The Carousel of Progress is going to get a new great big beautiful tomorrow. Last year, it was announced that the attraction would be receiving a new Walt Disney audio-animatronic after the introduction of the figure in Walt Disney – A Magical Life at Disneyland earlier in the year. Today, it was announced that Walt Disney won’t be the only change coming to the attraction. The entire attraction will be reimagined with new scenes and eras being added to the attraction. It will close starting July 6, 2026, and reopen with the new scenes in 2027.
Chris Beatty, Portfolio Executive Creative Director, Walt Disney Imagineering, introduced the upcoming changes on the Disney Parks Blog, saying, “For the last 60 years, this passion project of Walt himself has served as a powerful reflection of optimism, innovation, and family over time. Yet while the themes have always stayed the same, the most performed stage show in the history of American theater has taken several forms over the years.”
Introducing the changes, Beatty said, “Carousel of Progress was designed to celebrate change, not to stand still. As Imagineers, we now have the great responsibility of keeping Walt’s ideas of innovation and forward-looking spirit alive as we continue building the attraction’s future together.” Below is a look at what is coming to Carousel of Progress, followed by the history of the attraction.
Walt Disney
Walt Disney will be introducing the Carousel of Progress in a scene that is inspired by the 1964 special Disneyland Goes to the World’s Fair. This is where Walt first introduced the idea of the Carousel of Progress. He also shared his enduring belief in the power of progress to shape a better tomorrow.
Beatty shared that the team behind this project is sourcing and replicating many of the props that were seen in that special. This includes the prototype Tiki bird, the Tower of the Four Winds model, a doll for it’s a small world, and much more.
The opening moment, which was once thought of as impossible, will be setting the stage (quite literally) for the next era of storytelling with this beloved American family and their lovable dog.
New Decades
Along with adding Walt Disney to this beloved attraction, Imagineers will also be updating all of the scenes in this attraction. This will mean that there will be new time periods with John, Sarah, and the rest of the family navigating ever-changing technology in new decades.
Beatty shared that “One of our main goals for this update was to keep the attraction relatable for today’s audiences by featuring eras in which our guests have personal connections.” This means that the iconic There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow will continue to be the connective tissue and play as guests travel from scene to scene as they move to the next era.
The new scenes will revisit the music, fashion, technology, and experiences from these new decades and scenes that are presented. “One thing that I think makes the Carousel of Progress so special is that physical props, painted backdrops, and practical effects everywhere. And the team is working tirelessly to make sure things like appliances and artwork are true to that decade,” Beatty said.
Act 1 – The 1960s
When the Carousel of Progress first opened at the World’s Fair, its story began by looking back about six decades to the dawn of the new century. It has been over six decades since then. The new iteration will draw from the foundational idea and start 60 years back from today in the 1960s.
The first scene will be set in the summer of 1969. The Carousel family, along with millions around the world, gathered around the television to watch the historic moon landing. This is arguably one of humanity’s greatest achievements! Beatty described this show in the following way, saying, “Filled with awe, the moment captures the spirit of innovation and possibility that has always been — and always will be — at the heart of Carousel of Progress.”
Act 2 – The 1980s
The second scene has the theater having traveled to the ’80s. “Everything bigger is better, and things keep on getting bigger! We pick up with the family on Halloween Night of 1985, and for the first time ever, Sarah is taking center stage. She’ll share how all the new appliances and gadgets are making life easier for the whole family,” says Beatty.
John will be found outside on the porch handing out candy to trick-or-treaters. Poor Uncle Orville will be making his return, once again in the bathroom, with “no privacy around here!”
Act 3 – The New Millennium
Moving forward, it will be the end of the ’90s. The Carousel family will be preparing to ring in the new millennium on New Year’s Eve in 1999. Along with all of the excitement experienced in the countdown to 2000, there is also a new thing bringing John, Sarah, Jimmy, and Patty, along with the rest of the world, closer together than ever before… the internet!
Just like most families on New Year’s Eve, not everyone is able to make it to midnight. Grandpa will already have nodded off before the big countdown. Meanwhile, Grandma sneaks the TV over to wrestling when nobody is working.
Act 4 – The Possible Future
The final scene in the show will show the family one last time. This time, they are in the distant future, in an out-of-this-world home. Beatty descibes the scene, saying, “From a helpful robot assisting with everyday tasks to space travel, the scene imagines a future where extraordinary innovation has become part of life and proves that a beautiful tomorrow is just a dream away.”
Original concept sketches by Disney Legend John Hench were looked at by Imagineers to help bring this new finale to life, drawing inspiration from his imaginative vision of the future.
Attraction Poster
Disney also shared a first look at the new attraction poster for Carousel of Progress, which pays homage to the original poster that was created for its Disneyland debut. “Just like the attraction itself, the design reflects both where we’ve been and where we’re going,” explained Beatty.
History of the Carousel of Progress
Along with looking at what is coming to the Carousel of Progress at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Beatty also took a look at the past. This began with the original ideas for the attraction and then through its realization.
Edison Square Origins
In the 1950s, Walt Disney was already looking at the future of Disneyland. This means expansion. He envisioned an extension of Main Street, U.S.A., that would be called Edison Square.
The square would have a main attraction called Harnessing the Lighting. This would be a walkthrough drama that explored how electricity and technology transformed the lifestyle of the American Family (sound familiar?). Edison Square was ultimately never built. However, it did lay the groundwork for a show that was centered on a powerful idea: Technology will always change, but people will stay the same.
New York World’s Fair
As work began on the Disney shows for the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair, Walt Disney and his team of Imagineers took the concept for Harnessing the Lightning and reworked it. This ultimately became the incredibly popular Progressland pavilion – Carousel of Progress.
The New York World’s Fair would be where the attraction’s iconic rotating theater system would debut. It was also where the world was introduced to the beloved anthem for the attraction by songwriters and Disney Legends Robert B. and Richard M. Sherman. This was an incredible success and a project that was deeply personal to Walt. This attraction captured his overarching spirit of optimism, while also reflecting his hands-on creative direction. This included details that were as specific as how Uncle Orville’s toes should wiggle in the bathtub.
Moving to Disneyland
After its run at the New York World’s Fair, Walt Disney brought the attraction to Disneyland. With the move to The Happiest Place on Earth, the finale scene was refreshed when it opened in 1967. It was now set in Progress City, a community of tomorrow that was based on Walt’s vision for EPCOT. When the new finale debuted, nobody could have known how it was a sign of what was to come. Carousel of Progress ultimately made its way to Walt Disney World in 1975.
In the years since it moved to Magic Kingdom, the attraction has continued to grow and evolve. This has included new scripts, voice actors, time periods, and even full scene updates. For a period, it also featured a new theme song, The Best Time of Your Life. This stood in for There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow for the first two decades of the attraction’s operation in Florida. The song can still be heard in the background music throughout Tomorrowland today. The last major update for the attraction brought the original Sherman Brothers’ song back to the attraction. It also saw the finale scene updated. This took place in 1994.
Here is a look at the current version of the attraction that will close on July 6, 2026:
What do you think of these updates to Carousel of Progress? What are you most looking forward to? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
