In Depth: Comparing “Imagination!” Versions

Welcome to another edition of In Depth (formerly In the Spotlight) – where we go into detail and get some interesting facts about attractions in Walt Disney World. Today, we take a look at Journey into Imagination – all of the versions. This is a different way to do “In Depth”, but I thought it would be fun to see the details of the 3 versions it’s been through. Here we go!

Version #1 (1983 – 1998):

The first version of this attraction was entitled “Journey into Imagination”. It was created by Tony Baxter and Steve Kirk, and lasted about 11 minutes. Hosted by Figment and the Dreamfinder, this version took you through many different rooms featuring a different theme. These included the Art Room, Literature Room, Performing Arts Room, and Science Room. In all of these rooms, Figment and the Dreamfinder were discovering different things – for example, in the Literature Room, all of the books were horror tales, we watch as Figment tries to keep monsters out of one book. The theme song was “One Little Spark”, written by the Sherman brothers.

On October 10, 1998, the ride was shut down to make room for a brand new, very different experience.

Version #2 (1999-2001):

This second version was called “Journey into Your Imagination”. Most fans of Walt Disney World say that this version was without a doubt the worst. Now, the Dreamfinder was completely removed, and was replaced with Dr. Nigel Channing – the chairman of the fictionous ”Imagination Institute”. Channing was supposedly testing out an Imagination Scanner, and the riders were the test subjects. Guests were taken through a series of rooms that performed some sort of experiment or “trick”. For example, in one room, a butterfly appears to disappear inside his cage. In this version, they also removed the classic theme song “One Little Spark”, and replaced it with an Imagination Institute theme.

Almost all Disney fans were so disappointed with this version of the ride, it was closed for, once again, renovations.

Version #3 (2002-present):

This version is the current version of the ride, called “Journey into Imagination with Figment”. As you can see, they reverted to the old title, simply adding “with Figment”, letting all fans of the purple dragon know that he’s back. The theme song “One Little Spark” returned as well, with a new beat to it and some added verses. Now, Dr. Nigel Channing is still our host – he attempts to give us a tour of the Imagination Institute, however Figment interferes with just about every experiment he tries to perform. For example, in the Smell Lab, Figment turns into a skunk and sprays the riders with a nasty smell.

Although this version does not include the Dreamfinder, it returns Figment to a role in every scene – a plus for fans of the first version. In fact, the disappearance of Figment is what caused many people to dislike the second version (and the fact that it was incredibly boring).

So now it’s your turn: let us know in the comments what you think of the Imagination versions, and which one you thought was the best/worst! Let’s have a discussion – be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments.

In Depth: Spaceship Earth

Welcome to the first edition of the newly improved In the Spotlight, called “In Depth”! Today we take a look at the iconic attraction of Epcot, Spaceship Earth. Enjoy the new version of the series, and feel free to leave your thoughts and opinions.

The Building:

Spaceship Earth is technically known as a geodesic sphere. There are about 11,324 triangles making up the exterior. There is a one inch gap between each triangle for collecting rain water. The water then travels through a gutter system and eventually reaches the World Showcase lagoon. It took about 26 months to construct Spaceship Earth.

Sponsor History:

When Spaceship Earth first opened, its sponsor was the Bell System. After two years, Bell was broken up into smaller companies. This is when AT&T became its own independent company – they then took over the sponsorship. They sponsored until 2004, when Siemens took over. Siemens is the current sponsor of the attraction.

Latest Renovation:

In 2007, Spaceship Earth got a major renovation – new narrator (Judi Dench), new music (Bruce Broughton), and many new scenes. The time machine vehicle now includes a touch screen, which allows you to “create your future” when descending backwards towards the end of the ride. Other major changes include the removal of the scenes that had people from all over the world talking on the internet using instant video communication. Some new scenes include the computer as it was first created, taking up an entire room, and the invention of a normal sized computer occurring in someone’s garage.

Misc. Facts

Spaceship Earth opened on October 1, 1982. The ride vehicles are technically named OmniMovers, however they are referred to (in this attraction) as “time machines”. The entire ride lasts 13 minutes and 26 seconds. The height of the structure is 180 feet, while the track only reaches 163 feet. The sphere at its lowest point is 18 feet, supported by four pylons stuck over 120 feet into the ground.

