Post by sputnick on Dec 14, 2016 3:40:49 GMT
There are two wiki pages on it (Disney Wiki and LMW):
disney.wikia.com/wiki/Dreamfinders
lostmediawiki.com/Dreamfinders_(Lost_Disney_Channel_TV_Series;_1983)
It is based off a 1983 ride called Journey Into Imagination that used to be at the Walt Disney Park. There is some footage of this ride on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u26QZThAmm0
www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-S4f8hc3EY
Here are some photos that exist of the ride:
www.google.com/search?q=Journey+Into+Imagination+ride+1983&safe=active&biw=1858&bih=1011&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiLq_6m0vLQAhVK4SYKHfJ1Db4Q_AUIBigB#imgrc=_
There is a Disney Wiki page on it that gives a detailed summary of the ride:
disney.wikia.com/wiki/Journey_Into_Imagination
"The attraction began with the ride vehicles “floating” in the clouds and seeing the silhouette of a strange blimp mixed with a vacuum cleaner and hearing the humming and singing of its pilot. In the next scene, the guests came right next to this vessel and the pilot, an old man with a red beard dressed in a blue suit and top hat, introduces himself as the Dreamfinder and saying that he uses his vehicle (called the Dream Mobile or Dream-Catcher by some fans) to collect dreams and ideas to create all sorts of new things. Soon, he created a figment of his imagination who came up from a pot near the back of the Dream Mobile. This figment is, appropriately, named Figment--he then proceeded to come up with enough ideas to fill the Dream Mobile’s idea bag, all of which would show up later in the ride. Dreamfinder then tells Figment that before they can create something, they have to go back to the Dreamport, which he says is never far away when you use your imagination.
The ride vehicles then left the side of the Dream Mobile and entered the Dreamport’s storage room, which included a massive washing machine like device for sorting ideas. Also in the room were numerous objects, including a chest full of applauding pairs of hands, plasma balls and a birdcage filled with musical notes. After leaving the storage room, guests would then travel through several Realms of Imagination based on Art, Literature, the Performing Arts and Science.
The Art room was mostly white-colored (probably to represent a massive canvas) and had a large painting that Dreamfinder was making using a large fiber optic paint brush, a carousel with giant origami animals and a pot of rainbows held by Figment near a pond.
The Literature room was mostly focused on suspenseful tales and had Dreamfinder playing a massive computer-like organ with letters and words coming out of it, words that transformed into their meanings, a massive book featuring the raven from the Edgar Allan Poe poem cawing menacingly and books of horrible monsters that Figment tried to keep closed.
The Performing Arts room had Figment trying on costumes backstage while Dreamfinder conducted a laser light show similarly to an orchestra conductor.
The last of the rooms, Science, featured a large machine that Dreamfinder was operating that took a closer look at the workings of nature such as the growth of plants, the formation of crystals from minerals and looking into space.
At the end, Dreamfinder told Figment and the guests that Imagination is our key to unlock the hidden wonders of our world. The guests then entered the final show scene as their picture was taken. In the following room, Figment stood in the center of a giant film canister, surrounded by several movie screens of him being a scientist, a mountain climber, a pirate, a superhero, a tap dancer, a ship captain, a cowboy and an athlete. Dreamfinder, sitting behind a movie camera, gave one last inspiring message and told guests to use their newly-found sparks of inspiration in the Image Works and the on-ride photo was shown to the guests on a screen next to Dreamfinder.
The ride closed on October 10, 1998 to the dismay of numerous fans."
It seems to me that the Dreamfinders TV show took alot of inspiration from the ride itself. From the ride, we can speculate that the TV took place in a land in the clouds in which dreams are tangible objects that can be used to in supernatural machines. It also seems likely the dragons and old man that calls himself the "Dreamfinder" (He's referred to as Old Eli in the show) appear in the ride just as the would in the TV show. The promotional ads suggests that the old man is the main character and possibly the narrator, with the dragons being lovable side-characters that assist the old man. The villain "Fear" and his minions make havoc for them, according to the description of the show.
I think it also can be ascertained that at least some of the show took place in the "Dreamport", a place where the man uses his dreams. The ride shows it has a Art, Literature, Performing Arts, and Science room in the Dreamport. It seems likely that in the TV show the dragons and old man interacted with the rooms and the various dream contraptions that inhabit them.
I actually think the artwork of the ride is exactly same artwork as would be seen in the TV show. Look at these photos found in the ride:
And compare them to the promotional ads of the Dreamfinders TV show:
They look awfully similar. There's no denying that they at least share some resemblance to each other. At the very least the images in the ride heavily influenced the artwork of the TV show. It seems very possible the art style that they both share the same kind of artwork.
There are also entertainers that dress like the TV show characters:
The dragon with the yellow shirt appears is named Figment. (obviously meaning "figment of the old man's imagination") It's possible he was a signature character in the show. He could have been the hero or relatable character, it was a children's show after all. This is all speculation of course.
According to this page, in the ride the voice of Old Eli is Chuck McCann and the voice of Figment is Billy Barty:
www.manic-expression.com/a-look-at-disney-meet-greet-dreamfinder-figment/
I could continue researching this all night because there is so much information on the Journey Into Imagination ride and possible leads for the show. There are so many unanswered questions: What is the exact purpose of the Dreamfinder? What does the mysterious villian "Fear" look like and who are his minions? Is Figment the main character of the show? Did the show really one air once? Why was it never shown again? Who created the show? Did it fail? Does no one remember it? Why am I asking you all these questions? We may never know.
