What is the fate of Carousel of Progress?

[Epcot82Guy]

Thanks for the newbie perspectives, guys. It is interesting to hear the impression of these attractions from peope without the "background" in Disney travel since some of us have gone perhaps more often than we should! :lol:

 

[Master Yoda]

We went on COP on our first trip the last time, in the 2 prior trips we didn't even realize it was there, and walked past it dozens of times! I know everyone seems real sentimental about it, but as a newcomer, we got off of it and said, wow, what a complete waste of time THAT just was! It also made us late for dinner with Cinderella as the CM told us it was a 10 min ride, and it took longer.

I think tomorrowland and that area of the park in general could definitely use some updates, it's all SO dated. Space Mountain looks exacly like it did when I was a kid there in 1975!! Fortunately my kids are little enough to not really realize any of this, and still think it's cool, but COP they thought was kinda lame.

Sorry if this offends any of you, but we would vote for replacing it with something better!!

I agree with you in part. My preference would be to see the attraction gutted and redone but if COP is going to stay in its current state for the foreseeable future I would rather see a bulldozer be taken to it. It is a great concept and attraction it is just really showing its age at the moment.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Meet the Robinsons, coming out in 2007, is about time travel...that could fit in nicely with Tomorrowland and still give Disney a chance to "synergize" their product.

And it uses Great Big Beautiful Tommorow as well. And yet, nobody's worried that it might replace CoP because of that and family across time as a theme.

 

[CoffeeJedi]

Meet the Robinsons, coming out in 2007, is about time travel...that could fit in nicely with Tomorrowland and still give Disney a chance to "synergize" their product.

The preview for this movie includes a gag where you see "Todayland" and Space Mountain. I'm thinking that it might be chock full of Tommorowland references, and if done right, could potentially give a new unified theme to Tommorowland. The entire area is looking pretty terrible IMHO.

 

[teebin]

If you were going to go by the inspiration of who the resort is named after, you would agree that Walt always wanted new new new OR classic old world, thus the trains and main st. That said, I doubt COP would have ever made it into the MK had he lived. It was a Roy kind of decision. "We have the tech, guests still love it, let's put it in." That was in 1972. While the COP was high-tech in its day... It wasn't a Walt thing to keep it... he would have donated it to the Smithsonian in 1969 or at least 1975 if it was in fact considered a classic or worth of it.

They might as well put a microwave oven on display and go, ooooh, look at this! It is old and tired. Walt was NEVER about old and tired entertainment... ever. Smithsonian... it is classic, it is a part of American history and technology. It is only amazing/entertaining to a very few these days. It was amazing 40 years ago and I wish I could have been there to see it.

 

[tirian]

Indeed Indeed. I hope either Adventureland or Fantasyland wind up with the e-ticket.

Fantasyland was the front runner for a while...but interest in Adventureland is growing.

 

[Lewis Carroll]

Fantasyland was the front runner for a while...but interest in Adventureland is growing.

When do you think Disney will make a final decision?

 

[mom2rae]

I hate to admit this...but, we've never done CoP :hammer: ! I think we must just walk right past it each time.

I am fond of the original Walt creations and some things at WDW have to stay...at least for sentimental reasons...Keep CoP!!!

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

Walt Disney said on the wonderful world of color that all of his world's fair attractions were to have a PERMANENT home at Disneyland.

Unfortunately after this statement various factors plagued the ford magic skyway moving to disneyland, and only its famous dinosaur segment could be maintained. Walt had a copy of great moments with mr. lincoln, and was lucky enough to open "it's a small world", though sadly could ever open his carousel of progress or the new tomorrowland.

Also the decision to move the CoP to Walt Disney World was decided among both GE reps and Disney corp that the ride would serve a much better role on the east coast, and would allow a new fresher upper since the progress city theme was not becoming a reality with what was displayed in the 1967 disneyland version of the show.

I completely agree that the 1994 version of the show is dull and even lame. It really is! It is a korny, dry, if not an insult to both the original 1964 and even sucessful "now is the time" versions that had always given the CoP decent crowds.

