Let's be honest...is Carousel of Progress going to last the next five years?

[Goofyernmost]

I agree I love the Carasoul of Progress and i think it should be an untouchable attraction with it being the only attraction in WDW that Walt himself worked on. I'm just saying worse case scenario GBBT will still have a place somewhere.

True, just like Now is the time, it will still be heard but without CoP it will have no particular significance to someone that never saw the show when that was the theme of the show. I saw it first when I was 35 and now both songs allow me to fix the time and memories associated with it. If I had never seen the show, it would be just another song in the loop. Yes, it will still be there, but will have no memory attached to the next generation.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

Let's put it this way, it is the SINGULAR attraction at WDW that Walt Disney created. Seriously. That's it. Sure, the 1971 originals come from the originals at Disneyland and they are more or less copies in most ways of Walt's rides, but considering that CoP moved from Disneyland and came to WDW it is literally the only thing Walt worked on in Florida as he had died by the time 1971 rolled around. If there is any reason to keep it, I think that's the reason.

 

[Snake]

They need to do something, WDW has a lot of aging attractions that need serious updates/upgrades. All the newer rides with lower ride capacities get slammed on the regular while these old attractions sit empty.

 

[BillW]

I hope it stays for a very long time as a tribute to Walt and as a favorite of mine. This ride is a classic like so many others and something I look forward to each visit. I wouldn't mind if it was overhauled a little, like an up-to-date last scene and better animatronics otherwise, I hope it never goes away.

 

[LudwigVonDrake]

If/when they update the ride they should use Stephen Stanton doing his Rex Allen impression as the father and use Rex’s voice singing “There’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow.” If you haven’t heard Stephen as Rex watch this video. He is spot on!

 

[spock8113]

"Let's be honest...is Carousel of Progress going to last the next five years?"​

the same question asked back in October of 1965
D23 writes:

General Electric Carousel of Progress Attraction at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, later moved to Tomorrowland at Disneyland, where it opened July 2, 1967. Closed September 9, 1973 and moved to Walt Disney World. America Sings then moved into the carousel theater at Disneyland. At Disneyland, the attraction was tied to the theme song “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow, ” which echoed General Electric’s then current philosophy. The attraction featured the increased importance of electricity in the home through four different scenes of an Audio-Animatronics family. When the attraction moved to Walt Disney World, where it opened on January 15, 1975, the theme song changed to “The Best Time of Your Life, ” reflecting General Electric’s changed philosophy. General Electric ended sponsorship in 1985, but the attraction continues to operate, and to satisfy nostalgia buffs, the song “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” was returned during a 1993 rehab, which also saw a theming of the four tableaux to various holidays. It was renamed Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress in 1994.

 

[DugLovesU]

CoP is a total embarrassment. The first three scenes have absolutely no relevance to anyone under 90 and the final scene-"The Modern Era" circa 1993 or whenever with its Space Invaders video game-is perhaps the most cringeworthy thing in all of WDW. Depending on your life stage this attraction is only worthwhile for three things: Making out, breastfeeding, or taking a nap.
I have a great idea for an update: Keep the 1920's as the first scene so guests get a feel for life a century ago. Next have the 1950's. Feature a Fifties modern kitchen, the family Chevy Bel-Air, Rock & Roll, and a black & white TV showing "Mickey Mouse Club" ("Didja hear Walt is gonna open a place called Disneyland?"). Then the 1980's. Here you'll see a color console TV with a cable box showing early ESPN, a VCR, a cordless phone (with talk about "Fancy mobile phones in the car") and a personal computer. Finally the modern scene will feature the tech goodies we enjoy today-smartphones, smart watches, Alexa, and streaming TV with Disney Plus.
Having Tom Hanks as the voice of John the dad would be an added bonus. And since the infrastructure is already in place it could be done for relatively low cost which I'm sure would please Bob Paycheck & the gang.

 

[World_Showcase_Lover007]

I doubt CoP is on the chopping block or even on management’s radar. This is based on the fact that they let Stitch run for umpteen years, then sit empty in valuable real estate in Tomorrowland. Same with Monster’s Laugh Floor.

