The Walt Disney Firm held its 2025 Annual Assembly of Shareholders on Thursday, March 20, 2025. Throughout this, CEO Bob Iger showcased Disney’s “good marriage of remarkable creativity and groundbreaking technological achievement” that units the corporate aside, whereas sharing highlights of the final 12 months and searching ahead at billions of {dollars} of investments within the years to come back. Most significantly (by far), he talked about the way forward for Figment.
A few times yearly, old style EPCOT followers get new hope that possibly Walt Disney World will lastly get round to doing the fitting factor and reimagine Journey into Creativeness. This put up particulars the newest growth within the decades-long saga of hope and heartbreak as WDW diehards not-so-anxiously await Figment and Dreamfinder being restored to their former glory.
The largest came to visit a decade in the past, when there have been credible rumors of a year-long refurbishment that ended up being derailed when Frozen was a smash success and Frozen Ever After ate up that price range. Most just lately, Disney Legend Josh Gad made a public plea throughout his Candlelight Processional internet hosting duties for Imagineering to present Figment a journey that does him justice. Earlier than that, there was a sequence of movies Disney Parks posted wherein Figment visits the Walt Disney Studios company headquarters and Walt Disney Imagineering campus. The movies appeared to be teasing one thing, however over one 12 months later, and it’s been crickets since.
In my opinion, I don’t imagine Walt Disney World goes to announce Journey into Creativeness 4.0 with Figment and Dreamfinder anytime quickly. I’ve already began excited about my predictions put up for the 2025 Vacation spot D23 occasion round Labor Day, and regrettably, it received’t be making the checklist. Greatest case situation at this level is an announcement on the 2026 D23 Expo.
However, there are a couple of topics I’ll discover any excuse to report on with out fail as my very own type of protest or a strain marketing campaign. Amongst these are the Cinderella Fortress Dream Lights, Evening Parade at Magic Kingdom, Lights of Winter at EPCOT, Restoring Impressions de France, Saving MuppetVision, and the Journey into Creativeness Reimagining.
Walt Disney World is certainly not at all times conscious of fan suggestions and complaints, however they’re generally and in the fitting circumstances. All of these qualify, so we’ll proceed to push for this stuff even when the probabilities of success are low. It beats doing nothing. Which brings us to right now’s replace, which is definitely significant for a couple of causes.
Throughout the query & reply portion of the 2025 Annual Assembly of Shareholders, Disney CEO Bob Iger was as soon as once more requested about the way forward for Figment. The query particularly requested whether or not the corporate would think about using Figment in different areas of the corporate exterior of theme parks, reminiscent of a film based mostly on the character? (Even the BDX Droids pictured above reportedly nodded sure, that he ought to.)
Right here was Bob Iger’s response:
“That is my twenty fourth shareholder name, my 18th as CEO…and I feel the query of Figment has been requested about 15 instances. I name him ‘good ‘ole Figment.’”
“We all know that Figment is standard with shareholders due to the truth that they ask questions on him on a regular basis,” Iger joked. “However we additionally know that he’s standard at EPCOT, the place you may meet him and expertise Journey Into Creativeness.”
“I’m going to ask our inventive groups to make some type of sequence or short-form movies of Figment. Clearly he’s extra standard than only a walk-around character.”
Whereas this appeared like an off the cuff response, it in all probability wasn’t.
By his personal admission, Bob Iger has been requested about Figment on ~15 of 24 shareholder calls. Irrespective of the precise quantity, that’s a majority of them. Iger is a meticulous planner, and would virtually definitely be extensively prepped on the questions he would possibly obtain as a way to give good solutions, keep away from misspeaking, and so forth. And a Figment query is about as inevitable as one about Disney returning to household values or no matter, so he’s undoubtedly scripted and rehearsed solutions to each.
Underscoring this level is that he particularly talked about the Figment meet & greet. Until he simply occurred to cross by it on his go to to Walt Disney World final week (uncertain for the reason that workforce escorting him would’ve taken him to what they needed him to see–and Journey into Creativeness wouldn’t qualify), he in all probability wouldn’t know that meet & greet even exists.
The Figment meet & greet was introduced on the D23 Expo earlier than he returned, and debuted as a part of Vacation spot D23, which he didn’t attend. On the danger of stating the apparent, character meet & greets are under the CEO’s pay grade. So he would’ve been briefed in regards to the existence of this meet & greet, and integrated it into his reply.
Assuming it was scripted and rehearsed, this additionally means a few different issues.
The primary is that the Figment function movie by Seth Rogen is useless. If it weren’t, Iger would’ve talked about that as a substitute of Disney+ shorts or a sequence. This wouldn’t be even remotely stunning. For one factor, that film was by no means formally introduced and it’s been over two years since we’ve heard something about it. In between, Disney has reduce considerably on streaming manufacturing.
To not be the bearer of unhealthy information, however I’d hazard a guess the entire “Magic Kingdom Universe” deliberate for Disney+ that was introduced again in 2021 is useless. However c’mon, it’s 2025 and there haven’t been updates on virtually any of that…did we actually suppose it’s nonetheless taking place?!
