Is this Attraction ever open?

[mickaholic4077]

I make a point of going on COP every time I go to the MK.

 

[disneydiva2007]

This is stretching my memory a bit but, as I recall, it had been open since the beginning and was still running in 2001. Then it became seasonal for a couple of years. I tended to go in February and it was never open when I went within the first few years of the 2000nd's. Then Alien encounter was closed to make room for Stitch and they reopened CoP permanently, at least to this point.

Attendance is a problem that is caused by a number of problems. The first is that it wouldn't be possible for Disney to care less about this attraction so they do not spend a nickel promoting it and, Second, and biggest, is that the public, when they are aware of it's existence, have absolutely no appreciation of history and what made Disney great.

If it doesn't cause your heart to beat faster or to bring you to near puke conditions, it is looked upon as not worth it, boring or lame. The saddest thing is that this trend will likely continue until all the old, what made Disney great, attractions are in the landfill. They can never be revived because frankly no one has the imagination active enough to create a story within a theme park ride anymore. I think it is a lost skill and I doubt it will ever return.

Anyway, all that to say that it is open, at least for now and still appreciated by a dwindling number of people. BTW, I may be off on the actual years that all this happened but it did occur somewhat in that order and somewhat near that time. As a post note...I rode it in 2006, the theater was 3/4's full and there was cheering and applause at the end. A good sign, I hope! Word of mouth made it popular and that could happen again, but, it needs to be soon.

Ditto! We go every year in Feb and Oct....and it was closed in Feb everytime - for the last 3-4 years - but usually open in Oct. This is DH favorite attraction so this year when it was open in Feb we were pleasantly surprised! This year we are heading down in Sept instead of Oct. and we are hoping that it is open when we get there.

 

[MonkeyPants]

been up and running the everytime I have been down in the last 3 years...which is 5 or 6 times at various times of the year.

 

[PamNC]

Count me in as one of the dwindling few that still appreciate COP and what it stands for. Only once has it been closed during our trips over the past several years. Thank goodness. I wouldn't feel like my trip was complete without COP. I love it and so does my DH! Air conditioning or not.

PamNC

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

I love COP. Fortunately for us, it was open in April when we were there, although it did temporarilly break down while we were inside. I have some really fond memories of COP from my early trips to WDW. Mostly the conversations we'd have after going on COP, like hearing the stories of how excited my mom and my grandparents were when they first got indoor plumbing so many years ago, or how she'd point and laugh at things during the show and say, "we had one just like that when I was growing up." It was a nostalgic trip for her, a lesson in appreciation for me. I really wish Disney would show COP some more love. I fear its days are numbered.

 

[kjetjl]

Thank you for the posts!!! For some reason I thought they closed the attraction permanently. My kids were so disappointed when I told them it was closed. They will be glad it is still open. They LOVE it. So do my husband and I. Hopefully, it will be open during our trip in Sept.

 

[julm26]

Come to think of it now, I've only seen it once and really enjoyed it. We hope to see it this time around when we go in september.

 

[Jrabbit910]

Please be gentle-----
but every time I was at WDW (and its been alot) I have never ever gone on this ride... can someone tell me what its about..... ?

 

[twoeeyy]

Count us in as another three patrons of COP , we watch it every trip.

Now I am sorry to say but what we will not be visiting is ( forget name ) the ride in EPCOT with Ellen, but that rides puts all three of us to sleep

 

[Lisa Hale]

Please be gentle-----
but every time I was at WDW (and its been alot) I have never ever gone on this ride... can someone tell me what its about..... ?

Here's some info from "The Disney Blog" site that includes the words to the song. The links won't work, but you could go to that site to click on the links. This should give you some insight to it. Oh, and if you want specific details of each scene, check out carouselofprogress . com

It's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow

One of my favorite Disney songs is a piece written for the Carousel of Progress, which debuted at the 1964 World's Fair in New York. Walt Disney Partnered with General Electric to create an attraction about how technology has influenced our lives in the past and some of the changes we can expect in the future.

Disney expected this to be a showcase attraction and he wanted a theme song that would really drive home the point that the future was going to be great. So Walt asked his best song men, The Sherman Brothers, to come up with the song. The song they came up with is "It's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" and it was a perfect fit for the show. Here are the lyrics:

There's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow
Shining at the end of every day
There's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow
And tomorrow's just a dream away

Man has a dream and that's the start
He follows his dream with mind and heart
And when it becomes a reality
It's a dream come true for you and me

So there's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow
Shining at the end of every day
There's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow
Just a dream away

It was a wonderful attraction that drew huge crowds. The show and song were so succesful that G.E. took the song and used it in their advertising.

After creating these great songs from the 1964 World's Fair, the Sherman Brothers began work on what they affectionately refer to as their “magnum opus,” Walt Disney's musical film fantasy Mary Poppins.

You can still ride The Carousel of Progress today at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, Orlando FL. Or if you're at Disneyland you can hear the song at the Innoventions building or ask Rod, the Main Street Piano Player, to play it for you.

CarouselofProgress.com is a fan site dedicated to the ride. Also see the Yesterland entry on the attraction.

If you want to hear "It's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" online, you can listen to a MIDI of the song here.

Finally, read this interview LaughingPlace.com did with the Sherman Brothers

 

[Hobbes]

Please be gentle-----
but every time I was at WDW (and its been alot) I have never ever gone on this ride... can someone tell me what its about..... ?

The theatre revolves around a circular stage which shows a household through 4 different periods in history and the impact that electricity has in their lives. It sounds really dull but its full of animatronic figures and really rather good-very educational for younger kids

 

[Jrabbit910]

Thanks so much! I really do hope that we get a chance to see it when we go!

 

[Disneylovingmom]

We go every January and always ride it. I think I do remember a trip where it was closed a few years ago. I don't remember when that was. My family loves COP!

 

[lovethecastle]

It was open during the week after christmas 2005. I love this ride also. They have also updated it with an extra scene to show all the modern technology we use.

 

[cameyer85]

C.O.P. was open when there in May...it's been updated for modern times in that it now talks about computers,big screen tv,etc. all the modern have to haves...but it is still a very cool (literly and figuretivly) speaking.

 

[northie]

We've been on it in slow times...October, April, Dec...it has been open every time we have been there with pretty much no wait at all.

Sara

 

[Dizzle]

I must admit I thought it was seasonal opening... Went on it a few years back for the first time (in 10+ trips) wasn't bad wasn't great... It had air conditioning and I liked that the theatre moved around... If I get a chance in 30 somethin days I might give it a chance..

 

[Dizzle]

It was open during the week after christmas 2006. I love this ride also. They have also updated it with an extra scene to show all the modern technology we use.

Awesome I didn't know that! Do we have the Dad watching the HDTV on mute with the IPOD blaring, and the son surfing YOUTUBE for Paris Hilton?

 

[lovethecastle]

I originaly put the wrong year(2006). I meant the week after Christmas 2005.
I really don't remember the details.

 

[I Love Pluto]

We love COP. I also remember the World's Fair version. This is probably why I personally enjoy it so much.

We got "stuck" inside COP last July. We banged on the doors to exit, but they wouldn't open. We rode it 3 complete times. It was really funny. All were joking that we would be stuck in there forever, and we'd have to listen to the whole thing over and over and.......