Great information Jim. Too bad we won't see this kind of rebirth with Horizons.

I'm certain PIXAR will see the desired effect from both Pirates attractions, so we should all be seeing a new Imaginations Pavillion in the near future.

This speaks to the constant gripe about the parks turning into PIXARLAND as well - this focus on what is/was good in the parks is really refreshing.

Is the MK Tiki Room soon to be under Original Management?

I wonder if they'll bring back MAPO?

Epcot doesn't need Disney-izing *or* Pixar-izing, it needs a return to the World's Fair theme while mixing a little of both:
What we missed about Dreamfinder wasn't the particular Disney-trivia character or a strolling bearded ventriloquist, but a sense that the Imagination Pavilion was "about" something--And the something being what the exhibit was about, namely Why Imagination Was Really Neat.
Walking through the 80's Epcot with WDI-built attractions, you could almost picture what it must've been like in 1964 New York, to get in line for Small World and Carousel of Progress for the first time, and walk out of the attractions humming the "message" theme.

"Dweebs", unquote, are the ones who've been around long enough to appreciate history and try to keep the conversation on topic, while it's only Newbie guests that line up for Expedition Everest...
As Tiki Room proved (and Paul Pressler's disturbing "I hate old attractions!--I hate 'em, I hate 'em!" rant in the redo, at the expense of practically anything else in the script), alienate the "dweebs" in favor of Paying Newbies Who Don't Know Better and you have *one* audience...Keep them in the family, and you have two--It's not like those "annual passes", unquote, aren't money in Disney's pocket either.
And more of something is better than less of something.

If It Ain't Broke. Don't Fix it.

Well, personally, I believe that Imagination has been broken for a LONG time. As a Florida resident I grew up on Epcot, and it is the Park that I remember with some of the fondest memories of my teen years. I had a softspot for the Whimsy that was the Imagination Pavillion, The ride with Dreamfinder and Figment, Magic Journeys (later Captain Eo), The Imageworks.
 
All that being said however, I was really EXCITED about the makeover that was scheduled way back in 1999. I thought, "Gee, if they have something planned for a rehab this big, it MUST be pretty impressive!"

History proves though, that not only was my trust misplaced, but so was WDI's Common sense (maybe WDI SHOULD change its name back to WED).

The mistakes they made? Taking out all of the clever puns and wizz-bang (for their time) special effects of the DreamPort, Shortening, one of the longest Dark rides ever built, removing the AMAZINGLY well concieved turntable show scene with Dreamfinder, (Ok, sure it was a technical nightmare operationally speaking causing quite alot of ride downtime, but then again, so did Energy in the early years), and of course removing Figment.

They closed the upstairs Imageworks and what they replaced it with downstairs felt dull and uninspired. And yea, I hear ya that the giftshop increased 200% in sales, but you know what I say to that?

SO WHAT? !!

Why dont they build a WalMart in back of the Pavillion that you would have to walk through to exit the attraction? It would make tons of money too. But would it best serve that park and all of the people paying almost 60 dollars to come in each day?

     So the replacement show received tons of hatemail, and figment was added back in and everything was brightened up a little. Just a little though. It kind of felt like dressing up a corpse in pretty clothes. One Little Spark... Its still missing.

First off, I'm thinking that if parents who grew up going to WDW hear about these changes, maybe they'll plan a vacation for their families when they ordinarily wouldn't.  I didn't grow up going to the parks, but I moved to Orlando 2 years ago.  I love the Figment ride, but I know a little about Dreamfinder (one of the doors in the ride even says "Dean Finder").  I'd love to see the rides go back to what they once were.  It's strange to me, though, that people want the old JII and Tiki rides, but I haven't heard much complaining about the redo on "Pirates".  I think it'll be interesting, and the ride time will definitely go up.  I wonder how much will change, though.  I also wonder if they do redo JII, will they model it after the original ride, or will they make an all-new ride, just including Dreamfinder?  Either way, I'd love for Dreamfinder to find his way back to Epcot!

Adding Dreamfinder to JII is nice, but I, too, think that the money would be better spent elsewhere.  Say, Innoventions.  If we are just putting pearls on a pig here, then forget it.  If we are talking a radical redo of the ride, then maybe I can get behind it.  Again, I'd like to see an update for UoE, the theater in The Land, a complete gutting of Innoventions, ANYthing at the exit to SE or progress on the old Wonders of Life pavilion before fixing an attraction that is already ok.   Not great, but ok.  And the JII play area is still a highlight for our trip.  Our little ones love the sound pads, we send pictures to our family at home, and even I play at composing with Figment.  
Do I prefer the original version of JII? Yes.  Is it a pressing matter that needs to be addressed?  No.  
As far as WED?  I am neither here nor there with the name change.  Walt Disney Imagineering still has the maestro's name along with the unique job title.  WED is a nice gesture, but is it really significant?  Maybe in Burbank, but not anywhere else.
Still, there is power in names, especially revered, cast-away, pined-after old ones that embody imagination.

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Wow I got goosebumps when I read they'll potentially be changing WDI's name back to WED... Good stuff.

"...greenlighting redos that will greatly please Disney dweebs but will have really limited appeal to members of the general public?"

I think this makes great business sense, especially if they pull out the stops and concieve a new ride with Dreamfinder that was even better than the original. JII used to be the "must stop" location at Epcot. It was the first place we went when entering the park. Now, you can just walk right onto the ride any time of day as many times as you want (which is nice, because my daughter loves Figment). The Imagination Pavilion is a ghost town compared to what it once was. Far better to spend a few million to spruce up an old attraction than to spend many more to build something completely new.

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Please no!!! That Dreamfinder was just too creepy, if you know what I mean. I felt like I was on a "bad trip" when I rode the original attraction and needed a shower afterward.

Wasn't Tony Baxter responsible for changing the Pirates chase scene?

Tony, put your pencil down and back away from the Epcot.

changing the name back to WED would do nothing to correct all the problems.  It's symbolism over substance.  Just like wearing a ribbon about your favorite cause, or "turning your lights on" to support (insert cause here).  It does nothing to help the cause.  It just makes you feel better.

Same thing with the WED name.  If they want to do things, reorganize, cut the dead weight, bring in great talent, streamline the process, and get back to doing things the way WED did.  Don't just call yourself WED.  Earn the title!

As far as Dreamfinder . . . if it makes a great attraction for someone who knows nothing about the past, great.  If it's just adding Dreamfinder for the "He, he's back" factor, pass.

Honestly, I hope all of these rumors are just rumors.  I wouldn't put it past the guys at Pixar to float some stories out there just to keep the "dweebs" busy... and these are perfect rumors for doing just that (according to a former Imagineer I know, these were both rumors that floated around when he was with the company back in the mid 90s).

The problem with all of this is that it's the exact opposite of the way they need to be thinking.  Sure, it would give warm fuzzies to a small fraction of the population, who love nostalgia, but they would lose the rest of the world's interest.  No one, outside of the "I remember it when" crowd would buy a ticket to Epcot because Dreamfinder is back.  It's time for Disney to move forward, not backward.

What made Disney World, and especially Epcot great was the WOW factor of it all... the fact that you could experience things there that you could experience no where else.  Now it's showing it's age, because all of that WOW stuff is becoming common place.   WDI needs to realize that cardboard cutouts and 1-2 movement animatronics have become little more than museum pieces in this world of CG and bi-ped robots.  They need to find the WOW for this generation and start implementing it in the C-ticket rides.  Then they can open the Disney Archives for tours to take care of those who want to relive the past.

So... here's my take... leave WDI alone... call the main building WED Works if you want to honor Walt.  If you want to tweak Imagination, add a few new WOW elements (Think Disneyland Haunted Mansion update) and spend the effort/money on bringing new technology into the Imageworks and making it the imagination inspiring place it used to be.  Then work on ways of making everything in Future World more awe inspiring, without turning every pavilion into a thrill ride.

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I think WDI has a better ring to it than WED. That's where I stand on that.

I like the idea of redoing the ride. I like bringing Dreamfinder back. I think just because it makes it sound as though the ride might actually be about imagination. I think the best incarnation of this ride might have nothing to do with Dreamfinder or Figment, though. I think you would appeal to both children and adults by making this ride more sophisticated and dreamlike. I think imagination can be inspiring rather than just silly.

In fact, the first time I went, back when they were both still in the show, I thought Figment was the more annoying of the two. He reminded me of every stupid squeeky character that gets added to every show made by adults trying to appeal to children without understanding them ("Gleek" from Superfriends and Jar Jar Binks spring to mind, but the list goes on and on). And I was only 10 at the time.

A ride that reminds us that imagination can be playful but can also be sweeping and epic would be a lot more fun that another ride spraying stinksmell at you. Wouldn't a tour of what a child imagines, like space travel, cowboys and indians, what it feels like to be a superhero, be a more impacting ride than a tour of sensory special effects?

Anyway, I hope that's the direction they're going. Not just to appeal to the dweeb market, but rather to take out the gimmicks and replace it with real vision.

It seems to me that thinking in the long term is the answer here. Anybody can open a new attraction and increase the immediate take at the front gate, but a place like WDW should be focussed on longevity. Build something that I'm going to want to return to time and time again whether I'm a Disney dweeb or not. If I'm not...make me a Disney Dweeb by making kick-ass attractions that I can't get anywhere else.  Isn't that why there are Disney dweebs in the first place? Because the product is so good that we get hooked on it?

That's the way things were built in the past. That's the way the great animated films were made. Make it quality and people will get hooked and continue to shell out for it. People were still waiting in line for Pirates after 30 years, regardless of whether or not they added Johnny Depp to it.

So, you can't look at it as going backwards. If bringing Dreamfinder back increases the quality and the longevity of the attraction, then go ahead.

re: btbarlow...."Wouldn't a tour of what a child imagines, like space travel, cowboys and indians, what it feels like to be a superhero, be a more impacting ride than a tour of sensory special effects? " I'm not sure if you realized (or sublimalilly remembered) it, but the first 3D film in the imagination pavilion was just that. It was called Magical Journeys,and it showed a few kids imagining themselves in a circus, as astronauts, etc. It was (at the time) amazing and wonderfull.

I originally thought that a redo of the JII ride to incorporate the 'imagination institute' would be a great tie in to the HISTA film, but the execution was horrible. If the imagineers had the money and time to really do it right, I think that it would still be good concept.

This is great news.  EPCOT (center) has lost much of its theming.  Past updates have replaced quality shows with cheap nonsense--the worst example being the downgrades that have happened in the imagination pavilion.  I couldn't be happier.  And Disney, if you're listing, I live in California.  Such an update would make me want to visit your park in florida very soon.

(Uh, before we get too nostalgic on that, I'll still put in my survivor's testimony that while "A 3-D movie about the Power of Imagination" was a great idea in concept, "Magic Journeys", in execution, was a nightmarish acid-trip that sent most of the younger kids and parents out early--
Captain EO was a little optimistically closer to the "What if?" idea, but you know what happened with that one, and Honey/Audience was just cold by-the-numbers Pressler "They won't see it unless it's Based on the Hit Movie".

Something on pippin's level of a round-the-world 3-D "Timekeeper" would better serve the spirit of the movie half of the attraction, but that requires a little dedication on the New Guys' part...)

JII would have been #847 on my list of things to improve at the parks. Maybe #846.   No, #847.
Sounds like more garbage from that re-imagineering web site.
In  December, groundbreaking should start on restoring Captain Hooks pirate ship in Anaheim's Fantasyland. Someone hold back the crowds.
Unless they redesign JII to be more like Spiderman down the street, it won't entice me if I'm inside Epcot, let alone on the other side of the country

It doesn't much matter to me whether they bring back the Dreamfinder, so long as Imagination gets the major rehaul it needs. And redoing existing attractions does not seem like a waste of money. Making old, crappy attractions better so that more people will wish to stay in the park and maybe come back, seems to make as much sense as creating new rides. Plus Imagination seems to be the one pavilion that has so much potential, that if anyone were to really go all out, and actually explore the theme of Imagination (and not just have odd optical illusions, or whatnot) the result could be something completely different and really...neat.

