped. Horizons both inspired optimism for the present while also inspiring optimism for the future. Yes, the future was here now, but Horizons asserted that we must continue to press on into the future, to keep longing to reach for tomorrow's new horizons.

Photo courtesy of the Disney Parks Blog

This optimistic view of the future is the main reason Horizons continues to resonate with so many fans across multiple generations, but additionally, the scope of the attraction itself also plays a factor in how zealously fans remember this great Imagineering achievement. The message of Horizons is obviously commendable, but if the ride had been boring or ordinary, the message would not have connected to fans in such a profound and lasting way. Luckily, Imagineering went above and beyond in making its greatest attraction to date from a story standpoint as well as a technical one. Situated in a park filled to the brim with distinctive attractions, Horizons nevertheless managed to stand out. It was a nearly fifteen-minute dark ride featuring infectious music, clever narration, Disney signatures, and a timeless message. Two massive and ground-breaking OMNIMAX screens played a key role in the attraction's story, while every scene was breathtaking in detail and awe-inspiring in breadth. Plus, the customizable ending with the option to take three different paths back to the FuturePort from either Brava Centauri, Mesa Verde, or Sea Castle was revolutionary, an unrivaled ending that was incredibly ahead of its time (do you sense that theme developing here?). In a culture that falls in love with saying something is unlike anything else they have ever seen, Horizons is still legitimately unlike anything else we have ever seen from Disney in the past or in the present.

While Disney continues to produce outstanding attractions today, Imagineering will probably never produce another attraction as ambitious and exceptional as Horizons. Modern attractions tend to be devoid of the originality so prominently on display in Horizons, instead relying heavily on Disney's wide library of intellectual properties to immerse guests in stories they are already familiar with prior to entering the park (a strategy I do not fault, by the way, considering how beloved Disney's IPs are nowadays). Furthermore, for the most part, the length of attractions today come nowhere close to the roughly fifteen-minute runtime of Horizons, and the modern attractions certainly fall short of reaching the structural heights of Horizons in terms of set design and audio-animatronic usage (the Shaman at the end of Animal Kingdom's Na'vi River Journey, for example, is an undeniably superb audio-animatronic, but old school Epcot laughs at the idea of only inserting one audio-animatronic into an attraction). From a creative standpoint, Horizons will always be in a class by itself.

Photo courtesy of the Disney Parks Blog

While I greatly admire EPCOT Center from the 1980s and early 1990s, I fully acknowledge that the park needed to evolve over time. I may consider myself to be somewhat of an Epcot purist, but I do not aimlessly wish for the park to return to its former glory. I understand that Horizons will never return and the park is now proceeding into the future with a different goal in mind, but I believe that is exactly why I love Horizons as much as I do. It represents the best of Imagineering from a bygone era. Whenever one looks back at the retro aspects of the Disney theme parks, it is impossible to not fall head over heels in love with Horizons. Even though I have only experienced ride-throughs of this attraction by watching YouTube videos such as this excellent one from the Lake Buena Vista Historical Society, it is evident to me that Horizons was an unparalleled Disney attraction that has no equal at any point in Imagineering's history. Its appeal for all of mankind to start dreaming and start doing is an immortal plea that will forevermore provoke us to progressive action.

When I consider the EPCOT Center of a generation ago, I am struck by how earnest its desire was to build a better tomorrow, and Horizons was the perfect capstone attraction that brought together all of that earnestness into one era-defining experience. There's a reason Epcot fans such as myself look back at Horizons with such amazement and reverence: Disney produced a singular experience that was truly and wholly unique. There was nothing like it before its debut and there has been nothing like it since its closure. Horizons was something extraordinary, a rare attraction that simultaneously encouraged and challenged us in the best ways imaginable. Undoubtedly, we could use its powerful message and eager viewpoint of the future in today's day and age. Horizons believed in humanity, and Horizons believed in individual men and women and their capabilities to make a brighter future for everyone. Horizons genuinely affirmed that if we can dream it, we really can do it.

That is precisely why Horizons is Imagineering's greatest achievement to date.