Figment must really love cheesey old movies...

I've got a trip report to write about the whirl wind birthday weekend I just took part in, but i've had this one stashed away in the back of my head for quite some time and I'm afraid that recapping my weekend will just tire me out further, so here we go;

Any Disney fan can tell you about hidden mickeys. What I really love coming across is the little nods that are hidden here and there to other Disney attractions, movies, characters, or even little inside jokes. In movies and films, these are usually called easter eggs. I prefer the term coined by the guys over at Communicore. Five legged goat. A couple years ago I started realizing exactly how many science related five legged goats have been crammed into Journey Into Imagination with Figment. AND I LOVE IT. I get a big smile every time I find another.

The fact of the matter is, this ride is a shell of it's former self. I still love it though, still ride it faithfully. I've just found other little quirks to amuse myself with.

Some of them are pretty obvious. As you walk into the queue, you see the portraits of Nigel Channing, Wayne Salinski, and Professer Brainard. (We'll leave this as just professor as he's had two different incarnations. Even if we do have the later Robin Williams character portrayed in the Imagination Institute. Go watch the original. It's better.) Nearby, Professor Brainard's robotic assistant Weebo (aka the little mermaid) is on display, along with Wayne's magnifying helmet. As you walk through, if you check out the doors, you can hear the shrinking machine warming up and see the bits of flubber bouncing around in storage. If you look across the way, you'll see a door marked Dean Higgins. This was one of the first I picked out.

Here's the deal, I credit my step mother for my ability to pick out the goats hidden throughout this ride. She introduced me to a lot of great old Disney movies. A handful of them can then be credited to her teenage crush on Kurt Russell. Dean  Higgins is the Dean of Medfield College. This is not only where Professer Brainard is employed...it's also attended by one Mr. Dexter Riley, portrayed by a young Kurt Russell.



 Basically it's this trilogy of movies where Dexter gets himself in all kinds of zany situations after science experiments go wrong...but more on that later. Medfield is not to be confused with Midvale. Home of Merlin Jones. It wasn't until this trip that I heard Merlin being paged over the intercom on our way to board the ride vehicles. Merlin (Tommy Kirk) Is the Star of The Misadventures of Merlin Jones and The Monkey's Uncle. Another pair of zany science movies that Disney put out years ago. I prefer these, but that's probably because Annette plays Merlin's leading lady. But again...more on that later.

As the ride kicks off, you soon pass by another hidden gem that's a little more well known. Paying homage to the ride's better days, you'll see the door marked Dean Finder. Get it? Dean Finder? Dreamfinder?

*See Below

After the room with the train, comes the treasure box of hidden goodies. I first noticed this when we rode by and I saw a small little spotlight pointing towards something on the floor. There, just outside a giant computer room was a pair of red converse chuck taylors. The first of the Dexter Riley movie's was called The Computer Wore Tennis shoes. Slowly I picked up on the other things. Above the shoes is a sign that reads "No Tennis Shoes Allowed". Just to the side of that reads the name plates for the occupants of the Computer Room. Both Dexter and Merlin's names are there, along with a couple other characters from the
movies. And then behind the window is a coat rack, with a red and white Medfield Letterman's jacket
hanging from it.

They're just small little nods, but they make me smile. On the way out, during the room that's inhabited by an army of little figments doing various things, there's one final little hidden nod to the old ride. If you look, you'll see a figment flying on a hang glider made from sheet music. On the sheet music is the notes to one little spark, and in the top right corner is the silhouette of the dreamcatcher.

I do miss the old ride, but it's these little touches that keep me happy. Though, truth be told, I'm still holding out hope and praying for the day that they rip up the floorboards, reveal the old track, and bring it back to it's former glory.

Hey...a girl can dream.

*I shamelessly stole this picture from the interwebs because I can NEVER get a good shot of it. Let me know if it's yours so I can credit, plz!!