Fun Find Friday

February 25, 2011

Location: Journey Into Your Imagination with Figment

While walking through the line for Journey into Your Imagination with Figment you will pass four different doors, three of which reference classic Disney films. While keeping in mind that you are in the Imagination Institute you have to remember that some of the greatest thinkers have at one time or another made an impact on this specific building. 

The first door you will pass belongs to the famed scientist Professor Wayne Szalinski. Professor Szalinksi made his impact on the world in 1989 when he accidently shrunk his two kids, Amy and Nick, along with the neighbor kids, Russ and Ron, and then threw them away in the trash. The kids would have to face several dangers while returning to their father. Luckily, everything worked out alright in the end and the Professor finally began to get the recognition of having a great imagination. A few years later he would accidently "blow up" his baby who ended up growing taller than most buildings. After all these mishaps he was given the honor of being named the Inventor of the Year by the Imagination Institute. When this occurred he was given an office to work closer with other great minds (though the others may have also been a little screwy. While continuing down the hall towards the attraction you will come across yet another door, this one belongs to

Professor Philip Brainard. Now I know what you are thinking (if you are thinking like me that is), "Wasn't Professor Brainard in three different Disney films?" You are right! So let's figure out which Professor Brainard is being referenced with this door. Professor Brainard's first appearance was made in 1961's The Absent-Minded Professor where the character was portrayed by first ever Disney Legend, Fred MacMurray. Mr. MacMurray would again portray the character in 1963's Son of Flubber, a sequel to the original film. Then after a long absence, Disney decided to remake the original 1961 film in 1997 under the name, Flubber. This time around Professor Brainard would be portrayed by funnyman Robin Williams. While the film was very similar to the original, Flubber began to have a personality of its own and would dance around in several scenes

throughout the film. Now to get back to our original question. Which Professor Brainard is being referenced at this door? Well, the first clue we have is the fact that there is dancing Flubber in the silhouette of the door which points at the 1997 Professor Brainard, but more importantly is the fact that the door reads, "Professor Philip Braniard." You see, even though in every Flubber film there was a Professor Brainard, only one (Flubber) had a Professor Philip Brainard. The other Professor Brainard's first name was Ned!

The next door in the hallway belongs to a Dean Higgins. Dean is actually not the first name of the man behind this door, but his title. Dean Higgins, portrayed by Joe Flynn, appeared in three different Disney films: 1969's The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, 1972's, Now You see Him, Now You Don't, and 1975's The Strongest Man in the World. It is very interesting that the Imagineers decided to give this bumbling Dean a door in a hallway with the greatest imaginers in Disney history due to the fact that Dean Higgins is more hesitant than anything throughout all three films. In fact, he strongly encourages the students not to use their imaginations in all three films due to the fact that he thinks they are being careless and irresponsible. There is one more door present in the hallway and it belongs to Dr. Nigel Channing, director of the Imagination Institute and host of the attraction you are about to ride.

There are two more doors present within the attraction itself, but those stories will just have to wait until another time.

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