Disney Fulfills Figment “Promise.” Now It’s Time for New CEO to Announce Journey Into Imagination 4.0!
During last March’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders, outgoing CEO Bob Iger was asked during the Q&A about the future of Figment. Fast forward one year, and he’s technically fulfilled that promise. And with the 2026 event right around the corner, it’s time for incoming CEO Josh D’Amaro to be prepared for a similar question, and to have a more crowd-pleasing answer.
In case you missed it, Disney CEO Bob Iger was asked whether the company would consider using Figment in other areas of the company outside of theme parks, such as a movie based on the character? Here was Bob Iger’s response:
“This is my 24th shareholder call, my 18th as CEO…and I think the question of Figment has been asked about 15 times. I call him ‘good ‘ole Figment.’ We know that Figment is popular with shareholders because of the fact that they ask questions about him all the time.
But we also know that he’s popular at EPCOT, where you can meet him and experience Journey Into Imagination. I am going to ask our creative teams to make some form of series or short-form videos of Figment. Obviously he’s more popular than just a walk-around character.”
Disney has fulfilled Iger’s promise with a new Disney Channel short featuring Figment on Disney+ and YouTube. And with that, the outgoing CEO can retire on a high note, technically satisfying his obligation to fans. He now passes the baton to Josh D’Amaro, who will face Figment questions for the next however many years unless he acts fast at Disney’s 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders later this month or at the 2026 D23 Expo later this summer.
I’ve taken a sacred oath to advocate for Journey into Imagination 4.0 whenever the opportunity presents itself, so I’m going to proceed with that, yet again, here. As we’ve said many times and for many years, it’s time to reimagine the Imagination pavilion. (Figment called–wants changes!)
To that point, we’re back one week after “How NOT To Draw” featuring Figment went live and it’s performing strongly. On YouTube, the short has already racked up over 100,000 views. Potentially more impressively, it’s been trending on Disney+ over the weekend, climbing as high as the #2 spot! Let’s keep that momentum going–fire up Disney+ and play that short on loop. Help send a message to Disney leadership. (Fans called–want more Figment!)
There are a few subjects I’ll find any excuse to report on without fail as my own form of protest or a pressure campaign. Among those are the Cinderella Castle Dream Lights, Lights of Winter at EPCOT, Restoring Impressions de France, Bringing Back MuppetVision, and the Journey into Imagination Reimagining.
Walt Disney World is definitely not always responsive to fan feedback and complaints, but they are sometimes and in the right circumstances. All of those qualify, so we’ll continue to push for these things even if the chances of success are low. Sometimes shouting at a cloud beats doing nothing.
That brings us to today’s update, as we fulfill our civic duty of raising awareness for the new Figment video:
A new short starring Figment has debuted on the Disney Channel Animation YouTube channel that’s part of the popular “How NOT To Draw” series. The short is narrated by Disney superfan Neil Patrick Harris, who talks to Figment about imagination while the pair draw different scenes using inspiration from ordinary objects around the room.
We believe Figment is voiced by A.J. LoCascio in this video, who started voicing the character with the Disney Speedstorm game. This would seemingly suggest he’s taking over the role from Dave Goelz, which is honestly fine by me. I still think of Gonzo whenever I hear Figment in the current attraction.
A.J. LoCascio’s version has grown on me, even if it’s still a bit too raspy and adult. It’s definitely a step in the right direction, and I think he could nail it in a future version of the attraction. (Figment was originally voiced by the late Billy Barty.)
The video is a treasure trove of Easter eggs and hidden references to the original Journey into Imagination, including CAT/BAT blocks and original Dream Mobile, along with Orange Bird (not from JII, but still a fun one) and much more. It also features “One Little Spark,” the song written for the attraction by the legendary Sherman Brothers.
Here’s hoping that the “bigger canvas” that Figment finds at the end of the video is a tease for a new Journey into Imagination, which would certainly be more substantial than a series of shorts. (Although we wouldn’t complain about more substantive shorts pairing Figment with Neil Patrick Harris–anything to raise awareness and increase Figment’s fan following!)
We highly recommend watching the “How NOT To Draw” Figment video for yourself a time or twenty. Maybe just put it on loop in the background to help pump up its stats and show Disney how huge of a fanbase Figment still has.
