Journey Into Imagination and WED

[Contemporary05]

JimHillMedia

Source is Jim Hill:

Journey Into Your Imagination. When they ditched both Figment and Dreamfinder, there was an uproar and Figment was brought back. However, Dreamfinder ceased to be. Earlier, a source inside Disney was quoted as saying Dreamfinder was "dead." In some of the latest news, Tony Baxter, one of the creators and current VP of design, has been tapped to spearhead an update on Journey Into Your Imagination. One of the items mentioned in a meeting about the rehab was Dreamfinder. It currently looks like WDI is giving Baxter control to re-instate Dreamfinder and Figment as partners and do so with new state of the art technology. A new Imageworks may also be in the design. While this is still more rumor than actual news, expect to hear from Emeryville about this.

In other news, members of Pixar are requesting that the Disney Company drop "Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI)" and re use the original "WED" name (Which stood for Walt Elias Disney). While this change would be a symbolic gesture, the cost to replace all the signs and business cards would be fairly high. What the future holds however, is anyone's guess.

I personally hope that Dreamfinder and Figment pair back up and that WDI changes back to WED. This would just be absolutely awesome!

[Maestr034]

That is some great information. Especially the Figment and Dreamfinder news. All I can say is that it is about time for a redo.

[Benjo]

I really hope so too. Both of these changes would be nice. I know that Jim Hill has a reputation for lying about rumors from time to time, but I really hope that these rumors have some truth to them.

[Ellura]

I wish they would just admit failure and bring the original journey ride!!

[skiyalater]

I would love to actually see the dreamfinder because I never have!

[Benjo]

I would love to actually see the dreamfinder because I never have!

It was really something special back in the day, Skiyalater. I wish you could have seen it.

[skiyalater]

I always hear about it and wish i could have seen it. Any one have a picture?

[Benjo]

This page has some good info on the ride and the way the outside looked back in the 80's:

http://www.startedbyamouse.com/features/jii.shtml

I'll see if I can find something decent in terms of photos from inside the ride.

[tjcoolgirl15]

I really hope the Dreamfinder comes back, and maybe something closer to the original Image Works, that would be great!

[MayBWeRMnt2B]

I've heard abotu this for awhile, I've heard again and again about Dreamfinder coming back. I hope it happens. It would be great for it to happen because I would love for Dreamfinder to be back. :-) So I hope we hear more about this soon!

[FutureImagineer]

Who doesn't like Dreamfinder. Remember at the old Imageworks when he had the video where kids could interact on the TV screen with him as they stood in line in front of a green screen and battled the bad guys with 'imagination'?

As for the acronym change...I love the innovative word, Imagineering. So why don't they combine the two and call it WEDI??? That can make everyone happy, see?

[Contemporary05]

If they change it back to WED, maybe we could change the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (TTA) back to the WEDWay Peoplemover...just a musing.

[dbm20th]

I loved Dreamfinder in the ride, but when he was a character outside the ride...man he was creepy looking!!

[dbm20th]

I know that Jim Hill has a reputation for lying about rumors from time to time, but I really hope that these rumors have some truth to them.

But that is usually only when he is trying to get Disney to spend themsleves broke. Tell me more about your impressions of JH. He certainly seems to have an agenda

[Benjo]

But that is usually only when he is trying to get Disney to spend themsleves broke. Tell me more about your impressions of JH. He certainly seems to have an agenda

I think Jim has some good ideas and insights, but it often seems like his rumors don't come to fruition. A lot of the WDW podcasters out there aren't big on him, and they seem to think that he's somewhat of a rumormonger (sp?) from time to time, and most of the time his rumors are unsubstanciated