You could lose a hand doing laundry at the turn of the century! This week at Carousel of Progress

[Castle Cake Apologist]

Apparently there's some kind of wrist eating bacteria epidemic going on over there... Either that or I know where they got the screw to fix the daughter's hand from.

Audio-Animatronic Character hand falls off in Carousel of Progress | Chip and Company

Today at the Magic Kingdom the Audio-Animatronic Character John hand fell off on the Carousel of Progress.

chipandco.com

 

[Parker in NYC]

Nothing to see here.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Well, you don't see too many pay telephones any longer either. The attraction was created over half a century ago as an advertisement for GE appliances. And now, GE appliances is owned by Qingdao Haier Co.

It's not a matter of impatience but rather education. GE appliances were never very good and that's why they had to adverise so much. Fortunately, most consumers are savvy enough not to purchase GE appliances but it is funny to look back at the warped advertising campaign used by Disney to sell GE products.

But, to their credit, GE appliances are the repairman's best friend. It's obvious that with Jimmy's repeated experiences of fuse replacement, he grew up to be a GE repairman.

You have just presented the best reason why it should remain. Folks, that have no clue what things were like just 60 years back much less 120 years back. GE was not a low quality product. It was a very good product. Even in the 50's/60's when TV's all had small screens, poor reception and a range of about 30 feet causing more snow on the screen then picture, all companies had to find a way to promote their products, not just GE. The story line made for a very good vehicle for using an entertainment venue to promote their product. To my experience GE products didn't start to be problematic until we reached what I like to call the "cheap tin age". And even then they weren't that bad. You've just been listening to GE's competitors. Every appliance made back then was meant to last. Today with the cheap tin age, it is cheaper to just replace then repair and every consumer product comes under that heading. I don't know why you have such an anger about GE, but I can tell you that if it wasn't for places like GE there would be many things we have today that just wouldn't exist. They might have faded because of bad management or spending to much money supporting Disney attractions to be profitable when the other competitors moved in and that type of promotion was not the best way to get your word out, the internet was along with improved TV and if it were not for places like GE, CoP wouldn't have ever existed to begin with. Then all we would have is a thread with a whole bunch of blank pages.

Before you say it, Neither I nor any member of my family ever worked for GE, but I was surrounded by GE products during my childhood and believe me, they were not a problem. And we should get back on topic which if I recall was CoP and not GE.

 

[FettFan]

I'd be so tempted to toss a lightsaber onto the floor.

 

[Phil12]

You have just presented the best reason why it should remain. Folks, that have no clue what things were like just 60 years back much less 120 years back. GE was not a low quality product. It was a very good product. Even in the 50's/60's when TV's all had small screens, poor reception and a range of about 30 feet causing more snow on the screen then picture, all companies had to find a way to promote their products, not just GE. The story line made for a very good vehicle for using an entertainment venue to promote their product. To my experience GE products didn't start to be problematic until we reached what I like to call the "cheap tin age". And even then they weren't that bad. You've just been listening to GE's competitors. Every appliance made back then was meant to last. Today with the cheap tin age, it is cheaper to just replace then repair and every consumer product comes under that heading. I don't know why you have such an anger about GE, but I can tell you that if it wasn't for places like GE there would be many things we have today that just wouldn't exist. They might have faded because of bad management or spending to much money supporting Disney attractions to be profitable when the other competitors moved in and that type of promotion was not the best way to get your word out, the internet was along with improved TV and if it were not for places like GE, CoP wouldn't have ever existed to begin with. Then all we would have is a thread with a whole bunch of blank pages.

Before you say it, Neither I nor any member of my family ever worked for GE, but I was surrounded by GE products during my childhood and believe me, they were not a problem. And we should get back on topic which if I recall was CoP and not GE.

You have fallen headlong for the Madison Avenue hype. And you've failed to be a discerning consumer. CoP and GE are inseparable because this show was an unabashed and blatant advertisement. And GE was no stranger to advertising. I'm sure you're familiar with their slogan, "We bring good things to life". But in 1964, do you know what GE's advertising slogan was? It was, "More goods for more people at less cost" along with "Progress is our most important product".

