Celebrate 40 Years of Figment at the Disney Theme Parks
Disney is celebrating 40 years of Figment with different experiences at the theme parks! The impish dragon had his official “birthday” on March 5, 1983 and is a beloved, literal embodiment of imagination and wonder. The guest-favorite character has been around through attractions, scavenger hunts, merchandise, and even food!
Related – The Muppets Ride Journey Into Imagination with Figment in EPCOT
The dictionary defines a figment as something believed to be real but ultimately found to exist only in imagination. When the original Journey Into Imagination attraction opened, the five-month-old (then called) EPCOT Center found it had a new superstar who existed on both planes! The little dragon’s job was to bridge the gap between intangible and tangible, impossible and possible, and to be a surrogate for the child within everyone. Beneath the sparkling crystal pyramids of the attraction’s pavilion, anything was possible and as Figment’s wide eyes saw marvelous potentials in the arts and technologies, so did his new friends that rode along with him.
Serving as Figment’s host, companion, tour guide, mentor and playmate on the journey was Dreamfinder, an avuncular, bespectacled gentleman in a top hat and swallowtail coat with a red beard, twinkling eyes and an endless supply of enthusiasm. Dreamfinder’s 19th-century attire was echoed by his dream-gathering airship, the design of which owed as much to Victoria as it did to Verne. It was from within that vehicle’s fanciful framework that Figment first emerged, formed by a fortuitous combination of adorable features and insatiable curiosity.
During the Epcot festivals, especially the Festival of the Arts, guests can enjoy more Figment! They can search for him throughout Epcot as part of a scavenger hunt, eat a tasty liege waffle, or even purchase a cute popcorn bucket.
Figment learned and dreamed; he imagined his own future without limits, and invited everyone else to do the same. So appealing was the enthusiastic dragon’s sense of exploration that it wasn’t long until Disney Educational Media created a series of short films starring Figment. Available to schools nationwide, each title examined abstract subjects like sound, time and language. Figment’s enduring popularity has also resulted in his happy face adorning all manner of souvenir collectibles, and his purple, pear-shaped form has been sculpted into pewter, plush, porcelain and even popcorn buckets.
Today, Figment continues to intrigue his EPCOT audience, but at the same time, he has captured new fans as the star of his own comic book series! “Figment,” a title under the Disney Kingdoms banner, began its run in June of 2014, recounting adventures of the youthful Dreamfinder and the ageless dragon in their formative years. The first five-issue series proved so popular that a second was released the following year! These exciting comics confirm that imagination … and Imagineers … can be an endless source of possibilities. It is easy to hear Figment’s voice exclaiming loudly: “Wheeee! What’s next? What’s next?”
Guests will soon get to experience a Figment meet & greet once again! Coming this year, the meet & greet is expected to be at Epcot.
Are you a Figment fan?
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