Nothing for the Carousel of Progress for it's 50th this April?

[TubaGeek]

Here's a little factoid: since it opened at the World's Fair, CoP has never gone more than 8 years without being refurbished. Until 1993, that is. Now it hasn't seen anything major in more than two decades.
So, what do we do with it? I think it'd be amazing to DONATE it to the Smithsonian! On the condition, of course, that they keep it in working order. No updates, of course, since the Smithsonian is, in fact, a museum.

 

[Spike-in-Berlin]

I have to confess that I wouldn't exactly miss the COP. Even in the 80ies when it was far from looking that outdated as it is today I never found it to be a really must-do. We do it if we have time left in TL, e.g. waiting for a FP to become valid etc. but we never do it more than once per stay (for comparison we do the HM sometimes up to more than 20 times during a 2-3 week stay).
Yes it is a classic but IMHO it is just like most of TL: heavily outdated and a waste of space, like the TL Speedway. TL is dedicated to the future, today COP doesn't even show the future anymore (with the exception of an kitchen oven capable of heating up to 975°F, hot enough to melt lead). Either they should REALLY update it in a major reburbishment, better reimaging or they should demolish it (together with the even more outdated, noisy, spacewasting and incredibly boring TL Speedway) as a part of a desperately necessary TL expansion and/or modernization. Honestly, Horizons had to go and the COP stays forever? Use the space for attractions that bring back the old spirit, a land dedicated to the FUTURE, a great big beautiful tomorrow for TL.

 

[Fairybuzz]

I think they should move it home here to NY! Come on NY could use some disney. ITs too gritty and real lifey.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

I'm probably in the minority, but I love Carousel of Progress and do it every time we go. Having said that, I feel like they should add a scene where they talk about the invention of devices like the iPhone and tablets.

 

[Fairybuzz]

I'm probably in the minority, but I love Carousel of Progress and do it every time we go. Having said that, I feel like they should add a scene where they talk about the invention of devices like the iPhone and tablets.

Well since Apple is not a sponsor that cant happen

lol

anywho, the COP is not a bad ride at all, I just said I wished it was here lol in NY again. I wish I coulda seen the worlds fair, imagine It's a small world, COP, Mr. Lincoln and others all right within a hours drive of me. If only Walt hadn't cared enough about the weather and turned flushing meadows into a Disney park instead of the..........heap of rotting metal and crass stadiums we have now..... (I mean come on every city has a stadium BORRRING! not every city has a Disney park) Then I think I'd spend every darn weekend there ever. AND YOU TOO DISNEY AMERICA!! STUPID LOCALS COMPLAINING!! Rather see some Monochromatic rich people houses than a theme park! LAME!!

lol Come on disney throw NY a bone with this!! you took away our world of disney, you took away our words fair It costs a fortune to get to florida, just bring florida to us!!! XD

 

[216bruce]

I almost start crying when I read this stuff. I can't lose anymore of my memories...

People are just different now. So impatient and so ADD. Not everything has to be an E-Ticket thrill or a loud, obnoxious character in your face. Am I right???

To paraphrase Dad in COP :"Chef Mickey sure gets to the core of the apple". You nailed it. So many folks on this board want E tickets and nothing else it seems. COP would be fine if it was upgraded and maintained, but that's a pretty big chunck of change to completely upgrade. Sadly, I think it's days are dwindling down. It'll probably get replaced by a rotating meet and greet or a rotating DVC kiosk.

 

[Chef Mickey]

To paraphrase Dad in COP :"Chef Mickey sure gets to the core of the apple". You nailed it. So many folks on this board want E tickets and nothing else it seems. COP would be fine if it was upgraded and maintained, but that's a pretty big chunck of change to completely upgrade. Sadly, I think it's days are dwindling down. It'll probably get replaced by a rotating meet and greet or a rotating DVC kiosk.

The sad part is, I think you're right in regards to its final fate. They'll keep the general area and building, but it will be for some ridiculous gift shop or character meet/greet as you said.

I guess there are 3 options for Disney in most of these scenarios:

1) Do Nothing but the minimum to keep it running (They love doing this)
2) Update what's already there (Great Option!)
3) Replace with something completely different (They do this as well)

Honestly, I wish they chose #2 a lot more often for these situations. Again, they wait until the wheels absolutely fall off and either take it completely away or replace it with something completely different. Can't we just get a working version? I know their imagineers could make this concept really incredible and it would be so much cheaper than gutting it. You get to keep the ride system and the same general concept, but it's just 4 scenes getting updates.

I'm so upset now.

 

[ParkMan73]

To paraphrase Dad in COP :"Chef Mickey sure gets to the core of the apple". You nailed it. So many folks on this board want E tickets and nothing else it seems. COP would be fine if it was upgraded and maintained, but that's a pretty big chunck of change to completely upgrade. Sadly, I think it's days are dwindling down. It'll probably get replaced by a rotating meet and greet or a rotating DVC kiosk.

You've got me trying to imagine what an E ticket meet & greet would look like.

Flying princesses or something like that...

 

[ParkMan73]

The sad part is, I think you're right in regards to its final fate. They'll keep the general area and building, but it will be for some ridiculous gift shop or character meet/greet as you said.

