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!)
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 there’s literally no news that would be as meaningful for me as a reimagined Journey into Imagination. 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.
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.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
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!
Get our free newsletter!
Sign up for news, Disney deals & free planning tips
