A brand-new How NOT to Draw short featuring Figment has landed on the Disney Channel Animation YouTube channel and Disney+, and longtime EPCOT fans have plenty to unpack. The quick-hit cartoon gives the purple dragon fresh screen time, introduces a new voice, and revives conversation about what could be next for EPCOT’s original mascot.
How NOT to Draw is a recurring series where animated characters spring to life while a live-action animator attempts to sketch them. In this installment, Figment pops off the page to chat about imagination alongside noted Disney Parks fan Neil Patrick Harris, who narrates the short.
You can watch the full video here:
Figment’s New Voice
If you notice something different right away, you’re not imagining it… Figment has a new voice!
In the current version of Journey Into Imagination at EPCOT, Figment has been voiced by Dave Goelz since 2002. Before that, Corey Burton took on the role, and the original 1983 attraction featured Billy Barty as the dragon’s first voice.
The new short features A.J. LoCascio, who has voiced Figment in recent years, including in the video game Disney Speedstorm.
Deep-Cuts for EPCOT Lovers
The short is packed with visual nods to the original Journey Into Imagination.
You can spot sheet music for “One Little Spark,” written by the legendary Sherman Brothers. There are “CAT” and “BAT” blocks which is a throwback to the first version of the attraction, where Figment played with letter blocks that flipped between the two words. A pair of 3D glasses appears in the background, likely a wink to the Imagination! pavilion theater, once home to 3D shows Captain EO and Honey, I Shrunk the Audience.
Look closely and you’ll also catch glass pyramids behind a plasma ball, a reference to the pavilion’s exterior. There’s even a nod to Orange Bird, another beloved original parks character (more on that here…).
And longtime fans will appreciate the appearance of the Dream Mobile, pulled straight from the 1983 attraction.
What Comes Next?
Figment has been the subject of on-and-off rumors for years. During last year’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders, outgoing CEO Bob Iger fielded a question about the character’s future. Now, with the 2026 meeting on the horizon and Josh D’Amaro stepping into a more prominent leadership role, it’s not hard to imagine the question coming up again.
Back in 2022, a Figment feature film from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg was announced, though updates have been scarce. I remain hopeful the duo’s continued relationship with Disney could help get the project moving, especially with their recent successful revival of The Muppet Show.
Figment needs something like that. While the character remains wildly popular in merchandise form, the Imagination! pavilion itself has struggled to draw crowds. Journey Into Imagination often posts minimal wait times, and the pavilion’s theater has been running the same batch of Pixar shorts for years.
A successful series or film would breathe new life into the pavilion and position Figment as the face of EPCOT’s ongoing evolution. For now, the new short is a small but welcome step… one little spark, right?
