Is rebuilding Carousel of Progress an option?

[MariDisney]

There's something about the slow, non-thrill ride aspects of the CoP that my family and I just love. I can't even picture it with new scenes, although I admit that last scene is pretty funny looking at it from today's perspective. But, for me, in the midst of ever bigger, wilder, and louder attractions, I hope the CoP stays just like it is.

 

[byoung]

CoP is one of my things to do.

 

[cjb71870]

"Newer and Better" has been happening at all the parks. I would like some to remain the way they started. I love COP. It's from the beginning.

 

[DVCconvert]

(snip)... a lot of people feel that they need to be overly stimulated to enjoy themselves. I think it comes from the folks in this country having just a little too much of everything, and they are not satisfied at all with what they have in life and feel the need to be "adrenilized" {just made that word up } and cannot be happy with the simple things in life. ...(snip)

Mitros, you took the words right out of my mind and soul.
I believe you are exactly correct.
And in the end, following out on that logic, no one chasing that shadow will ever be happy.

"Newer and Better" has been happening at all the parks. I would like some to remain the way they started. I love COP. It's from the beginning.

Again, I agree completely.
At the very core of CoP is Walts vision that we can't truely appreicate what we have now, if we don't know what we used to have. I view it as a humbling expression of amazement in the mind is capable of - most kids today proably have no idea that at one point the "ice box" was the 'infant' to today's stainless steel, water/crushed iced/door dispensing refrigerators.

An appreciation of history is necessary, educational and can be fun -- as exhibited by CoP. We love the attraction!

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Way too much work, and I doubt if it's possible at all. I would love to have them switch back the last scene to the "70's Future" it used to be, and then add a new "current" future scene that could be tweaked now and then with new technology.

That's the main problem with CoP. The scenes start in 1900's, then 1920's, then 1940's, then it skips to 2005. Don't know if it's possible, but the best thing that Disney could do with CoP is to add a scene in between to bridge the huge gap that only grows wider every year. If they don't, I'm afraid CoP will eventually become irrelevant.

 

[tinker1bell]

Whether I am in DL or DW, CoP is a MUST. I had not been to MK since 1980 and started singing right along. Even saw three hidden Mickeys in the last part. We went on it four times while we were there.

 

[crow11ad]

I am just happy it will be open in when we go this month.

 

[goofyernmost]

That's the main problem with CoP. The scenes start in 1900's, then 1920's, then 1940's, then it skips to 2005. Don't know if it's possible, but the best thing that Disney could do with CoP is to add a scene in between to bridge the huge gap that only grows wider every year. If they don't, I'm afraid CoP will eventually become irrelevant.

That's only a problem if someone make it one. It is no longer a topical attraction it is an historic attraction, a classic. It doesn't really matter if the end scene is a thousand years from the third one. What is important is that it shows where we came from and where we are now. CoP is not relevant because of what it shows for a present day or even future scene, it is now relevant because it shows how it all started. Actually the bigger the gap the more impressive it is that we have come so far.

As for parts for repair, lets get real. When Disney designed and built CoP the technology was basically invented on the spot. No one manufactured the parts for something that never existed. They machined their own parts. If they want to, they can manufacture anything they want to, unless you are willing to accept that no one, in this advanced age, is capable of making it happen then it isn't even an arguement.

It will boil down to, do they want it. It may not draw like it used to but Disney doesn't promote it at all. Keeping it closed didn't help either.

 

[mitros]

Oh yea, one more thing, DW, DS, BiL, and I all enjoy the scene that takes place in the 40s/50s, as that was the time that we grew up, and like the 50s Prime Time Cafe, we really enjoy that scene. We should not forget about the past, and there is nothing wrong with showing future generations what things were like in the "old days". Don't forget, what we do not recall from the past, may cause us to make some of the same mistakes in the future. How does that go, Those who don't remember the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them in the future.?{hey, somebody help me with that exact quote will you? }

 

[bicker]

They machined their own parts.

Yup, back when that wasn't as costly a proposition as it is today. Skilled labor is a lot more costly than it was back then: Talent makes capital dance.

It will boil down to, do they want it.

Nah; "they" don't really "want" or "not want" anything other than long-term shareholder value. So what it will boil down to is whether we "want it" -- iow, enough of us want it enough to make it a critical determining factor in our decision to return for future visits.

That just doesn't seem to be the case, unfortunately.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

That's only a problem if someone make it one. It is no longer a topical attraction it is an historic attraction, a classic. It doesn't really matter if the end scene is a thousand years from the third one. What is important is that it shows where we came from and where we are now. CoP is not relevant because of what it shows for a present day or even future scene, it is now relevant because it shows how it all started. Actually the bigger the gap the more impressive it is that we have come so far.

What I am suggesting is that when Walt comissioned the CoP, he wanted to show the world of electricity and technology and how it changed, or progressed every 20 years. If they stop showing the same amount of progress incrementally, than the original concept is meaningless.

