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!