Imagination! (Epcot)

Last updated

Imagination!
Epcot Imagination pavilion modern logo.svg
Blank.svg
Epcot Imagination! logo.svg
The pavilion logo (top), a throwback to the classic Journey into Imagination logo, used since 2019, and the Imagination! logotype used since 1999
EpcotImagination.JPG
Glass pyramids of Imagination! with the jumping fountains in the foreground.
Epcot
Area
Coordinates 28°22′22″N81°33′04″W / 28.372876°N 81.551203°W / 28.372876; -81.551203
StatusOperating
Opening dateOctober 1, 1982
Ride statistics
Designer WED Enterprises
ThemeHuman imagination, creativity, and the arts
Sponsor
  • Kodak (1982–2010)
  • None (since 2010)

Imagination! (formerly The Journey Into Imagination) is a pavilion located in the World Celebration section of Epcot, a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. The pavilion opened with the park in 1982, and is themed to human imagination, creativity, and the arts. Kodak was the former title sponsor of the pavilion.

Contents

Attraction history

The interior of the glass pyramid as of 2021. DVC lounge.jpg
The interior of the glass pyramid as of 2021.

While the pavilion itself has existed since 1982, it has gone through three significant phases. The original started out as an area in which the 3-D film Magic Journeys was played with a song by the same name by the Sherman Brothers. The Makin' Memories slide presentation, a history of photography was the pre-show presentation. When Journey Into Imagination opened a year later, the area was dubbed the Journey Into Imagination Pavilion. From 1983 to 1986, it held Journey Into Imagination, the (upstairs) ImageWorks, and Magic Journeys. In 1986, however, Magic Journeys was replaced by Captain EO , a more advanced 3-D film created by George Lucas and starring Michael Jackson as the title character. In the mid-1990s, Captain EO was replaced by Honey, I Shrunk the Audience , starring Rick Moranis as Professor Wayne Szalinski and Eric Idle as the Imagination Institute chairman, Dr. Nigel Channing.

In 1998, the original Journey Into Imagination went down for renovation. During this renovation, the upstairs ImageWorks was closed and the building's purple and blue painting exterior was replaced with different colors, navy blue being primary. The original glass sign was replaced by one made of wood and metal. The leap frog fountains were reduced in size to accommodate the new gift shop at the exit of the new Journey Into Your Imagination. The glass pyramids remained intact, although the upstairs ImageWorks was closed, to be replaced by the downstairs ImageWorks - The "What If" Labs

The pavilion was renamed Imagination! in 1999, when the new attraction opened. Fans were upset that Dreamfinder, a popular character from the previous ride, was gone. Furthermore, Figment, another popular character, only made cameo appearances until his short dialogue at the end of the ride. By the end of 2001, Disney closed the ride and modified the attraction, bringing Figment back into a more prominent role, although the Dreamfinder remained absent.

For a brief time after Figment's return to the Imagination pavilion, the walk around Figment character was available for a meet-and-greet in the former Kodak shop between the main pavilion and the theater. Figment's place is now unlabeled, but the décor inside is still visible through the windows. [1]

In the summer of 2006, the finale of a Kim Possible interactive activity was set up temporarily in the upstairs ImageWorks as a test, themed as Dr. Drakken's base, with a station in World Showcase loaning out "Kimunicators" for interactive activities. [2]

Jumping fountains near the Imagination! building with Spaceship Earth in the background. EpcotImaginationFountain.JPG
Jumping fountains near the Imagination! building with Spaceship Earth in the background.

