For years now, one of the biggest questions EPCOT fans have been wondering is: “What is going to happen to Journey Into Imagination with Figment? Will it ever get a refurbishment?”
Well, after years of rumors, false starts, and fans asking Disney to finally do something with this attraction, we now have our answer. Disney has confirmed that Dreamfinder and Figment are returning to EPCOT as part of a new Imagination project.
That is huge news for longtime EPCOT fans, because Dreamfinder has been gone from Journey Into Imagination since the original version of the attraction closed in 1998. Figment has still been around, of course, but for many fans, the current version of the ride has never come close to matching the original.
In this post, we’ll take a look at the latest announcement, what Disney has confirmed so far, why Dreamfinder returning is such a big deal, and what this could mean for the future of Journey Into Imagination with Figment.
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Table of Contents
Latest Update: Dreamfinder and Figment Are Returning to EPCOT
(UPDATE) – Disney has confirmed that a refurbishment/reimagining is coming to the Imagination pavilion at EPCOT, and Dreamfinder is finally returning alongside Figment.
The announcement was made during the closing moments of the Disney Experiences showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum told the crowd:
“We are taking a new flight of fancy into imagination at EPCOT with Dreamfinder and Figment! I’m so happy to share this news tonight. We know how important this is to you. We’ve heard you, and this is one more way we’re putting you in the center of everything we do.”
That last part is important. Disney knows how long EPCOT fans have been asking for Journey Into Imagination to be fixed, and bringing back Dreamfinder is exactly the kind of move fans have wanted for decades.
Right now, Disney has not released specific details about what the refurbished pavilion or attraction will include. We don’t have a closure date, reopening date, ride name, full storyline, or concept art yet.
But the big news is clear: Figment is staying at EPCOT, and Dreamfinder is coming back.
What Did Disney Announce?
Disney confirmed that it is taking a new “flight of fancy” into imagination at EPCOT with Dreamfinder and Figment.
That means this is not just another vague rumor about the Imagination pavilion. Disney officially acknowledged that something is happening, and that Dreamfinder and Figment are at the center of it.
That said, we need to be careful not to assume too much yet. Disney has not said whether this will be a complete ride replacement, a full pavilion refurbishment, a major reimagining of Journey Into Imagination, or something slightly smaller in scope.
Hopefully, it is the full Journey Into Imagination redo fans have been asking for. But until Disney shares more details, we can only go by what has been confirmed.
What we know so far:
- Dreamfinder is returning to EPCOT.
- Figment is staying at EPCOT.
- The Imagination pavilion / Journey Into Imagination is getting some kind of new project or reimagining.
- Disney has not announced a closing date.
- Disney has not announced an opening date.
- More details are expected later.
Who Is Figment?
If you’ve spent any time at EPCOT, you probably know Figment, or at least you’ve seen him on merchandise, popcorn buckets, festival signs, or in the Imagination pavilion.
Figment is the small purple dragon who has been connected to EPCOT since the original Journey Into Imagination opened in 1983. He was created by Dreamfinder in the original attraction and quickly became one of the most beloved characters in the park.
I know for myself he was one of my favorite Disney characters when I was a kid, and he continues to be up to this day.
And that’s the same for many others too and Figment remains one of Walt Disney World’s most recognizable characters even today. He has been a big part of the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts, and his merchandise has continued to sell extremely well, even when the current ride itself hasn’t always been popular with fans.
That’s part of what makes this whole thing so interesting. The current attraction is not exactly considered one of EPCOT’s best rides, but Figment himself is still incredibly popular.
Figment represents curiosity, creativity, playfulness, and imagination. In many ways, he is one of the few characters that feels truly unique to EPCOT.
Who Is Dreamfinder?
But even before there was Figment, there was Dreamfinder.
Dreamfinder was introduced in the original Journey Into Imagination attraction when it opened at EPCOT in 1983. He was a whimsical inventor, storyteller, and dream-chaser who collected “sounds, colors, ideas, anything that sparks the imagination.”
In the original ride, Dreamfinder created Figment and acted as his mentor and friend. Together, they guided guests through the world of imagination in one of the most beloved attractions EPCOT has ever had.
Unfortunately, Dreamfinder was removed when the original Journey Into Imagination closed in 1998, and he has been missing from the attraction ever since. That’s one of the biggest reasons why longtime EPCOT fans have been asking Disney to bring him back for so long.
Figment is great on his own, but Dreamfinder gives him context. He is the character who helps explain where Figment comes from and why imagination matters in the first place.
