Knocking down entire Imagination building

[monorailrabbit]

I literally got chills when I saw the video of the recreated original imagination ride. Could it be!?!?! Going back to the original ride, updated with today's technology would be amazing. Open up the upstairs imageworks again, and I will be there on opening day!!!

Can't wait to see what comes of this!

Yep!! Chills here too!!
It has always been a wish in the back of my mind but now it seems it could be coming back in some way. I just can't wait to see what's coming!!

Me too! Me too! This was always my favorite part of Disney World HANDS DOWN! I am so excited! I'm afraid to get too worked up but I can't wait until we hear more!

 

[Echo7Solo]

yeah I just can't see this one happening

 

[101disneyfan]

As long as nothing happens to the Imagination jumping fountains, I'm not going to complain about the possibility of Dreamfinder, or anything else coming for the reimagineering of IMAGINATION.

 

[SueM in MN]

It's possible to do. Depends what they are building.

I'm not holding my breath though. The original Journey Into Imagination was recreated for a video presentation at D23, Dreamfinder made an appearance for Tony Baxter's Legends presentation, and Tony asked when he's returning...

As long as nothing happens to the Imagination jumping fountains, I'm not going to complain about the possibility of Dreamfinder, or anything else coming for the reimagineering of IMAGINATION.

I would like them to put the Imagination jumping fountains (and the whole Imagination building) back the way it was before. Even the fountains were decreased and changed.

 

[Tiger8691]

I hope that we are building another Soarin'. Doubling its size only makes sense. I like the California scenery, but would enjoy a different "flight".

 

[doconeill]

Regardless of the popularity of Soarin', I don't agree with the idea of killing an entire pavilion to double it's capacity. They should come up with a NEW E-ticket, such that it can absorb some of Soarin's popularity so they can take each concourse down for the updates.

Just building more Soarin' is just "more of the same" and isn't moving forward, which is what Disney used to be known for.

 

[Gingerg11]

I asked about the return of Figment and he said there was no word on that. He was unsure what they were doing with the pavilion. He did say the reason why the original attraction was rebooted was because it was in the contract that Kodak had with Disney. The attraction under their sponsorship would not be allowed to stagnate, it had to be significantly changed or updated every so many years.

His explanation for the reopening of the WoL was because Disney didn't want that so much closed at once but that would only be two pavilions, right? I didn't speak to him directly so I couldn't ask him any questions directly. He was aware that WoL is used for F&W or other events but never said it couldn't be ramped up.

I don't know where he got the information but he does work there (not sure where at WDW) but I will try to find out. As always posted as a rumor. I will also try to get a clarification on demolished or gutted.

 

[old lady]

I prefer the Journey of Imagination over the wonders of life. Even Einstein said it was more important than knowledge. I hope it is not going to be like what they did with the Universe of Energy.

 

[dcibrando]

I hope that we are building another Soarin'. Doubling its size only makes sense. I like the California scenery, but would enjoy a different "flight".

seems like they could film and develop several different flights that are random

 

[ThurlFan]

Regardless of the popularity of Soarin', I don't agree with the idea of killing an entire pavilion to double it's capacity. They should come up with a NEW E-ticket, such that it can absorb some of Soarin's popularity so they can take each concourse down for the updates.

Just building more Soarin' is just "more of the same" and isn't moving forward, which is what Disney used to be known for.

Seconded.

 

[Q-man]

Regardless of the popularity of Soarin', I don't agree with the idea of killing an entire pavilion to double it's capacity. They should come up with a NEW E-ticket, such that it can absorb some of Soarin's popularity so they can take each concourse down for the updates.

Just building more Soarin' is just "more of the same" and isn't moving forward, which is what Disney used to be known for.

You can't be shopping if your standing in line an hour and a half for Soarin'.

New and digital film is much needed. The amount of scratches on the Soarin' film are distracting at this point.

 

[Spacedog1975]

You can't be shopping if your standing in line an hour and a half for Soarin'.

New and digital film is much needed. The amount of scratches on the Soarin' film are distracting at this point.

Soarin' definitely does need attention and upgrading. More capacity wouldn't be a bad thing, but it is a reasonable point that if there were additional e-ticket attractions (inclusive of a retro-Journey) there would be less time spent in line for Soarin'.

 

[doconeill]

seems like they could film and develop several different flights that are random

Once they switch to digital projection this will be easy to do. Don't know if they are planning on it...they don't seem to need to draw people back.

 

[skier_pete]

Sorry, your CM friend is ill-informed. They showed this with the second part of the rumor. As soon as they stated that they were going to reopen Wonders of Life - the entire rest of the rumor is suspect.