Extra just lately, we’ve discovered that Jon Favreau is writing and producing a Disney+ dwell motion/animated hybrid sequence about Oswald the Fortunate Rabbit. That is rumored to be a part of the director’s bigger-picture plans for a Mickey Mouse Cinematic Universe. Maybe Figment will be part of that?!
Extra optimistically, Iger’s feedback being scripted and rehearsed additionally presumably means he’s not simply going to ask the creatives a couple of Figment sequence or shorts. It means one thing is already being explored or, hopefully, within the early levels of lively growth.
Iger is aware of phrase travels quick and that Figment followers like me are a rabid bunch. He’s going to be requested about Figment subsequent 12 months, and the 12 months after that, and so forth., and my folks aren’t going to be glad if he comes again in a 12 months and say: “Aw shucks, I attempted my greatest, however these darned creatives stated there’s completely nothing inventive we are able to do with Figment, worldwide mascot of childhood surprise and creativeness. Sorry dorks.”
That will represent an impeachable offense (CEOs are impeachable, proper?!). We geeks could be hitting up Nelson Peltz so quick and begging him to revive his marketing campaign to revive the magic and so forth. Additional reinforcing the notion that this was deliberate and never impromptu is Disney Parks shortly posting about this on social media, fairly than strolling again the feedback or ignoring them:
🚨 Figment replace! pic.twitter.com/DqXN4dWWVL
— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) March 20, 2025
Much less optimistically, it means there’s in all probability nothing coming quickly for Journey into Creativeness 4.0 at EPCOT. Regardless that the query particularly requested about motion pictures and the corporate’s different companies, Iger would’ve taken the chance to tease a reimagined journey if it had been transferring ahead anytime quickly. Similar to he did with the Pandora growth at Disneyland lengthy earlier than it was formally introduced.
As famous above, that is pretty unsurprising. Walt Disney World is unlikely to proceed with Journey into Creativeness 4.0 as a result of administration hung the ole “mission completed” banner with the opening of Spirit Halloween Superstore CommuniCore Corridor. With that, they declared the overhaul accomplished, regardless of lots of its introduced tasks by no means being completed.
This attitude was kind of reiterated throughout the current D23 Expo. There have been tons of bulletins for Walt Disney World, together with new lands and sights at Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. Every of those parks will, conservatively, see a whole bunch of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} of funding at minimal. Magic Kingdom might pretty simply eclipse $2 billion relying upon the dimensions and scope of its new lands.
In the meantime, the one factor introduced for EPCOT was a brand new lounge inside Spaceship Earth…which takes over a lounge area. Not precisely bold. Moreover, new particulars had been revealed about Check Observe 3.0, a journey being funded by Chevy Bucks. Suffice to say, the sum of money Disney will spend money on EPCOT over the following couple of years is next-to-nothing. The distinction between EPCOT and the opposite three parks actually says all that must be stated. EPCOT is just not the precedence–it’s deemed “performed” for causes past me.
However, I’ve taken a sacred oath to advocate for Journey into Creativeness 4.0 each time the chance presents itself, so I’m going to proceed with that, but once more, right here. As we’ve stated many instances and for a few years, it’s time to reimagine the Creativeness pavilion (Figment known as–desires modifications!).
That’s hardly a daring assertion–it’s been time for nearly twenty years. The final model was solely a band help, meant as a fast repair for the actually abysmal second model. That third model–once more, a short lived resolution–is now the longest-running model of Journey into Creativeness. (Let that sink in.)
It’s no secret that whilst diehard Figment devoted, we don’t love the present incarnation of the journey. It made our lists of the 10 Worst Attraction Replacements at Walt Disney World and 10 Sights That Have Aged Poorly at Walt Disney World. We did defend Journey into Creativeness as considered one of a number of sights at EPCOT that it is best to not skip, which is a “controversial” opinion as a result of the attraction actually is divisive.
The present Journey into Creativeness has low visitor satisfaction scores relative to different rides of its form. We’ve routinely remarked that first-timers confuse Figment for a Spyro the Dragon knock-off, which is basically solely a half-joke.
Until you’re a toddler of the Nineteen Eighties or 90s who skilled the unique attraction–which has been gone for much longer than it existed!–or are a voracious shopper of Disney historical past movies, you seemingly have zero affinity for Figment and would possibly even be confused by why the present character has such a powerful fan following. (He doesn’t! It’s the outdated Figment we love!)
The present Journey into Creativeness attraction and the pavilion as a complete are underutilized. The journey routinely is a walk-on or has an precise wait time of underneath 5 minutes. The theater has been displaying the Pixar shorts for some time now, which was additionally meant to be a band help following the removing of Captain EO. Together with Journey into Creativeness 4.0, I can consider few higher touchdown places for MuppetVision 3D than the Creativeness pavilion.
Previous to the large D23 bulletins, Disney management expressed a need to extend capability of the parks by reimagining areas which might be at present underused. There are a number of such spots in EPCOT, however apart from Wonders of Life, I can’t consider any which have as a lot potential for absorbing extra crowds because the Creativeness Pavilion. Even with out precise growth, there’s a lot untapped potential with the Creativeness pavilion.