Here's hoping to finding more information on it.
disney.wikia.com/wiki/Dreamfinders
lostmediawiki.com/Dreamfinders_(Lost_Disney_Channel_TV_Series;_1983)
It is based off a 1983 ride called Journey Into Imagination that used to be at the Walt Disney Park. There is some footage of this ride on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u26QZThAmm0
www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-S4f8hc3EY
Here are some photos that exist of the ride:
www.google.com/search?q=Journey+Into+Imagination+ride+1983&safe=active&biw=1858&bih=1011&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiLq_6m0vLQAhVK4SYKHfJ1Db4Q_AUIBigB#imgrc=_
There is a Disney Wiki page on it that gives a detailed summary of the ride:
disney.wikia.com/wiki/Journey_Into_Imagination
"The attraction began with the ride vehicles “floating” in the clouds and seeing the silhouette of a strange blimp mixed with a vacuum cleaner and hearing the humming and singing of its pilot. In the next scene, the guests came right next to this vessel and the pilot, an old man with a red beard dressed in a blue suit and top hat, introduces himself as the Dreamfinder and saying that he uses his vehicle (called the Dream Mobile or Dream-Catcher by some fans) to collect dreams and ideas to create all sorts of new things. Soon, he created a figment of his imagination who came up from a pot near the back of the Dream Mobile. This figment is, appropriately, named Figment--he then proceeded to come up with enough ideas to fill the Dream Mobile’s idea bag, all of which would show up later in the ride. Dreamfinder then tells Figment that before they can create something, they have to go back to the Dreamport, which he says is never far away when you use your imagination.
The ride vehicles then left the side of the Dream Mobile and entered the Dreamport’s storage room, which included a massive washing machine like device for sorting ideas. Also in the room were numerous objects, including a chest full of applauding pairs of hands, plasma balls and a birdcage filled with musical notes. After leaving the storage room, guests would then travel through several Realms of Imagination based on Art, Literature, the Performing Arts and Science.
The Art room was mostly white-colored (probably to represent a massive canvas) and had a large painting that Dreamfinder was making using a large fiber optic paint brush, a carousel with giant origami animals and a pot of rainbows held by Figment near a pond.
The Literature room was mostly focused on suspenseful tales and had Dreamfinder playing a massive computer-like organ with letters and words coming out of it, words that transformed into their meanings, a massive book featuring the raven from the Edgar Allan Poe poem cawing menacingly and books of horrible monsters that Figment tried to keep closed.
The Performing Arts room had Figment trying on costumes backstage while Dreamfinder conducted a laser light show similarly to an orchestra conductor.
The last of the rooms, Science, featured a large machine that Dreamfinder was operating that took a closer look at the workings of nature such as the growth of plants, the formation of crystals from minerals and looking into space.
At the end, Dreamfinder told Figment and the guests that Imagination is our key to unlock the hidden wonders of our world. The guests then entered the final show scene as their picture was taken. In the following room, Figment stood in the center of a giant film canister, surrounded by several movie screens of him being a scientist, a mountain climber, a pirate, a superhero, a tap dancer, a ship captain, a cowboy and an athlete. Dreamfinder, sitting behind a movie camera, gave one last inspiring message and told guests to use their newly-found sparks of inspiration in the Image Works and the on-ride photo was shown to the guests on a screen next to Dreamfinder.
The ride closed on October 10, 1998 to the dismay of numerous fans."
It seems to me that the Dreamfinders TV show took alot of inspiration from the ride itself. From the ride, we can speculate that the TV took place in a land in the clouds in which dreams are tangible objects that can be used to in supernatural machines. It also seems likely the dragons and old man that calls himself the "Dreamfinder" (He's referred to as Old Eli in the show) appear in the ride just as the would in the TV show. The promotional ads suggests that the old man is the main character and possibly the narrator, with the dragons being lovable side-characters that assist the old man. The villain "Fear" and his minions make havoc for them, according to the description of the show.
I think it also can be ascertained that at least some of the show took place in the "Dreamport", a place where the man uses his dreams. The ride shows it has a Art, Literature, Performing Arts, and Science room in the Dreamport. It seems likely that in the TV show the dragons and old man interacted with the rooms and the various dream contraptions that inhabit them.
I actually think the artwork of the ride is exactly same artwork as would be seen in the TV show. Look at these photos found in the ride:
And compare them to the promotional ads of the Dreamfinders TV show:
They look awfully similar. There's no denying that they at least share some resemblance to each other. At the very least the images in the ride heavily influenced the artwork of the TV show. It seems very possible the art style that they both share the same kind of artwork.
There are also entertainers that dress like the TV show characters:
The dragon with the yellow shirt appears is named Figment. (obviously meaning "figment of the old man's imagination") It's possible he was a signature character in the show. He could have been the hero or relatable character, it was a children's show after all. This is all speculation of course.
According to this page, in the ride the voice of Old Eli is Chuck McCann and the voice of Figment is Billy Barty:
www.manic-expression.com/a-look-at-disney-meet-greet-dreamfinder-figment/
I could continue researching this all night because there is so much information on the Journey Into Imagination ride and possible leads for the show. There are so many unanswered questions: What is the exact purpose of the Dreamfinder? What does the mysterious villian "Fear" look like and who are his minions? Is Figment the main character of the show? Did the show really one air once? Why was it never shown again? Who created the show? Did it fail? Does no one remember it? Why am I asking you all these questions? We may never know.
Here's hoping to finding more information on it.