I really think Walt Disney either would have kept it in Disneyland, or moved it to his "dream"...Walt Disney World, to serve as HIS attraction, to give all generations somehow a hope that tomorrow will be better, and to see where we have come, the CoP was a beautiful attraction, and it really evokes walt disney, and I think this little gem needs some polishing off, and not a bulldozer.

 

[Lee]

Fantasyland was the front runner for a while...but interest in Adventureland is growing.

Which is troubling to me since I'm not really sold on the last Adventureland concept I heard.

Really torn on that one.:goodnevil

 

[socalkdg]

Walt Disney said on the wonderful world of color that all of his world's fair attractions were to have a PERMANENT home at Disneyland.

So lets move it back there. Innoventions sucks at DL. Rip it out, put COP back and give the MK an E ticket in TL.

 

[Magicot]

Which is troubling to me since I'm not really sold on the last Adventureland concept I heard.

Really torn on that one.:goodnevil

Lee, might pre-existing characters be involved in the concept you speak of?

 

[Master Yoda]

Quite true.
Last I heard there are 4 attractions on 4 expansion plots fighting it out at MK.

Indeed Indeed. I hope either Adventureland or Fantasyland wind up with the e-ticket.

Fantasyland was the front runner for a while...but interest in Adventureland is growing.

Which is troubling to me since I'm not really sold on the last Adventureland concept I heard.

Really torn on that one.:goodnevil

You guys are guys are killing me! Could you shed a little light as to the 4 projects you are talking about?

 

[PhilharMagician]

Wow, there is stuff flying everywhere in the thread and nothing has landed yet. The only thing I have learned is that Corrus is getting a little morbid and maybe starting to lose it. Burial chambers, cryostaysis chambers what are you going to say next that leave a legacy is actually tomb stones? :lol:


I have always wondered why the next gen of COP (if it happens) would not use the unload theater for an additional scene to expand to the next decade. The one theater that would be typically loading only, now you would have the load and unload going on at the same time in this theater. I would assume this could be done since all of the other theaters in WDW now load and unload simutaniously. This would require a change to the external queue area which is just railings. It seems like there is ample time to achieve this. In the end you would have 5 scenes, a longer show and a new draw for COP.

 

[optjay]

In addition to the WEDway people mover, tlc is all I would like seen done to these classics.

 

[RiversideBunny]

I agree that CoP should be moved to EPCOT. It would fit in better there and would be more visible.
CoP is always a must for us but it gets overlooked where it is now and they don't have it open all the time. :wave:

 

[jpeltier]

CoP is a wonderful ride. It's a family favorite and I think that as one of Walt Disney's original concepts,it should stay put.

 

[Lee]

Lee, might pre-existing characters be involved in the concept you speak of?

Don't think so. Not characters from a US park, anyhow. :lookaroun

You guys are guys are killing me! Could you shed a little light as to the 4 projects you are talking about?

Patience young padawan, it's a bit early to spill those beans.
Besides, we may be talking about different concepts.

 

[Lewis Carroll]

Which is troubling to me since I'm not really sold on the last Adventureland concept I heard.

Really torn on that one.:goodnevil

What adventureland concept did you hear?

You guys are guys are killing me! Could you shed a little light as to the 4 projects you are talking about?

Well one of them is already common knowledge for disney fans...it was The Incredibles ride for tomorrowland that was based around robotic arm technology that Tony Baxter modified for Disney's use. Thankfully, it seems that this project has been put on the backburner since tomorrowland is already set to get at least two new additions (Monsters Inc. and revamped Space Mountain). I'm sure Baxter's ride concept is amazing but I would rather it be put to use on something other than a pixar cartoon ride. Perhaps Harry Potter?...or something ORIGINAL?

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I think that CoP is exactly the kind of theme that should be present in Tomorrowland, and Dinsey could use to put some more original and forward-looking rides and attractions into the area. Not that Buzz isn't cool, because I really love it, but SGE is just plain stupid and Mission to Mars was just more fun than anything that replaced it.