Carousel of Progress Minor Refurb in 2014

[rct247]

Take this as a rumor for now, but there have been some more rumblings about more refurbishments in Tomorrowland next year. In addition to the TTA & Astro Refurbs coming next year, Carousel of Progress may be going down for a bit for a minor refurbishment as well. Those wondering what is being done shouldn't get your hopes up as I believe it is a combination of existing asthetic cleaning and additional ride system & safety features. I don't know when this would take place, but the rumor now estimates that it will be down anywhere from a week or a couple of months.
Tomorrowland refurbishments are rumored to start as soon as the new Mine Coaster opens in Fantasyland. For those paying attention, you may notice that the TTA/Astro building is already getting some pre-refurb attention with work being done to the structure.

These refurbs are needed for a variety of known reasons, but in my mind I can't help but also wonder if there may even be a small relation to the Tomorrowland movie that is set to come out in 2014. Most of the attractions in Tomorrowland already have a storyline or characters that probably won't fit in the movie, but Astro Orbiter & TTA don't have set a storyline and could be featured in some way in the alternate universe of Tomorrowland that the movie is based upon. Plot hints also suggest that the Tomorrowland movie which was code named 1952, may have a tie-in to Walt Disney, the creation of WED Enterprises, the 1964 New York Worlds Fair, and the promise of the future. This also makes me wonder with Carousel of Progress receiving some minor attention if it isn't being cleaned up for it's 50th birthday, but also for the movie reference.

Of course, the movie thoughts are really are all just in my head at this point, but the refurbishment plans may become more clear as 2013 comes to a close. Stay tuned.

 

[nytimez]

laser discs!

 

[Animaniac93-98]

laser discs!

Still the best way to watch Star Wars and Song of the South at home!

 

[ToTBellHop]

Laser pandas?

 

[Radok Block]

Given how tie-in happy TWDC is at this point, I think you're onto something re: the movie and COP.

I would be more excited about Tomorrowland if Lindelof wasn't writing it, but that's another thread tangent.

 

[Communicore]

Let's take the ending of the CoP back to the 1960's!! It's more futuristic!

 

[ToTBellHop]

Given how tie-in happy TWDC is at this point, I think you're onto something re: the movie and COP.

I would be more excited about Tomorrowland if Lindelof wasn't writing it, but that's another thread tangent.

Carousel of Planes. Granted, if there is one thing Tomorrowland can use, it's Dane Cook. Maybe one of the rooms can feature his BK Lounge schtick.

 

[longsaber]

Hopefully John's head can be re-attached to his torso.

 

[prberk]

@rct247 , I like your ideas about the movie tie-in with Walt Disney, his futurism, and the 1964 World's Fair, and I hope you are correct. I would wonder, though, why it would be code-named, "1952". Of course that is time period where thoughts of Disneyland (the first Tomorrowland) and the rest of the modern era for Walt Disney started to take shape, at least in his mind and projects started.

Who knows. Sounds interesting, though.

And I love CoP.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

I just hope they don't ruin my CoP.

I find it kinda amazing how defensive I've become over this attraction. As old as it is, and as simple as it is (park your butt in seat, and just... WATCH) I'm very fond of it.

I do hope they fix the curtain on the left side (scene two, I think it is) that has a very noticeable snag going right across it... I took a photo of it, let me see if I can upload from my ipad


Edit



Just fix it. Maybe update the last scene. The theatre could use a deep cleaning. But please no movie tie ins.

 

[DisneySaint]

The neccessity for a CoP refurb (more specifically, for an overhaul of the final scene) has never been higher. When the scene was re-worked in the mid 90s it illustrated a not-so-distant future where evidently our grandmothers were playing Star Fox 64 on Virtual Reality for some reason. All kidding aside, I see two things that can be done with the finale:
#1 would be to show a whimsical look at the future a la Horizons where we see what a 1960's version of the future looked like
#2 simply revise it to a more "current" version of the future keeping in mind this, too, will become "old" after only a brief time

 

[Seabasealpha1]

It would be awesome to see SOMETHING done w/ tomorrowland as I find it to be the most miserable to experience. The other lands look pretty good and are far more tolerable...but tomorrowland feels like a catch-all for a bunch of things...besides TTA and Buzz Lightyear, everything else just feels kinda out of place...and Stitch...(sigh) don't even get me started...it's not good. Just not good. The thing wreaks of that chili dog burp smell...and they ruined a good attraction...It'd be wise (in my mind) to move all of the pixar stuff to DHS and just kinda start over with tomorrowland...maybe even venture to dispose of the speedway...as that's prime land that could be developed...and the cars don't fit the theme (to me) anyway...

Overall the theming seems like it sucks too...and it's dirty...lots of bird nests! I really hope this rumor has some truth to it...I hope they'll make something great of it...

 

[Pumbaa1222]

CoP has been one of my favorite attractions since I was a kid (history nerd) It's feel-good classic Americana. It would be great for it to get some love and acknowledgement for it's 50th birthday. The end scene is terribly outdated. I wish instead of always trying to make the end catch up to the present, there could be some kind of Pre- and Post- show that explains where you are going, and at the end a way to catch up.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

It would be awesome to see SOMETHING done w/ tomorrowland as I find it to be the most miserable to experience. The other lands look pretty good and are far more tolerable...but tomorrowland feels like a catch-all for a bunch of things...besides TTA and Buzz Lightyear, everything else just feels kinda out of place...and Stitch...(sigh) don't even get me started...it's not good. Just not good. The thing wreaks of that chili dog burp smell...and they ruined a good attraction...It'd be wise (in my mind) to move all of the pixar stuff to DHS and just kinda start over with tomorrowland...maybe even venture to dispose of the speedway...as that's prime land that could be developed...and the cars don't fit the theme (to me) anyway...

Overall the theming seems like it sucks too...and it's dirty...lots of bird nests! I really hope this rumor has some truth to it...I hope they'll make something great of it...

You know I really hate to admit it but I really liked Tomorrowland. More than I thought I would, at least. However I wish it had a cohesive theme, and either go full on Toy Story (please, no) or actually be "Tomorrow" and themed to the future. Or space. Or future space. So with that, I totally agree with you. The bathrooms that I only learned yesterday used to house the Skyway on top looks like a prefab plopped on the land. The whole territory is rather stark and could certainly use a facelift.

The laugh floor has got to go.

If anything, they could re-frame TL around CoP. Either go steampunk 'future' or actual futuristic (harder to upkeep to stay current, I think) or nothing.


Edit to add- I liked Tomorrowland because it wasn't overly crowded. CoP is a great attraction, and I really liked the Peoplemover too. The AC was a'blastin' in this part of the park as well, lol But in general, the land needs help.

 

[Tim Lohr]

I'm not sure just how reliable this info is, but this is allegedly the plot of the "Tomorrowland" film, the first is from Screen Rant and the other is io9. I don't know if it'd be possible to tie-in this story in to the "Tomorrowland" park attractions

http://screenrant.com/tomorrowland-1952-synopsis/

http://io9.com/5988178/leaked-plot-to-brad-birds-tomorrowland-sounds-like-disneys-brave-new-world

 

[Goofyernmost]

CoP has a much better chance of staying with us eternally if they just upgrade the AA's and clean it up (a lot). If we insist that they continuously upgrade the last scene it will be gone quicker then you can say start the dozer.

The only chance that CoP has of survival is if they decide to make it a historical attraction, where it all started, and all that good stuff, Walt's baby...whatever it takes. It is no longer able to be updated, time wise, without having to alter the beginning through the end. And then it won't be CoP anymore it will just be carousel. There is plenty of merit in just giving it some love, show this generation and future generations where it all started and not even try and make it "current". It has earned the right to be just what it was meant to be 50 years ago. It still fits in Tomorrowland because there should always be a connection. When we talk about where we are going, it is very important to know where we have been. Many folks today have no idea what life might have been like before 1970.

 

[nytimez]

#1 would be to show a whimsical look at the future a la Horizons where we see what a 1960's version of the future looked like

'Future that never was' would be a perfect, timeless and fitting ending.

 

[WannaBWendy]

I agree with the "future that never was" idea. Don't want to continually see the last scene become dated.

 

[Ignohippo]

As far as the TTA goes, there's a new show in production for Disney Jr (Miles From Tomorrowland) that is about a family that works on the TTA, so it makes sense it would get a refurb (even though it just had one).

As for CoP, I know I'm in the minority, but the place needs to be gutted. No one is more sensitive to tradition than I am, but the thing holds little to no value anymore except for nostalgia. DL knew it was out of date 30 years ago when they converted their version to America Sings. The idea that we're still stuck with it 30 years later is laughable.

 

[Ignohippo]

CoP has a much better chance of staying with us eternally if they just upgrade the AA's and clean it up (a lot). If we insist that they continuously upgrade the last scene it will be gone quicker then you can say start the dozer.

The only chance that CoP has of survival is if they decide to make it a historical attraction, where it all started, and all that good stuff, Walt's baby...whatever it takes. It is no longer able to be updated, time wise, without having to alter the beginning through the end. And then it won't be CoP anymore it will just be carousel. There is plenty of merit in just giving it some love, show this generation and future generations where it all started and not even try and make it "current". It has earned the right to be just what it was meant to be 50 years ago. It still fits in Tomorrowland because there should always be a connection. When we talk about where we are going, it is very important to know where we have been. Many folks today have no idea what life might have been like before 1970.

Except that it takes up an incredibly valuable piece of real estate that could be used to actually draw guests to the park and could get thousands of people through its turnstyles rather than the hundreds it gets now.

That said, it probably won't go anywhere knowing how cheap TDO is. CoP is more than likely just going to get the usually cleaning every couple of years until TDO decides to redo all of Tomorowland (which desperately, desperately needs it). As long as Stitch and MILF is still around, CoP is safe.