Beyond tomorrow: Disney reveals what's changing in Carousel of Progress

Walt Disney World executives and Imagineers have pulled back the curtain on upcoming updates to Carousel of Progress while previewing Disney’s broader approach to refreshing classic attractions and resorts.

Disney revealed the attraction will close July 5 at the end of the day and reopen in 2027 with updated scenes, newly reimagined eras and an all-new far-future finale (more on that in a bit).

Disney first announced last year at Destination D23 that Carousel of Progress at Magic Kingdom would receive a major update, including the addition of a Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic. The upcoming overhaul will mark the latest major update in the attraction’s long history.

During a media panel last week, Disney walked through the refreshed Carousel of Progress, giving the best look yet at what’s changing. Disney also shared some of those details on the Disney Parks Blog on Thursday.

But first, here’s a look at the attraction’s new poster alongside the original poster from the attraction’s early days.

The new show will retain the same core family, humor and overall structure guests know today while modernizing the eras represented throughout the show. This idea sounds similar to the line spoken by the narrator in the current version of the show:

“Although our Carousel family has experienced a few changes over the years, our show still revolves around the same theme — and that’s progress.”

Disney said the updated decades were intentionally chosen because they reflect eras modern audiences can recognize and remember, helping the attraction feel more relatable to today’s guests.

During the panel discussion, Disney showed several pieces of concept art for the updated scenes, though some of the artwork has not yet been publicly released. Additional details and imagery will likely be shared during the D23 The Ultimate Disney Fan Event (D23 Expo) in Anaheim in August.

But before diving into the new scenes and details, Disney confirmed two major elements will remain: the iconic “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” theme song and the original family lineup, including Rover, who will continue serving as the central characters throughout the attraction.

The updated attraction will begin in the 1960s, tying directly into Walt Disney and the attraction’s roots at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair.

The previously announced Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic will appear in this scene where Walt introduces Carousel of Progress before we follow an American family across four generations of technological progress and innovation.

Disney’s description of the scene:
“Walt is in a scene inspired by the 1964 special “Disneyland Goes to the World’s Fair,” which is where he first introduced the idea of Carousel of Progress and shared his enduring belief in the power of progress to shape a better tomorrow. The team is having a lot of fun sourcing and replicating many of the props seen in that special, like the prototype Tiki bird, the Tower of the Four Winds model, a doll from “it’s a small world,” and so much more.”

When Carousel of Progress debuted at the 1964 World’s Fair, it looked back roughly 60 years to the dawn of the 20th century. This updated version similarly begins by looking 60 years in the past, starting in the 1960s.

The next scene follows John and Sarah after returning home from the World’s Fair and reflecting on the optimism and technological innovation of the era, with the 1969 moon landing playing a role in the sequence. The new scene essentially replaces the current turn-of-the-century scene and becomes the starting point for the attraction’s modern timeline.

Disney’s description of the scene:
“In the summer of 1969, our Carousel family, along with millions around the world, gather around the television to witness one of humanity’s greatest achievements: the historic moon landing. Filled with awe, the moment captures the spirit of innovation and possibility that has always been—and always will be—at the heart of Carousel of Progress.”

The 1980s scene will lean heavily into the style, technology and pop culture of the decade, which Disney described as the era of “big hair” and “big style.” The sequence will feature updated fashion, decor and household technology alongside numerous Easter eggs and references inspired by the period.

Disney said Imagineers have been sourcing era-authentic memorabilia and props, including items purchased on eBay, to help shape the scene. Some Imagineers have even been rummaging through their own homes for props, including a Disney pin collection that may end up appearing in one of the scenes.

This scene also brings back Uncle Orville, including a new gag about his investment in a small company called Apple. As you might assume, John will assure Uncle Orville “It’ll never work.” And Uncle Orville will finally get the privacy he desperately wants by using The Clapper to turn off the lights.

The attraction will then jump to the dawn of the new millennium, focusing on the rise of the internet and rapidly evolving household technology in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Disney said the scene will be filled with references to the era, including a cluttered kitchen full of bulky single-purpose kitchen gadgets, New Year’s Eve celebrations and the excitement surrounding new technology. Disney also said you might see a K’NEX roller coaster kit in the scene. Concept art shown during the panel depicted Grandma and Grandpa watching television as the family prepares to ring in the new millennium.

