COP refurb

[Skyway]

So...some insiders hinted on another thread that Carousel of Progress will be getting a significant refurb soon.

Assuming its too early for them to divulge much more....lets speculate!

As much as the show is an "untouchable" Walt Disney classic up until the final modern scene, I think a long-lasting refurb would require major changes beyond just updating the finale.

When CoP opened in the late 60's, each scene represented two decades of progress (1900, 1920, 1940, and 1960). But on the latest 90's version, the last scene abruptly and awkwardly jumps SIXTY years.

Also, much of the original 60s audience lived in at least one (or all!) of the show's "eras", making it personally nostalgic for them.

To improve CoP's pacing and make it more relevant to today's audience, the "eras" should be re-divided. They could either bump everything up and maintain the 20-year jumps by featuring 1940, 1960, 1980, and 2000. Or the could do "100 years of progress" featuring 1900, 1930, 1970, and 2000.

The other big question is who would narrate. I think in the modern theme park environment, a celebrity would help make CoP more poplar, justifying its rehab costs.

So offer up your suggestions!

I recommend Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, or John Ratzenberger (imagine their voices readng the current script).

 

[CaesarBoxFan]

I second John Ratzenberger.

 

[devoy1701]

So...some insiders hinted on another thread that Carousel of Progress will be getting a significant refurb soon.

Assuming its too early for them to divulge much more....lets speculate!

As much as the show is an "untouchable" Walt Disney classic up until the final modern scene, I think a long-lasting refurb would require major changes beyond just updating the finale.

When CoP opened in the late 60's, each scene represented two decades of progress (1900, 1920, 1940, and 1960). But on the latest 90's version, the last scene abruptly and awkwardly jumps SIXTY years.

Also, much of the original 60s audience lived in at least one (or all!) of the show's "eras", making it personally nostalgic for them.

To improve CoP's pacing and make it more relevant to today's audience, the "eras" should be re-divided. They could either bump everything up and maintain the 20-year jumps by featuring 1940, 1960, 1980, and 2000. Or the could do "100 years of progress" featuring 1900, 1930, 1970, and 2000.

The other big question is who would narrate. I think in the modern theme park environment, a celebrity would help make CoP more poplar, justifying its rehab costs.

So offer up your suggestions!

I recommend Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, or John Ratzenberger (imagine their voices readng the current script).

Steve Martin would be great. He would probably feel honored to do it too considering his history with the company.


I also have to say that if the Space Mountain refurb happens next year as planned...I do not see them closing down any other attraction in Tomorrowland for refurbs until SM is done...atleast not extensive refurbs like the OP is suggesting...

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

How about Adam Sandler or Jim Carrey would make a good voice.

:brick::brick:


I say keep it narrated by the Father and only touch up the "past" scenes. Most of the work should be done to the last scene.

A nice new Pre show would be nice too....It could explain the History of CoP.

 

[devoy1701]

:brick::brick:


I say keep it narrated by the Father

Meaning you like Jean Sheppard or just the idea of the father narrating everything? If we're hoping for new scenes, Jean Sheppard is alittle out of the question for new recordings (RIP 1999). :brick:

I think the OP meant recasting the father....not like adding a narrator to all of the scenes...

if that's what you think the OP meant. If not than nm...I definitely do not know where the idea of Jim Carrey or Adam Sandler came from though...:lookaroun

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

this is my opinion only...

the father needs to be someone who sounds like a classic father or grandfather....rex allen was the original father, but andrew dougan who was the voice of father during "now is the time" was an excellent choice as he had a deep, crisp, almost soap opera star voice.

Rex Allen Jr. did the narration of the CoP dvd for extinct attractions, and I think with some lessons, could be a great CoP father just like his father was. :wave:

As for a preshow...yes a preshow is very much needed. The CoP needs to tie in better with the galactic community of tomorrowland...a new preshow should better explain that this ride was made by walt disney and has been aqwired by the metro retro historical society, what the ride is, etc.

I still think the load theater should be both a load and unload theater. As guests enter from one side, guests are moving over and exiting the other side, just like they do in philarmagic.

Can we please have something a little more elaborate than staring at a curtain....new LED kaleidophonic screens please?