I'm a touch worried. I hate to say it, but I'm wondering if Lasseter isn't going just a touch ego-mad, as a Disney Dweeb himself. I can certainly sympathize with the impulse to "right all the wrongs" as he sees them, now that he's got a shot at calling the shots. But is it the right thing at the right time? I agree that it would send a message to the Disney Faithful to re-do JII and re-introduce Dreamfinder. I don't believe for a second that they'll re-hash the original ride, though. Unless Baxter has completely lost his mind. Not likely.
I would rather see more transportative rides and attractions without obvious movie tie-ins, though. Like Soarin', Expedition Everest, Mission: Space, Kilimanjaro Safari, etc. Putting all the characters everywhere, particularly in Epcot, is a mistake. Buzz Lightyear might be a good fit for Tomorrowland, but Stitch is a little tenuous. Nemo (as in Disneyland's Subs re-do) is not a natural fit at all and takes away from consistent theming. I love The Lion King, but its integration into The Land, despite the natural "circle of life" connection, feels like a dumbing-down.
WDI/WED needs to get back to an approach that integrates communicating a message with a cool ride or attraction experience. Patriotism, hope for the future, the brotherhood of humankind, healthy nostalgia, glory to historical fighures who really made a difference, etc. That's what's missing in the last 15-20 years. Any theme park can thrill you or entertain you. Only Disney can also make your heart swell with patriotic pride, your eyes well up with emotion over a message of hope for world peace, and on and on. That's what we need more of.

Putting all the characters everywhere, particularly in Epcot, is a mistake.  Nemo (as in Disneyland's Subs re-do) is not a natural fit at all and takes away from consistent theming. I love The Lion King, but its integration into The Land, despite the natural "circle of life" connection, feels like a dumbing-down.
----
I'm not against Disney representation at Epcot, but only when the characters have something to SAY:  Nemo teaching us stuff at the Living Seas is a good idea, Nemo parading a brand-name at Animal Kingdom isn't.
The old 80's Epcot idea was a completely Disney-free corporate World's Fair, and it seemed a bit thin...Pressler's idea of all Disney and no education was a sellout...Between the two, I'd rather sit through Ellen's World of Energy than the oil company's, for the same reason that I wouldn't go to see an all-Ellen attraction.

And yes, John does seem to be on a messianic kick lately for de-Pressler-izing the parks when we're not 100% sure about whether he knows what particular geek-love aspects made the "old" parks so cool to begin with...
It's a step in the right direction, but not ALL the right steps, and we'll still have to keep an eye on him that his "Vindicate Pixar!" side doesn't keep taking over again...
(Although I still think the Incredibles could've saved Wonders of Life.)  :)

i'm glad that dreamfinder will be back.

"WDI/WED needs to get back to an approach that integrates communicating a message with a cool ride or attraction experience. Patriotism, hope for the future, the brotherhood of humankind, healthy nostalgia, glory to historical fighures who really made a difference, etc. That's what's missing in the last 15-20 years. Any theme park can thrill you or entertain you. Only Disney can also make your heart swell with patriotic pride, your eyes well up with emotion over a message of hope for world peace, and on and on. That's what we need more of. "

Exactly. Epcot wasnt never about Character's. The imagineers need to find ways to get people's interest, without tieing it to a recent movie. Figment and Dreamfinder was a Disney concept. Not based on a movie, or TV show or celebrity. Much like Pirates, Small World and Carousel of Progress.

I just wish Disney would get that it it's not about thrill rides. It's not about competing with Universal. I dont go to Disney to ride thrill rides. Their thrill rides are pretty tame compared to the rest of the non-disney world. Disney is about magic. Epcot was about teaching us something, without us realizing we were learning. Now its a junkyard, and drink and eat for-all. Even the "thrill rides" they put in are backfiring. (M:S..)

I was at Epcot on Satuday. And every sign I look at is soooo 80's looking. Not futuristic. Epcot is about the promise of tomorrow. The problem with that is. Whats coming out tomorrow, is already outdated today. 2007 cars, are on the showroom in 2006. As soon as you buy your computer, its outdated. As soon as they invent a medicine for something, its updated...

Going back to Walt's World's fair Vision is key.

The Nightmare before Christmas Haunted Manson is such  a great atraction.  I see no reason why Drean Finder can not come back.  Journey is so lame now.
I have no idea who is in charge of the new re-hab at Epcot but I will miss hydrolators at the Living Seas.  As I would rather do The World of Motion than Test Track or Horizans.  But I do love Mision Space.  Just wish the film more up to today's stadards.  Or that they did alternative ones.

Now days, when I go to the "Imagination Institute", I make sure I sit in the last car.

Why for? (sorry Jim)  Because that will allow me more time in the final scene of the current 'attraction.  It's whimsical, it's exciting, it's visual stimulating and it gets me singing and tapping my foot again.

THAT'S the possibility for the entire attraction, if the right person can fix it.  Tony Baxter is PERFECT for the job.

