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Carousel of Progress refurb?
- Thread starter iceman22
- Start date
CndleontheWater
Member
Honestly, I hope they don't do anything to the COP. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see the last scene updated to the future, and then refurbed every 5 years or so to keep it current, but lets be honest, that would never happen. As it is now, I feel like COP is flying under the radar, and I'd like to keep it that way. I have a sinking feeling as soon as it gets on Disney's radar the outcome is not going to be pretty, either COP will be razed, or refurbed beyond recognition. Keep laying low COP!
Zipadeelady
Well-Known Member
Is everyone sure the last scene is supposed to be the 90"s? Everything about that scene screams 80's to me. Especially clothes and the architecture.
wdwtopten
Well-Known Member
There is a popular WDW podcast, on which one of the hosts had an interesting idea.
Every ten years or so, remove the "oldest" room from the COP, scoot everything down one, and then add a "new" room on at the end to reflect current society.
In other words, if there are six room in the COP and they are arranged something like this:
room 1: 1900s
room 2: 1920s
room 3: 1940s
room 4: 1950s
room 5: 1970s
room 6: 1990s
(please note: I know the above isn't wholly accurate....it's just for illustrative purpose.)
Then the idea would be to remove room 1, slide everything down, and then the "new" room 6 would reflect "today".
Something like this:
room 1: 1920s
room 2: 1940s
room 3: 1950s
room 4: 1970s
room 5: 1990s
room 6: 2000s
I think it is an extremely interesting idea, but I can't say that I'd actually like to see it done. For me, the COP is all about the nostalgia of seeing those older times, and removing them would also remove that nostalgia.
Every ten years or so, remove the "oldest" room from the COP, scoot everything down one, and then add a "new" room on at the end to reflect current society.
In other words, if there are six room in the COP and they are arranged something like this:
room 1: 1900s
room 2: 1920s
room 3: 1940s
room 4: 1950s
room 5: 1970s
room 6: 1990s
(please note: I know the above isn't wholly accurate....it's just for illustrative purpose.)
Then the idea would be to remove room 1, slide everything down, and then the "new" room 6 would reflect "today".
Something like this:
room 1: 1920s
room 2: 1940s
room 3: 1950s
room 4: 1970s
room 5: 1990s
room 6: 2000s
I think it is an extremely interesting idea, but I can't say that I'd actually like to see it done. For me, the COP is all about the nostalgia of seeing those older times, and removing them would also remove that nostalgia.
rct247
Well-Known Member
When COP made it's debut in 1964, everyone in the audience could identify with one of the Acts because they lived through it. Act 4 was modern day 1960s if not just a little bit into the future, possibly 1969. When it moved to Disneyland in 1967, it was still relevant and not entirely outdated. When it moved to WDW in 1975,it needed and got a proper update to once again reflect the last scene in the current decade as the present if not just slightly in the future. It was updated again the early 80s as well. When Tomorrowland was redone in 1994, COP once again got it's proper refurb bringing the current scene to the present day early 1990s (which did have some 80s flavor still) but with touches that suggested the year 1999.
The current COP represents the following years:1904 (1904 world's fair), 1927 (charles lindburgh), around 1946ish (television), and then 1999 (new century ahead).
The problem is that current audiences don't connect to it because only those 65 and older might have lived through the first three Acts, while even today those under the age 15 see the last scene as a dated look at the future. It seems familiar, but old at the same time. COP didn't get it's properly refurb in the 2000s or the 2010s yet to bring that last scene up to date. Even then, there is so much disconnect with the previous Acts that it may not make sense. Why would they skip over the 1950s through 2015?
So today, the attraction serves more as a museum piece. COP is one of my favorite attractions as well. I couldn't stand to see the first 3 acts destroyed or the attraction removed, but it does need an update.
I've said it a few times on here, the best way to bring this attraction back is to show the progress of computer technology vs. electricity. Act 1 could be the mid 1960s representing the what the world was like when Walt left us. Computers were huge and there was lots of technology to showcase from that era. Act 2 would be 1984 when personal computers were starting to arrive in homes on a larger scale. Video games were shifting from the arcade to the home. There had been changes in media and electronics, appliances, and society. Act 3 would represent 2000, a time when many were optimistic about the new millennium and we had the rise of the internet, cell phones, and new electronic devices. Act 4 would bring us to 2020. Somewhat current, somewhat in the future.
