Everything You Need to Know About Journey Into Imagination With Figment

You’re going on vacation to Walt Disney World! The only problem? You’re not sure which attractions are right for you and your kiddos and you have questions. Which attractions are too intense for little ones? What rides do I really need a FastPass+ reservation for? What’s the disability access like for certain attractions? We’re answering all those questions and more in our Everything You Need to Know attraction series with today’s focus on Journey Into Imagination with Figment at EPCOT!

What is Journey Into Imagination with Figment?

Journey Into Imagination with Figment is a dark ride tour through the fictional Imagination Institute. During the tour, guests learn about the senses while Figment (a purple dragon) makes appearances.

Where is Journey Into Imagination with Figment?

Journey Into Imagination with Figment is located at EPCOT inside the glass-pyramid Imagination Pavilion.

What is the History of Journey Into the Imagination with Figment?

The Journey Into Imagination Pavilion was open when EPCOT Center debuted in 1982. However, its signature dark ride didn’t open to guests until March 5, 1983. The original Journey Into Imagination attraction, as well as Figment and the Dreamfinder, was created by Imagineers Tony Baxter and Steve Kirk. The ride was a hit with guests from the start and offered a much-needed kid-friendly character in Figment. The Sherman Brothers of Mary Poppins fame even wrote the attraction’s song “One Little Spark!”

Guests could also interact with a walk-around Dreamfinder character and a puppet Figment outside the Journey Into Imagination pavilion. This particular meet-and-greet is still missed by those who remember it today!

The Journey Into Imagination attraction closed for a refurbishment in 1998. Due to sponsorship issues with Kodak, a new version titled Journey Into Your Imagination opened in 1999. In this version, Dr. Nigel Channing replaced the Dreamfinder. Tragically, Figment’s presence was reduced to only a minor appearance at the end of the ride.

Naturally fans were less than thrilled with this change. This resulted in the Journey Into Your Imagination’s closure in 2001. The attraction then reopened as Journey Into Imagination with Figment which is the version still in operation today. In this adaptation, the Dreamfinder is still absent; but Figment is now present all throughout the ride which focuses on the five senses and letting your imagination run free.

What You Need to Know About the Queue

Upon entering the building, the queue leads guests through the lobby of the Imagination Institute where doors lead to different labs and offices and a wall showcases inventors of the year, including Professor Wayne Szalinski from Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Professor Philip Brainard from Flubber. There’s actually a ton of references to past Disney films throughout both the queue and the ride, including one for the Dreamfinder.

What You Need to Know About the Ride Vehicles

The Journey Into Imagination with Figment ride vehicles seat 3 to 4 guests per row. Typical capacity is three guests in the front with four guests in the back. Guests sit on hard benches with a back. There are no safety restraints.

What You Need to Know About the Experience

Journey Into Imagination with Figment is a slow-moving dark ride where, according to the attraction’s story, guests are touring the Imagination Institute led by Dr. Channing. The labs guests ride through are based on the senses. In one lab, guests experience a sound effect while in another they experience a bad smell. Figment pops in and creates chaos until Dr. Channing finally learns from him and agrees that your imagination should be set free.

While Figment is a beloved EPCOT character, the same can’t be said for this version of the attraction. Guests check it out for a Figment fix or a few moments in air conditioning, but the real love is for the original iteration of this attraction with the Dreamfinder.

What You Need to Know About Accessibility

Guests may remain in a wheelchair/ECV to experience this attraction. Guests will need to take a step up (less than 12″) from a moving walkway onto a moving vehicle.

What You Need to Know About Health and Safety Advisories

There are no health or safety advisories for Journey Into Imagination with Figment, however during the ride there is a brief period of darkness, a skunk-like scent effect, and a bright flash and puff of air effect that may startle those with sensory concerns.

What are the Height Requirements?

There is no height requirement for Journey Into Imagination with Figment! The whole family can enjoy it together.

Does Journey Into Imagination with Figment Offer FastPass+?

Journey Into Imagination with Figment does offer FastPass+; however, it’s not recommended since it rarely has a long wait.

Does Weather Affect Journey Into Imagination with Figment?

Since Journey Into Imagination with Figment is an indoor attraction, inclement weather has little to no impact on the ride’s operation.

What’s the Best Time of Day to Experience Journey Into Imagination with Figment?

This chart shows you roughly how long you’ll wait for Journey Into Imagination With Figment when you visit on a day with a given EPCOT Crowd Level. The blue bars represent the average “peak” wait time (that is, how long the line will be at its busiest). The bottom and top black lines represent the range of peak wait times to expect (for you fellow nerds out there: it’s the 5th percentile and 95th percentile of peak wait times). Please note that these are estimates, and for a better forecast for your travel dates, see Journey Into Imagination With Figment Wait Times.

Did I answer all of your questions about Journey Into Imagination with Figment? Is this attraction at the top of your family’s vacation to-do list? Let us know in the comments.