Those two don’t have dedicated followings like CoP, and nobody bats an eye that they are left to languish.

 

[DfromATX]

I hadn't really given it much thought because I admit, it's not really one of my favorites and I think it's kind of weird, but we do go on it each trip. Is there talk about it going away? I chose to be positive and voted that nothing will happen to it! It's one of the originals, right? So, for that reason, I would hate to see it go.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

CoP is a total embarrassment. The first three scenes have absolutely no relevance to anyone under 90 and the final scene-"The Modern Era" circa 1993 or whenever with its Space Invaders video game-is perhaps the most cringeworthy thing in all of WDW. Depending on your life stage this attraction is only worthwhile for three things: Making out, breastfeeding, or taking a nap.
I have a great idea for an update: Keep the 1920's as the first scene so guests get a feel for life a century ago. Next have the 1950's. Feature a Fifties modern kitchen, the family Chevy Bel-Air, Rock & Roll, and a black & white TV showing "Mickey Mouse Club" ("Didja hear Walt is gonna open a place called Disneyland?"). Then the 1980's. Here you'll see a color console TV with a cable box showing early ESPN, a VCR, a cordless phone (with talk about "Fancy mobile phones in the car") and a personal computer. Finally the modern scene will feature the tech goodies we enjoy today-smartphones, smart watches, Alexa, and streaming TV with Disney Plus.
Having Tom Hanks as the voice of John the dad would be an added bonus. And since the infrastructure is already in place it could be done for relatively low cost which I'm sure would please Bob Paycheck & the gang.

In a way this reminds me of the people that want to modernize Frontierland. The entire point of CoP is that it is a blast from the past. Our kids loved this attraction. The last scene could use an update for sure. But there aren't a lot of people sitting in the audience that remember the 1950s either. So it is about as relevant as 1900. Which is not really the point, because talking about a flying machine in 1900 everyone knows what that is all about.

 

[BalooChicago]

The last scene is beyond needing an update, but the problem is the gaps are too jarring at this point. I’d like to see the closing thester get a small scene that could be “current”. (Maybe just a modern animatronic John). Then make it “A Century of Progress” and cover 1900-2000 in 25 year jumps.

 

[Magicart87]

Make the decade gaps larger with the show's focus on important milestones and achievements in mankind (as best related to Tomorrowland's themes) then as buffer between show scenes, fill in the decades with projected video footage of "subsequent decades of importantance". End with 2020s show scene and a uplifting outlook of the future video montage that can be updated in future overhauls.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

You know there's growth for concern when the word "Seasonal" rolls in..But, when have we heard this word thrown about out there nowadays...

 

[SteveAZee]

The nice, nostalgic thing about the original is that it spanned Walt's life in 20 year increments.

I suppose if they were to re-imagine things, it would be great if they could combine the gags from the original four scenes into two (so, 1900's to 1940's, 1940's to... 1980's?), then two new scenes of 1980's to 2020's, and the final scene to be the peek into the future. Keep the old stuff (for us old people) and get some new stuff too.

Honestly, though, once attendance drops off (as said above) it'll go seasonal, then gone, then a gift shop or meet and greet. Investing in new shows of any kind based around AA's is a tough sell, I would guess.

 

[Magicart87]

Can they really afford to shutter anymore attractions? In Tomorrowland?

 

[EagleScout610]

Personally I'm shocked it's survived Iger and Chapek pushing IP into places that don't need it. If it makes it 5 years, I won't be shocked, but 10 to me would be a stretch

 

[wdisney9000]

The title of this thread implies that people haven't been honest in prior discussions of CoP.

 

[LittleBuford]

I admit to loving it the way it is. The last section should settle on a late twentieth-century (perhaps 1980s) timeframe rather than attempt to pass itself off as contemporary, but other than that, I think it works very well.

 

[ohioguy]

They should move Carousel of Progress to EPCOT and use that space for another E-Ticket.

 

[TalkToEthan]

I hate this ride. It broke down twice ........

You cal it a ride; and I call it a show