The audiences would once again identify with the scenes as they would have lived through them again. We don't think of our devices as much as electronic as they are digital. Almost everything has a tie to a computer these days. The time jump won't be as crazy, and the attraction would breathe new life.
The current COP represents the following years:1904 (1904 world's fair), 1927 (charles lindburgh), around 1946ish (television), and then 1999 (new century ahead).
The problem is that current audiences don't connect to it because only those 65 and older might have lived through the first three Acts, while even today those under the age 15 see the last scene as a dated look at the future. It seems familiar, but old at the same time. COP didn't get it's properly refurb in the 2000s or the 2010s yet to bring that last scene up to date. Even then, there is so much disconnect with the previous Acts that it may not make sense. Why would they skip over the 1950s through 2015?
So today, the attraction serves more as a museum piece. COP is one of my favorite attractions as well. I couldn't stand to see the first 3 acts destroyed or the attraction removed, but it does need an update.
I've said it a few times on here, the best way to bring this attraction back is to show the progress of computer technology vs. electricity. Act 1 could be the mid 1960s representing the what the world was like when Walt left us. Computers were huge and there was lots of technology to showcase from that era. Act 2 would be 1984 when personal computers were starting to arrive in homes on a larger scale. Video games were shifting from the arcade to the home. There had been changes in media and electronics, appliances, and society. Act 3 would represent 2000, a time when many were optimistic about the new millennium and we had the rise of the internet, cell phones, and new electronic devices. Act 4 would bring us to 2020. Somewhat current, somewhat in the future.
The audiences would once again identify with the scenes as they would have lived through them again. We don't think of our devices as much as electronic as they are digital. Almost everything has a tie to a computer these days. The time jump won't be as crazy, and the attraction would breathe new life.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
My recollection of the time is that it is the late 80's thru the 90's. However, I think it was meant to be a vision of the 00's. It is an example of what happens when we try to get them to show the future. By the time it gets planned, approved and built, it is already past. Exactly the reason why they should stop trying to update it and just go for historical. When people get tired of seeing it they should just stop going to it. To me it is worthy of my liking it simply because it is really a work or art. I suppose we should, in our quest to stay modern, paint a mustache on the Mona Lisa for it's entertainment value. After all, the way it is now, it's stagnant and has not changed for 100's of years. Boring!
The first three acts are fine. They serve to show how far we've come and how major advances were made over each.
The last scene just needs updating slightly again. It's present day / near future, not the far future. The act IV script could do with a rewrite and the AAs need to loose their mid 90s skin (they are A100s) but as a foundation it is sound.
What is needed is a scene 3a of late 60s early 70s. And that won't happen.
The final scene today was updated in 1993. Though we got a flatscreen fitted since then. Woo.
The last scene just needs updating slightly again. It's present day / near future, not the far future. The act IV script could do with a rewrite and the AAs need to loose their mid 90s skin (they are A100s) but as a foundation it is sound.
What is needed is a scene 3a of late 60s early 70s. And that won't happen.
The final scene today was updated in 1993. Though we got a flatscreen fitted since then. Woo.
dinodak
Member
Clearly the last scene is/was meant to represent the now/near future and, in 2015 (or 2000 for that matter) , it's hilarious that they reference car phones and laser discs.
Bocabear
Well-Known Member
In 1971 the last scene was pretty much current day... they had a groovy metal christmas tree, and the daughter was playing guitar in a Marsha Brady hanging chair...Maybe the California original was set in the future, but this one was surely not.
The script for the last scene has gotten worse and worse over the years, and Estelle Getty playing virtual reality extremely dated video games is just ridiculous.
I think COP deserves some love....and a newly written script for it's final scene...
The Original Orlando version had a different song and ended with the line "Go out there and have the best time of your life..." It was such an optimistic and happy ending...even had fireworks projections...
