A new stained glass-style Figment artist series pin has debuted at Walt Disney World.
Figment Artist Series Pin – $44.99
We spotted this new artist series pin at the Discovery Trading Post in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, though they are available throughout the resort, and our master of imagination is, of course, far more renowned over at EPCOT than he is here.
This pin is from a limited edition of 2,500 in total, featuring a smiling Figment above the clouds with a spark (or light bulb) of imagination above. Spaceship Earth can be seen around the edges of the background.
This pin was designed by Jes Willis, the Disney design manager for pin trading. In an Instagram post, Willis discussed the pin design:
“I have a love of stained glass (see part of Windows of Evil, Windows of Magic, and the Disney Monopoly game for instance…) and I wanted this pin to be a simple classic representation of Figment. These artist series were all about artists showing their unique art style, and they’ve all been so different and amazing, but while I have a style I don’t share with most, I prefer my work to continue the heritage and “style” of those who created the characters I love. You’ll find some stylized work here and there from me, but the majority stays true to the characters. So here he is with his own magical window. Adding Figgy to the stained glass collection of pins will be a great addition to my wall!”
We spotted a different artist series pin based on the same classic character earlier this year at the Frontier Trading Post in Magic Kingdom, too.
40 Years of Sparks
Figment has been a staple of EPCOT since 1983, cherished and beloved by guests from past and present. Imagineers Tony Baxter and Steve Kirk led the development of a new, elaborate, adventurous dark ride for all ages at a time in which many visitors felt the park was lacking an experience children could appreciate as much as adults. Journey Into Imagination was born, and a little purple dragon became the central figure, along with the mystical Dreamfinder, who would help riders learn to explore and appreciate the limitless power and potential of their own creative minds.
Our indigo friend has had a rough go of it over the years, enduring three immensely different iterations of the ride to varying degrees of success, failure, love, and pure, loathsome hatred. Generally, the public regards the original version as overwhelmingly superior, the second as one of the worst attractions of all time, with the third and current design somewhere in between. Our full and in-depth Figment history is available here, in honor of Imagination’s 40th anniversary.
As the major overhaul of EPCOT began, it was rumored that a new attraction in the space would feature characters from Pixar’s “Inside Out” alongside Figment, who was featured briefly in an Easter egg in the film; however, no ride change was ever announced. Joy from “Inside Out” does now meet guests in ImageWorks.
While Figment’s home attraction continues to see its popularity wane and fade over time, the character continues to expand in popularity and presence across EPCOT and general media. In September 2022, Deadline broke the news that Disney is developing a movie based on Figment. The feature film will be produced by Seth Rogen’s Point Grey Pictures, with Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit (“Pokémon Detective Pikachu”) serving as writers.
Are you excited for this upcoming book, and a chance to introduce an iconic mascot to a new generation of young readers? Let us know in the comments.
Check out other recent Figment news below:
- REVIEW: New Figment-Inspired Raspberry Tart and Grape Shake Available for V.I.PASSHOLDER Days at EPCOT
- New Figment Ear Headband Available at EPCOT
- Figment Little Golden Book Debuting in January 2024
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