Journey into Creativeness 4.0 ought to’ve been fast-tracked to debut earlier than 2027. Walt Disney World wants extra between now and when Tropical Americas opens to supply some semblance of competitors to Common’s Epic Universe. It’s too late for that, so it must be a 2028 undertaking. (Realistically, it’s extra like a 2029 or 2030 undertaking, at greatest.)
I additionally suppose that Disney is mistaken in its evaluation that the half-baked EPCOT overhaul is “over.” I believe that they’re already discovering this by way of attendance, and that development will solely speed up as Epic Universe eats into the attendance of Animal Kingdom and EPCOT to disproportionate levels.
At that time, one thing will should be performed, and the most probably candidates are reimaginings. A number of are doable at EPCOT, as mentioned in our Listing of What EPCOT’s Overhaul Wants in Part 2. That’s unsurprisingly topped by JII4, but additionally on the checklist are updates to different former Future World pavilions in addition to additions to World Showcase.
That is each my hope and my expectation. Walt Disney World’s present 5-year plan requires minimal funding in EPCOT as different parks are the main target. I’m skeptical that’s really doable or sensible, and the corporate may need to divert a few of these sources from Magic Kingdom–a park needing no assist to start with–to EPCOT because it turns into obvious the park is just not “mounted” from an attendance perspective.
Disney is notoriously gradual to answer tendencies, so it’ll in all probability take till Epic Universe opens for that realization to happen. Whereas there’s appreciable debate over whether or not Common’s new park will eat into Walt Disney World attendance or a “rising tide lifts all boats,” our expectation is that it’ll be a little bit of each. That Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios will profit, whereas EPCOT and (particularly) Animal Kingdom will endure. (The common household solely has so many trip days to allocate to theme parks, and that quantity is underneath 4.)
Realistically, that places the earliest conceivable announcement of Journey into Creativeness 4.0 on the 2025 Vacation spot D23 occasion at Walt Disney World, which can happen over Labor Day weekend. As talked about above, I doubt that’ll occur. It’s too quickly after Epic Universe opens, and likewise, I believe Spaceship Earth or one thing going into the Wonders of Life pavilion is the extra quick precedence and decrease hanging fruit.
Above all else, the explanation a reimagining of Journey into Creativeness might and will occur is repairing relations with followers and constructive PR. As pent-up demand continues to fade, attendance drops and Epic Universe opens, Walt Disney World will want the diehards greater than it did a couple of years in the past.
For Bob Iger, getting Journey into Creativeness 4.0 greenlit must be a no brainer transfer. Though it’s unlikely he himself is a Figment fan, Iger has demonstrated upon returning that he does care (considerably) about visitor goodwill and fan disenchantment–however there’s far more work to be performed on that entrance. Rather more importantly (to him), Iger is anxious about his legacy.
Then there’s Josh D’Amaro, who’s within the operating as a successor CEO. Followers have seen D’Amaro favorably over the previous couple of years despite all that’s occurred, largely as a result of Chapek has taken the blame–and D’Amaro is far more likeable. However the tides are beginning to flip–and that’s regardless of an enormous slate of D23 Expo bulletins. D’Amaro has but to show himself (his observe document at this level is mainly simply CommuniCore Corridor and Tiana’s Bayou Journey), and a reimagined Journey into Creativeness might assist increase his inventory.
Bringing again Figment and Dreamfinder is a surefire method of undoing a variety of the outrage and model injury from the previous couple of years, quieting the complaints and criticism. I can’t consider some other single constructive announcement that will outweigh so many prior negatives ones. Quite a bit could be forgiven by followers within the blink of a watch. We’d win, the executives who need to bolster their statures would win. Everyone wins.
It’s already been a good couple of years for Figment followers. We’ve gotten some nice merchandise (that has bought like hotcakes), an important new e book, and the meet & greet stays standard. (Talking of which, I ought to in all probability get round to sharing pictures from Child Bricker’s first Figment encounter.) A brand new sequence on Disney+ could be one other small victory for Figment followers, and if Bob Iger follows via on it, I promise to park Megatron in entrance of the tv for 12 hours per day (who at present isn’t allowed any display time), watching it on loop to additional indoctrinate her into the Figment fandom. However we nonetheless want extra; Figment deserves extra.
An overhaul of Journey into Creativeness could be each a legacy undertaking and one thing that will outline the in any other case underwhelming World Celebration neighborhood of the EPCOT transformation, tying it collectively right into a extra cohesive undertaking. Figment would change into the face and mascot of the new-look EPCOT, elevating the in any other case underwhelming central backbone within the course of. Walt Disney World has performed sufficient dipping its toes into the pool to check the recognition of Figment. It’s past time for a redone journey.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Disney CEO Bob Iger saying he’s going to push creatives to make a sequence or shorts about Figment? Might this be a precursor to Journey into Creativeness 4.0? Or is that this simply extra false hope for followers? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation that now’s the second-most logical time for a Journey into Creativeness overhaul? Any questions? Listening to from you is half the enjoyable, so please share your ideas within the feedback!
