The History of the Imagination Pavilion

The Imagination Pavilion used to be one of the most popular pavilions at EPCOT. Now many believe that it is boring and ironically unimaginative. The pavilion has gone through nine different attractions. Here we will delve into the secrets and history of the Imagination Pavilion.

The outside of the pavilion

The first stage of its history was during opening day of EPCOT, October 1, 1982. There was only one attraction at the pavilion at this time. There was a 3D movie called Magic Journeys. Magic Journeys was the world shown from the eyes of a child. It had many imaginary transformations making one object turn into another.

Journey into Imagination debuted a year after EPCOT opened. The ride was so successful that the pavilion was called the "Journey into Imagination Pavilion." The ride began when guests soared above the clouds and met Dreamfinder. Dreamfinder uses his flying vehicle, the Dreamcatcher, to collect dreams, thoughts, and ideas to create all sorts of things. Than he conjures up the Figment of Imagination "two tiny wings, eyes big and yellow, horns of a steer, but a lovable fellow! From head to tail, he's royal purple pigment, and there, voilà! You've got a Figment!"

Dreamfinder's Dreamcather

After the guests are introduced to Figment, they explore where all of the dreams are kept. Than you travel through the imaginative rooms of arts, literature, preforming arts, and science. I will not get into detail of all these rooms because that would take to long, but I can provide you a video of the ride. At the end Dreamfinder reveals to both you and Figment that imagination is they key to unlock hidden wonders of the world. You do one final scene, and then you exit into Imageworks! An interactive exhibit. Here is a video of the now "abandoned" Imageworks.

The famous "Rainbow tunnel" inside the old Imageworks

The Imagination Pavilion was left untouched until 1986. Earlier, a new 3D film was being developed directed by George Lucas starring Michael Jackson. This film was called Captain EO. This film replaced Magic Journeys and it was infinitely more popular than its predecessor. The film is very complex, so it is hard to explain. I will have a video of it here, and please do not skip it on your trip to EPCOT. It stayed until 1994 and it came back, but I will talk about that later.

Michael Jackson in Captain EO

In 1994 Captain EO was replaced by a new 3D attraction: Honey I Shrunk the Audience. It takes place when the Imagination Institute hosts the Inventor of the Year ceremony. Wayne Szalinski, the scientist behind the shrinking gun, receives the award. In classic Disney fashion something goes "terribly wrong" and the gun gets out of control. After you are shrunk down, many special effects are demonstrated in the theatre. This attraction was liked but not loved like Captain EO was, so in 2010 Captain EO was placed back into its home.

Honey I Shrunk the Audience

In 1998 Journey into Imagination closed for refurbishment, and the upstairs Imageworks was closed. The outside of the pavilion was repainted and it was now called Imagination! The famous leap frog fountains were shrunk in size to accommodate a new gift shop. In 1999 one of the most infamous and hated changes was made. Journey into YOUR Imagination came out and Dreamfinder and Figment were kicked to the curb. 

The new Leapfrog fountains

Journey into YOUR Imagination begins when you get scanned to see your imagination. The scanner says you have none, so Dr. Nigel Channing, played by Eric Idle, sends you through many labs. They include sound, illusion, color, gravity, and connections. After you learn about imagination, the scanner explodes because you have so much imagination. Here is a video of Journey into YOUR Imagination. 

Gravity room in Journey into YOUR Imagination

The new imageworks was also created, but many say it lacked the magic that the original had. Here is a video of the new Imageworks that still stands today. Many of the small exhibits in Imageworks are neither unique nor revolutionary.

Journey into YOUR Imagination was unpopular and disliked, so in 2001 the Imagineers created yet another renovation. In this new version, called Journey into Imagination with Figment, Dr. Nigel Channing takes you on a tour of the new Imagination Institute. There are five labs related to the five senses: sight, sound, taste, touch, smell.

In the sound lab Dr. Channing wants to test your hearing with a series of tones, but lovable Figment pops up and shows you what you can hear with your imagination. 

In the sight labs, Dr. Nigel Channing wants to test your sight with an eye chart, but Figment shows you that you can see with your imagination. Next there is a very cool effect taken from the original version. In this effect there is a large butterfly in a cage which disappears like magic. The secret is one way mirrors and half of a butterfly.

The last of the labs is the smell lab. Here figment releases the smell of a skunk to show that your nose can turn smells into thoughts.

