There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow for Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress Shining in 2027

It’s the end of an era for the 1994 version of Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. Today is the last chance for fond farewells by fans before the Magic Kingdom version closes on July 6, 2026. As this is one of our favorite attractions at Magic Kingdom, we wanted to take a moment to share a tribute to CoP and why we’re hoping there’s a great big beautiful tomorrow–and now is not the best time for the stage show.

In case you missed it, Carousel of Progress is closing for a major refurbishment that shifts its timeline forward by 60 years before reopening sometime in 2027. Although recent reimaginings have been done expeditiously by Imagineering standards, there’s reason to believe this project will be a longer one. Recent construction permits suggest a top-to-bottom overhaul, which comports with previous rumors about the aging turntable mechanism.

Given the rumors, filings, and just the general age of the ride system and building, it stands to reason that Disney will take the opportunity to breathe new life into the attraction and extend its useful life as opposed to just installing some new show scenes. Accordingly, we’re expecting a reimagining that ends up being more on par with Big Thunder Mountain Railroad than Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster…albeit in stage show form.

As for the substance of the overhaul, the reimagined Carousel of Progress will begin with a brand-new introduction scene featuring an advanced Audio-Animatronic of Walt Disney himself, inspired by his 1964 television special. The 1900s, 1920s, and 1940s eras are being completely replaced by the 1960s, 1980s, and 1999.

The redone Carousel of Progress will finish with a retro-futuristic finale that feels equal parts middle of the last and next centuries. The iconic core family, classic gags like Uncle Orville in the bathtub, and “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” will all remain part of the new show. Otherwise, there are a lot of unknowns, but we’re expecting answers at the upcoming D23 Expo.

Against that backdrop, we wanted to share our memories and updated perspective on the Carousel of Progress reimagining, which we’ve refined over the last month-plus now that we’ve had a chance to experience the ride one last time (or twenty) to say our goodbyes.

We have a ridiculous number of memories as a couple in Carousel of Progress. In the last 20 years, there’s only one attraction we’ve likely done more, and that’s the TTA PeopleMover. There’s a reason why it makes Sarah & Tom Bricker’s Top 15 Disney Attractions, and countless other ‘best of’ and ‘underrated attraction’ lists on DTB.

I remember introducing Carousel of Progress to Sarah right around the turn of the century (technically 2006). I had grown up on Carousel of Progress, which is one of the favorite Magic Kingdom attractions of my parents. (Those qualifiers might make it seem like we’re not really hardcore Carousel of Progress fans, but keep in mind that this is a park that also features the TTA PeopleMover and Country Bear Jamboree.)

Every relationship has its media litmus test for compatibility. For some, it’s Star Wars or Father of the Bride or Before Sunrise. For me, it was theme park attractions (and Before Sunrise). As you can probably surmise by the fact that we’ve been married over 15 years, Carousel of Progress was an immediate smash hit with Sarah.

Other favorite memories involve our honeymoon, when Carousel of Progress was a reprieve from rain and high heat. And only 6 months later on our family Christmas trip, Carousel of Progress was an escape from an unexpected cold front for which we did not properly pack.

Then there were the many late nights during Extra Magic Hours when Carousel of Progress was a place to rest. We’d do a fourth meal at Cosmic Ray’s, catch a Sonny Eclipse set, and then ‘recover’ on Carousel of Progress. A lot of our nostalgia for the attraction comes from a different era when Magic Kingdom kept longer hours, and looping the attraction was a way to unwind.

Fast-forward over a decade, and our daughter’s first few spins on Carousel of Progress have been among our fondest memories. She went from being entranced by the bright scenes and catchy music to eagerly inquiring about the name of each character. She won’t remember this version of Carousel of Progress, but we’ll remember her doing it.

That’s three generations of memories and nostalgia for this version of Carousel of Progress in our family. It has been the incarnation of the attraction that I remember from my childhood, and has hung around for the three decades since. This is hardly unique. Countless lifelong Walt Disney World fans have deep wells of nostalgia for Carousel of Progress.

To many of us, the Progress Family feels like actual family and this is the only version of that family we’ve ever known. They are quirky and quotable, and each member of the family has a distinct personality. The memories we’ve made watching our families grow up over the years while watching the Progress Family do the same are powerful.

Carousel of Progress offers a nostalgic trip down memory lane in more ways than one. It’s something around which so many lifelong fans have fond recollections of simpler times, both in real life and at Walt Disney World. It’s one of those “if you know, you know” type of things.

There are many things we’ll miss about the 1994 Carousel of Progress. The woefully dated finale with its 1990s interior design, the Virtual Boy-esque game, Sorcerer Mickey abstract art, little Easter Eggs, and lines of dialogue that we quote at home (often in a tongue-in-cheek manner).

I’ll also miss the earlier scenes. The voice acting, the staging, interactive appliances, and more. Carousel of Progress is one of the most detailed attractions at Walt Disney World, and you have time to savor each scene.

