A Tribute to Carousel of Progress

[loaloa55]

Walt Disney aspired to an optimistic view of the future in Tomorrowland, and no attraction did a better job of living up to that vision than the classic Carousel of Progress.

Today, Disney and More brings us a tribute to one of WED most legendary attractions, with great pictures and videos, and Walt himself describing this beloved creation!

Created by both Walt Disney and the Imagineers of WED Enterprises as the prime feature of the General Electric Pavilion for the 1964 New York World's Fair, the attraction was later moved to Tomorrowland at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, remaining there from 1967 until 1973. As we know, it was replaced in Disneyland by America Sings in 1974, and reopened in 1975 at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

Steeped in both nostalgia and futurism, the attraction's premise is an exploration of the joys of living through the advent of electricity and other technological advances during the 20th century via a "typical" American family. To keep it up with the times, the attraction has been updated five times (in 1967, 1975, 1981, 1985, and 1994) and has had two different theme songs, both written by the Sherman Brothers.

Various sources say Walt Disney himself proclaimed that the Carousel of Progress was his favorite attraction and that it should never cease operation. This can be somewhat supported by Imagineers, family and friends, who knew of his constant work on the attraction. Of all the attractions he presented at the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair, Disney seemed especially devoted to the Carousel of Progress.

General Electric approached Walt Disney to develop a show for the company's pavilion at the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair. Walt leaped at the chance to rekindle his relationship with GE, who would fund the project and the new technology necessary to bring the vision to life. Reaching back to Edison Square, Walt Disney again pitched the idea of an electrical progress show to General Electric executives and they loved it.
The show opened at the Fair as Progressland and was one of the most-visited pavilions at the Fair. The Carousel of Progress then opened at Disneyland Park on July 2, 1967, as part of the New Tomorrowland. Due to the success of the attractions Disney created for the Fair, General Electric agreed to sponsor the Carousel of Progress at Disneyland.

Walt Disney asked Disney songwriters Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman to create a song that could serve as a bridge between the "acts" in the show. Walt explained to the brothers what the show was about, and they wrote a song with his enthusiasm in mind. The song was titled "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow". The Shermans later stated that they believe that the song was Walt's "theme song," because he was so optimistic and excited about the future and technology itself.

In the first video below, right after the Leonard Matlin intro, Walt is with the Sherman brothers rehearsing the song. And he stands near the model of the attraction which was going to open at the New York's world fair, General Electric pavilion.

We have the rest of the story on Disney and more to complete with LOTS of pictures and videos of the TWO versions of the show! :
Disney and more: A Grand Tribute to Carousel of Progress

Then join us back here for discussion on Carousel of Progress and the optimism of Tomorrowland. Is there still a place for Progress in the Tomorrowland of today?

[batasksa]

Great info! Really informative. It is helpful for me.

[cositaluvsmickey]

Very nice...I happen to like CoP..when I went to WDW it was the first ride I had to go on thanks very informative as well..

[Dustysage]

Personally, I'd rather have an updated version of Carousel of Progress at Disneyland than that sorry excuse for a corporate billboard they call Innoventions. While a long animatronic show such as CoP may not be the crowd pleaser it once was, there are certainly opportunities to take the idea and do something modern and inventive with it.

Walt tinkered with CoP endlessly and there is absolutely room for a non-thrill attraction in Tomorrowland which expresses hope and optimism for the future. Not necessarily a rehash of CoP, but something clearly inspired by it.

[loaloa55]

Todd, i totally agree with you! Instead of anything else at the Carousel of Progress location at WDW they definitely should do an updated version, beginning by using the latest Audio-Animatronic technology they will use on Abraham Lincoln at DL next December.

[Bob Weaver]

Carousel of Progress was an outstanding attraction at Disneyland and I was disappointed when it closed. It was rich with details in the Disney tradition - the cat sleeping on the couch in one scene occasionally lifted its tail up and down like cats do is just one of many details - a memorable song in "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" and an incredibly beautiful model "city of the future" upstairs, which I would gaze at for long periods. Even the airplane taking off in the background was great. This attraction could be reinstalled instead of Innoventions, with a show section featuring today's technology.