Dr. Channing does not want to send you into the touch and taste labs because who knows what Figment will do. So then you travel to Figment's house. It is all upside down, as it was in the gravity room of the past version of the ride.

Figments open house is upside down

 Channing soon learns that imagination should be let free so then guests travel into a room with many imaginative Figments. In this scene the famous song "One Little Spark" plays. 

The final scene in Journey into Imagination with Figment

The ride concludes as you enter the new Imageworks (1999-present) and the gift shop. This ride still operates and it while not loved as much as the original, still brings smiles to younger kids faces.

After Michael Jackson's death in 2009, Disney brought back Captain EO untouched from the original. It, still not as popular as it was in the 1980s, is still loved by many Michael Jackson fans.

Captain EO is back in business

This brings us to the present, where Figments roam and Michael Jackson is still alive. The Imagination Pavilion is the pavilion with the most history of any in EPCOT. I hope you visit it some time, but in the meantime please like, share, comment, and follow. Thank you! And let Imagination runs free!

5 Magic Kingdom Attractions that Need Refurbishment

The Magic Kingdom has the most rides of the Walt Disney World parks. Therefore some of the rides have become dated and less of a priority for guests. I am here to showcase some of the rides that should receive a refurbishment to bring back life to the park. I hope you enjoy this article and please like, share, and comment! Here we go!

Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin is a fun ride. With great lighting effects and interactive properties, this ride is very well loved and very popular. My biggest complaint about the ride is the guns. Many of the blasters do not function properly. When I recently went, my sister's score was only in the 1,000s while mine was in the 100,000s. You may think she was just bad, but upon trying again she beat me. The blasters not working could have made our 40 minute wait worth nothing. If this happens to you simply tell the cast members and they will let you try again.

Battle Zurg, but remember the guns may not work!

Mad Tea Party
This ride is pure fun, and while it may not get crowded, the capacity is low. My suggestion is the park should add another one, but one is fast and one is slow. This could let people push the limits of how fast they can go. Also, it would get more thrill seekers on the ride. When I rode it I was disappointed of the speed, so I think they could easily increase it.

Spin around and around with the Mad Hatter himself!

Peter Pan's Flight
Let me be honest, I love this ride. It is beautiful and the effects work very well. My complaint is that it is very short. Many people wait in a 90 minute queue for a ride that lasts only 2 minutes. My proposition is add another scene or two, or even make some scenes longer. Many may say that it would ruin the originality of the ride, and I suppose that would be a little controversial. I do not think Disney will ever do this, but that is one refurbishment that I would like.

Soar high over Neverland, but only for 2 minutes!

Stitch's Great Escape
This ride is terrible. This is one of the worst attractions the Imagineers have ever created. There are only a few ways to make it better. One, take away the chili dog smell. It reeks and no-one thinks its funny or cute. Two, make it less scary for kids. I am 14 and terrified of this ride. Finally, get ride of the ride altogether. Barely anyone likes it and many think it ruins Tommorowland. Replace it with an intuitive dark ride with feels of the future.

Become a guard of the Galactic Federation in this sub-par attraction!

The Main Street Electrical Parade

The Main Street Electrical Parade is a Disney World classic. It debuted in 1977, almost 38 years ago. While it has been de(light)ing crowds for a long time, its technology is dated. There have been new breakthroughs in lighting, screens, and other special effects, so why can't there be a new parade utilizing them. Paint the night at Disneyland has been massively successful, same with Dreamlights at Tokyo Disneyland. I think a new parade, with new tech, would delight guests and make them feel happy! 

This bright parade is a little bit dated, but still is a crowd pleaser!

I hope you have enjoyed my list of 5 attractions that should receive refurbishment in the Magic Kingdom! Please like, share, and comment on this list with your opinions and suggestions! 

Dole Whip vs Citrus Swirl

You are in adventureland, craving a frozen treat that is nice and sweet. You only have one snack credit on your magic band. This leaves you with a dilemma… what snack do you choose? Your two snack options are the Pineapple Dole Whip soft serve at Aloha Isle and the Citrus Swirl at Sunshine Tree Terrace. Here we will analyze what each are, how good it is, and what is a better deal.

Dole Whip Soft Serve (left) and the Citrus Swirl (right)

Dole Whip Soft Serve
The Dole Whip Soft Serve ice cream is a non-dairy pineapple treat that is cold, soft, and creamy. It is as delicious as it is iconic. For many a day at the Magic Kingdom is not complete without a Dole Whip. Same can be said about the Citrus Swirl. This is simply sweet, creamy, and refreshing, so it can really cool you off.

A creamy Dole Whip Soft Serve cup

Citrus Swirl
The Citrus Swirl is vanilla soft serve ice cream twisted with frozen orange juice. This flavor combination has many Disney World fans wanting more and more. This is very iconic also because of the Orange Bird is a beloved character to hardcore Disney fans. One half is tart and the other is sweet, making a combination destined by the stars.

The Little Orange Bird sitting next to the Citrus Swirl

Price and Portions

Both the regular Dole Whip and Citrus Swirl are 3.79, or 1 snack on the dining plan. The portions for the Citrus Swirl are usually bigger than that of the Dole Whip. So the Citrus Swirl takes the point.

Options/Variety
As you can see the Citrus Swirl only has no variations of itself. But you can get 3 different Dole Whip flavors, swirl it, or put it in pineapple juice. The Dole Whip receives the point.

Rarity
The Citrus Swirl is only available at Sunshine Tree Terrace at Magic Kingdom, therefore it is the only place to get one in the world! The Dole Whip can get at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disneyland, Animal Kingdom, Polynesian Village Resort, Alunai, the Dole Plantation in Hawaii. You can even get the mix if you have a soft serve machine. To some this makes it easier to get it, but to me it is not as special as the Citrus Swirl. So the Citrus Swirl takes the point.

Flavor

This the hardest category to judge, because my opinion may not apply to everyone. The Citrus Swirl is more tart, but it also has it sweet side on the soft serve. The Dole Whip pleases more palates than the Citrus Swirl. It is creamy, sweet, and cold. I prefer the Dole Whip for its flavor, but it depends on what flavors you like.

The Verdict

I personally like the Dole Whip better because of its options and flavor. The Dole Whip can please mostly any guest that walks into Adventureland. The Citrus Swirl is also amazing and I have a suggestion. Share a Dole Whip and a Citrus Swirl with someone, you can decide which snack is better and someone else can enjoy it with you. Thank you and please read the rest of my blog. I hope to see you again and have fun with your frozen snacks!

The Dole Whip reigns supreme!

The Most Popular Attractions at Disneyland Part 1

Disneyland Resort has many amazing attractions. Here I will showcase what I think are the best and most popular attractions. This is a two part list because there are so many fantastic rides. These are not necessarily my favorite, but expect pretty long waits at each one!

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Step into the abandoned Hollywood Tower Hotel and travel into the 13th story. This thrilling attraction includes a haunted elevator shaft and many drops. Fly into the Twilight Zone as Rod Sterling narrates your haunted journey. 

Drop into the Hollywood Tower Hotel, and maybe into… The Twilight Zone

Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
The 2011 refurbishment makes Star Tours one of the best rides on property. Board a Starspeeder 1000 and go on one of 50 different adventures. Battle with Darth Vader, be in the action on Hoth, and encounter many favorite  Star Wars Heroes! 

Battle Darth Vader or travel at Light-Speed

California Screamin
This outdoor coaster launches you fast and furiously! With one breathtaking launch and gravity defying loop, this is one of the most thrilling Disneyland attractions! 

Launch from 0 to 62 in just a few seconds

Matterhorn Bobsleds

This recently refurbished Disneyland Classic was the first tubular steel tracked roller coaster in the world. Themed to a mountain with a mysterious yeti, this roller coaster has long lines and big thrills. To beat the lines go single rider to turn a 60 minute wait to a 5 minute wait.

Careen through turns at high speed while escaping the grips of the yeti

Dumbo the Flying Elephant
This is one of the most classic and legendary theme park rides of all time. This simple spinner has delighted families and kids of all ages for over 60 years. This may not be thrilling, but it is a fun filled classic.

Soar in the sky in Dumbo the Flying Elephant

Thank you for reading my list of the most popular Disneyland attractions. Please continue this article and share comment or +1. Thank you!

Most Popular Disneyland Resort Attractions Part 2

Disneyland Resort has many amazing attractions. Here I will showcase what I think are the best and most popular attractions. This is a two part list because there are so many fantastic rides. These are not necessarily my favorite, but expect pretty long waits at each one!

Soarin' Over California
This immersive hang gliding simulator is now part of the new area "Grizzly Peak Airfield." This ride swoops you into a beautiful experience on hanging seats while your seats move, wind blows in your hair, and scents riddle the senses. As my sister puts it, "It's pretty chill."

The entrance at the new area "Grizzly Peak Airfield!"

The Haunted Mansion
This spooky ride takes you through an eerie manor. The floorboards creek while ghosts and ghouls lurk around the corner. The ghosts are both spooky and friendly, so they might hitch a ride with you back home. Come see the new Hatbox Ghost for a new effect!

There are 999 happy haunts, but there is room for one more!

Toy Story Midway Mania
This ride is very simple, but it is an amazing experience. The toys have set up a shooting gallery and they have shrunk you down so you can ride. 4D effects help immerse you and make you feel as if you are with the toys. Certain targets trigger 4D effects like wind, water, and smell. This is a great ride to see with friends and family, and it creates a great competition

An interactive Mr. Potato Head wants you to "Step right up!"

Radiator Springs Racers
Perhaps the best attraction in America, Radiator Springs Racers lets you venture into the world of Lightning McQueen. This attraction combines a detailed dark ride with lifelike animatronics and a white nuckle finale. This has the longest waits at Disneyland, so come early and run to the entrance, get a fastpass, or go right to single rider.

The fast paced finale of Radiator Springs Racers!

Most Popular Disneyland Resort Attractions Part 3

Disneyland Resort has some of the most popular theme park attractions in the world. From close encounters with a yeti at the Matterhorn, to looking into Mara's eyes on Indiana Jones Adventure, there is a popular attractions for each age with long lines. Here I will be listing the most popular rides and attractions (in no particular order), and I hope you enjoy reading this article. Please like, share, subscribe for more, and comment for new articles.

Space Mountain:
This pitch black coaster is a blast into space and beyond. While it may not be as intense as California Screamin', Space Mountain has been pleasing guests for years! The on board soundtrack really adds to the thrill. Because you cannot see where you are going, sudden drops and turns can surprise any Disneyland Veteran. Be sure to ride during Halloween to experience the spooky "Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy".

While it only goes less than 30mph, it is quite the thriller!

Indiana Jones Adventure:
Indiana Jones Adventure is defiantly one of the wildest rides in the world! It combines immersive storytelling with amazing special effects, full range of motion, and detailed visuals. This expedition makes this list because… it is simply amazing. This is one of the more intense rides at Disneyland Resort and it should not be missed!

Ride through The Temple of the Forbidden Eye in Indiana Jones Adventure!

"It's a Small World"
"It's a Small World," which debuted at the 1964 World's Fair is as classic as Disney attractions get. It appeals to children of all ages. The ride is memorable for almost all of its visitors, mainly because of the song you love to hate "It's a Small World." This is a must see at Disneyland if you have younger children, or if you want some nostalgia. It is a small world after all!

This beautiful facade, and the ride inside, should not be missed!

Pirates of the Caribbean
It's a classic, what else should I say? This mysterious boat ride tells the story of ravaging pirates pillaging and plundering richly detailed lands. Remember "Dead men tell no tales" as you venture through the many scenes with scurvy villains and friends. This is a classic and should not be missed!

"Dead men tell no tales!"

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
While wait times rarely exceed 45 minutes, this ride is both thrilling and detailed. It is very smooth but also intentionally jerks you into maneuvers. It is one of the best family roller coasters on the planet.

This here is the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness!

Splash Mountain
This "Song of the South" inspired Disneyland classic combines storytelling, thrills, water, and song. Splash Mountain is one of the fan favorites at Disneyland Resort. Be careful, you WILL get wet!

This ride will defiantly bring you to your "Happy Place!"

I hope you have enjoyed my list of the most popular attractions at Disneyland. If I am missing anything that you want on this list, please comment in the space below!

Top 5 Rides that Need Fastpass+ Reservations

Walt Disney World's Fastpass+ allows your party to choose attractions to skip the lines, or get reserved seating. For every day at the parks, you only get three Fastpasses, therefore you must choose wisely. As almost all visitors observed, some Fastpasses are more imperative than others. These can help you save time and let you maximize on your rides.

This list goes by three rules: 1) It is not necessarily the longest waits, because some queues are more bearable than others. 2) We are basing this list off of visits of four days, one day at each park. 3) Finally re-ridability is also a factor in the judging.

5) The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
This ride may not rack up the longest waits, but it is great to ride over and over. Fastpass+ on this ride is a great option to get in a second third or even fourth ride with little to no wait.

