Find of the Day - Disney Parks Attraction Art Plate - Journey Into Imagination - 7''

Hey Disney Fans!

Today's Find of the Day is the Disney Parks Attraction Art Plate- Journey Into Imagination - 7"

Image from Disney Store website: https://www.disneystore.com/dinnerware-kitchen-dinnerware-home-decor-disney-parks-attraction-art-plate-journey-into-imagination-7/mp/1403137/1000349/#longDescription

Take a look at that thing. If you went to EPCOT in the 80's or early 90's can I get a Woot Woot!? 

What it is: Ok, on the boring side, this is an "Art Plate". That just means it's a plate that has beautiful art on it. It doesn't mean you have to hang it on the wall. It's a totally usable plate. It's even dishwasher and microwave safe so, you can totally use it. On the amazing side: IT'S A PLATE WITH DREAMFINDER'S FACE ON IT!!!

What it Costs: $12.99 plus tax and shipping.

Why it's a Find of the Day: the whole world can pretty much be split into two groups: people who have no idea who the guy on that plate is and people who saw the plate, stopped reading this blog, and have already purchased it. Ok, maybe that's a little overdramatic but, Dreamfinder tends to elicit strong emotional responses from people. 

Who was the Dreamfinder you ask? Well, it's kind of a long story but, the short version is that when EPCOT was first built, it was not supposed to have any characters in it. No Mickey, no Minnie, or Donald. That meant that all of the attractions had to be totally unique and, instead of being based around intellectual property, they were based around ideas. Different pavilions in Futureworld were supposed to have edutainment about things like science, technology, nutrition, etc. One of the most beloved pavilions was the Imagination Pavilion.

This pavilion was all about exploring the idea of imagination and the big central attraction was Journey Into Imagination. In an attempt to help audiences explore the concept of imagination, Imagineers created The Dreamfinder and Figment. The Dreamfinder was a guy who would think up and collect ideas in the Dream Port and Figment was... well he was a dragon who was a Figment of Dreamfinder's imagination. Together, Figment and Dreamfinder explored the idea of taking one thought or idea and transforming it into something else: i.e. the process of imagination.

It was a pretty brilliant concept and, for many, many years visitors young and old loved the ride. But, theme parks must move forward and, when the ride was redone and changed to Journey Into Your Imagination, Dreamfinder and Figment were not included. Many fans were upset, or even outraged by the change. After only a few years of that version of the ride, Disney listened to the fan outcry and re-did it again, adding Figment back in and renaming it Journey Into Imagination with Figment. While most fans agreed this was an improvement over Journey Into Your Imagination, there is still a large fanbase out there that misses the Dreamfinder.

For many people, the Dreamfinder represented the ideal of EPCOT. EPCOT was supposed to be about imagining the future. Specifically, it was supposed to be a better future with more hope, more connectivity, and more technology. While a lot of EPCOT's Futureworld focused on the science and technology side of things, the Dreamfinder represented the esoteric essence of creativity. For a lot of kids who may not have been ready to start inventing microchips and flying cars just yet, they connected with the Dreamfinder because imagination was readily accessible. As a result, for many, he's the most missed bygone character of any Disney attraction.

In recent years, the Dreamfinder has started to re-emerge in different places. He had his own comic book run and now he is starting to reappear in merchandise. What makes this a Find of the Day is the combination of the fact that it is a part of the resurgence of the beloved Dreamfinder and the fact that the art is just plan cool-looking.

What do you think? Do you love Dreamfinder? Do you love this plate? Do you have no idea what I'm talking about and want to tell me so? Let me know in the comments!