A classic Disney World ride is changing, and let’s just say the changes are HUGE.
That’s right. Carousel of Progress in Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland is getting a complete overhaul, including new scenes, a Walt Disney animatronic, and more. Well, since this ride has a LONG history (it debuted in 1964 at the New York World’s Fair), Disney fans have some serious opinions about those changes.
First, let’s talk about the changes. The opening scene of the ride will include a Walt Disney animatronic, similar to the one in Disneyland. However, the ride will also span decades, starting with John and his family in the 1960s, followed by a scene with the family in the 1980s. The next scene will take place in the 1990s, while the final scene will be set in the future. Yes, it seems like EVERYTHING about the ride will be changing.
Well, when we posted this new to social media, a lot of Disney fans shared their thoughts about these changes. On Facebook alone, we got nearly 500 comments from fans sharing their thoughts. Many feel like the ride should keep its earlier scenes and just add on to those. Cheryl wrote, “I think there still needs to be earlier scenes. We shouldn’t forget what it was like to live in the 20s,30s, 40s … That was even before my time, but I like seeing those scenes because you can see truly how far we have come. Life didn’t start in the 60s.”
Meryl agreed, “I wish they kept one of the ‘old time scenes’ and then changed the rest so it really showed major progress.”
Gabrielle commented, “I will miss those early scenes because it was really interesting to see how our grandparents/great grandparents lived. I think the only part that needed updating was the ‘future’ scene.”
Carolyn said, “I pray the old scenes are kept. I’m all for updates and progress, but I love seeing what it was like to live in the 1920’s, 30’s, and 40’s. Hopefully, they will find a way to keep the old and embrace the new. “One is silver and the other gold!”
Meanwhile, some are just not fond of the changes at all.
Gina wrote, “I love progress, but there is a need to preserve the past too.”
Diane said, “They could have refurbished the show without changing the entire thing 😭😭”
Rachel expressed sadness over the news: “Noooooooooooo! This was a Walt Original! I love seeing the old history! And I love using it as an educational resource for my daughter. I actually might cry 
“
Joyce commented, “Starting in 1969 will in no way depict the progress that’s been made. This makes me incredibly sad.”
The majority of Disney fans are still sad about the changes, but also excited about the new version of the ride. Gililian commented, “A major refurb was definitely needed and I love most of this. I just wish there was a way to have an early 20th century scene that combines the current first two scenes. Electricity and transportation forms starting are an important lead into space travel. The futuristic last scene being so far in the future makes it easier to limit refurbishment because it won’t be outdated in 5 – 10 years.”
Louise said, “Whilst I will miss the old scenes I’m excited to see the new ones. But mostly I’m relieved that the Carousel of Progress has survived! Back in the late 1990s, when we came out of the theatre, we were accosted by a cast member who asked our thoughts on CoP. We were worried way back then that we might lose it.”
Rita is genuinely excited: “I think the changes will be fantastic! This is my all time favorite Disney attraction. The new version will have me seeing my own life flash before my eyes. I remember watching the first moon landing as a 5 year old. Beyond excited. I will miss the old scenes, but that’s progress for ya!!”
David remembered an important detail about the ride: air conditioning. He wrote, “The show is about progress, so it makes sense for these changes. The show will remain a great place to rest in the air conditioning.”
Andrew commented, “Love this. I mean, I love the original too, but increasingly there are parts of the Parks that are going to feel less and less relevant to modern visitors. The current version is based on a nostalgia for times that nobody who visits will actually have experienced. A fresh spin feels needed.”
For many, feelings are all over the place. Nostalgia is very strong with this ride, but at the same time, many fans can admit that it felt outdated and that changes were needed. We’ll just have to trust Disney to keep the attraction relevant. After all, it is the longest-running stage show in the history of American theater. Long may it reign.
Carousel of Progress will close on July 6th, so if you want to ride the current version of the attraction before the changes are made, you only have a short time to do so. We’ll keep an eye out for more ride changes and updates in Disney World, so check back with AllEars again soon for more.
Answering Your #1 Question About the Carousel of Progress Changes in Disney World
What do you think about the Carousel of Progress changes? Let us know in the comments!
And the gut punches keep coming
When they made the original carousel progress, they went back 60 years in history to show how far they had come today. Scene 1: 1900, Scene 2: 1927, Scene 3: 1945ish, and then jumps to “today”, and when that debuted, it was at the 1964 World’s Fair, and the final scene featured innovations that were coming in the “future”, which for them was color TV’s Home Video Tape Records, and refrigerators that didn’t need defrosting. The distance future featured a domed city that was “climate controlled” and powered by a nuclear power plant. (no BS and all documented BTW)
When the carousel progress debuted in 1964, many people alive at the time could recall the turn of the century. Someone born around 1880 and turned 20 at the turn of the century (the first scene), would have been 80 years old in 1960 and could clearly remember it.
Disney has had to update the “today” scene several times because the concept of “today” kept becoming obsolete. A lot of us remember the version of the “today” scene they had before the current version was celebrating New Year’s Eve in the year 2000. Every update, the gap from second to last scene 1945 to the “today” scene got bigger and bigger as time went on. Now, the gap is so big that it was skipping a longer period of time (1945-2026 80 years) than the first scenes were covering (1900-1945 45 years).
There was no other way to update this ride than to go back to the original concept. Start at a time that a generation that was alive can remember. Anyone that was 80 years old today, just like the original concept, was in their 20s in the 1960s. It was the exact timeframe the original attraction started. The timeframe is the perfect update for this attraction and will make it as popular as when it first opened. The only REAL question is what song will they use. Will they use the song used at the opening at Disney World, “Now is the time, now is the Best Time”, the original Sheman Brothers “It’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow”, or a brand new song?
I wish they would leave it alone. People still love it the way it is. I was just there a. Purple of weeks ago and I’m so glad I took the pictures I did.