And for the ride itself, there's no reason why we can't keep the first three scenes and restore them close to what they looked like for the world's fair

and then act four could become the 1960s again, and then by converting the unload theater into an extra scene, you get to see a bonus ending...tomorrow itself!

you ride along the walt disney version of the ride (as closely as replicated as possible) from the dawn of the 20th century to its peak in the space age, and then the metro retro historical society gives you a peak into the possible future with the carousel family

that way whenever this new last scene must be updated....the new narrators will simply read off of a set-in-stone script for the 1890s through the 1960s and then read the new script for whenever the finale needs to be updated.

 

[krankenstein]

Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, or John Ratzenberger

I wouldn't mind any of the 3 doing it, but I'm leaning towards John Ratzenberger.

A nice new Pre show would be nice too....It could explain the History of CoP.

They should do something like this during the first scene. Instead of having a sign behind a curtain let's put up a movie screen and introduce the attraction properly. Personally, I would like Marty Sklar to do the introduction.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Meaning you like Jean Sheppard or just the idea of the father narrating everything? If we're hoping for new scenes, Jean Sheppard is alittle out of the question for new recordings (RIP 1999). :brick:

I think the OP meant recasting the father....not like adding a narrator to all of the scenes...

if that's what you think the OP meant. If not than nm...I definitely do not know where the idea of Jim Carrey or Adam Sandler came from though...:lookaroun

I meant new father narrator.

this is my opinion only...

the father needs to be someone who sounds like a classic father or grandfather....rex allen was the original father, but andrew dougan who was the voice of father during "now is the time" was an excellent choice as he had a deep, crisp, almost soap opera star voice.

Rex Allen Jr. did the narration of the CoP dvd for extinct attractions, and I think with some lessons, could be a great CoP father just like his father was. :wave:

As for a preshow...yes a preshow is very much needed. The CoP needs to tie in better with the galactic community of tomorrowland...a new preshow should better explain that this ride was made by walt disney and has been aqwired by the metro retro historical society, what the ride is, etc.

I still think the load theater should be both a load and unload theater. As guests enter from one side, guests are moving over and exiting the other side, just like they do in philarmagic.

Can we please have something a little more elaborate than staring at a curtain....new LED kaleidophonic screens please?

And for the ride itself, there's no reason why we can't keep the first three scenes and restore them close to what they looked like for the world's fair

and then act four could become the 1960s again, and then by converting the unload theater into an extra scene, you get to see a bonus ending...tomorrow itself!

you ride along the walt disney version of the ride (as closely as replicated as possible) from the dawn of the 20th century to its peak in the space age, and then the metro retro historical society gives you a peak into the possible future with the carousel family

that way whenever this new last scene must be updated....the new narrators will simply read off of a set-in-stone script for the 1890s through the 1960s and then read the new script for whenever the finale needs to be updated.

Exactly!

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I wouldn't mind any of the 3 doing it., but I'm leaning towards John Ratzenberger.



They should do something like this during the first scene. Instead of having a sign behind a curtain let's put up a movie screen and introduce the attraction properly. Personally, I would like Marty Sklar do the introduction.

*dies*

*goes to heaven*

 

[One Lil Spark]

Personally, I would like Marty Sklar to do the introduction.

That gave me chills reading it! Loooooove that idea. :sohappy:

 

[krankenstein]

*dies*

*goes to heaven*

That gave me chills reading it! Loooooove that idea. :sohappy:

I'm glad I have the Epcot Center contingency on my side. :lol:

 

[One Lil Spark]

this is my opinion only...

the father needs to be someone who sounds like a classic father or grandfather....rex allen was the original father, but andrew dougan who was the voice of father during "now is the time" was an excellent choice as he had a deep, crisp, almost soap opera star voice.

Rex Allen Jr. did the narration of the CoP dvd for extinct attractions, and I think with some lessons, could be a great CoP father just like his father was. :wave:

As for a preshow...yes a preshow is very much needed. The CoP needs to tie in better with the galactic community of tomorrowland...a new preshow should better explain that this ride was made by walt disney and has been aqwired by the metro retro historical society, what the ride is, etc.

I still think the load theater should be both a load and unload theater. As guests enter from one side, guests are moving over and exiting the other side, just like they do in philarmagic.

Can we please have something a little more elaborate than staring at a curtain....new LED kaleidophonic screens please?

