I’m stuck on Carousel of Progress

[Bostonbeans99]

After a 2003 vacation where I noticed everything Disney does is loud (adds to the "effect" the Imagineers say) I buy a big bag of those sponge ear plugs you can get at any Walgreens/CVS etc. and keep them in my pocket. I would have so whipped them things out and handed them out to anybody that wanted them. LOL Especially if it was Small World that was stuck or broken down.

 

[georgina]

I hate that attraction, but my DD likes it. We got stuck on it last time we were there with her in 2013. It was in the evening and there was no employees around to help. We just walked out after a while.

 

[Minnesota!]

We adore this attraction, and I would LOVE that, being stuck on it for an undetermined amount of time (we have been stuck on it..but it only repeated 3x in one scene, I believe?).

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I am probably the only person who has never been on that ride! but I am planning on finally going on it in November!

Actually, I'm a bit ashamed to say ive never either but to be honest it's because of how many times I see people saying they get stuck! We really can only do short trips, 3 park days tops, not willing to waste time stuck! It just seems to be normal for CoP.

 

[china mom]

Actually, I'm a bit ashamed to say ive never either but to be honest it's because of how many times I see people saying they get stuck! We really can only do short trips, 3 park days tops, not willing to waste time stuck! It just seems to be normal for CoP.

I don't think there is that much of a risk of getting stuck. Figure that on a thread, specifically about getting stuck on COP, there are only 42 responses and not all from people who were actually stuck.

 

[1GoldenSun]

Haha, I've ridden over a dozen times and never once been stuck.

 

[Tk0021]

We rode it once two years ago and my then DD5 had to use the bathroom during the ride. She was at that age when she says she has to go she has to go. We thought about the emergency exit, but right before we got up an announcement came on about staying in your seat and the scene started over agin. I ran her to the bathroom and ended up loosing my wife and 3 year old for an hour because my wife left her phone in the stroller I had.

 

[bryanb]

I agree with this. I have a son with severe anxiety and he just had his first full blown panic attack last week. I have had panic attacks too, so I know what it feels like, but this happened in a doctor's office while he was undergoing allergy testing, so we all thought it was anaphalaxis! It was so scary for him...he turned red and flushed and broke out into a full body sweat and was hyperventilating. He is only 13 and autistic and it was hard to explain to him what was happening and help him get through it. He had to lay down for quite a long time to get through it.

If this happened to us at WDW, I would have used the emergency exit anyway and let the Disney management deal with me after the fact. And, if they even TRIED to tell me that we had done something wrong, I would have promptly called a lawyer. That is unacceptable.

Those emergency exit doors lead to the outside and are perfectly safe to use at ANYTIME during the show. That is why they say "if you need to leave the theater during the show, please alert a cast member."

I really hope the family of that gentleman went to guest services after that and complained. That could have totally ruined his entire day.

If you're having an emergency, and have to leave through the emergency exit when it is safe to do so, you gotta do what you gotta do. Yes, always let a cast member know first, and I'll explain why.

The problem is when people use those exits in a non-emergency. CoP is not just a theater, it's a ride, and the rotating building is heavy machinery which is to be taken very seriously. It does have safety mechanisms. If people use those exits constantly, then the show will not rotate, and that's why people get stuck watching the same scene over and over again. Then the problem gets worse -- more guests get bored and then open the exits. The entire ride just goes to pieces at that point, which is why they must discourage use of the emergency exits in non-emergencies.

If you do have to exit, flag down the cast member regarding the emergency. Wait until the building comes to a complete stop before getting out of your seat, then follow their directions to exit. They should allow you to do so when safe and attend to you, even though it may cause the next scene to repeat itself because "safety" comes ahead of "show". The exits are NOT safe to use while the building is rotating. Attempting to exit while the theater is moving will trigger an emergency stop. Again, if someone is having a panic attack, that's an acceptable emergency. We don't know that the person communicated that this was an emergency and was refused assistance. CMs frequently hear talk of guests threatening to hire lawyers and to get employees written up, in all sorts of circumstances, so you have to separate the serious issues from the chronic complainers.

I hate that attraction, but my DD likes it. We got stuck on it last time we were there with her in 2013. It was in the evening and there was no employees around to help. We just walked out after a while.

This would be a real concern. The attraction cannot operate without cast members at their stations, unless something has changed. Was there no attractions host/ess in the theater?