If popular enough, perhaps this “How NOT To Draw” Figment video will convince Disney to proceed with the Figment feature film by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. The film was announced back in 2022, but it seems to stuck in development purgatory.
Our hope is and has been that Rogen’s ongoing relationship with Disney results in the Figment feature film getting greenlit and moving forward. Maybe Disney already has decided to push forward with that after the surprise success of The Muppet Show revival by the duo.
After Rogen’s pitch-perfect handling of the Muppets, with the revival being at once a nostalgic love letter and timeless reboot, we’re further convinced he’d be a great choice to helm a Figment feature. There also (seems to be) the reality that Figment needs something big to turn the character into a serious brand or franchise for Disney.
Personally, I don’t think a feature film is necessary to “prove” that Figment’s popularity. The last few decades of the character’s popularity despite an underwhelming attraction have already done that.
It’s no secret that even as diehard Figment faithful, we don’t love the current incarnation of the ride. It made our lists of the 10 Worst Attraction Replacements at Walt Disney World and 10 Attractions That Have Aged Poorly at Walt Disney World. We did defend Journey into Imagination as one of several attractions at EPCOT that you should not skip, which is a “controversial” opinion because the attraction truly is divisive.
The current Journey into Imagination has low guest satisfaction scores relative to other rides of its kind. We’ve routinely remarked that first-timers confuse Figment for a Spyro the Dragon knock-off, which is really only a half-joke.
Unless you’re a child of the 1980s or 90s who experienced the original attraction–which has been gone for far longer than it existed!–or are a voracious consumer of Disney history videos, you likely have zero affinity for Figment and might even be confused by why the current character has such a strong fan following. (He doesn’t! It’s the old Figment we love!)
The current attraction and Imagination pavilion as a whole are underutilized. The ride routinely is a walk-on or has an actual wait time of under 5 minutes. The theater has been showing the Pixar shorts for a while now, which was also meant to be a band aid following the removal of Captain EO.
We mention this because, on several occasions, Disney leadership has expressed a desire to increase capacity of the parks by reimagining areas that are currently underused. There are several such spots in EPCOT, but aside from Wonders of Life, I can’t think of any that have as much potential for absorbing more crowds as the Imagination Pavilion. Even without actual expansion, there’s so much untapped potential with the Imagination pavilion.
The success of Test Track 3.0 since its reimagining has demonstrated the fruits of this approach. Similar strategies are currently being undertaken with Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, and next up is Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, soon to be starring the Muppets.
A similar strategy could–and should–be used with Journey into Imagination. Nothing new has been announced for EPCOT, meaning the next all-new attraction isn’t coming until sometime in the 2030s. Journey into Imagination 4.0 could be fast-tracked to debut this decade.
This is both my hope and my expectation. Walt Disney World’s current 5-year plan calls for minimal investment in EPCOT as other parks are the focus. Aside from the GEO-82 bar, nothing new was announced for the park at the last D23 Expo.
At that point, something else will need to be done, or Walt Disney World will risk a repeat of the stagnation that’s happened at Animal Kingdom due to underinvestment since Pandora opened. Fortunately, several more ride reimaginings are possible to breathe new life into EPCOT, as discussed in our List of What EPCOT’s Overhaul Needs in Phase 2. That is unsurprisingly topped by JII4, but also on the list are updates to other former Future World pavilions as well as additions to World Showcase.
Enter incoming Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro, who will take the helm on March 18, 2026. That’s the same day of Disney’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders. It’s the same event at which Bob Iger was asked about Figment’s future last year (and many times in the years before that). The new CEO will almost assuredly be asked about it again. Maybe not this year, but someday soon–and often.
It’s common for Disney to make some splashy announcements at the Annual Shareholders Meeting. Whether that’ll happen in 2026 is anyone’s guess. For one thing, the 2026 D23 Expo is right around the corner. For another, the leadership “handoff” might be deemed big enough, and dropping big news in the new CEO’s first day on the job might be deemed a dubious decision. On the other hand, he might want to hit the ground running.
