Carousel of Progress

[Hermosa11]

Is this "ride" up and running? If so.....I will be sooo thrilled to see this since it closed at Disneyland years ago. This is just one of my favorite attraction!!!!

 

[midge dionne]

I think it is open seasonally so it should be open when you are there although It's a Small World will be closed ( my favorite). We will be at WDW on 6/16/04 for 9 days also although we are staying off-site.

 

[tcfdick]

My family and I go every year in June/July and The Carousel of Progress is always running because that is the seasonal time for this ride. We rode it several times last year.

 

[Hermosa11]

Well, thank you for the great information. I just cannot wait.
We will be at WDW at same time!

 

[goofy4tink]

I believe that it is up and running since AE has closed. Until Stitch opens, they said they were keeping CP up and running.

 

[CareBearYN]

I was just at Disneyworld last week and the Carousel was up and running! It was great to go on this ride since it's one of the rides I remembered from when I was little and it was one of the rides I was really looking forward to.

 

[Pollyann]

I'm glad to hear COP is running. I'd really like for my kids to experience a ride I loved as a kid!

 

[jgart]

We visited in December. I love this ride. I took my 4 yr old daughter and she aslo loved it. She kept laughing about the christmas turkey that the family burned.

 

[shelly3girls]

When is Small World closing? We will be there 6/4 - 6/8 and the girls love this attraction. My DD will be very disappointed if it is closed.

 

[KIS]

Can someone explain what the Carousel of Progress is?

KIS

 

[SueM in MN]

Can someone explain what the Carousel of Progress is?

It's a show that was originally produced for the 1964 World's Fair and was a show that Walt Disney himself was very involved in planning. The theme is how "Progress" and changes in products that are available affect the life of families. The show is housed in a round building; you enter one theater seating are in the building and your theater actually revolves around the stage, showing different scenes in the "Carousel of Progress".
The scenes are hosted by an audioanimatronic father, who begins sitting in a a typical early 1900 kitchen. He talks about new items - like an icebox that holds 50 pounds of ice and keeps their milk from souring so fast, and a pump in the kitchen that means they don't have to go outside for water anymore. He also talks a little about transportation and things the family is doing for entertainment in that time period. There is a little stage off to each side, hidden until it's cued to light up and show an addition scene with family members showing other parts of the house (and progress like an electric sewing machine, radio or early television).
There are 4 scenes and the final one uses the whole stage to show an up to date family celebrating Christmas (It's kind of a big step in time from the scene before to the last scene) with video games and some computer controls for their house (that's where the burned turkey scene shows up).

The whole show is cute and educational too. It's always interesting to hear small kids ask their parents if they had a TV like the one shown in the 1940s scene.

 

[christinadei]

It was open Saturday when we were there!

 

[KIS]

That does sound interesting. What a wonderful educaitonal tool. About how long is the show?

KIS

 

[isles_nyi]

Outside of the Circle of Life movie at Epcot, CoP is my all time favorite place in Disney for a quick nap. Maybe it's the rotating theater...it's always had the same effect on me as when I put my daughter in her car seat and started to drive around.

 

[Robmom]

I must be the only one that doesn't like this ride. I didn't like it as a kid, and I didn't like it as an adult. My DD didn't enjoy it either. But for us, it was air conditioning!

 

[goin2disneyagain]

I hope it is still open next month when we go. Every time we have over the last 4 years it has been closed and we have been soooo disappointed.

 

[Ames]

I hear it will stay open as long as AE is being remodeled....

As cheesy and corny as it is I'm looking forward to seeing it for the first time in almost 10 years. :

 

[karemore]

I love this attraction and can't wait to see it next week!!!

My parents saw it at the World's Fair in 1964, and we went on it as a family when I was younger. It's very nostalgic for me.

I have tried to explain it to my husband and hope he will enjoy it too!

Karen

 

[shelly3girls]

We normally travel in the off season so I have not seen the CofP since I was a child. I cannot wait to see it again. This and It's a Small World are two attractions that bring back fond memories of my father. They are true classics.

 

[Hermosa11]

I have not been here since it stopped appearing at Disneyland in 1972?? (yee gads, I was a sophmore!!! augh!!) I just cannot wait. I was browsing the Frommner's book of Disneyland and I was so upset to see he rated the CofP a D !!!!! You should have heard me cursing out in the Book store!!! haaaaaaaaaaaa