Timeline for Figment Ride To Be Shut Down, Overhauled in EPCOT

EPCOT is about to enter another major period of change, but Disney fans hoping to know exactly when those changes will happen are going to have to be patient.

During the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase at D23 on Saturday night, Disney confirmed major plans for two of EPCOT’s most recognizable attractions. Spaceship Earth will receive an extensive reimagining, while Figment will finally reunite with Dreamfinder for a new journey into imagination.

There was one rather important thing missing from both announcements: dates.

Disney did not reveal when either attraction will close. It also didn’t announce when either project will be completed.

Still, the size of these projects and Disney’s growing slate of construction at Walt Disney World give us some clues about how the next several years could play out. And based on what we’ve gathered, Figment fans probably don’t need to worry about Journey Into Imagination With Figment disappearing anytime soon.

In fact, its closure could still be several years away.

Disney Confirms Dreamfinder Is Returning to EPCOT

The Figment announcement came during the closing moments of Disney’s massive D23 parks presentation.

Disney confirmed that Figment isn’t going anywhere. Instead, the purple dragon will be reunited with Dreamfinder as Disney develops what it called a “new journey into imagination” at EPCOT.

Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum made it clear that the company understands just how much these characters mean to longtime EPCOT fans.

“We are taking a new journey into imagination at EPCOT with Dreamfinder and Figment!” Mazloum told the D23 crowd, adding that Disney has heard what fans have been asking for.

That’s a significant development.

Dreamfinder hasn’t been at the center of Journey Into Imagination since 1998. He originally appeared alongside Figment when the attraction opened in 1983 and remained part of the experience for 15 years.

Disney has not explained exactly what the new attraction will look like or how much of the current ride will survive. The announcement, however, points toward something substantially bigger than a routine refurbishment.

The question is when Disney will actually be ready to begin.

Spaceship Earth May Need To Come First

This is where EPCOT’s other major D23 announcement becomes important.

Disney also confirmed that Spaceship Earth will receive a major reimagining. Instead of focusing specifically on the history of human communication, the attraction will move toward a broader theme of “human connection.” Disney also plans to bring the ride’s story into the internet age and beyond.

That isn’t a small update.

Disney is preparing to change the central concept of a ride that has been operating at EPCOT since the park opened 43 years ago. While the geodesic sphere itself isn’t going anywhere, the experience inside it will enter a very different era.

Disney didn’t announce a closure or reopening date for Spaceship Earth at D23.

However, from what we’ve gathered, we’d expect that project to happen before Disney shuts down Journey Into Imagination With Figment.

That could have a major effect on the Figment timeline.

A 2027 Spaceship Earth Closure Could Set Everything in Motion

At this point, a potential timeline begins to emerge, though it’s important to stress that Disney has not officially confirmed these dates.

We could see Disney announce a 2027 closure for Spaceship Earth at some point as Imagineers move deeper into the project’s development.

Considering the amount of work involved, Spaceship Earth could remain unavailable for a substantial period. A reopening sometime in 2028 would not be surprising if Disney completely reworks scenes, technology, effects, and portions of the attraction’s story.

Disney could then turn its attention toward the Imagination! pavilion.

There are practical reasons why Disney might prefer that order.

Closing two major EPCOT attractions for lengthy transformations simultaneously would remove a considerable amount of attraction capacity from the park. By staggering the projects, Disney could reopen Spaceship Earth before beginning the most disruptive phase of work on the Figment attraction.

That would point toward Journey Into Imagination With Figment potentially remaining open throughout 2027 and possibly much of 2028.

Figment Could Close in 2028 or 2029

If Spaceship Earth goes first, the most reasonable window we’re currently watching for Figment would be 2028 or 2029.

Again, those are not Disney-announced dates. They’re projections based on the likely order and scope of the EPCOT projects currently ahead.

A 2028 closure could potentially position the reimagined Figment and Dreamfinder attraction for a 2029 or 2030 opening.

If Disney waits until 2029 to close the attraction, however, that timeline could move even further.

And there is another major EPCOT date looming in the distance that shouldn’t be ignored.

Could Disney Be Targeting EPCOT’s 50th Anniversary?

EPCOT will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2032.

That gives Disney an obvious milestone toward which it could build.

Disney could potentially stretch the Figment project into 2030 or even 2031, giving the park a newly reimagined attraction featuring two of its most beloved original characters just before that anniversary celebration begins.

There’s no indication yet that Disney has specifically tied Dreamfinder’s return to EPCOT’s 50th anniversary. But a 2031 completion would certainly make sense from a broader planning perspective.

It would also give Imagineering considerable time to develop a project that carries enormous expectations.

Journey Into Imagination isn’t simply another EPCOT attraction to many longtime fans. Figment has been part of the park since 1983 and has become one of EPCOT’s most recognizable characters. Disney itself describes him as uniquely tied to EPCOT’s identity.

Bringing Dreamfinder back after decades away makes the stakes even higher.

The Figment Ride Isn’t Closing Yet

For now, the biggest takeaway is actually good news for guests who want another ride on the current Journey Into Imagination With Figment.

Disney has announced the future, but it hasn’t started the clock.

There is no official closing date for the attraction, and Disney hasn’t announced a reopening year for the new Figment and Dreamfinder experience.

Our current expectation is that Spaceship Earth will receive attention first, potentially beginning with a closure in 2027 and reopening around 2028. From there, Journey Into Imagination With Figment could close in 2028 or 2029, with its replacement potentially debuting sometime between 2029 and 2031.

Those dates remain projections rather than confirmed Disney timelines.

But one thing is official: Dreamfinder is coming back.

After decades of fans asking Disney to revisit one of EPCOT’s most beloved original partnerships, Figment and Dreamfinder are finally preparing to share an attraction again.

The only mystery left is how many years we’ll have to wait before that new flight of imagination begins.