And for the ride itself, there's no reason why we can't keep the first three scenes and restore them close to what they looked like for the world's fair

and then act four could become the 1960s again, and then by converting the unload theater into an extra scene, you get to see a bonus ending...tomorrow itself!

you ride along the walt disney version of the ride (as closely as replicated as possible) from the dawn of the 20th century to its peak in the space age, and then the metro retro historical society gives you a peak into the possible future with the carousel family

that way whenever this new last scene must be updated....the new narrators will simply read off of a set-in-stone script for the 1890s through the 1960s and then read the new script for whenever the finale needs to be updated.

As always, Expo, I love your ideas!

The load/unload theater giving us an extra scene is great. Though I might be alone in this, I actually like the curtain with changing lights and logo. It leaves your mind wandering as to what is going to come next, which I know Walt wanted.

Something needs to happen to CoP to breathe new life into it. With such an odd placement in TL, I'm scared that as time goes by, CoP will suffer the same fate as Sounds Dangerous.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I'm glad I have the Epcot Center contingency on my side. :lol:

:king::wave:

As always, Expo, I love your ideas!

The load/unload theater giving us an extra scene is great. Though I might be alone in this, I actually like the curtain with changing lights and logo. It leaves your mind wandering as to what is going to come next, which I know Walt wanted.

Something needs to happen to CoP to breathe new life into it. With such an odd placement in TL, I'm scared that as time goes by, CoP will suffer the same fate as Sounds Dangerous.

UGH...No. Never. Classic WALT attraction Vs. Pop Culture "cheap" attraction.:lookaroun

Not saying that I don't like SD, but I just think they are incomparable.

I PRAY that is does not suffer the same fate.

 

[One Lil Spark]

:king::wave:


UGH...No. Never. Classic WALT attraction Vs. Pop Culture "cheap" attraction.:lookaroun

Not saying that I don't like SD, but I just think they are incomparable.

I PRAY that is does not suffer the same fate.

That's a definite comparison of apples to oranges! I appreciate Sounds Dangerous, but CoP is an icon in my book. It's just easy to look at the comparison of their locations, their flow of traffic, and their daily guest attendance... CoP needs some plussing (and fast) so it doesn't fall to the wayside moreso than it already has.

That being said, I am a nostalgia fan and don't want to majorly overhaul any part of Walt's baby. It just needs something to renew guest's interest.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

That's a definite comparison of apples to oranges! I appreciate Sounds Dangerous, but CoP is an icon in my book. It's just easy to look at the comparison of their locations, their flow of traffic, and their daily guest attendance... CoP needs some plussing (and fast) so it doesn't fall to the wayside moreso than it already has.

That being said, I am a nostalgia fan and don't want to majorly overhaul any part of Walt's baby. It just needs something to renew guest's interest.

Exactly!

Knew you would get it!

 

[Computer Magic]

I was just thinking about COP voices the other day. No way would I change the voices. The voices are classic jean shepherd the narrarator in COP was the writer and narrator for Chirstmas Story. Sadly he is no longer with us.

Mel Blanc did the voice for Ollie. That was the only voice over he did for Disney. As most of us old timers know, Mel Blanc was famous over a WB. Does Bugs Bunny and friends come to mind.

In fact, I think Disney should market that Jean Shepard and Mel Blanc are voice overs for COP. I think it would increase attendance.

 

[Computer Magic]

That gave me chills reading it! Loooooove that idea. :sohappy:

Say it ain't so JENN Not my fellow Sounds Dangerous fan. We can't kill Jean and Mel

 

[One Lil Spark]

Say it ain't so JENN Not my fellow Sounds Dangerous fan. We can't kill Jean and Mel

Awww! I love the idea of Marty doing the preshow ONLY!



Viva la Sounds Dangerous! :lookaroun

 

[stitch2008]

So...some insiders hinted on another thread that Carousel of Progress will be getting a significant refurb soon.
Assuming its too early for them to divulge much more....lets speculate!

The other big question is who would narrate. I think in the modern theme park environment, a celebrity would help make CoP more poplar, justifying its rehab costs.

So offer up your suggestions!

I recommend Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, or John Ratzenberger (imagine their voices readng the current script).

I vote for Tom Hanks. He'd be great I think.

 

[Astro_Digital]

Like the Enhanted Tiki Room they can fix it by adding Disney cartoon characters.

Maybe the Incredible's, that story spans the decades....:fork: