Disney is massively transforming Carousel of Progress — here’s what’s changing
Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress is getting one of the biggest updates in its history, with Disney refreshing every scene of the classic attraction. The Sherman Brothers song will remain, as will the original family, and the core spirit of progress intact. We attended a media panel to hear about what’s changing, which is practically everything.
Carousel of Progress enthusiasts are going to need to sit down for this one. The reimagined experience will begin in the 1960s. That’s right, the very first scene of the new Carousel of Progress will begin in the 1960s, with Walt Disney introducing guests to the optimism of the World’s Fair and the Space Race. Then the theater will rotate through an all-new 1980s sequence, a Y2K-inspired internet era, and a retro-futuristic off-planet finale designed to remain timeless for future generations. What a change!
The new Carousel of Progress
Disney shared new details about the overhaul during a media presentation previewing the future of the classic Magic Kingdom attraction. According to Disney, the current version of Carousel of Progress will operate through July 5, 2026, then close July 6, 2026 and reopen sometime in 2027.
Walt Disney will introduce the attraction
One of the biggest changes is the addition of Walt Disney himself as an audio-animatronic. Disney said the new opening scene is inspired by Walt’s 1964 television special “Disneyland Goes to the World’s Fair,” where he introduced audiences to the original concept behind Carousel of Progress.
Imagineers are recreating several props and visual references from that special, including:
- The Tower of the Four Winds
- A prototype Tiki bird
- Early Epcot concept materials
- A doll from ‘it’s a small world’
Disney described the new introduction as the foundation for the attraction’s next era of storytelling.
The attraction timeline is shifting to the 1960s
The current version of Carousel of Progress begins at the turn of the 20th century. The updated attraction instead starts in the 1960s, mirroring the same roughly 60-year time jump that existed when the attraction first debuted at the 1964–65 New York World’s Fair.
The first act takes place during the summer of 1969 as the Carousel family gathers around the television to watch the Apollo 11 moon landing. Disney said the scene is meant to capture the excitement and optimism of the Space Age while reinforcing the attraction’s ongoing focus on innovation and progress.
An all-new 1980s scene will spotlight Sarah
The attraction’s second act jumps ahead to Halloween night in 1985, with Disney placing Sarah (the wife and mother of the family) at the center of the scene for the first time.
According to Disney, the sequence will feature 1980s style, home gadgets, music references, neon décor, and dozens of hidden details inspired by the era.
Photo by Dani Meyering
John will reportedly be outside handing out candy to trick-or-treaters while Uncle Orville returns to the bathroom for another variation of his famous “no privacy” gag. Disney also previewed references to Apple computer, retro television broadcasts (Ducktails?), Disney memorabilia, and period-specific pop culture hidden throughout the room designs.
Concept art shown during the presentation also appeared to include a Depeche Mode poster, Disney pins sourced from an Imagineer’s personal collection and more references on television screens.
The third act moves into the internet era
The attraction’s third act shifts to New Year’s Eve 1999 as the family prepares for the arrival of the new millennium. Disney said the scene focuses heavily on the rise of the internet and the explosion of late-1990s consumer technology.
The kitchen will feature an overload of single-use appliances, including gadgets like bread makers and popcorn machines, while the family counts down to the year 2000 together. (Yes, the appliances will move on their own, just like the current ride.) Grandma is also expected to continue her recurring wrestling television gag while grandpa falls asleep before midnight. In some unreleased artwork, we saw what looked like Dewayne “The Rock” Johnson on the TV.
Photo by Dani Meyering
Disney also teased additional hidden references throughout the sequence, including retro television callbacks and Disney-related Easter eggs.
The finale heads off planet
The attraction’s final scene will no longer depict a near-future smart home. Instead, Disney said the finale is now set in a distant off-planet future designed to keep the attraction from quickly feeling outdated.
Imagineers said the new scene draws inspiration from original concept art by Disney Legend John Hench and incorporates retro-futuristic design elements alongside advanced technology integrated into everyday family life.
Disney previewed elements including:
- A robot assistant helping around the home
- Space travel themes
- A robot dog interacting with Rover
- A warmer retro-futuristic visual style inspired by classic Tomorrowland artwork
Are we getting a familiar feeling of ‘Horizons,’ formerly of Epcot?
Courtesy of Walt Disney World
According to Disney, the goal was to create a finale that could remain believable and aspirational for a much longer period of time.
“We want to make sure that we future-proof ourselves … because we want the carousel to be there for a long time,” Disney representatives stated during the presentation.
Courtesy of Walt Disney World
Carousel of Progress was “designed to celebrate change”
Disney framed the overhaul as part of the attraction’s long history of evolution. Since debuting at the World’s Fair, Carousel of Progress has gone through multiple versions, including updated finales, new voice casts, and many guests may not realize that for two decades the song “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” was replaced by “The Best Time of Your Life.”
In 1993, the last time Carousel of Progress experienced a major update the original “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” song returned and the ‘futuristic’ final scene debuted.
During the presentation, Disney emphasized that the Sherman Brothers song will remain part of the attraction and confirmed that John, Sarah, the children, Uncle Orville, and Rover are all returning in the refreshed version.
“If you’re going to touch something that is beloved, then leave it better than you found it,” is a refrain heard in varying phrases during the presentation.
Disney also said Imagineers are preserving many of the attraction’s practical effects and physical comedy moments while refreshing the animatronics and environments throughout the experience.
Photo by Dani Meyering
Carousel of Progress will operate in its current version through July 5, 2026 at Magic Kingdom. It will be closed starting July 6, 2026 and reopen in 2027.
Now is the time, now is the best time, now is the best time to watch the full current version of Carousel of Progress in our YouTube video below.
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