As discussed in 11 Great Changes Josh D’Amaro Could Make for Big Wins as New CEO, it’s common for new leadership at Disney to make a lot of announcements and changes early in their tenure to set the tone. We’re fully expecting a couple waves of announcements, likely with an initial set of guest experience wins this spring and summer, followed by more substantive news at the 2026 D23 Expo in August.
I can’t think of any bigger and bolder move that Josh D’Amaro could make during his tenure as CEO to win over alienated fans than announcing Journey into Imagination 4.0. (Except greenlighting a full Imagination pavilion, complete with MuppetVision 3D taking over the theater!)
Bringing back Figment and Dreamfinder is a surefire way of undoing a lot of the damage from controversial changes of the last few years, quieting complaints and criticism. There is no other positive announcement that would outweigh so many prior negatives ones.
It would be the surest way for D’Amaro to distance himself from Iger and Chapek, unloading the negative baggage onto them. Rivers of America, MuppetVision, DINOSAUR, guest experience cutbacks–all of it–would be forgiven by fans in the blink of an eye. Or blamed on someone else.
It would send a powerful message that there’s a new sheriff in town, and one who “gets” fans and is responsive to feedback. It would establish the Disney Parks as their own intellectual property (something that should already be obvious), and not just dumping grounds for movie IP. It would be a big win for legacy building.
I’ve been advocating for a new Journey into Imagination for longer than this website has existed. Figment was my entry point into the fandom in the first place, and was far and away my favorite attraction when visiting EPCOT Center as a child in the 1980s and 1990s.
There’s literally no news that would be as meaningful for me as a reimagined Journey into Imagination. Walt Disney World could announce that improbable 5th gate at the 2026 D23 Expo, and I’d still be asking about Figment. It is the news I’ve been anxiously awaiting for the last decade-plus.
And although I’ve wanted this for a long, long time, there’s a new sense of urgency for me: we now have a daughter who is entering her formative years when this attraction could really resonate. She’s already outgrown her adorable Figment costume (no one tells you time starts moving faster when you become a parent), and is entering the ‘sweet spot’ for Journey into Imagination to spark her curiosity.
Setting aside my own motivations and nostalgia, Figment is more popular than ever. He sells popcorn buckets, sweaters, and everything else. It would generate goodwill among WDW diehards and forge new fans in the process. Figment would become the face and mascot of the new-look EPCOT, elevating the otherwise underwhelming central spine in the process. It’d be a license to print money on more new merchandise, too.
Recapturing that lost magic and spirit of imagination would have the same impact today as it did decades ago, which is why so many of us are still Figment fans. Walt Disney World has done enough dipping its toes into the pool to test the popularity of Figment. It’s beyond time for a redone ride. It just makes sense to reimagine Journey into Imagination.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of the new “How NOT to Draw” featuring Figment? Could this be a precursor to Journey into Imagination 4.0? Or is this just more false hope for fans? Hoping that Josh D’Amaro does the right thing and announces a ride reimagining or pavilion overhaul this year? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment that now is the second-most logical time for a Journey into Imagination overhaul? Any questions? Hearing from you is half the fun, so please share your thoughts in the comments!
While I refuse to be mollified by an animated short, I am so happy to start my day with this massive basket of Easter Eggs! (Though I will still have to watch South Park’s “Imaginationland” episode when I want to feel like the world remembers Dreamfinder!!)
All this tepid market testing is honestly just insulting to fans at this point. Is Figment any less known than the Guardians of the Galaxy were before Disney gave them an excellent movie franchise and one of the most entertaining theme park attractions of the modern era? Give us our Figment & Dreamfinder movie. Give us our attraction. (Not necessarily in that order!). Do it RIGHT and all the money will follow through new generations of captured hearts and imaginations.
The way you feel about Figment is the way I feel about Mannequins Dance Palace at then Pleasure Island. It was the most unique experience on Disney property and was the altar at which Disney adults came to worship. Disney has never been the same since its closure. Ironically, its theme and back story would fit perfectly into the industrial feel of Disney Springs.
I remember spending hours at the pavilion. Between the ride, ImageWorks, and the Magic Journeys movie (which I liked at the time, but now feels like an acid trip), it was a great, air-conditioned spot to enjoy. I remember the preshow for the movie featured a Sherman Brothers song, Makin’ Memories, during the slideshow. The 80’s at Epcot sure were fun!