(A) Body Wars is completely non-functional. They scavenged all the ride vehicle parts for Star Tours - they had the same ride mechanism. They couldn't bring it back if they want to.

(B) Cranium Command is similarly gone.

(C) The rest of the pavillion is big empty space. It is NOT reopening as Wonders of Life.

Back to the Imagination Pavillion. There is NO WAY they are bulldozing the building. I know they did that for Horizon/Mission Space, so I suppose not impossible if there is really a need, but I don't think that happens. Re-doing the ride to something fans would enjoy would probably cost $20-50 million. Bulldozing and rebuilding you are probably talking $250 million, and it just doesn't make any sense. It's not like they are going to turn it into a thrill ride.

A couple of pieces of information about the Soarin' Film:
1) They change the print every 3-4 months. I am not sure why it looks so bad - maybe Florida humidity - but you are not looking at an "old" print.
2) Digital is coming, but probably not for a few more years. Maybe 2016.
3) It is unlikely you will get a "randomized" film at any point. It might happen that there would be two films. However, as long as Soarin' is as popular as it is, you will not see a new film. When peak lines drop below 120 minutes, maybe.

 

[DLFT]

As much as I wish the WOL reopening would be true, I think it may happen but definetly not till later in the decade at the earliest...once avatarland and the new HS lands are open I'm sure Disney will take a good look at WOL, U of E, Innoventions, and if not already Imagination! as well.

My vote for a short term solution would be to put Muppet Vision where Captain Eo is right now (since Muppets will probably be remove in the coming years anyway for Star Wars and/or Pixar) and redo the pavilion entirely in 2016/17/18 along with the other things in Future World that need some love. I can dream, right?

 

[doconeill]

A couple of pieces of information about the Soarin' Film:
1) They change the print every 3-4 months. I am not sure why it looks so bad - maybe Florida humidity - but you are not looking at an "old" print.

I'd be a bit surprised if they changed that often...but then again I'm not. IMAX films are generally not designed to be run near constantly like that, and they have special cleaning systems, etc.

A typical IMAX print costs $35-50k, IIRC. Soarin' is obviously shorter. Don't know if they use a short print, or perhaps a long print with it repeated several times.

2) Digital is coming, but probably not for a few more years. Maybe 2016.[/quote]

No sooner that 2014. They haven't even released IMAX-worthy digital projection systems yet, but that is due soon. Then they have to adapt for the Omnimax dome screen. There is a rumor of a new film in 2015 to coincide with Shanghai, so that would be an ideal time to change.

3) It is unlikely you will get a "randomized" film at any point. It might happen that there would be two films. However, as long as Soarin' is as popular as it is, you will not see a new film. When peak lines drop below 120 minutes, maybe.

Digital makes it easy, but I likewise said earlier I don't see it until they need to draw people back. They don't need to do that now, and wouldn't need to do it with a new overall film - but they might have the new film ready to be chopped up for it.

Star Tours was a bit different - they have excess capacity, and they are trying to draw from TSM.

 

[BrianL]

1) They change the print every 3-4 months. I am not sure why it looks so bad - maybe Florida humidity - but you are not looking at an "old" print.

That is actually good to know. Still, a film that is run that many times per day is going to get scratched up. It does not bother me. Doesn't anyone remember the good ol' days of cinema?

 

[PuppyJonathan]

Soarin needs to double it's size though so the crowds can be healthier for the park. And I thought the sinkhole theory for horizons was true

 

[DLFT]

I don't think doubling Soarin's size is the right answer to make the crowds healthier...if that was true we would have two TSM's, two Expedition Everests, ect. What Epcot needs is one more E-Ticket. They have the space with WOL, the Odyssey, and Millennium Village to make that happen. The matter of fact is that HS and AK need more love at the moment than Epcot...but that will change in a few years once Avatarland and Star Wars Land and/or Pixar Place Expansion occur.

 

[skier_pete]

I'd be a bit surprised if they changed that often...but then again I'm not. IMAX films are generally not designed to be run near constantly like that, and they have special cleaning systems, etc.

A typical IMAX print costs $35-50k, IIRC. Soarin' is obviously shorter. Don't know if they use a short print, or perhaps a long print with it repeated several times.

I got the changeover frequency directly from one of the Soarin' CM leads. I can't remember what he said the prints cost, but it was tens of thousands. As you say, they run the reel at least 70 times a day. (~every 10 minutes for 12 hours a day). Considering the way movie prints used to wear being shown 6 times a day...

He is also the one that said they are a few years away from digital.