There’s a not insignificant part of me that wishes Walt Disney World were retaining the 1940s scene as a bridge from the past to the future. I understand the practical realities for that not happening, but it would’ve helped preserve some of that nostalgia and guaranteed at least one scene in the 2027 show would be a fan-favorite.

With that said, Carousel of Progress has been badly in need of a refresh since at least Y2K (one of the new scenes!). While we can debate the decades chosen or the decision to replace every scene with a newer one, the fact that we’re getting an overhaul that maintains the spirit of the attraction is a small miracle. There have been multiple, credible rumors over the years that the attraction would be retired and replaced completely.

Since I’ve been an adult Walt Disney World fan, Carousel of Progress has been one of the most misunderstood attractions. The next closest would’ve been the old Country Bear Jamboree.

With the OG CBJ gone, no attraction better exemplifies the tension between WDW diehards and first-timers than Carousel of Progress. If you’re new to Walt Disney World, you might hear the emphatic praise for Carousel of Progress from people like me, and be shocked to see the antiquated attraction yourself.

Following the reimagining announcement, we took a friend to Carousel of Progress for their first time. This person is a Disneyland regular, but a more casual fan. It was abundantly clear that Carousel of Progress wasn’t their cup of tea. I didn’t bother to defend its greatness or what made it so special, just as I’ve learned not to hype it up. Carousel of Progress is just one of those rides that either clicks or doesn’t, and no amount of persuasion will change that.

That’s why I’m hopeful about the changes to Carousel of Progress. This reimagining still allows the attraction to retain its fundamental nature, charm, character, and connection to Walt Disney, while being modernized in the process. It won’t appeal to all casual guests, but it’ll attract more of them. And that’s progress.

We can quibble about the degree to which the essence of Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress is remaining intact in light of the decade shift, but the style, spirit, artistic intent and vision of the attraction will remain. Walt’s idea for Carousel of Progress revolved around his love for the American family and for progress, and showcasing all of the wonders of the new century as the American family navigated them.

The attraction is imbued with Walt’s worldview of a brighter tomorrow and romanticized past. That is its heart and soul, regardless of the changing of the seasons. So long as the show revolves around those central themes and maintains its core essence, it’ll always be Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress.

The other reason why I’m encouraged is because Carousel of Progress will be more relatable. I’m cognizant that “modernize” and “relatable” have, historically, been bad buzzwords for diehard Disney fans. That doesn’t need to be the case.

When it opened at the 1964 World’s Fair, the represented decades were relatable because the audience had lived through them over the course of the previous 60 or so years. Some 60 years later, it only makes sense to mirror that approach, turning back the dial and starting 60 years back from today in the 1960s.

I’m actually a little surprised by the fan backlash to this, or the arguments that there wasn’t as much change during more recent decades. I don’t agree in the least; I feel like I’ve lived through tremendous change (some of which has been progress) in my lifetime.

The current decades make Carousel of Progress feel more like a museum exhibit, and less of a contemporary attraction over which multi-generation families visiting Walt Disney World can bond, sharing firsthand memories. These multi-generational trips are becoming common, with baby boomer grandparents taking their millennial children and grandchildren.

This family is essentially the target audience for Carousel of Progress, and will see themselves reflected in the reimagined ride. They’ll be able to reminisce about their own experiences living through the updated decades, making the new Carousel of Progress nostalgia fuel for generations of future fans.

Another thing that’s clear to me is that now is the time for an attraction that is optimistic about the future. This was reinforced by reader comments to the original announcements, which were decidedly pessimistic about the present and our future prospects. There are myriad very valid reasons for cynicism.

However, that is decidedly not the worldview of Walt Disney or what’s reflected in the parks bearing his name. It is beyond time that Carousel of Progress more earnestly looked to the actual future, presenting a vision imbued in optimism and appealing to our better angels. Guests should leave the attraction feeling energized and forward-looking, much like the American Adventure speaks to our inner patriotism.

When our daughter is old enough to understand Carousel of Progress, the new version will present a great opportunity to regale her with our family’s own experiences living through these eras.

My parents were kids in 1969. I’ve probably heard more stories about the moon landing than any other historic event that they lived through. If we took a multi-generation trip with Megatron’s grandparents, this scene would absolutely spark memories and the sharing of stories.

I was born in 1985. I have great memories of the late 1980s. Same goes for 1999, which was this weird amalgamation of anxiety about Y2K, excitement about the internet and the last gasp of a simpler time before 9/11 and economic anxieties.

The years picked for the new timeline are fantastic choices, even if there’s a smaller than expected gap between them. I assume this is driven by a desire to not dig too far back, aiming at upbeat baby boomer to millennial memories.

Setting aside my own personal nostalgia, I don’t really have any trepidations about modernizing Carousel of Progress. I’ll miss a lot about the current version, but it’s hardly an untouchable attraction that’s never been updated before.

While the show scenes themselves are still connected the original, virtually everything else has changed since. And unlike some fans, I do not believe Walt Disney ever intended for an attraction titled Carousel of Progress to be a time capsule.

The real problem is not the modernization itself, but that Walt Disney World has refused to refresh Carousel of Progress in a meaningful way since 1994. There should have been 2 major updates since then, and had those happened, there might be a little less fan reticence towards further changes.

My biggest concerns come down to the script. The Progress Family feels like family not just because they’ve been around so long, but because John and Sarah have the rapport of a married couple.

They talk to one another and the kids like actual parents would behind closed doors. There’s a fine line between loving quips and bickering, but the couple needs good banter if Disney’s goal is that they be relatable as real people.

As with so many things, it’ll ultimately come down to execution for me. This is a passion project by Imagineers who get what makes Carousel of Progress special, which is a great start.

If they handle it with care and deliver a strong show with a smart script, memorable and quotable lines, I’ll be thrilled. I’ve seen the current version enough that it will always live on in my mind’s eye, and now I’ll have a new version to memorize.

One thing about which I’m unequivocally excited is Carousel of Progress getting love in the first place. This means the attraction can be marked “safe” from replacement for the next several decades; this plot will not be home to a relocated Main Street theater concept.

This is obviously not an outright removal and replacement. It’s not even like Country Bear Musical Jamboree, where Imagineers were tasked with an unpleasant assignment and making “lemonade out of lemons.” Walt Disney World has had a fair number of projects like that, where we’ve basically had to say, “you don’t understand just how much worse this could’ve been.”

This might end up turning out badly. I’m not ruling out that possibility. I’ve been subjected to Zootopia: Better Zoogether, so I know modern Imagineering is not infallible, and sometimes shows meant for all ages are written for 4 year olds. However, I also know this is not a “lemonade out of lemons” scenario or a reimagining that is borne of bad intentions.

There’s the very real possibility that the Carousel of Progress timeline shift turns out brilliantly. It could be a big win for Walt Disney World diehards if Imagineers can stick the landing with a memorable show that brings to life its ensemble cast with a sharp script. It has the potential to modernize Carousel of Progress and make it more relatable, which should attract new audiences to the attraction.

Not only that, but it’s an ambitious undertaking and one that has a healthy budget attached. It’s yet another sign of paradigm shift at the Walt Disney Company, within Imagineering, and signals the continuation of a new chapter.

A repeat of Zootopia: Better Zoogether is certainly a concern, but it’s also fair to point out that Imagineering has far more hits than misses when it comes to recently completed projects. Just across the walkway in Tomorrowland, one of the biggest hits was the recharge of Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, which breathed new life into the aging interactive attraction.

This summer has brought with it several more success stories. This is not the same team that brought us World Celebration and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Imagineering is under new management. Things are trending in the right direction, and there’s cause for cautious optimism.

Instead of imagining the counterfactual where the Carousel of Progress refresh comports with your personal wish list, consider one that’s actually consistent with how Walt Disney World has done things in the past. That, of course, would’ve been a synergistic show infused with character intellectual property.

“Carousel of Progress: Under New Management” featuring The Incredibles as the host family might’ve been the realistic best-case scenario back in 2018. Closing it completely for operational cost-savings and replacing it with Magic Kingdom management parking would’ve been the worst-case outcome.

Adding the The Incredibles to Carousel of Progress doesn’t require a vivid imagination. It would’ve been a marketable change, and about as costly of a project as the one they’re actually doing. Some fans might’ve even been on board, accepting the “bargain” to retain some aspects of Carousel of Progress.

Instead, Walt Disney World fans are getting a respectful and loving update to Carousel of Progress, and one that won’t be cheap. It’s IP-free, aimed at maintaining its heart and soul as a show that revolves around the American family and optimism as it navigates new wonders.

Again, it’s perfectly fine to have reservations about the changes or wish different decades were chosen. But it’s also worth acknowledging the reality that this overhaul would’ve been far worse if made even a few years earlier.

Instead, Carousel of Progress is a project that builds on the foundation of the ‘singles and doubles’ successes of the last year. This big-budget, non-IP reimagining demonstrates Imagineering being given more autonomy as a result of those wins.

After a month to digest the news and come to terms with losing the version of Carousel of Progress for which we have tremendous personal nostalgia, I’m cautiously optimistic about the outcome of the Carousel of Progress overhaul.

The scope and scale of this reimagining is a win for the classic attraction, diehard fans, and the legacy of the man behind the magic. The Imagineers working to bring the attraction into a whole new century have a tough task ahead of them, and I truly hope that there’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow for Carousel of Progress and in fact, that Now is Not the Best Time.

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Your Thoughts

What’s your take on the Carousel of Progress timeline shift? What about the shift to 1969, 1985, Y2K, and the distant future? Do you agree or disagree with my assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!