Journey into imagination and figment was such a favorite. What were they thinking when they revise this they didn’t revise anything, it’s boring. It’s weird and frankly the only reason I’d ever go would be to get out of the sun and get some AC for a minute. Was so cool back in the day image works my son could spend hours there. Imagine what they could do with it now they really need to bring it back. A new improved image works, but kind of keep the old figment and dream finder. They wouldn’t believe how many people would stand in line for this they have to realize by now that they ruined it totally it’s just an empty shell swallow your pride and bring back journey into imagination 4.0 some things are better left alone.
Since other rides are already including other Disney intellectual property (Norway with Frozen and France with Remy, etc), I’d say we revamp it to Inside Out. The movie has an Imagination Land and a Figment is seen briefly. Also, Zootopia really needs to be added to the Animal Kingdom.
No offense, but if you experienced the original ride, you’d understand why that’s a terrible idea. Figment doesn’t need new IP, he can carry it himself. Disney just needs to put in some imagination themselves and do right by him. They did just open the Zootopia 4-D show in the tree at AK to replace Bug’s Life.
I also fantasize of becoming Disney’s next CEO for the sole task of overhauling Journey. However, Figment would need to be restored to his mysterious self, along with his mystical partner, the Dreamcatcher. I cannot even bring myself to visit the oversized character, too much whimsical is lost on the imposter. Nor would I look forward to a full length film with Seth Rogan. Figment is meant to mischievously slide in & out of the picture, not followed around (I would like to see a limited series of shorts though). I believe Journey could looking something like Mystic Manor; trackless vehicles, immersive scenes, imagination unbound with the lovable character showing up in the strangest of places only to happily return at the end of the Journey as if One Little Spark was planned all along. Show the shorts in 3D next door, embrace the steampunk theming and engage our childish delight with a sweeping pre-show. This pavilion has more protentional than anywhere else in Disneyworld and with just a little old school Disney magic a dream, can be a dream come true.
I thought LoCascio nailed the singing voice and his exclamations, *especially* that first “Whoa!” under the title. It does look like I’m fine with a slightly older childish delight than Barty originally did, though I felt LoCascio’s Figment voice was pre-teen at oldest, at least these first three times.
Given how much rework is allegedly needed over at the Wonders of Life building versus that put into the Imagination building, I’m cautiously optimistic about them focusing on the building that once housed the second most popular attraction at EPCOT. I even think they can do it with the current length track, but with Omnimover cars like the original attraction to extend the length of the attraction. (Just don’t low-ball the effort, cost and schedule for this go around!)
“Cinderella Castle Dream Lights, Lights of Winter at EPCOT, Restoring Impressions de France, Bringing Back MuppetVision, and the Journey into Imagination Reimagining.”
All admirable hills to die on. We, the constant readers, will follow you in storming the castle.
I’ve seen all the JII variations. That’s the reason this latest one was even more disappointing than it would have been were it the only one I saw. Did you follow that?
Anyway, as a big Monty Python fan I was really excited to see the newest version when it arrived.
Since then I’ve only been back once. It was a walk on and I had to see if I remembered correctly how bad it was.
If Uncle Josh is as big a Park fan as we think he is AND is connected with the fans he surely must know JII is a loser.
I have no background in these things but it seems to me that the cheapest way to produce a new crowd consuming ride is to take the ride in question and change the story to something fun and exciting.
I mean the ride apparatus is fine. So it comes down to writing a better, funny script and the new visuals that go with it.
I’m not saying it’s cheap or inexpensive but it seems like it would be the least expensive way to add a new ride anywhere.
Am I wrong?
Journey into Imagination definitely needs something. I didn’t grow up going to Disney, so I have no experience of the original ride or attachment to Figment. My kids actually liked the ride though, whereas I couldn’t get over the low resolution screens and general dated, faded feel.
Test track 3.0 (along with the animatronic upgrades to Frozen and Remy’s losing the 3D glasses) did a lot to make the Tier 1 LL in Epcot worthwhile. A revamped JII to become a worthwhile Tier 2 alongside Soarin (and ideally a revamped Spaceship Earth) would go a long way towards making LL more valuable in Epcot, allowing Disney to both raise prices and sell more. And fans get upgraded rides, so everyone wins.