Dan B
imtigger2
Carlsbad, CA

If I were responsible for recreating the Imagination ride with Dreamfinder and Figment it would start much the same as the old version with Figment being created.  Dreamfinder would then take Figment (and us) on a magical journey through imagination.  But it would be a specific, creative and fertile imagination that once belonged to one of history's most active and successfull creators.  Walt Disney of course.  Although the ride would pay tribute to Walt Disney, it would not just be a tribute and actually show and discuss the creative process.  It would start with the black and white cartoons including Oswald now that he's back home again and work through Walt's history up to the time of his death.  Figment is saddened by the loss of such a great mind to the world but then dreamfinder shows him the clip of Walt Disney discussing that he thinks that Disney will go on without him.  At that point the ride vehicles enter a new area filled to the brim with multi-media presentations showing all the different things the Disney Company has done since Walt passed away and perhaps at the end of the room maybe a few pictures of things not yet created that are in development but nobody knows what they are yet.  Even though the attraction pays tribute to Walt and gives a history lesson, the main emphasis should be on the creative process and what one person can accomplish.  Walt and the Company are just the examples used to demonstrate.

Dreamfinder’s Return?

I, too, know something about Dreamfinder.  I was his voice and persona for 5 years, and I originated the strolling character.

On the one hand, I dread the return of Dreamfinder to EPCOT because of the horrid job someone did reviving Figment.  He’s become a pest and a photo opp.  He was stuck into that horrid ride as a quick fix.  It didn’t work, and the final scene is a Simpsons-style mockery of the original ride’s finale.

So I’m VERY skeptical of any campaign to bring Dreamfinder back, because I can ‘imagine’ what those same people will make of him.

On the other hand, folks, Tony Baxter and Barry Braverman and Ken Lisi brought me aboard the Dream Catching Machine months before EPCOT opened, and I learned from them directly what DF&F were really about.

Once Upon a Time Figment was the right brain, 3-year-old unbridled raw material of creativity.  The process of his creation and experience with Dreamfinder (as presented in the original attraction) caused us all to identify with his Journey.  Indeed, we nostalgically envied his enthusiasm and naiveté.  In the end, as he imagined a life of creative possibilities, we were reminded of our own young wishes and faded dreams.

More importantly, the future leaders of our world… “the young and young-at-heart”… were given a champion to remind them, “YOUR spark of inspiration can move mountains.  Anything really IS possible.”  The real Figment Fans were those who cherished that possibility.

Journey Into Imagination was about that feeling.  And about the incredible fact that Imagination was the common element in EVERYTHING in EPCOT Center.  It ALL came from Imagination, and the JII was the place you could feel a part of that creative process.  And recognize that power in yourself.  The Power to Dream It, then to Do It…

Dreamfinder was meant to be a Walt Disney, a Willy Wonka, a Wizard of Oz.  He was meant to be so much more than a narrator, or a puppeteer or a photo opp.  He was more than Figment’s Dad.  He was meant to be the wild, creative uncle that every child needs to keep cynicism at bay and creativity on the boil.  And before he became a mere photo opp and just another strolling character and a thorn in Eisner’s side, I saw that process of inspiration starting to work.

Then other people without that vision took over, and Dreamfinder was escorted off property.

So I’m scared.  And skeptical.  But I know what DF&F mean to Tony and I know what he can mean to a world needing Dreamfinder’s kind of whimsy and encouragement.

I can’t expect any of you to understand what I’m saying.  Not really.  You’re passionate fans and that’s wonderful.  But there should be more to Dreamfinder than nostalgia for an old photo opp.  And we need that now.

It's really a bad idea to send a message that you're going to change everything.

It's a better idea to change everything.

The Imagination Pavilion should be redone because it needs to be redone, not to send a message.  It should be redone to provide a better experience for guests, not to send a message.

The thinking that changed WED to Walt Disney Imagineering was pretty valid.  It more strongly identifies what WDI does.  The people who work there take pride in calling themselves "Imagineers".  It should be kept in the title.  And what lunacy wants to use WED to more closely identify it with Walter Elias Disney?  He was known to the world as Walt Disney--and using that name achieves the purpose.

