Good bye Carousel of Progress

[Woody13]

Face reality here and understand that CoP is nothing more than an old commercial for General Electric. Back in the old days (1950's and 60's), GE's motto was "Progress is our most important product". GE's Department of Public Relations Services was huge and they hired the best to push their products and they spent millions of dollars. Walt Disney and the CoP were actually just a very small cog in the giant GE advertising campaign. CoP was built for one reason, to sell electricity to the public. It's time has long passed. "Live Better Electrically"!

Also, there is no evidence to suggest that Walt wanted CoP to remain in perpetuity. Spreading that rumor actually reflects rather poorly on Walt's legend and his intelligence.

 

[DisneyFreak529]

Face reality here and understand that CoP is nothing more than an old commercial for General Electric

Face the reality? So what if it's really only a commercial. Don't you have memories of it when you little kid. The others are right, why would they put out a 30 year anversary pin if it were closeing. I think Walt would want this ride open. The only reason why there are not lines is because you don't know weather it is working or not. What I think they should invest some money into updating it, and fixing it. It is a classic!!!!
Comercial or not.

 

[marni1971]

C`mon, woody - Test Track is one big advertisment for GM or the motor car but I have a feeling that will be around for a few years yet.

 

[General Grizz]

And who cares about Figment and Dreamfinder. Kodak ad, nothing more.

 

[Dayma]

A LOT of rides are based on advertising funds. Without them Epcot would have a lot of problems.

On the COP topic: I have been on this thing in 10 years because its always closed. A decision just needs to be made IMO to close it or open it all year long. No more of this half #!#!@!@ stuff. Look I loveed it when I was younger but since its never open its hard to understand why they dont replace it with something year long.

 

[WDWhumanmap]

i agree w/ everyone whom is saying its a classic what gives them a right.
well what are we going to do about it we can't just sit back and let it happen we have to stand up for the rides we enjoy or otherwise we wait till its too late and it becomes another Horizons!!!!!!! :zipit: I kno God forbid it but i am sorry to say it us as park people need to stand up for our favorites before everything at MK becomes kiddy central even though it is already.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Face reality here and understand that CoP is nothing more than an old commercial for General Electric. Back in the old days (1950's and 60's), GE's motto was "Progress is our most important product". GE's Department of Public Relations Services was huge and they hired the best to push their products and they spent millions of dollars. Walt Disney and the CoP were actually just a very small cog in the giant GE advertising campaign. CoP was built for one reason, to sell electricity to the public. It's time has long passed. "Live Better Electrically"!

Have you read "Vinyl Leaves" by Stephen Fjellman? I have a feeling it's a read you'd enjoy.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

I would actually be interested to see where Walt said that he wanted this one attraction to remain in the theme parks forever. They kept it at Disneyland for a lot less time than it's been at the MK. I think that an earlier poster made a reasonable point in that we have no idea whether Walt would have felt the same way about this attraction 41 years after it originally opened.

Once again I do really enjoy this attraction, but I do understand that the theme parks have to keep evolving. I also enjoyed Horizons, but I don't imagine for a minute that WDW management are regretting replacing it with the far more popular Mission:Space. It's also really up to Disney to decide which of its rides are untouchable classics and which aren't. If they feel that they can put in something which will better suit the needs of their guests in this area I will be sad to see the CoP go, but objectively the decision will make a lot of sense.

The argument that this attraction was a really a huge ad does have something to it, but I think it did also reflect the personal beliefs of Walt Disney. It also reflects the hopes, desires and values of a different time which makes it great from a nostalgia point of view, but perhaps a little harder for it to connect with today's and future audiences.

 

[joshydee]

i noticed while in 'one mans dream' at MGM (correct me if im wrong) but there is very little if any mention of the carousel of progress and walts passion for it. The casual visitor to MK don't understand the history behind it, although there are the screens before the ride, these are often bypassed as you go straight onto the ride, they need to decide, do they update it totally and make it a ''good'' ride for the casual visitor or make it more of a museum piece and keep it as it is and give more of the walt history conbined within in. I love COP and i ride it everytime i go to MK (i live in the UK). One of the reasons why there is never a que i will let someone work out for me, firstly how many seats are there in each section? and what is the amount of time between each rotation?
thanks
josh

 

[Woody13]

It is a classic!!!! Comercial or not.

I agree. CoP is certainly a classic. It's a tribute to Walt's great imagination and showmanship. It's also remarkable because of the technical aspects including the sound, lighting, music, AA's, computer control, revolving theater, etc. IMO it is a great museum piece that needs to be preserved and protected. It doesn't belong in Tomorrowland.

Perhaps a new land could be created at the MK or Epcot dedicated to nostalgia. What could we call it?

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

I agree with woody13 here! Honesty besides demolishing the ride, putting it in a museum may have to be a last resort.

The only way I could see it work in tomorrowland would be if they even dared spend money on a huge overhaul and show expansion or if they brought back the original 1964 world's fair version then they would have to explain in the preshow why it ends in 1960.

I could see this ride going to the Smithsonian or New York State Museum. NYS has a ton of room for it, and with all the events constantly held there...a reasonable fee..for the carousel show would I think do it good.

There's just not too many optinions for this ride. Either you keep on having four scenes and we will just go from 1940 to 2010 to 2020 which is rediculous. Or you restore it to it's original presentation on purpouse..or you expand the show and invest numerous amounts of money in it.

..."beauitful tomorrow"...we'll see. As long as the ride can be saved somewhere I'll do ok.

 

[joshydee]

Museum is the way forward i feel as the format of the ride (rotating stage) was part of the novelty 'back in the day' as it was a new idea which was all part of the experience, i will be very sad if it destroyed but walt was all with the 'beatiful tomorrow' way of thinking and if we are to keep a ride which is outdated (although it saddens be very much) it would have to go, as i say unless they are having attendance problems there is no good reason for it to go, as i said in my previous post they need to make the casual visitor more aware of its history etc to show its not about the experience only but about its history and significance to the disney company..... Carousel of progress gives me a good feeling when i ride it and you can see walts thinking behind it..... 20 000 leagues i used to love, now its a meet and greet, its made MK worse for me, if COP went i would be sad and disney need to thinkabout preserving some history even if it means changing it drastically......

 

[nibblesandbits]

Perhaps a new land could be created at the MK or Epcot dedicated to nostalgia. What could we call it?

How about nostalga-land? :lol: (Ok, I'm aware that was a very bad joke)

 

[Yen_Sid1]

Face reality here and understand that CoP is nothing more than an old commercial for General Electric. Back in the old days (1950's and 60's), GE's motto was "Progress is our most important product". GE's Department of Public Relations Services was huge and they hired the best to push their products and they spent millions of dollars. Walt Disney and the CoP were actually just a very small cog in the giant GE advertising campaign. CoP was built for one reason, to sell electricity to the public. It's time has long passed. "Live Better Electrically"!

Also, there is no evidence to suggest that Walt wanted CoP to remain in perpetuity. Spreading that rumor actually reflects rather poorly on Walt's legend and his intelligence.

Maybe they are trying to get rid of everything that was GE. Didn't GE used to sponsor Horizons also?

 

[marni1971]

Maybe they are trying to get rid of everything that was GE. Didn't GE used to sponsor Horizons also?

And Reflections of Earth....

 

[General Grizz]

CoP should not be a museum place unless something in the spirit of CoP replaces it. The show is a LIVING tribute to a TIMELESS theme...

If that theme is put away, well, there's no more inspiration....

And inspiration is what Walt Disney - Disney, Disney World, Disneyland - was all about.

 

[WDWTestDummy]

ive heard from many CM's that they can't close the ride because its an orignal design by Walt himself. So i don't think thats going to happen unless esiner wants to leave a legacy by ruining the magic kingdom even more..

 

[CaliSurfer182]

I think CoP is cool.........I never heard of it until I went to WDW, but it has an interesting history.

I don't think we have to worry about saying good-bye to it for a while though...........because "there's a great big beautiful tomorrow" for it, or so I have heard.

 

[TheDisneyQueen]

wait is this 100% sure that COP is leaving??? or is this most likely a rumor..... if it isn't HOW COULD THEY DO THAT!????????? that was Walts favorite ride... they are throwing out the classic Disney ride!! Soon we will be looking at a magic Kingdom of new rides and the old will be forgotten. The whole reason I love WDW so much is because I can't wait to have my kids expierence the rides that I have.... when you get rid of rides like COP there is no more bond you have with the place.... Eventually they might even replace many of the rides and bonds that you have had with the place because of those rides will be gone.when you get rid of places in wdw that have been there for that long you are taking away what I have wanted to show my kids. I wanted to show my kids what I expierenced with their grandfather and bond with them more.... PLEASE DON'T CLOSE COP!

 

[Captain Hank]

wait is this 100% sure that COP is leaving??? or is this most likely a rumor..... if it isn't HOW COULD THEY DO THAT!????????? that was Walts favorite ride... they are throwing out the classic Disney ride!! Soon we will be looking at a magic Kingdom of new rides and the old will be forgotten. The whole reason I love WDW so much is because I can't wait to have my kids expierence the rides that I have.... when you get rid of rides like COP there is no more bond you have with the place.... Eventually they might even replace many of the rides and bonds that you have had with the place because of those rides will be gone.when you get rid of places in wdw that have been there for that long you are taking away what I have wanted to show my kids. I wanted to show my kids what I expierenced with their grandfather and bond with them more.... PLEASE DON'T CLOSE COP!

This is 100% a rumor. :wave: