Is Carousel of Progress closing?

[bicker]

If worn carpeting, scattered broken seating, malfunctioning audio animatonics, popping and hissing sound design, creaking turntables, faulty lighting cues preventing most of the scrims from displaying properly, and an utter disregard for the preservation of Walt's creation is considered the best incarnation you e ever seen, color me baffled.

There's worn carpeting in many attractions, depending on where that attraction is in its maintenance cycle. Search the forum and you'll find lots of reports of malfunctioning audio animatonics, starting with Will Rogers - isn't it his hand that keeps falling off? Re-recording the soundtrack (since they have to use the actors that they can get, rather than the originals) probably would spike a lot of the bad PR that Disney is working to avoid keeping the attraction open in the first place. The turntable doesn't creak any more than any other audience turntable at any other attraction at any theme park, and the scrims display as properly as scrims at any other attraction at any theme park. (That's what I was alluding to earlier, "take the whole attraction and re-imagine it using some other, more modern technology".)

 

[bytheblood]

There have been rumors of this closure since 2007. At this point, I would say it is still just people talking.

 

[bicker]

There have been rumors of this closure since 2007.

I found that the rumor goes back at least as far as 2001 ===> http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=116488

 

[mom2t]

One of my favorites along with Peter Pan and Pirates.

 

[Robo]

...is considered the best incarnation you e ever seen, color me baffled.

Quote where I said it was the best incarnation I've ever seen.

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

COP has been open daily for years. Considering the low overhead (electric and just a few cast members) to operate it, don't expect that to change.

 

[Sassagoula Billy]

Robo: Best incarnation, closest to Walt's original vision, whatever. The jist of it is the same. If this is the closest to Walt's vision, it's a catastrophe.

Bicker: The attraction looks like crap, sounds like crap and is in much worse condition than Will Roger's hand or various technical folderol throughout the resort. We're talking about an entire presentation that has gone to seed. An ENTIRE presentation. Muffled sound does not require re-recording. It requires maintenance.

It is not receiving the love and maintenance it so deserves. That is why I remarked that I do not know what is worse, keeping it running as is or putting it out of its misery.

And it is one of my favorite. Scratch that. Was one of my favorite attractions at Disney. But I can't bear to witness what is now the shell of its former glory.

 

[Fizzmom]

Yet another South Shore MA fan of COP here! DD is already excited about doing it again during our April trip- she would be truly sad if the closing rumors were true!

 

[bicker]

Sassagoula Billy: Your appraisals appear to be colored darkly by your excessive preference for the attraction and your expectations are unreasonable, but we can agree to disagree about that.

 

[♥Tinkerbell♥]

Yes it would be sad to see this one go... it is a stable at MK... and we enjoy it every time we go to MK...

 

[kbelle8995]

I love COP no matter what reincarnation. I hope they never close it.

I love singing along and enjoying the show. And resting in the comfortable air conditioning.

 

[seashoreCM]

How to update Carousel of Progress.

1. Cut Scene #1 to half its running time. There are two sub-scenes in each side show. In each performance randomly present just one of the Scene 1 side shows on each side. Guests enter at the first stage and Scene 1 begins (with a newly added curtain that opens) on a timed basis, possibly as the last few guests are still finding their seats.
2. Put a new (early 21'st century) Scene 5 in the exit stage room. Guests do not exit there.
3. The original entrance stage room becomes the exit. At a later date put a new (mid or late 21'st century) half length Scene 6 on that stage and during the other half of the time period the guests exit.

The narrative outside the theater (as of 2005) has someone commenting on six stages. Updating CoP should make use of all six.

(In the original Worlds Fair setup, stage 6 was the exit platform as opposed to exiting to the perimeter.)

Disney hints: http://www.cockam.com/disney.htm

 

[Sassagoula Billy]

Sassagoula Billy: Your appraisals appear to be colored darkly by your excessive preference for the attraction and your expectations are unreasonable, but we can agree to disagree about that.

My expectations for proper maintenance are unreasonable? Forgive me, I forgot this was Universal.

 

[bicker]

The maintenance going on at WDW is proper, taking into consideration all the various factors that would go into such decisions. That's the point. Since you disagree, that indicates to me that your criteria are unreasonable. However, that's okay. You don't have to be among the millions of visitors to WDW. You can choose to go elsewhere, perhaps somewhere where familiarity hasn't had such an impact on skewing your evaluation.

 

[pooh2001]

Please keep Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress

We love the ride. DH has the song as his ringtone on his cell phone.

We have always done Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress - our 1st ride when we go to WDW in MK. Never a line and always our welcome back to WDW.

Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress has always been open Easter weeks and during late June into 4th of July week.

 

[Sassagoula Billy]

The maintenance going on at WDW is proper, taking into consideration all the various factors that would go into such decisions. That's the point. Since you disagree, that indicates to me that your criteria are unreasonable. However, that's okay. You don't have to be among the millions of visitors to WDW. You can choose to go elsewhere, perhaps somewhere where familiarity hasn't had such an impact on skewing your evaluation.

But in english that a layman like myself can understand: a leaky faucet does not requires familiarity to know that it isn't working. Walt Disney, the guy whose name is on this attraction, would be more than a little peeved that it's leaking. But if that's the kind of unreasonable attitude that should lead him to skip the attraction, then I'll accompany him to another attraction. Why whenever I have asked why CoP has been allowed to slowly die before us - knowing full-well the costs involved with restoring it - am I met with such flippancy? I love how Robo hasn't even returned to the thread. All knowing Robo who can't even volley back a disagreement about an attraction. This is what the DIS is about, yes? But instead, you spout what you know and use big words and sentences to frighten people away, end conversations, and belittle those around you.

Why you should suggest my leaving WDW over my issue with ONE attraction just illustrates the beauty of your chosen screen name. Completely hilarious and even moreso considering the flack that I have gotten for merely talking about ATTRACTIONS.

Unbelievable and yet... totally believable.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

COP is one of my favorite rides. We missed it running around crazy with three kids in October. Dh and I are so excited to go in February. I love everything about it.

 

[eastcarolinafan]

Thanks everyone! I just thought that I read something recently about it closing. My sons like it..my DH and I haven't gone in years.

I can't imagine they would ever close COP. It was a Walt original and holds a special place in the hearts of many people, including my 9 year old daughter. It's her favorite ride, a must-do, like RR or HM.

There really is a great big beautiful tomorrow, just a dream away.

 

[CLR4321]

Nope, not scheduled to close and no scheduled refurbs at this time for CoP. Perhaps what you read was when Cinderella's Golden Carousel became Prince Charming Regal Carousel, I believe it was closed for refurb temporarily around the time of the name change.

The only ride I know of offhand that is rumored to be closing is Snow White's Scary Adventure. I have read that it is to be closing permanently in Feb on some forums about the Fantasyland expansion, although I have yet to see anything official from Disney about it.

 

[bicker]

But in english that a layman like myself can understand

No: Don't cop out. It doesn't take a college degree for an adult to realize that it is unreasonable to expect what you're complaining about.

Walt Disney, the guy whose name is on this attraction, would be more than a little peeved that it's leaking.

No he probably wouldn't, given the scale of the Disney Company, and given that what you seem to "know" about him is the mythos he tried to craft for himself, rather than his reality.

Why whenever I have asked why CoP has been allowed to slowly die before us - knowing full-well the costs involved with restoring it - am I met with such flippancy?

I think the problem is that you're considering anything other than your own personal perspective as "flippancy", when in reality it is the absolutism that you're projecting that best fits that label.

I love how Robo hasn't even returned to the thread. All knowing Robo who can't even volley back a disagreement about an attraction.

I don't speak for Robo, and I don't really agree with Robo's approach, which appears, to me, to be: "Tell the truth - the cold, hard truth - once, and if the reader doesn't get it, that's their problem." I operate by what I feel is a more respectful perspective, engaging in a dialogue, trying to explain the point several different ways. Neither Robo nor I are right or wrong; they're just two different approaches, both equally legitimate.

And while I will engage in a dialog, I won't respond to transgressive personal attacks on me.

This is what the DIS is about, yes?

The Trip Planning forums on the DIS is actually about helping people to enjoy their Walt Disney World vacations. It isn't about fostering a never-ending death-spiral of dissatisfaction and disaffection. Every day we should be asking ourselves: What have you done, today, to help someone be better prepared to enjoy their upcoming vacation?