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

We ride COP at least twice every trip and we have never been stuck. Fingers crossed we don't get stuck in June either

 

[hawkeyesparks]

I LOVE THIS RIDE! But I understand

 

[strike4]

Carousel of Progress is a ride that we wanted to do when we went for our first time last year and it was literally the first ride we went on when we got to MK. It was a bit tired and we probably won't ride it again, but really glad that we did because it is a classic to be fair.

Looking forward to that future time of the 80's it promised at the end haha.

It was our first ride as a family also so now it's special. lol

 

[Chris Connelly]

@strike4 we have rides like that in our family. Our special ride is the speedway, which I know is a controversial pick I know, but when my daughters were 3 and 5, we went to DL Paris and Autopia there has that steampunk/50's future vibe and is a lot cooler than MK. the girls were so small and to them the thought of them getting to "drive" real life cars was amazing and they loved it and it has remained that way for us. They are still only 5 and 7, so they still love it and we love how happy it makes them.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I don't think there is that much of a risk of getting stuck. Figure that on a thread, specifically about getting stuck on COP, there are only 42 responses and not all from people who were actually stuck.

That's good to know. I will say, on our first trip to WDW, we got stuck on the movie ride in the TARZAN ROOM for 15 minutes...we think of it fondly now as we were laughing hysterically at how maddening it was to hear Tarzan yelling for 15 minutes

 

[LucyBC80]

I rather be stuck at CoP than at iasm. I got stuck there for almost 40 minutes and it was a nightmare. They didn't turn off the music, and three or four boats stopped at the same scene. One guy kept yelling "will someone shut this ******* music off" and threatened to jump off of the boat. I've never been able to look at that attraction the same.

 

[Mickey's Best Girl]

This would be a real concern. The attraction cannot operate without cast members at their stations, unless something has changed. Was there no attractions host/ess in the theater?

We went on COP 2 separate times in November and I was surprised to find there was no CM available in the theatre. And we had the same issues as PPs on one ride, folks getting bored and just leaving.

 

[bumbershoot]

Perfect example of why I say to posters that just because your young children are permitted by Disney rules to ride without a parent doesn't mean you should let them.

Rides are breaking down more frequently than ever for more than a couple of minutes and parents should be with their children no matter the ride.

Or...people take the ride and their specific kids into mind, and think about it, and let the kids know how to behave and what to do in case there's a ride stop.

Not to make too big a thing of it, but not allowing the emergency exit sounds like it could present a huge problem.

Using an unattended emergency exit and getting yourself hurt would be a bigger problem.

Just b/c there's an exit sign doesn't mean it's for just anyone to use willy nilly. I've had a ride stop at Disneyland on Roger Rabbit, in sight of the doors leading to the unloading area. We were told repeatedly to stay in our seats. They want to help people exit the area, they dont' want you getting out of your vehicle and tripping or otherwise hurting themselves. They want you to be SAFE. So they don't want you just using the exits.

Those emergency exit doors lead to the outside and are perfectly safe to use at ANYTIME during the show. That is why they say "if you need to leave the theater during the show, please alert a cast member."

Those two sentences don't mean the same thing. Perfectly safe to use at any time is different than "alert a cast member"...

I am probably the only person who has never been on that ride!

We haven't either.

the girls were so small and to them the thought of them getting to "drive" real life cars was amazing and they loved it and it has remained that way for us.

I was one of those kids at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, it translated to Autopia, and it still works for me there or at the Speedway. I still feel giddy like a little kid on those things, even though I've been driving "for real" since 1986.

 

[Cinderella94]

I honestly cannot recall ever seeing a CM inside my COP theater. I must not have been paying attention because we ride it at least once per trip. Do they sit in the back next to the emergency exit? Maybe I think they aren't there because I always think to myself at least once per ride "I wish someone would shush [the group of people that inevitably talk through each scene]" and I'm under the impression a CM would do that if they were around?

 

[kandb]

We go on COP a few times every trip and love it. We did have to watch one of the scenes three times and another time a few times. The scenes are not that long so it really not that big of a deal. It's cool, very open and relaxing, so it's really not a big deal. I don't think the CM's stay inside the theatre anymore, at least they didn't the last few times we went.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

You should be writing for Disney!!!

Aw, thanks! I would LOVE to!!

 

[bryanb]

We went on COP 2 separate times in November and I was surprised to find there was no CM available in the theatre. And we had the same issues as PPs on one ride, folks getting bored and just leaving.

Thanks for confirming. That surprises me too. I'd think more guests would trigger alarms when that happens.