Conclusion

I hope you have enjoyed the first edition of “In Depth” – previously called “In the Spotlight”. Even though this new and improved version of the series isn’t incredibly detailed, hopefully it’ll give you an interesting read – and you might actually learn something! If you have any thoughts on Spaceship Earth, or if you have any feedback for the new series, please comment.

“In the Spotlight” Becomes “In Depth”

In 2009, my main goal (regarding the internet world, that is) was to move this blog forward. A major way to do this is to get better content, and post it more frequently. We’ve managed to pull the second one off for a few days so far, but I was still looking for a way to improve the content.

I eventually came to the conclusion to change the format of a series here, called “In the Spotlight”, that outlined basic facts about rides and attractions. “In the Spotlight” is now being called “In Depth”, where I’m take the same basic idea, but just improving on it. “In Depth” posts will feature a ride or attraction, but instead of having just a few interesting facts, there’s going to be a lot more information there – think of a way more detailed version of ITS.

Hopefully it will be a bit more helpful and interesting to everyone! Sure, it means I’ll have to actually do some more research, but it’s worth it. So now, let me know what you guys think – do you like the new idea, or would you rather keep the basic “ITS” posts?

In the Spotlight: Space Mountain

Welcome to another edition of In the Spotlight, where we give you basic facts and fun trivia regarding rides and attractions in the Walt Disney World Resort. Today, we outline Space Mountain, located in Tomorrowland of the Magic Kingdom.

• Space Mountain officially opened on January 15, 1975 with the sponsor RCA.
• In 1993, RCA dropped their sponsorship and FedEx took over in 1994, ending their sponsorship in 2004.
• Even if it doesn’t seem like it, Space Mountain only reaches a top speed of 28 mph. This is even slower than Thunder Mountain, which reaches speeds of 30 mph!
• The left track, Alpha, is 3,196 feet long, while the right track, Omega, is 3,186 feet long. Omega is longer due to the fact it crosses over Alpha at one point during the ride.
• Space is known for its frequent breakdowns, which occur if guests take to long to unload. When the unloading stations get too backed up, the computers shut down the ride. This has to be manually restarted by cast members, who push the cars off the emergency brakes throughout the ride to continue.
• The highest point of the ride track is 65 feet; the ride itself is only 2:30 minutes.
• The ride was originally planned to be named “Space Port”.

I hope you’ve enjoyed another edition of In the Spotlight! Feel free to comment and leave your thoughts.

In the Spotlight: Test Track

Welcome to another series of In the Spotlight!  Today, we are taking a look at Test Track, found in Future World at Epcot.  I heard from some comments that ITS posts were interesting, so I’m bringing them back.  Here we go!

• Test Track’s track is 5,246 feet long, making it the longest ride in Walt Disney World.
• Guests can only see four wheels on each ride vehicle, but actually, there are 22 wheels!
• Because of the 22 wheels, each car has six different braking systems.
• Three computers are onboard each ride vehicle, and put together, they have three times the computing power of a space shuttle.
• Next time you’re in the corrosion chamber, check out the nozzles on the robots – they are actually Hidden Mickeys.
• Each ride lasts an exact 5 minutes and 34 seconds.
• The entire Test Track area is 150,000 sq. feet.
• Test Track replaced “World of Motion”, another transportation themed dark ride sponsored by General Motors as well.
• Test Track opened over two years late due to problems revealed during testing and changes to the ride design.

Well there you have it – I hope you enjoyed another ITS post – and feel free to comment!

In the Spotlight: Splash Mountain

Welcome to another edition of In the Spotlight!  In this post, we’ll be looking at some interesting facts about Splash Mountain.