<i>JHM rolls out a brand-new feature today. Where this website's readers offer up suggestions for projects that (hopefully) Disney's reps might actually take  </i>

I had to think long and hard before replying to this post. Being one of the "dweebs" who idolized Figment for years, this topic isn't something to be taken lightly. I have met some of the original "DreamFinders" and as Ron stated above, DF was more than just a photo opp.
The original JII "WAS" the reason I fell in love with Epcot.
Should it be redone? Yes!
Should DreamFinder return? Yes!
Is Disney just catering to Figment nuts like me? Yes! (In what I've spent on Figment merchandise, they could PAY for a new attraction :)
Will the redo do the original justice? If Tony is involved, Yes!
Will this draw a new crowd to the park? The original drew me, so Yes!
Could the money be better spent elsewhere? Probably..but who's to say something new would have any more affect than something reborn?

DF&F were so important to me at a critical crossroads in my life. The attraction did indeed spark my imagination and lead me to accomplish some rather unique goals. Today's JIIwF is fun to watch....but I doubt anyone would ever exit the ride with the feelings of inspiration the original left you with. Through my website (www.figmentsimagination.com), I have met tens of thousands of fans across the globe. Many reflect on the ispirational message of creativity that is no longer there.

So will you find a billboard along the interstate announcing a NEW EPCOT ATTRACTION!? No...it's not a thrill ride and it isn't meant to be. Long live The Purple One and his master!"

T.J. Warner

Have you read the comments to this post on the "Re-Imagineering Blog"?
<a href="http://imagineerebirth.blogspot.com/2006/02/challenge-that-is-imagination.html">
"The Challenge That Is Imagination"</a>

Unfortunately in my last post, the comment field didn't accept my HTML code. Here is the correct URL:
http://imagineerebirth.blogspot.com/2006/02/challenge-that-is-imagination.html

This could be a good thing.  There are important things to know about John L. in regard to the "Return To Disney Values" move -

1.  He was a Jungle Cruise Skipper in California
2.  He attended Cal Arts in Valencia
3.  He worked as an animator at Disney Studios, only to be fired for a confrontation with a supervisor about artistic directions and opinions.

John developed in the "old school transition period" between Walt and Eisner...when things were trying to hold onto Walt's way yet progress into the new generation and decades at hand.  So, symbolic or not, the gestures to return to projects that truly represented Walt's foundation concept of edutainment enlightenment (J.I.I. w/Dreamfinder & Figment), the perceived probability of going back to WED, this states that John has leanings to the bright side of the force.  

On the other hand, over Pixarzation of the Parks, with placement of those elements in lands where they do not blend or belong, does raise questions.  Point and example - the current plan to place a MONSTERS, INC. ride (similar to DCA's dark ride of the same theme) into the TIMEKEEPER show building in Tomorrowland of WDW's Magic Kingdom - literally next door to BUZZ LIGHTYEAR's attraction - which is across the street from Stitch...is really downplaying the position of what Tomorrowland is supposed to be about...and, bringing it into a fantasy-toon based land that is, more or less, a working extension of Fantasyland...for all practical purposes.  

Then, consider CARS.  Originally a major attraction planned to plus DCA (TEST TRACK Mk. II technology), it now seems oriented to becoming the theme of autopias on either coast...(look close at Flo's Gas Station in the film - very similar architecture to the queue load building in California), and, Chevron has glommed a working tie advertising with the CARS film...just a speculation, mind you...which then places a third Pixar attraction in Florida and  in California's Tomorrowland....the "Finding Nemo Submarine Cruise" in California is already a part of the Pixarization happening there....and, Buzz moved into the queue building of the ill-fated Rocket Rods on the West Coast....

And, there is still the yellow-lit and on hold INCREDIBLES attraction....planned for DCA in California and apparently Future World at EPCOT in Florida....

But, enough on Pixarization....for now...

Tony Baxter is a friend with John Lassester.  This offers a good working relationship with future developments of WDI and the new person in the chair who calls the shots.  Hopefully.  Allowing Tony to restore one of his classic pieces is a good move.  He should have been the hand at the throttle in the first place...and, it never should have been so horridly touched (J.I.I.) in the first attempt at makeover...Kodak contract or not.  And, considering what the Eisner regime did to Messr. Baxter .... too often tying his hands and cutting his budgets, then basically erasing his work on California's ill-fated Tomorrowland rework (the throat slitted by budget cuts in the first place), this move by Lassester to bring Tony back to the forefront of Imagineering may be one of the best things that has happened in a long time.  

Enough space on this.  It rambles from the major theme of the discussion, apologies for that.  

Hope it has made some sense somewhere along the way.

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