"New" Imagination Pavilion Rumors

[Future Guy]

Well, Captain EO has opened at EPCOT, and the rumors are a-swirling around the Imagination pavilion. Some say that it'll finally get that long-awaited fourth refurb. When Attractions Magazine asked EO show producer Joe Tankersley if there were any more plans for the pavilion, he said yes. Others who claim to have inside info say that the new ride will use the system from the Pooh's Hunny Hunt ride at DL. And Martin Smith (who always has genuine inside info) indicates that Disney has noted the fact that attendance at the Seas and Mexico pavilions increased after their recent rehabs, and that dark rides seem to be "in fashion" again.

However, there are also rumors that Kodak will soon end their sponsorship of the Imagination pavilion. Lack of sponsorship doesn't necessarily indicate that a ride won't be rehabbed (The Seas, for example, hasn't had a sponsor since United Technologies pulled out in the '90s and it received an extensive facelift), but we all know that the loss of a corporate sponsorship often leads to a long period of decline and neglect. It's anybody's guess what will actually happen.

What do y'all think?

[NaCler]

Unfortunately, I don't think they will rehab it anytime soon since they have the Wonders of Life pavilion rotting. However, I have been shocked by them before. Hopefully they can rehab both for 2 additional dark rides.

[wewantsdaredhead]

The attendance at those two rides didn't increase on the days I was there on this last trip.
Both of them were complete walkons--in fact, we had our own boat to look for Donald and I guess we never found him because they let us go around again.

Not saying year over year it wasn't up, just my observations is all....


Regardless---I hope they do something with the Imagination Pavilion--its so depressing from how it was "back in the day." (Does that make me sound old?)

[Amy]

Wow, an Imagination update with new technology would be awesome! I would hope they could revisit the Wonders of Life pavilion as well. It is a shame it has been turned into storage and overflow for the Wine Festival

[boilerbabe]

I really hope that this is not a rumor! The Imagination Pavilion is desperate need of a face lift! I too like others would love to see the Wonders of Life Pavilion also given some TLC. These could be two wonderful pavilions again and would add soooo much to Epcot!

[LITTLEBIT]

I would love for it to be rehabed into something of it's former glory. My kids think their mom is nuts for having Figment stuff but I try to explain what they are missing.

[boilerbabe]

Disney def. needs to have Figgy and the Dreamfinder make a comeback!!!

[BwanaBob]

My 2 cents...

Nothing in Epcot until Fantasyland expansion and Monsters at Studios are finished.

(same for AK)

[Jacca5660]

I have a friend looking into this. He had not heard anything about it. But he did explain that a rehab might disappoint 10s of people. He also called it "The NO imagination pavilion".

[horizons1]

Others who claim to have inside info say that the new ride will use the system from the Pooh's Hunny Hunt ride at DL.

Do you mean Tokyo Disneyland? The Pooh in Calif uses similar vehicles to those in Florida, except they have more limited movement. The Japanese park uses GPS to track the vehicles so they are otherwise trackless. This allows for "near miss" thrills as the cars scramble around the ride.

[Amy]

Others who claim to have inside info say that the new ride will use the system from the Pooh's Hunny Hunt ride at DL.

Do you mean Tokyo Disneyland? The Pooh in Calif uses similar vehicles to those in Florida, except they have more limited movement. The Japanese park uses GPS to track the vehicles so they are otherwise trackless. This allows for "near miss" thrills as the cars scramble around the ride.

That is such expensive technology I would doubt they would use the same as Tokyo DL, but I wouldn't complain a bit if they did

[stinoi]

How cool! Hope it materializes.

[horizons1]

I'd like to reintroduce an idea is floated on these boards a year or two ago, but now it seems to be gone. Disney can save some money by re-purposing the existing Imagination ride system and building a new, scaled down version of Horizons. Obviously I am biased, but Horizons was an example of how imagination could shape the future, and I think it would fit quite nicely into the Imagination pavilion.

The last few times I rode through JIYIWF I was thinking about how it would all fit. True, you'd have to cut out some of the filler and transition scenes, but you could still get future living in the city, farm, sea and space all within the confines of the existing show building - especially if you re-extend the track in the load area that was trimmed down for the latest version of Imagination.

After all, "If we can dream it, we can do it."

[Amy]

I'd like to reintroduce an idea is floated on these boards a year or two ago, but now it seems to be gone. Disney can save some money by re-purposing the existing Imagination ride system and building a new, scaled down version of Horizons. Obviously I am biased, but Horizons was an example of how imagination could shape the future, and I think it would fit quite nicely into the Imagination pavilion.

The last few times I rode through JIYIWF I was thinking about how it would all fit. True, you'd have to cut out some of the filler and transition scenes, but you could still get future living in the city, farm, sea and space all within the confines of the existing show building - especially if you re-extend the track in the load area that was trimmed down for the latest version of Imagination.

After all, "If we can dream it, we can do it."

Interesting idea horizons1. I wonder what happened with the load area track that is no longer in use. Is it just now closed off to the newer version of the ride? Used as storage? Does anyone know?

[DIAC1987]

Poor Epcot. Almost all of Future World needs help and changes.