• Splash Mountain is based on the 1946 film “Song of the South”.
• The entire Splash Mountain area takes up 9.2 acres.
• Splash Mountain contains 68 audio-anamatronic characters.  This is one of the largest number of anamatronics to be in a WDW attraction.
• The entire ride lasts about 11 minutes.
• The showboat in the final scene is one of the largest animated props in WDW.
• It holds 12 anamatronics singing the theme song, “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah”.
• The showboat is 36 feet wide, and 22 feet tall.
• The big drop on Splash Mountain is 5 stories tall.  You will reach a speed of 40 mph while dropping.
• You must be 40″ tall to ride Splash Mountain.

I hope you’ve enjoyed another post of In the Spotlight!

In the Spotlight: Mission SPACE

I know it’s been a while since you’ve seen one of these, but I’m really going to try to keep fresh content up here!  Let’s take a look at some interesting facts about Mission: SPACE!

• It took over 650 Imagineers and over 5 years to develop Mission: SPACE.
• The ISTC’s motto (“We choose to go!”) is taken from a speech by John F. Kennedy, “We choose to go to the Moon … not because it is easy, but because it is hard.”
• Almost 100 shades of red were sampled before a decision was made on the color of the red planet outside the queue.
• Trevor Rabin, composer of many action films, composed the entire score for Mission: SPACE.
• Many things mentioned on Mission: SPACE, like the spaceship being powered by solid hydrogen, is something actually being developed by NASA.
• Mission: SPACE is supposedly taking place in the year 2036.

I hoped you enjoyed another post of In the Spotlight!

In the Spotlight: Expedition Everest

Welcome to another post of “In the Spotlight”. Today, we take a look at some fun facts about Expedition Everest, located in Asia at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

• Expedition Everest contains 2 encounters with the mysterious Yeti.
• Expedition Everest has one drop, 80 feet in length.
• The train reaches 120 feet high.
• The train goes forwards and backwards.
• To get a more intense experience, ride in the back car.
• You must me 42″ or taller to ride Expedition Everest.
• The ride vehicles carry 34 passengers per train.
• The maximum speed in Expedition Everest is 50 mph.
• Expedition Everest is the largest ride in WDW.
• Expedition Everest cost $100 Million (USD) to build.
• Expedition Everest is composed of three “structures”.
• The anamatronic Yeti is so big, it’s on its own structure.

Add content to WDW History’s Expedition Everest Page.

In the Spotlight – Soarin’

Welcome to the second edition of In the Spotlight!  This one is all about Soarin’ at Epcot. Enjoy!

• The entire experience, including the pre-show and ride, is about 10 minutes
• The actual ride is only about 5 minutes
• Each ride cycle can hold up to 87 guests
• The ride system idea came from Imagineer Mark Sumner, while he was experimenting with his old erector set
• The projection screen is 80 feet in diameter
• Scents are blown out by a fan to make it seem like they are in the air
• Scents include orange blossoms, pine trees, and ocean spray
• The film uses IMAX projection systems, and high definition projectors
• The attraction’s score, was written by composer Jerry Goldsmith
• A Hidden Mickey can be found on the golf ball that is hit almost directly at guests
• The last scene is in the Disneyland Resort in California

Rating:

In the Spotlight – Pirates of the Caribbean

Welcome to “In the Spotlight: Pirates of the Caribbean”!  This is obviously the first ITS (In the Spotlight), so I’ll tell you a little about it first.  In the Spotlight is where I will feature a certain ride; I will give you facts, tips, and more about that certain ride.  With that being said, let’s see what we have for today.

• POTC opened on December 15, 1973
• Pirates was not originally planned to be in Walt Disney World, because it wasn’t exotic enough
• POTC is said to be the last ride Walt Disney personally worked on
• The song “A Pirate’s Life for Me”, which plays through the ride, was writeen by Xavier Atencio
• In the Auction scene, watch the pirate shoot over at the other side of the river.  The “La Cantina” sign swings back and forth, apparently being hit.
• The queue and begining of the ride, you are in the Spanish fortress “El Castillo – Torre del Sol” or “The Castle – Fortress of the Sun”
• Pirates actually tells a story in a real order, instead of having random scenes
• In 1999, the attraction was made more “politically correct”, by having the women chasing the pirates, instead of the other way around
• On July 7, 2006, POTC officially re-opened, after the refurbishment adding Captain Jack Sparrow to the scenes