Now as a purist, if you want the CoP to be a completely historic, or classic attraction, then Disney should put the final scene back to it's original "world of 1967" and stop trying to insert the latest technology. Otherwise, the progress doesn't flow properly in the way Walt originally approved.

 

[eclectics]

Now as a purist, if you want the CoP to be a completely historic, or classic attraction, then Disney should put the final scene back to it's original "world of 1967" and stop trying to insert the latest technology. Otherwise, the progress doesn't flow properly in the way Walt originally approved.

Exactly! And then add a "current" scene for today. Probably impossible to achieve however. I do believe Disney does "listen" to us (their consumers, as it where). If they didn't, I think COP would be in the crapper already. It went from being seasonal to everyday (although I think it's back to seasonal again?) and it is being recarpeted. Maybe they do "hear" us faintly through the sound of the money counting machines?

 

[PuckHeadBill]

One of my friends had a pretty reasonable idea of a proposal to update it, while both keeping a consistent time interval between scenes, and maintaining the existing number of scenes, so no changes would have to be made to the theater structure.

1900-1925, 1926-1950, 1951-1975, 1976-2001

 

[DrTomorrow]

Whoa - the CoP discussion moves in The Tinfoil Hat Zone!

First, like any old mechanical device, it was easier to get replacement parts for the CoP when it was new than it is now. (Seen a tube tester at your drugstore lately? A head gasket for your Stanley Steamer at Pep Boys?)

Second, as Bicker correctly pointed out, Disney only thinks bottom line, and they have no need to come up with artificial reasons to do something - like get rid of a ride - if there's a (in their minds) sound business reason to do it (where are you, Mr. Toad ::sob:: ). Right now, (Dr)Tomorrowland kind of sucks - it certainly isn't working out the way they'd hoped. SpM and Buzz bring in the folks, and AstroOrbiter has such a low capacity that there's always a line, but look at the rest: Stitch (a poor revamp of a failed Alien), TTA (a fave of mine, but no draw), CoP, Timekeeper - snore city! They have to keep these things running, just to give people something (anything) to do.

Don't get me wrong - I LOVE CoP!!! DW and I see it every trip - as long as it is open - and usually more than once. One of the songs I whistle is GBBT, and I often wish for the narrator to say "triple dog dare" or "you'll poke your eye out". But c'mon, this is a ride designed to appeal to an audience of a different era - just like Tiki Birds, just like Tom Sawyer Island. And even if they recarpet, redo the seats and come up with 4 or 5 state-of-the-art scenes (narrated by Steve Martin!), the CoP, with it's mild humor and gently moving seats, will still play to empty rooms.

Be well.

 

[PortieOwner]

Many years ago someone suggested WDW could add an additional theme park of only retired classic attractions and attractions that were never built. This would be a great place for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, the Skyway, Swan Boats, Western River Adventure, CoP, Alien Encounter, the Delta Dream ride (?), etc.

Portie

 

[Ron from Michigan]

We were there from Sept. 23 - Oct 4 and rode CoP many times and it never broke down once. We just love this show. Lets hope they keep it around for a long time to come.

 

[mickey0216]

PortieOwner - Nice idea. But I'd like to offer one change. Move Stitch to the "new-used park" and bring Alien Encounter back!!!

 

[TSR6]

Regarding the "custom built parts"

Remember, Even though a lot of the ride is custom built by WDI, many of the parts, electronics, ect. still come from the run of the mill parts suppliers. You can't just order a Widget from the 1970's if it's not made anymore.

FYI - NASA a while back purchased computer chips from the 1960's and 1970's off E-BAY to run computers that would be to costly to update to modern chips, or to costly to completely replace. Similarity? .....you be the judge.

 

[goofyernmost]

Regarding the "custom built parts"

Remember, Even though a lot of the ride is custom built by WDI, many of the parts, electronics, ect. still come from the run of the mill parts suppliers. You can't just order a Widget from the 1970's if it's not made anymore.

FYI - NASA a while back purchased computer chips from the 1960's and 1970's off E-BAY to run computers that would be to costly to update to modern chips, or to costly to completely replace. Similarity? .....you be the judge.

Then you get what is today answer and redo the thing to have todays technology. My point was not that everything that was available then is readily available today. My point was two fold. Number one was that the attraction is made out of steel and plastic and fabric. All those are still available today. Yes, skilled people are more expensive today than back then but admission prices are way higher now then they were then as well. All things are relative. Number two was that it is no longer necessary to try and determine that the present will likely remain the same long enough to use it in an attraction. For heavens sake we know what today is like, we live in it. Abe Lincoln is no longer president but he appears in the Hall of the Presidents. History is timeless. It is actual and needs to be remembered and appreciated. The future happens so fast that it would be useless to attempt to guess ahead of it. Just have a Historic account of what things were like and that would and could be a bases of an attraction.

Also the stating that the Tiki Room (old) is no longer relevent is incorrect. I just returned from Disneyland and I went to the original Tiki Room four different times and it was full every time. If bonding and gentleness and sentimentality are no long relevent then we have some big problems that even Walt himself could not have overcome.