Following the death of Michael Jackson on June 25, 2009, Disney officials mulled over the possible return of Captain EO. [3] In February 2010, the film, now retitled Captain EO Tribute, returned to Disneyland. On July 2, 2010, Captain EO returned to the Imagination! pavilion for a limited run, replacing Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. [4]

In August 2010, Kodak, who had sponsored the pavilion since it opened, ended its sponsorship after nearly 28 years. [5]

In June 2016, the old upstairs portion of the Imagination Pavilion used for the original ImageWorks reopened as a lounge exclusively for Disney Vacation Club members. [6]

Current attractions

Current exhibitions

Former attractions

Former exhibitions

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walt Disney World</span> Entertainment resort in America

The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, or simply abbreviated WDW, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, governed by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. The resort is located within Orange and Osceola counties, and located closest to the cities of Winter Garden and Kissimmee in Greater Orlando. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is operated by Disney Experiences, a division of The Walt Disney Company. The property covers nearly 25,000 acres, of which half has been used. Walt Disney World contains four separate theme parks, two water parks, two mini-golf courses, and four golf courses. There are twenty-one Disney-operated resorts on the property, and many other resorts on and near the property. Disney World also contains the Boardwalk, The Fort Wilderness area, The ESPN Sports Complex, Disney Springs, Flamingo Crossings areas for shopping, dining, and entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epcot</span> Theme park at Walt Disney World

Epcot, stylized in all uppercase as EPCOT, is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Experiences division. Inspired by an unrealized concept of the same name developed by Walt Disney, the park opened on October 1, 1982, as EPCOT Center, and was the second of four theme parks built at Walt Disney World. The park spans 305 acres, more than twice the size of Magic Kingdom. Often referred to as a "permanent world's fair", Epcot is dedicated to the celebration of human achievement, particularly technological innovation and international culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Figment (Disney)</span> Fictional character

Figment is the mascot of the Imagination! pavilion at the Epcot theme park at Walt Disney World Resort. He is a small purple dragon with a runaway imagination, which serves as a plot device in Journey into Imagination with Figment, the most recent edition of the pavilion, and he is featured in Epcot merchandise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomorrowland (Disney Parks)</span> Themed land at Disney theme parks

Tomorrowland is one of the many "themed lands" featured at all of the Magic Kingdom styled Disney theme parks around the world owned or licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Each version of the land is different and features numerous attractions that depict views of the future. Disneyland Park in Paris includes a similar area called Discoveryland, which shares some elements with other Tomorrowlands but emphasizes visions of the future inspired by Jules Verne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Journey into Imagination with Figment</span> Dark ride attraction

Journey into Imagination with Figment is the third and latest incarnation of a dark ride attraction located within the Imagination! pavilion at World Celebration at Epcot, a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. Originally opened on March 3, 1983, its original and current version feature the small purple dragon named Figment as well as the song "One Little Spark", composed by the Sherman Brothers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Test Track</span> Attraction at Epcot in Walt Disney World

Test Track is a high-speed slot car thrill ride manufactured by Dynamic Attractions located in World Discovery at Epcot, a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. The ride is a simulated excursion through the rigorous testing procedures that General Motors uses to evaluate its concept cars, culminating in a high-speed drive around the exterior of the attraction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney Digital 3-D</span>

Disney Digital 3-D is a brand name used by The Walt Disney Company to describe three-dimensional films made and released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures mostly under the Walt Disney Pictures label and shown exclusively using digital projection.

<i>Magic Journeys</i> 1982 3D film directed by Murray Lerner

Magic Journeys was a 3D film created by WED Enterprises for presentation at Disney theme parks. It was featured at four different parks over the course of its 11-year run.

<i>Honey, I Shrunk the Audience!</i> 4D Disney film spin-off of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

Honey, I Shrunk the Audience was a 4D film spin-off of the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids film series that was shown at several Disney theme parks. The audience wore 3D glasses, and the gimbal-mounted theater would shake and rock, creating the illusion of moving along with the characters in the film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turtle Talk with Crush</span> Interactive show at Disney theme parks

Turtle Talk with Crush is an interactive talk show type attraction that has appeared at several of the Disney theme parks. It first opened on November 16, 2004 at The Living Seas pavilion at Epcot and later at Disney California Adventure in July 2005. The attraction opened in Hong Kong Disneyland from May 24 to August 10, 2008 as part of the "Nonstop Summer Fun" celebration. The attraction also opened in Tokyo DisneySea on October 1, 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Rohde</span> Experience architect at Virgin Galactic