The script for the last scene has gotten worse and worse over the years, and Estelle Getty playing virtual reality extremely dated video games is just ridiculous.
I think COP deserves some love....and a newly written script for it's final scene...
The Original Orlando version had a different song and ended with the line "Go out there and have the best time of your life..." It was such an optimistic and happy ending...even had fireworks projections...
imagineer boy
Well-Known Member
Thank you! And you folks do realize that CoP has had multiple updates since it's premier in the World's Fair right? Rover used to look different, the last scene obviously has had various updates, and hell "Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" was not always the main song! It's main song used to be "Now is the Time." So it's not like the ride is an unchanged artifact since Walt's time you know...
KDM31091
Well-Known Member
I hate to say it, but I doubt they are going to update COP. It seems like one of those attractions they keep open to please purists, and not something they're interested in investing in. I think if they touch at all, unfortunately, it will end up be closed and dismantled, or refurbished into an entirely different show, likely based on a movie. If they did update the last scene, it would probably be something obnoxious with Stitch or something. I'm not trying to be cynical, but that's the trend of their attractions. They'd throw a movie tie-in in there.
They just do not seem to want to invest in any of the original, non-movie based attractions, especially ones like COP that, let's be honest, are not especially well attended. COP is popular with people like us on the forums because we appreciate it for the nostalgia. The average park guest? I never see a long line (or a line at all). I know it's a large capacity attraction, but it certainly doesn't seem very popular.
I'd rather they just don't touch it because I am 99% sure they will screw it up.
They just do not seem to want to invest in any of the original, non-movie based attractions, especially ones like COP that, let's be honest, are not especially well attended. COP is popular with people like us on the forums because we appreciate it for the nostalgia. The average park guest? I never see a long line (or a line at all). I know it's a large capacity attraction, but it certainly doesn't seem very popular.
I'd rather they just don't touch it because I am 99% sure they will screw it up.
Rodan75
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately I think it has to be something more than just leaping nearly 80 years between scene 3 and 4. (assuming they would want to show the near future of 2020). So much happened in those 80 years. I think you have to somehow change up scenes 2-4 and re-envision the entire script and timelines. Start at the turn of the 20th century and take us to 2020ish. I would hate losing so much of the original attraction, but it feels like to be honest to the spirit of the attraction, it should be holistically renovated.
Or do you abandon it and say that SSE is the ride that shows you progress. WDW is the last CoP right?
DisneyElephant
Active Member
Just have to chime in because COP is my all-time favorite ride/attraction. However, I hesitate in even talking about what's possible for changes/updates for it unless its actually feasible and going to happen. Do any of us think this is truly on the list of near future projects for the parks? Because somehow I doubt it...
wdwtopten
Well-Known Member
So true.
BernardandBianca
Well-Known Member
Perhaps I misunderstand, but aren't today's Blu-ray DVDs actually laserdiscs, in that they are played by reading the discs with lasers (laser diodes)?
WondersOfLife
Blink, blink. Breathe, breathe. Day in, day out.
Why move it? What are they supposed to put in CoP's place at Magic Kingdom then? Location is not the problem..
Kman101
Well-Known Member
Wasn't there some alien show envisioned for the circle theater? I think it was for Disneyland's Tomorrowland though, not that it matters. Plectu's Galatic Revue? Something like that. They could throw that there and put COP at the glorified World's Fair down the road. But it won't be moved and in terms of attendance, I don't think location is the problem. It just sort of blends in at the MK. I personally think it would stand out more at Epcot but it still probably wouldn't get that much of an uptick, if any. I think moving it the poster probably meant thematically it fits Epcot better and would be more of a signature attraction [and, well, that's saying Tomorrowland and Epcot have themes still].
UofMGuy423
Well-Known Member
Love the attraction, but I think Walt would've wanted it updated to reflect the generation viewing it rather than an historical museum piece. Back in the 60s, the decades featured and the timelines made sense to those viewing it, not so much anymore. If I were to redo it, I'd start it out in the 50s then go forward to present day and then a crazy view of the future.