Back in 1964 GE had no illusions of making either luxury or particularly high quality appliances. Their objective was to sell more goods to more people for less money. And that's exactly what they did. It wasn't until 1987 that GE started to make an upscale line of appliances by the name of Monogram. And then in 1992 they brought out the Profile line of appliances. Therefore, from 1907 until 1987 GE appliances were bottom line cheap appliances made for the masses (i.e. builder grade). These are indisputable facts. History does not lie to us about these things.

And CoP shows perfectly that GE had a huge advertising budget and they were willing to pay for an inventive gimmick to sell their product. CoP should be preserved for all time in the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame and Walt Disney should be given a special achievement award. After all, Walt was a consummate salesman!



And you have my sympathies that you grew up surrounded by GE appliances. I wouldn't wish that on anyone!

 

[Goofyernmost]

You have fallen headlong for the Madison Avenue hype. And you've failed to be a discerning consumer. CoP and GE are inseparable because this show was an unabashed and blatant advertisement. And GE was no stranger to advertising. I'm sure you're familiar with their slogan, "We bring good things to life". But in 1964, do you know what GE's advertising slogan was? It was, "More goods for more people at less cost" along with "Progress is our most important product".

Back in 1964 GE had no illusions of making either luxury or particularly high quality appliances. Their objective was to sell more goods to more people for less money. And that's exactly what they did. It wasn't until 1987 that GE started to make an upscale line of appliances by the name of Monogram. And then in 1992 they brought out the Profile line of appliances. Therefore, from 1907 until 1987 GE appliances were bottom line cheap appliances made for the masses (i.e. builder grade). These are indisputable facts. History does not lie to us about these things.

And CoP shows perfectly that GE had a huge advertising budget and they were willing to pay for an inventive gimmick to sell their product. CoP should be preserved for all time in the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame and Walt Disney should be given a special achievement award. After all, Walt was a consummate salesman!



And you have my sympathies that you grew up surrounded by GE appliances. I wouldn't wish that on anyone!

I have no idea how old you are, but you can't be all that old because if you were, you'd know that back in the middle of the last century even the least expensive of anything was better quality then the best of everything right now. I'm not even sure what your point is other then to put down GE, I guess they kidnapped your grandmother or something. Of course, they invested in shows that Disney created because at the time it was the best way to get the word out and build desire for their products. That is what capitalism is all about. I guess I don't know how to respond to an attempt at an argument when there is nothing to argue about. It was the way of life during that time just like owning a high finned automobile at the time. Disney relied on that financial help up until the late 80's when it became clear the a single location setup for promotion was not financially wise like it was in earlier years. To me only the dim witted people would buy their appliance brands based on a stage show in Disney world or the NY Worlds Fair. Yes, GE paid money to sponsor and had their appliances in the show, but, it was GE that paid for the creation of CoP which was the forerunner of what we enjoy in a Disney park now just like Pepsi paid for Small world, Magic Skyway by Ford, and the State of Illinois for Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.

You seem very bitter about something that was, and in many ways still is, a way of life that was as basic as breathing in its time. Without that sponsorship and whatever perceived gain they got from it, there would have been no Disneyland, WDW or any other Disney park in the world, Universal would have continued to just make movies and we would have to be content with watching grains of sand blowing across a beach for our vacation entertainment.

Don't worry about me and my experience with GE products and my sympathy's to you for not being able to enjoy the fruits of the labors of many hard working people because of your misconceived notion of poor quality.

 

[Phil12]

I don't mean to denigrate anyone that owns GE appliances. And for those people that like GE appliances, denigrate means to put down.

 

[larryz]

I don't mean to denigrate anyone that owns GE appliances. And for those people that like GE appliances, denigrate means to put down.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

That, and I think that someone has had a bad experience with GE products, and therefore GE is a horrible company that makes horrible appliances, and since CoP showcases GE appliances, it most definitely deserves a ticket straight to the choppin' block. Makes sense, right?

No.

 

[MaryJaneP]

Can't they just rename it as "The 1964 Carousel of Promotion" and return the final scene to the original final scene?