I guess there are 3 options for Disney in most of these scenarios:

1) Do Nothing but the minimum to keep it running (They love doing this)
2) Update what's already there (Great Option!)
3) Replace with something completely different (They do this as well)

Honestly, I wish they chose #2 a lot more often for these situations. Again, they wait until the wheels absolutely fall off and either take it completely away or replace it with something completely different. Can't we just get a working version? I know their imagineers could make this concept really incredible and it would be so much cheaper than gutting it. You get to keep the ride system and the same general concept, but it's just 4 scenes getting updates.

I'm so upset now.

Seems like it really wouldn't be all that complicated to do a restoration upgrade. Keep the basic format, song, but replace all the animatronics with the latest & greatest - perhaps having some kind of truly walking animatronic or something like that. Make it wow folks.

From what I understand, there are 6 bays of seating. Perhaps expand from the 4 we have now to 5. Perhaps doing something like: 1927, 1964, 1985, 2015, 2045. The first scene could be short to allow for loading times.

 

[STITCHGEFAN]

I seem to be in a small minority who love COP EXACTLY how it is!

OK, it's not the most thrilling, artistic or even well conditioned, but it has charm and a distinctive character that any multi-million dollar roller-coaster could only dream of having.

Admittedly, the building and AA's need some TLC but COP should not be banished for the sake of another Tomorrowland 'ride' (Scare Floor....)

 

[mmalloy56]

Seems like it really wouldn't be all that complicated to do a restoration upgrade. Keep the basic format, song, but replace all the animatronics with the latest & greatest - perhaps having some kind of truly walking animatronic or something like that. Make it wow folks.

From what I understand, there are 6 bays of seating. Perhaps expand from the 4 we have now to 5. Perhaps doing something like: 1927, 1964, 1985, 2015, 2045. The first scene could be short to allow for loading times.

Yep.

 

[WondersOfLife]

Disney does have to replace old rides with new ones to keep guests coming back in the park.... Not saying that people won't stop coming considering the amount of crowds coming in now.. But if they don't keep adding new things, the more they'll start falling behind Universal Studios.

Universal is starting to take away their BEST rides and replace them with even more POPULAR rides. (AKA back to the future, the simpsons.. lost continent/JAWS with harry potter.. King Kong with the mummy..) This is why all of my friends think that Universal is better than Disney. Universal is just starting to be a step ahead disney at making really entertaining rides... But to disney's defense, it's supposed to be a family park.. Not a teen thrill exhibit.. Soo.... Yea. I have no idea where I'm going with this. This took a long time to type, so I'm posting this.

I like CoP and I think it needs some kind of tribute... There. Why didn't i just say that..?

 

[MMDVC]

It definitely needs a tribute and a new image to give it respect. The final scene home is more modern than most people I know . I would love to have that kitchen dining family room. Those windows are surely solar???
I think the family could be discussing the Magic Bands they just received for holiday trip!
Honestly the final scene is probably going to be more interesting as a period piece; the further away we get from the outdated technology. I think it should be kept and updated to keep the scene details in working condition. I also wish we could exit to walk around the future miniature city that we see on the people mover. Now that would be an improvement that showed some respect ...

 

[EOD K9]

I think one of the reasons I enjoy it is being from NY originally, and knowing my parents saw it as teens when they went to the '64/'65 World's Fair.

 

[Communicore]

To paraphrase Dad in COP :"Chef Mickey sure gets to the core of the apple". You nailed it. So many folks on this board want E tickets and nothing else it seems. COP would be fine if it was upgraded and maintained, but that's a pretty big chunck of change to completely upgrade. Sadly, I think it's days are dwindling down. It'll probably get replaced by a rotating meet and greet or a rotating DVC kiosk.

A rotating meet and greet would be great! The ideal characters for that one would be "Frozen" and other supposed "classics" lol

 

[MKCP 1985]

I almost start crying when I read this stuff. I can't lose anymore of my memories...

People are just different now. So impatient and so ADD. Not everything has to be an E-Ticket thrill or a loud, obnoxious character in your face. Am I right???

Come on, now. There will always be a number of attractions for people who want to be entertained by calm, slow moving attractions. The Carousel of Progress was rumored to be closing when I joined these forums 10 years ago, but yet it continues on, defying its doom-sayers.

 

[WDWVolFan]

I hate to say this, but COP might have had its day. It's great fun as a period piece, but maybe it's time that something new took its place. Remember, Walt never meant for his parks to be museums.

It would be cool if they showed their vision of the future...maybe start the journey in the 60's or 70's and go into the 2030's or 2050's.

 

[216bruce]

The ONLY resting place for this attraction, outside of a Disney Park, would be the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. It would fit in perfectly, be cared for and sure be a nice addition. I'm sure the details could be worked out. There. Problem solved.
I actually kind of prefer that this would happen over it's being just sort of ignored and under-appreciated in WDW.

 

[WDWVolFan]

Start in 1969 with Apollo 11 landing on the Moon
Go into the mid 80's with computers...
Then "today's world" say 2022
And future...2050 or beyond.

 

[Stevek]

Being on the west coast, we don't get the chance to visit WDW very often but were there back at the end of March. Always make sure I visit COP and while I always enjoy it, it's sadly well overdue for an update of some kind, specifically the final scent. It's a classic attraction with incredible history for Disney and they really have to do something sooner than later.