That’s why this announcement is such a big deal. It’s not just that Disney is updating a ride. It’s that Disney is restoring one of the most important missing pieces of EPCOT history.
Why This Announcement Is Such a Big Deal
A refurbishment for Journey Into Imagination has seemed logical for years, and it is something most Disney fans have been clamoring for. In fact, a remake similar to the original attraction has been one of the most highly-desired things discussed among EPCOT fans.
Because of the desire from fans and the persistent rumors around everyone’s favorite make-believe dragon, we were very surprised when nothing was announced about it at the 2019 D23 Expo. Disney shared a bunch of new projects, but no mention of Journey Into Imagination with Figment and its future in EPCOT.
At the time, EPCOT was in the middle of a huge transition, with much of the park undergoing drastic change. Future World was being transformed into new neighborhoods, and the entire park was going through one of the biggest transformations in its history.
An update to Journey Into Imagination would have fit nicely into that EPCOT transformation, but it never happened then.
The original Journey Into Imagination attraction was designed by Tony Baxter and Steve Kirk and debuted in 1983. For years, Dreamfinder and Figment were the only characters located in EPCOT and therefore became beloved by many. Even today, the sales of Figment merchandise remain some of the highest in Disney World.
However, once Kodak decided not to reinvest into the aging attraction, Journey Into Imagination closed down in 1998 and things were never the same.
The second version was called “Journey Into YOUR Imagination,” but it was not well-received by the Disney fanbase and was a big disappointment. Dreamfinder was completely eliminated from the ride, and Figment was reduced to short cameos in the attraction queue and in the constellation at the end. The ride was also much shorter than the original due to budgetary constraints which didn’t go over well.
Because of the negative backlash, the ride closed down once again after running for only 2 years and they were forced to re-do it once again.
That brings us to the current version, “Journey Into Imagination with Figment,” which debuted in 2002. Just from the title, you can understand Disney wanted to scream it from the rooftops that Figment was back in this version.
Even though it’s the longest-running version of the attraction, it never reached near the same level of popularity as the original. It has always felt like a temporary hold-over until Disney got around to re-doing it right, and so here we are.
Now, it looks like Disney is finally ready to do something.
Even Tony Baxter Wanted Journey Into Imagination Redone
If your blood is boiling after reading this, don’t worry. You aren’t the only one who has been unhappy with the current version of Journey Into Imagination.
Disney Legend Tony Baxter, who worked on the original Journey Into Imagination, said in a TEA@USC appearance on YouTube that he’d be willing to come out of retirement to get a chance to re-do the attraction.
In his interview, Baxter said, “I just wish we could do that ride over. I would come back out of retirement to do that ride over.”
At the time, it sounded like an amazing idea, though we doubted it would actually happen. Baxter was already serving as a creative advisor to the Splash Mountain re-do as it changed to a Princess and the Frog themed attraction after having been the creative lead on the original. And Tiana’s Bayou Adventure had been announced, unlike any update to Journey Into Imagination.
Even though we would be thrilled to see Baxter involved in some way with the new Journey Into Imagination project, Disney has not announced whether he is part of it but we highly doubt he will be at this point.
Still, his comments are important because they show that even one of the original creative minds behind the attraction knew the ride needed to be redone. Fans have been saying it for years, and Tony Baxter basically said the same thing.
When Will Journey Into Imagination Close or Reopen?
Right now, Disney has not announced when Journey Into Imagination with Figment will close for refurbishment, and they have not announced when the new version will open.
That means guests visiting EPCOT in the near future should not assume the current ride is closing immediately. Until Disney gives an official closure date, Journey Into Imagination with Figment is still operating so don’t worry about your upcoming trip.
As for when the new version might open, that is where we have to speculate.
If this is a full ride reimagining or pavilion refurbishment, it could easily be a multi-year project. Disney has a lot of major projects in the works right now, and Journey Into Imagination is not the kind of attraction they can fix with just a quick overlay if they want to do it right.
The earliest realistic timeline would probably be sometime in the late 2020s, but it could also be closer to the early 2030s depending on the scope of the project and where it falls in Disney’s construction schedule.
One interesting date to keep in mind is EPCOT’s 50th anniversary in 2032. I’m not saying Disney is definitely aiming for that, but if they are going to bring back Dreamfinder and restore the Imagination pavilion in a big way, having it done before or around EPCOT’s 50th would make a lot of sense.
For now, though, that is just speculation. We’ll have to wait for Disney to announce the closure date, the opening timeline, and exactly how big this project is going to be.
My Thoughts on Dreamfinder and Figment Returning
I have to say, this is one of the most exciting EPCOT announcements Disney could have made.
Journey Into Imagination has needed a real refurbishment for years. Sure, the current version is better than the second version, but it has never lived up to the original, and it’s always felt like Disney was waiting for the right time to redo it properly.
That’s why bringing back Dreamfinder is exactly the right move.
Figment has remained popular all these years, but Dreamfinder is the missing piece. He is the character who makes the original attraction work, and without him, Figment has never had the same emotional weight in the ride.
That doesn’t mean Disney should just copy the original attraction scene-for-scene. I love the original version and would be thrilled to see a lot of its spirit return, but Disney also needs to make something that works for today’s guests. The key is keeping the heart of the original: imagination, creativity, music, whimsy, and the relationship between Dreamfinder and Figment.
This is one of those rare cases where fan service is exactly what Disney should be doing. EPCOT fans have been asking for this for decades, and Disney clearly knows how important it is which is why they’ve finally started to move.
At the same time, that means expectations are going to be extremely high. Disney can’t just bring Dreamfinder back for a small cameo and call it a day. If they are going to announce Dreamfinder and Figment together, then the new attraction needs to make them the heart of the experience.
After all this, what can I say? I’m cautiously optimistic. Disney has been making a lot of announcements lately that feel like they are listening to fans, and this might be the biggest example yet. The Yeti, Spaceship Earth, and now this. Fixing Journey Into Imagination has been one of the longest-running requests in the Disney fan community so it’s great to see they are listening.
Now they just have to get it right.
If Disney gives this project the budget, time, and creative care it deserves, it could become one of the most exciting changes coming to EPCOT in years and for that we definitely are intrigued.
When is does happen, it will be one of the most exciting changes coming to Disney World in the next few years!
If you want to get the latest updates about a potential Journey Into Imagination refurbishment, don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. There we bring you the latest updates as well as vacation planning tips. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter!
FAQs
Yes, as of now Journey Into Imagination with Figment is still open in EPCOT and Disney has not announced a closure date yet.
Yes, Disney has confirmed that Dreamfinder and Figment are returning to EPCOT as part of a new Imagination project. Disney has not yet shared the full scope of the refurbishment or reimagining.
Yes, Disney confirmed that Dreamfinder is returning alongside Figment.
No. Disney specifically confirmed that Figment is staying at EPCOT and will be reunited with Dreamfinder.
Disney has not announced a closure date yet. The current version of Journey Into Imagination with Figment remains open until Disney says otherwise.
Disney has not announced an opening date or timeline yet. If this is a major reimagining, it could be a multi-year project.
Disney has not announced whether Tony Baxter will be involved. Baxter has previously said he would come out of retirement to redo Journey Into Imagination, but there is no official word on his involvement in this project.
As soon as we know any more info on this story we will update you so keep tuned for more…
Your Thoughts
I want to know what you think about a possible Journey Into Imagination with Figment refurbishment…
- Should this ride get re-done?
- What changes would you like to see to it?
Let us know in the comments section below!
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My name is Ziggy and I love Disney, everything Disney! I grew up on Disney and it has and continues to be a huge part of my life. I started young when my parents took me to Disney World when I was 18 months old. Little did they know that would be the first of an uncountable number of trips we would take. I have so many amazing memories going to Disney with my family and friends and it has been interwoven into my DNA.
Jay
Thursday 16th of March 2023
Bring back Dreamfinder, and maybe base the ride off the marvel comic series
Sue Pape
Thursday 27th of August 2020
I would love to see Journey Into Imagination go back to the original version or something very similar. In 1988 my 8 year old daughter fell in love with Figment and to this day, at 40 years old, he is still her favorite character of all time! I’m sure low attendance is due to the lack luster versions that replaced the original. We’ve never enjoyed it as much as the original. Sometimes you just need to stick with the original and not try to “improve“ on what’s already working!
Leeann Clapper
Thursday 27th of August 2020
I would like to see the Figment ride get a refurbishment, but a re-do on the theme needs a re-do too. The first few times on that ride I couldn't even understand what the theme was!! After that, I guess it was just to use your imagination, but since we can't help using our imaginations, what was the point of the ride??? Some clarity would be nice....also, leaving Imagination empty for years is such a waste!! Does Disney just have money to waste--it surely looks like it! I would like to see the Pavillion open again, and the music portion open again. That was the best part for me, I could easily spend an hour there, especially since it was an activity I could do, since my legs are where my handicap is. As Disney currently is, no one is thinking of me and activities I can do when they refurbish a ride, so I wander around and look at flowers all day...