Figment is my absolute favorite Disney character. He is one of the things I remember most from my trips to Disney in the 80s. I’d love to see more from him.
Meeting Figment is one of my fondest memories of Disney in the 80s! I loved the ride and can still remember the cast members letting my family ride back to back without getting out of cars! I would love to see a strong return!
I think that it’s time for the new Journey into Imagination 4.0 Announcement the fans wanted this I hope!
please get rid of the skunk smell Everytime! my 3 year old doesn’t understand why it can’t sometimes be roses or oranges or anything else. make it random and add a couple more smells.
I honestly have no idea why it was changed in the first place.
I’m at the point where I have dreams of being the Disney CEO…JUST for the purpose of reimagining this ride and this pavilion. JII 4.0x should have been done 15 years ago (or more), its WAY overdue. And not just Figment, bring back DREAMFINDER! Pay homage to the old ride and make it a whimsical, thoughtful exercise. Use the trackless technology and have a “flying” element like a modern day Peter Pan ride. This would be a MASSIVE upgrade over the sarcastic, cheap ride that sits there today.
Oh, and while we’re at it, eject the Pixar shorts video and turn that wing into the Tony Baxter Imagineering Hall of Fame, and eject the DVC Lounge upstairs and restore the colorful lights, and put in some Inside Out themed interactive stuff for the kids. This is so obvious…
I could see Figment being the tie-in point for a multi IP attraction (animators imagining various characters that take shape in the ride). Alternately, as he’s always had an interactive zone, I could see a revived play pavilion featuring him.
When I went to Epcot for the first time many years ago, the original imagination ride was my favorite. I loved the whole thing, figment and dreamfinder as well.
But I’ll be honest, it’s time as past. Catering to the few middle aged people who experienced the original is a bad idea. Figment minus the original IP is not a great character. And recreating the original won’t happen.
At best, an Inside Out attraction where figment shows up briefly is the best figment-Phil’s can and should hope for. Disney is not going to invest hundreds of millions (which is what it needs) into something without a film IP to support it.
How dare you, sir!
I respectfully disagree. I think investing in something that’s not the new IP is a great idea, Test Track 3.0 isn’t IP-based at all and it’s a huge hit…they can use their imagination and give us something fantastic. Even if we don’t get it, why shouldn’t fans have “Blue Sky” aspirations?Maybe it’ll land somewhere great. Besides, the popularity of Figment with merch related to the festivals and meet and greets show that he’s got appeal even if you don’t know him from the original EPCOT ride. BTW, did you experience the original pavilion? The “original IP” isn’t really the point, folks want something that took some imagination to create, which the current ride is sorely lacking… Figment is adorable, he is IP, albeit a small one. But remember, Disney used to create things that weren’t tied to existing IP and they got people interested in something new… which then became established IP, so asking for more from a company that was based on imagination is never a mistake.
YES!!! I love Figment, and I’d join you in “lobbying” for a complete overhaul to Journey into Imagination! The current ride is somewhat lackluster, actually LACKING imagination and certainly lacking much appeal to crowds. How about a COMPLETE overhaul, sorta like Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway! A fun, imaginative, family friendly trackless ride with just enough mild thrills to engage and captivate guests of all ages, from toddlers to grandparents. Something of that caliber would certainly help distribute crowds and ease wait times for other e-ticket attractions at EPCOT.
Another ride on that side of Future World commanding a 45+ minute average wait would be a huge win for park ops, nevermind all of the merchandise it would move!
Epcot’s such a huge space and has been in need of updates for a while. Along with a new figment, an updated spaceship earth, and a Coco overlay of the three caballeros which all should have happened already and which D’amaro is well aware is needed. There is still the financial windfall that is the Brazilian Pavillion that needs to be built. The currently rumoured upcoming closure of living with the land which would require a reimagining and, as you said, the Captain Eo theater. There is a lot of nostalgia that I relive every visit to Epcot. But much of it is need of investment.
I don’t think Coco as a reimagining of Gran Fiesta Tour is likely. They did a feasibility test years ago and it wasn’t workable. More here: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/coco-boat-ride-rumor-reimagining-gran-fiesta-tour-epcot-disney-world/