Joseph Rohde is the Experience Architect for Virgin Galactic. Rohde was previously a veteran executive at Walt Disney Imagineering, the division of The Walt Disney Company that designs and builds Disney's theme parks and resort hotels. Rohde's formal title was Executive Designer and Vice President, Creative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Body Wars</span> Defunct motion simulator attraction

Body Wars was a motion simulator attraction inside the Wonders of Life pavilion at the Walt Disney World Resort's Epcot. Riders would be taken on a mission by the fictional Miniaturized Exploration Technologies corporation to study the effects of the white blood cells on a splinter inside the left index finger of a volunteer. The attraction used the Advanced Technology Leisure Application Simulator technology previously seen at Disneyland's Star Tours attraction. The ride is no longer in operation along with the other attractions inside the Wonders of Life pavilion, which opened on October 19, 1989, and closed on January 1, 2007.

<i>Honey, I Shrunk the Kids</i> (franchise) American media franchise

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is an American media franchise consisting of a series of family-science fiction-comedy films and a television adaptation, among other works, based on a concept created by Stuart Gordon and Brian Yuzna, and an original story co-written by Gordon, Yuzna, and Ed Naha. Following the release of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989), and its subsequent financial and critical success, two sequels and a television series followed; titled Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992), Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves (1997), and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, respectively. Another sequel titled Shrunk entered development in 2019.

<i>Captain EO</i> 1986 short film by Francis Ford Coppola

Captain EO is a 1986 American 3D science fiction short film shown at Disney theme parks from 1986 until 1998. The movie, starring Michael Jackson, was written by George Lucas, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The film was shown as part of an attraction with in-theater effects. The attraction returned to the Disney Parks in 2010 as a tribute after Jackson's death. The film was shown for the final time at Epcot on December 6, 2015.

<i>Mickeys PhilharMagic</i> 3D attraction at Disney theme parks

Mickey's PhilharMagic is a 4D film attraction found at several Disney theme parks around the world, including Magic Kingdom theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Park (Paris), and Disney California Adventure. The film was directed by George Scribner, who also directed Disney's 1988 animated film Oliver & Company. Mickey's PhilharMagic is a 12-minute-long show featuring 3D effects, scents, and water, as well as a number of characters from Disney movies. It is shown on the largest purpose-built 3D screen ever made, at 150 feet wide.

George Wilkins is an American soundtrack composer who has created several noteworthy scores and songs for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

<i>Epcot Forever</i> Epcot fireworks show, 2019–2023

Epcot Forever was a limited-time fireworks show that premiered on October 1, 2019, at Epcot. Epcot Forever served as an interim replacement for IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth until its long-term replacement, Harmonious, premiered in 2021. It took the form of a celebration of Epcot's musical history. The show celebrated the park's 37-year history, featuring fireworks, music, lighting, lasers, and special effects kites set to new arrangements of music originating from some of the park's classic attractions, such as Journey Into Imagination, Spaceship Earth, Soarin', Tapestry of Nations and Universe of Energy. The show was also made to celebrate the past, present, and future of Epcot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remy's Ratatouille Adventure</span> 3D dark ride at Disney theme parks

Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, also known as Ratatouille: L'Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy, is a motion-based trackless 3D dark ride, based on the 2007 Disney-Pixar animated film Ratatouille, located at Disneyland Paris's Walt Disney Studios Park in France and at Walt Disney World's France Pavilion at Epcot.

References

  1. Yee, Kevin (2014). Walt Disney World Hidden History. Orlando, Florida: Ultimate Orlando Press. p. 68. ISBN   9781500887926.
  2. "Kim Possible Game", "All Ears Net", retrieved November 6, 2006
  3. Brady MacDonald. "Iger: No plans to bring 'Captain EO' back to Disneyland". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 26, 2009.
  4. Bevil, Dewayne (June 30, 2010). "What's old is new again as 'Captain EO' returns to Epcot". Orlando Sentinel . Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved October 27, 2010.
  5. Garcia, Jason (September 10, 2010). "Kodak cuts ties with Epcot pavilion". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved September 10, 2010.
  6. "Disney Vacation Club New Lounge". Member Lounge at Epcot – Now Open!.
  7. "'Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival' to Debut Today At Epcot". Disney Parks Blog.