Thoughts on Carousel of Progress

[Goofyernmost]

I also said this a while ago, it's not a bad suggestion at all. Moving CoP would have a lot of benefits.
Space in the MK for a new E-Ticket or D-Ticket attraction, the first attraction for Epcot in 20 years to actually fit the topic, and it could be implemented into a bigger pavilion to house a new Horizons ride neighboring CoP.

I think this idea beats Frozen by a Freight-ship-length

Great idea... now come up with one that has even the remotest possibility of happening. If they are going to spend the kind of money it would take to move it, I'd rather they either spent the money to upgrade the current AA's or a new attraction.

 

[Monorail Mike]

Also, is the second floor still in the CoP as it is now or did that not make the move from DLR to WDW?

The COP building in DLR is still there, and it's still rotating. Recently, I visited DLR for the very first time (after 20+ trips to WDW) and it was amazing to walk onto the stage area where there is now a "house of tomorrow" exhibit. The seating areas have been leveled off and have other Innoventions exhibits. The second floor was most shocking, because it contains the same "Project Tomorrow" games as SSE!

 

[JordanNite]

Its the place i head to for a power nap - you can get some good sleep in there, all stretched out, air conditioned ... just get myself in there, lie down, and sleep for a good 20 minutes - really freshens me up.

 

[G8rchamps]

Made sure the kids got to see it and they want to go every time now (DS10 and DD7)

 

[Courtney6682]

For example.. I'm 66 years old and the best I can remember or lived though was the 1950's. I had no idea what life was like before the 50's. I do now thanks to CoP. Frankly anything that has happened since 1948 I have lived through, I know what it was. Those that are much younger then I, cannot relate to anything in the show at all because they never lived it. That doesn't mean that it isn't worth knowing.

I'm 32 and my daughter is 14 and I love that she loves COP...our whole family does

 

[ArtificialArtist]

Great idea... now come up with one that has even the remotest possibility of happening. If they are going to spend the kind of money it would take to move it, I'd rather they either spent the money to upgrade the current AA's or a new attraction.

The upgrade and move would be most logical to do in one step. If they upgrade or refurbish CoP in its current location they will not be able to use the space for at least another decade, otherwise the refurbishment money would be blown. No, i think there are only two possibilities for CoP in TL, move it or tear it down. The idea i mentioned at least gives the attraction proper dignity. And if it's not moved, even the stupidest CEO wouldn't touch CoP. It's like buying the Eiffel Tower to replace it with an Apple Store.

Why the ... does everyone think new=good? Yes CoP and Horizons both are old attractions, but the Horizons concept and theme will never be outdated as long as there is a horizon to look for. And CoP is like a precious museum piece,
that needs to be restored and polished for the next exhibition.

So, you might think it will not happen, and i agree for the most part, but isn't it sad we already know how they won't even think of something as simple as this. Horizons and CoP could both draw a lot of guests, if they got the proper attention to detail.

 

[pumpkin7]

The COP building in DLR is still there, and it's still rotating. Recently, I visited DLR for the very first time (after 20+ trips to WDW) and it was amazing to walk onto the stage area where there is now a "house of tomorrow" exhibit. The seating areas have been leveled off and have other Innoventions exhibits. The second floor was most shocking, because it contains the same "Project Tomorrow" games as SSE!

Oh cool! I've seen pictures of the building, it's just like a bigger version of WDW. It's really cool you can go to the second floor. I know they like to rope these things off *cough*.
I'll have to get there someday. DLR is my number one dream holiday destination. I just want to soak up all the history in the place.

 

[Goofyernmost]

The upgrade and move would be most logical to do in one step. If they upgrade or refurbish CoP in its current location they will not be able to use the space for at least another decade, otherwise the refurbishment money would be blown. No, i think there are only two possibilities for CoP in TL, move it or tear it down. The idea i mentioned at least gives the attraction proper dignity. And if it's not moved, even the stupidest CEO wouldn't touch CoP. It's like buying the Eiffel Tower to replace it with an Apple Store.