I chose the photo from Tokyo because the outside is AWESOME

4) Soarin'
Soarin' can easily rack up long waits. It is one of the two headlines at EPCOT, so it is many people's favorite. We rank this over Test Track because, even though their wait times are about the same, Test Track's queue is much more bearable to wait in. Soarin' is the best Fastpass+ pick in all of EPCOT.

Sign for Soarin'

3) The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
This brand new ride is great for families, therefore it brings in crowds. It is also a fairly new attraction, so even many Disney veterans have not been on it yet. Its waits on an average day can reach up to 90 minutes, making it a great line to skip!

"Big" drop at the end

2) Toy Story Midway Mania
Toy Story Midway Mania has long lines for a few reasons. First, it is the only attraction at Hollywood Studios that appeals to people of all ages. Second, its theoretical capacity is only 1000 people per hour. Finally, once people ride they want to ride again. I recommend that you rush this Rootin' Tootin' attraction first thing in the morning and than ride again with Fastpass+.

Interactive Mr. Potato Head animatronic

1) Meet Anna and Elsa at Princess Fairytale Hall
Because Anna and Elsa from the hit movie Frozen are so popular, it is understood that there will be a lengthy wait. This is only an important Fastpass+ if your party has children that think Frozen is the "Coolest" thing around. To get this Fastpass+ it is imperative that you get it 60 days before your vacation at 12:00 midnight. If you cannot get it, arrive at the park one hour before opening and race to Princess Fairytale Hall!

The two most famous sisters at Disney right now

I hope you have enjoyed my list and I hope you can subscribe to my page for Disney articles (almost) daily!

Attraction Review: Peter Pan's Flight (Magic Kingdom)

Sticking to the theme of Peter Pan's Flight, I am proud to present my review of Peter Pan's Flight. I have not experienced the Disneyland version, so I am basing this on my own experience at the Magic Kingdom.

First Impressions:
The building outside of the ride is very pretty, but it did not amaze me like the Haunted Mansion or Splash Mountain did. The first thing I noticed about the ride was the wait time, for it was up from 90 minutes. I remember thinking, for a wait like that, it must be fantastic… I was right. 60 days before hand I reserved a Fastpass+, so I did not have to wait.

The Queue:
Because of my Fastpass+, I was not able to view the newly renovated queue. Therefore I have no first hand experience of the queue. From my experience of the you-tubes, it does look rather astonishing. In this queue there is interactivity with shadows, and you can view Tinker Bell making inanimate objects spring into action. For my next trip I will make it a priority to get there early to see the interactive queue.


The Galleons:
On first sight I was amazed at these gorgeous galleons. I thought that the unique flags would block the view, than I sat down and realized that the flag was positioned perfectly to view. My favorite feature of the tiny ships is there ability to "fly". The effect was very seamless and I was astonished.




The Nursery Scene:
The first scene of the ride was nothing to gawk about. It was not very detailed by Disney standards. It was composed of Wendy looking over the boys in their beds. I was not astonished, and so far I was not impressed by the ride. Then I entered the London scene.

Flying Over London:

This scene was by far my favorite of all in the ride. The beginning of the scene has you flying over buildings that keep getting smaller and smaller. You then fly over the lit up city of London. What I liked about the lighting was how electric and full of life everything was. One trick the Imagineers used was forced perspective. What appeared to have you 400 feet in the air, only held you at 17 feet. This trick was pulled seamlessly in the cartoonish style of the mini buildings. You pass the Tower Bridge, St. Paul's Cathedral, and finally Big Ben. Each of which was lit up and full of electric personality. 

Neverland:
I do not remember all of the details of Neverland, but I loved the luminescent glow of all of its inhabitants. I loved the detail in the mountains and the waterfalls. The mermaids were a bit small, but lovely in their glowing colors. The Indians were very tiny, so I did not get a very good look at them. The boat scene was not too detailed, but detailed enough to see what was happening. I loved Pan and Hook brawling it out with the tick-tock-crock waiting down below. I was impressed by this scene and I was delighted by the codfish (Hook) in the finale.

Overall Impressions:
I LOVED <3 this ride! While it was short and not worth a 90 minute wait, I highly recommend a Fastpass+ to any classic Disney fan. The lighting and flying effects worked very well. While there was not a large story, I very much enjoyed flying from scene to scene. 9/10!