[MarkTwain]

Originally Posted by Bob Weaver

Carousel of Progress was an outstanding attraction at Disneyland and I was disappointed when it closed. It was rich with details in the Disney tradition - the cat sleeping on the couch in one scene occasionally lifted its tail up and down like cats do is just one of many details - a memorable song in "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" and an incredibly beautiful model "city of the future" upstairs, which I would gaze at for long periods. Even the airplane taking off in the background was great. This attraction could be reinstalled instead of Innoventions, with a show section featuring today's technology.

I might point out that the WDW CoP, as great as it is, has no model upstairs, or indeed any upstairs component.

Considering a "Progress City" is no longer in the works, I wonder what the contemporary equivalent of the upstairs would be?

...a model of the DCA renovation??

[dead_Mau5]

Another "legacy" ride like PotC, it's not thrilling but it's a classic.
And also a comfortable place to hibernate for 30 odd minutes.

[orbitalpunk]

Originally Posted by dustysage

personally, i'd rather have an updated version of carousel of progress at disneyland than that sorry excuse for a corporate billboard they call innoventions.

+1

[Orcatime]

Originally Posted by MarkTwain

I might point out that the WDW CoP, as great as it is, has no model upstairs, or indeed any upstairs component.

Considering a "Progress City" is no longer in the works, I wonder what the contemporary equivalent of the upstairs would be?

...a model of the DCA renovation??

At WDW on the TTA you ride by the model. I think it is when you enter the building that houses Stitch's Escape.

[MarkTwain]

Originally Posted by Orcatime

At WDW on the TTA you ride by the model. I think it is when you enter the building that houses Stitch's Escape.

That's true. I was just referring to the fact that, when the Carousel was at Disneyland, after the show was over, you would go upstairs for a second experience - to see the model of Progress City. I was just wondering what such an "upstairs equivalent" would be for the Carousel of Progress today.

[Radiobarry]

Originally Posted by MarkTwain

That's true. I was just referring to the fact that, when the Carousel was at Disneyland, after the show was over, you would go upstairs for a second experience - to see the model of Progress City. I was just wondering what such an "upstairs equivalent" would be for the Carousel of Progress today.

I would love to see the CoP returned to Disneyland in any form, no question about it.

If I recall correctly, at one point the "Progress City" model could be seen from the PeopleMover, when it went back into the tunnel after emerging from the tunnel through ATIS/Star Tours, the Character Shop and Space Mountain.

[I Heart Disneyland]

I love Carousel of Progress. I wish it would return to its "home".

[Orcatime]

I once wrote out an idea for an updated CoP that dealt with future resource management (land, water, etc.) and an idea for a new AA (Father would move across the stage). I was actually writing the script for it when I came across the book Imagineering and noticed that the first paragraph in the introduction was verbatim to my script. I guess great minds think alike but boy that would be a great artistic and technical challenge for WED.

[Alpoe001]

Originally Posted by Dustysage

Personally, I'd rather have an updated version of Carousel of Progress at Disneyland than that sorry excuse for a corporate billboard they call Innoventions. While a long animatronic show such as CoP may not be the crowd pleaser it once was, there are certainly opportunities to take the idea and do something modern and inventive with it.

Walt tinkered with CoP endlessly and there is absolutely room for a non-thrill attraction in Tomorrowland which expresses hope and optimism for the future. Not necessarily a rehash of CoP, but something clearly inspired by it.

I agree...

Innoventions is used as a playground instead of really showing promissing future... grated i would love to have many of the items in the dream home.

COP, Horizons, and even the Home of Future Living(WDW) all gave a view of a ideal future and they all did it in a calm way. I really would like to see them do the PM as an homage to to those 3 attractions