Why the ... does everyone think new=good? Yes CoP and Horizons both are old attractions, but the Horizons concept and theme will never be outdated as long as there is a horizon to look for. And CoP is like a precious museum piece,
that needs to be restored and polished for the next exhibition.

So, you might think it will not happen, and i agree for the most part, but isn't it sad we already know how they won't even think of something as simple as this. Horizons and CoP could both draw a lot of guests, if they got the proper attention to detail.

I think that you are underestimating how complex a project like this is. It isn't simple and it isn't cheap and it is sad that business operates in a way that would prevent something like that from happening, but, alas it is a fact of life.

 

[Brad Bishop]

I like the CoP but I'm of the opinion that maybe it's seen it's day.

It has problems:
- it's mainly about nostalgia at this point
- it's rarely updated (the girl in the last scene has a car phone! How exciting is that?)
- attendance is low
- maintenance on it doesn't seem to be so great (muffled sound, things just not working, etc.)

It'd be something great for a historical piece for something like the Smithsonian. Put it back to it's original state (with the 1960s or 1970s being the "future") and let it just be there for preservation.

I have fond memories of it but even I have trouble sitting through it these days. It's pretty much on the "I got nothing better to do"-list. It's above Stitch, though. Everything's above Stictch. I think sitting in the Sun on a hot Summer day is above Stitch.

 

[TB4244]

I still think that CoP is a classic and should stay as losing that would be like losing IASW. As much as I dislike that ride because of the evil dolls, I wouldn't want to see it go. Besides CoP was Walts idea and he was totally involved in the production of it, so taking it out of the park would just be plain wrong.

I do agree that CoP needs an upgrade to the final segment, as its very outdated now much as SSE was before the revamp. VR headsets and carphones are so obviously outdated now, and also if was to be updated they should pose the family sitting staring at their phones/laptops/tablets and not actually talking to each other...or is that cynical?

 

[Brad Bishop]

I think that the difference between IASW and CoP is that IASW is more like a traditional ride and people will line up for that. IASW can actually get a line.

CoP is still a walk on even when the PeopleMover has a line. I don't think it resonates with the younger generations and, if anyone, I should be one of those championing it to stay but it really doesn't resonate with me, either (44yo here and grew up with this stuff). It really just isn't a good attraction any longer. It literally doesn't attract people, except in really small numbers and that is mostly nostalgia.

I know someone is going to chime in with something like, "Well, my 7yo little girl LOVE CoP," and I think that's great. The problem is, where are all the other little boys and girls or even parents? They're not lining up.

I think people fall into the trap of, "Walt touched it so it's holy." CoP was a neat attraction but I really think it's run it's course. I remember when I first rode it how cool it was that the seating area spun around the stage. I thought, "That's ingenious!"

I thought the same thing about Universe of Energy. "Whoa! The freaking audience is being moved around! How cool is that!" That one, too, has run it's course. I think that they need to gut the building and come up with something new.

They probably won't take it out because there would be an uproar from those who like it but don't actually ride it. Let's just hope that if they do take it out that they don't "Rocket Rod" it in some way and build an attraction on a silly budget that doesn't work and is down most of the time and then abandoned.

 

[Chef Mickey]

I think that the difference between IASW and CoP is that IASW is more like a traditional ride and people will line up for that. IASW can actually get a line.

CoP is still a walk on even when the PeopleMover has a line. I don't think it resonates with the younger generations and, if anyone, I should be one of those championing it to stay but it really doesn't resonate with me, either (44yo here and grew up with this stuff). It really just isn't a good attraction any longer. It literally doesn't attract people, except in really small numbers and that is mostly nostalgia.

I know someone is going to chime in with something like, "Well, my 7yo little girl LOVE CoP," and I think that's great. The problem is, where are all the other little boys and girls or even parents? They're not lining up.

I think people fall into the trap of, "Walt touched it so it's holy." CoP was a neat attraction but I really think it's run it's course. I remember when I first rode it how cool it was that the seating area spun around the stage. I thought, "That's ingenious!"

I thought the same thing about Universe of Energy. "Whoa! The freaking audience is being moved around! How cool is that!" That one, too, has run it's course. I think that they need to gut the building and come up with something new.

They probably won't take it out because there would be an uproar from those who like it but don't actually ride it. Let's just hope that if they do take it out that they don't "Rocket Rod" it in some way and build an attraction on a silly budget that doesn't work and is down most of the time and then abandoned.

Your argument about the line is kind of flawed based on the reality of the concept. COP is always going to be a walk on because of its unique and ingenious design. Each theater holds so many people and moves every 5 minutes, it'd have to be packed to have a meaningful line. Even if it's not full, people are constantly watching the show and it's constantly playing.

Universe of Energy is timeless for me. Sure, Ellen's theme is old, but that too can be updated and they'll still have some of the best show scenes in all of WDW. The dinosaurs, music, lighting, and story through time are really damn good.

I don't know, maybe I'm just a homer, but I think both the attractions need to stay with minor updates. COP is a show about progress and there isn't anything too terribly outdated. We had to disucssion in the thoughts on COP thread. It just needs an audio makeover, new carpet, new seats, and a few updates like "car phone."

Same with UoE...just needs a little TLC.

 

[TiggersPooh]

Saying that cop doesn't have a line isn't really fair. That show can seat over 200 people every five minutes. It sees a good amount of people.

 

[Matt_Black]

I like it, not just because it's one of the very few Disney productions to feature Mel Blanc ("No privacy!"), but because I love the message that things are constantly better than they were. Technologically, sure, but also think about how things have progressed socially in the past century.

The "modern day" scene feels dated, though. That big old Virtual Reality kit seems like some sort of time-traveling relic from the 90s.

 

[rct247]

It's a small world is also a household name. Carousel of Progress is known, but not quite as much. Small world is also a ride. There are a large chunk of guests who have anti-show syndrome. They go up to every attraction and ask if it is a ride or a show and if they get told show, then there is a small groan associated with it.

 

[**Stacy**]

I don't ride it every visit, but I do ride it every few months. Usually when crowds are heavy and I need a break. the last time I rode there was a group of 12 or so younger women(20's) that seemed to be celebrating a birthday or something and sang along with great enthusiasm...your couldn't help but to smile, laugh and eventually sing along with them. I wish they would update it just a little bit...maybe only the last scene.

 

[Victor Kelly]

It is there. It is part of me growing up. But in its current state, I don't like visiting it. Yes Walt touched it, yes it is a technological marvel, and yes the AAs are great and more advanced then POTC. I would be sad to see it go, but given how run down it is, I would rather see it closed.

What I would like is a complete overhaul,and a new ending. Go retro, since that is the in thing. Go Jules Verne on it. Old is the new NEW.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

Does anyone else feel like COP is a truly underrated attraction? Whenever I get there, there's never a line (or anything remotely close to even a group of people assembling) and inside, not everyone is always awake. Also, some of those quotes just make it such a fun ride to go through. Something about the way that his "lumbago isn't acting up" gets me every time.

I recommend it to first timers as a fun stop, and no one ever shares this same enthusiasm. I know its not what most people consider a must-do, but I think it's at least notable.

Seriously though, am I the only one who makes it a point to hit COP every time, if not multiple times, a trip?

I agree, completely underrated. The reason there isn't a line is because the ride loads very well. You can walk right into the first part of the waiting area and there are always plenty of seats. I love it, and if people don't "get" it the first time they go there, well, to each their own. I loved it when I was 10 and still do to this day. Something unique, where else will you ever see something like that? Nowhere. It is also something that is right from the mind of Walt. A timeless classic and a very catchy theme song to it.

 

[Matt_Black]

It's a small world is also a household name. Carousel of Progress is known, but not quite as much. Small world is also a ride.

CoP has the catchier song though. Or, at least, I'll find myself singing it and enjoying myself, rather than cursing the heavens.

 

[Stitch2014]

We go on it every time we go to MK. Sometimes multiple times a day. We also went on it to hide from the fireworks (loud noises like that terrify me). It's great if you need a break from all the walking and the heat (so far, we've hit WDW twice in August) and the crowds. Plus, it's a cute little attraction, although I think they need to do a little updating for the 2000s.