Disney’s description of the scene:
”With the ‘90s drawing to a close, our Carousel family is preparing to ring in the new millennium on New Year’s Eve 1999. Amid the excitement of the countdown to 2000, a new thing called the Internet is bringing John, Sarah, Jimmy and Patty – and the world – closer together than ever before. And if you’re anything like my family, not everyone is making it to midnight. Grandpa has already nodded off before the big countdown, while Grandma sneaks the TV over to wrestling when no one’s looking.”

The updated attraction will conclude with its biggest change yet, an all-new finale scene set far beyond the current version, taking the attraction deeper into the future than ever before.

Disney said the scene, which is not tied to a specific year but instead “the possible future,” draws inspiration from legendary Imagineer John Hench and his retro-futuristic design style. The finale blends sleek futuristic concepts with the warm optimism that has always defined the attraction.

Disney described the new scene as potentially “off-planet,” suggesting the family may be living in some kind of far-future space-age environment. Despite the dramatic leap into the future, Disney emphasized the finale will still feel unmistakably like Carousel of Progress, centered on family interactions, evolving technology and everyday life. And even with the update, the scene will still feel familiar and comfortable.

Disney’s description of the scene:
“From a helpful robot assisting with everyday tasks to space travel, the scene imagines a future where extraordinary innovation has become part of life and proves that a beautiful tomorrow is just a dream away.”

Imagineers also said the finale will still include corny humor, including the familiar “dad jokes” and practical effects charm that have long defined the classic attraction through all of its iterations.

Disney said the new setting was intentionally pushed farther into the future to help the scene feel timeless longer and avoid frequent tech-driven updates. Executives described the project as an evolution of the attraction with Imagineers taking a careful approach given the ride’s legacy.

And one last reminder: The attraction is set to close at the end of the day on July 5 and reopen sometime in 2027.

Carousel of Progress is a family favorite for us. My kids love the corny jokes, catchy song and glorious air conditioning. Never underestimate the importance of a seat and some clutch air conditioning.

And while any change to Carousel of Progress is always going to be a sensitive topic for fans, it’s important to remember this attraction has already gone through several updates over the years, with its last major refresh happening in 1994. At this point, an update is long overdue. Disney also revealed the family and Audio-Animatronics will be refreshed as part of the update.

I do think Disney deserves some criticism for waiting this long. Part of the inevitable pushback comes from Disney leaving this version of the attraction largely unchanged for more than 30 years. Before the update in 1994, the attraction never went more than 9 years between updates. And for many people, this is the only Carousel of Progress they’ve ever known. So naturally, there’s going to be resistance when you start changing scenes and eras that generations of guests grew up with.

And even though the show has gone far too long without an update and the current version has now been around for 32 years, it’s also important to point out that this is not the original show.

Some fans always frame these debates around preserving Walt Disney’s legacy, but this version of the attraction is already several revisions removed from the original. The original disappeared several updates ago. The 1994 overhaul introduced the current finale scene, brought back “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” after it had been replaced in 1975, tied the attraction into the larger 1990s Tomorrowland redesign, and included numerous script, scene, and technology updates throughout the show.

And the reality is the attraction desperately needs a refresh. Carousel of Progress is supposed to be about the future and technological progress, and the current finale has long since crossed over from “future” into “museum piece.”

There have also been several… uh… viral moments in recent years involving malfunctioning Audio-Animatronics and other moments that quite literally got out of hand.

I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if some props from the current finale get repurposed elsewhere in the updated show as relics of the past. That’s how overdue this refresh is. The “futuristic” virtual reality game alone would fit perfectly in a late-1990s or Y2K-era scene. There may be no clearer sign of how badly the attraction needed an update than that.

The alternative also feels worth mentioning here. There was a period not that long ago when many people, myself included, assumed Carousel of Progress would close entirely before ever receiving a major refresh. Instead, Disney is updating Carousel of Progress rather than replacing it with some entirely new attraction. I’m taking this as a win.

And yes, I’m aware I’m saying this having seen some of the concept art Disney hasn’t publicly released yet. But based on what was shown during the panel, I think fans of the attraction are going to be excited once they see the full vision for this update.

And as the attraction itself says during its opening narration, “while the show has changed, its spirit of progress is a living tribute” to Walt Disney. In many ways, that philosophy is exactly why the attraction needs periodic updates in the first place.

The new finale being set far into the future is a smart decision. It gives the scene a better chance of feeling timeless instead of immediately becoming outdated. At the same time, the updated decades in the middle of the show feel much more relatable for families visiting Magic Kingdom.

It’s fun thinking about kids reacting to seeing an exaggerated “big hair 1980s” scene the same way previous generations laughed at the 1920s and other scenes in the attraction. And if you ask my oldest kiddo, he loves to remind me (I was born in the 1980s) that the 80s feel like 100 years ago. Kids are just the best, right?

What also stood out to me is how clearly the Imagineers seem to understand what people actually love about Carousel of Progress. They showed us several prototypes of malfunctioning appliances and other props that will be featured in the attraction. The gimmicks will still be there.

After hearing the full pitch from Disney and Imagineering, this doesn’t sound like a complete reinvention. It sounds like a respectful evolution. The family remains the same. Rover is there. “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” plays on. The corny jokes remain. Even many of the recurring gag structures and cutaway moments to family members sound like they’re being preserved, just updated for new eras. And based on everything Disney shared, it sounds like the new version will be packed with Easter eggs, callbacks and nods to the attraction everyone knows.

Much of the rest of the panel focused on how Disney decides when to refresh older attractions versus building something entirely new. A big part of that conversation centered on figuring out how to keep classic attractions feeling nostalgic without making them feel stuck in time, especially at Magic Kingdom.

Disney repeatedly talked about using guest feedback, ride popularity and long-term planning when deciding where to invest money. But one of the more interesting takeaways was hearing Imagineering talk about moving smaller projects through the pipeline faster instead of treating every update like a massive multi-year overhaul.

Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets was one example they kept pointing to. The Aerosmith version closed in early March, and the Muppets version was open by May. By Disney standards, that’s quick.

It does feel like Disney is starting to view these smaller and mid-sized refreshes as just as important as giant new lands. Imagineering used a baseball analogy during the panel, describing some projects as “singles and doubles” instead of home runs. Not every update needs to completely reinvent a park to make the experience noticeably better for guests.

Disney also highlighted recent updates to Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Buzz got refreshed ride vehicles, upgraded targets, new blasters and haptic effects, while Big Thunder’s lengthy refurbishment included an entirely rebuilt track, updated effects and enhancements to scenes like Rainbow Caverns and the finale.

Disney also spent part of the panel talking about the constant cycle of resort refurbishments happening across Walt Disney World. Executives said more than 18,000 hotel rooms and 10 resort lobbies have been refreshed over the past five years, which honestly helps explain why there always seems to be construction walls somewhere on property.

The company highlighted the ongoing overhaul of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, including updates to guest rooms, restaurants, the lobby and convention spaces. Disney said the goal has been to modernize the resort without stripping away the classic Victorian style people associate with the Grand Floridian.

Disney also confirmed Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is next in line for a major refresh beginning in summer 2027. The update will include both standard rooms and family suites, though Disney said the resort’s colorful Disney and Pixar theming will remain intact.

There was also some teasing about future announcements tied to the construction currently happening around Disney’s BoardWalk, including the former Jellyrolls space after the piano bar closed last year.

One other interesting detail from the panel: Disney said more than 4,000 Cast Members across 15 different trades are involved in maintaining and refurbishing attractions and resorts across Walt Disney World, with much of that work happening overnight while guests are asleep.

One thing Disney kept coming back to during the panel was trying to move projects faster instead of letting every attraction update drag on forever. Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets was one of the examples they pointed to as proof that Imagineering is starting to speed things up a bit while still keeping the storytelling and details people expect from Disney.

There was also a lot of discussion about trying to update classic attractions without losing what people loved about them in the first place. Disney clearly knows there’s a balancing act between nostalgia and making sure younger guests still connect with these attractions instead of seeing them as outdated.