Travel through the 20th century and marvel at the evolution of technology during this classic Audio-Animatronics show.
“There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow…”
Disney claims that Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress “has had more performances than any other stage show in the history of American theater.” It’s hard to tell if this claim is legitimate, but it could be true in the sense that it runs about three times an hour, every day of every month of every year – except of course when it breaks down or is overrun by marauding squirrels.
This lively show features a rotating theater and an Audio-Animatronic “Dad” character (John to his family and friends) who narrates the evolution of progress – at least concerning the use of electricity – from the turn of the century into the 21st century. Highlighting everything from simple lighting in the home, radios and televisions, household appliances and how they continue to adapt to more modern needs for the American family, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. It’s full of atavistic dialogue and doo-dads from “ya big lug” to “rumpus room” and “the cat’s pajamas” along with a family who continually appear and disappear in the side wings behind scrims to hide their movements when not “on stage.”
Each of the four scenes is related to a traditional holiday which helps move things along in a barely noticeable way of subtly showing the passage of time. The show ends with a scene set at some point in the 21st century, but if we’re being honest here, it’s very much a 90’s version of what is in store for the future. The virtual reality game looks as though the absolute latest system it could be run on is a TurboGrafx-16, but the Imagineers did hit pretty close to the mark in regards to lights and appliances that respond to voice commands and that dads will continue to wear questionable sweaters.
Behind the Schemes:
Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress was another attraction originally created for the 1964-1965 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York. Sponsored by General Electric, the show was placed in their large Progressland pavilion and could handle a throughput of roughly 200 people every four minutes. (A popular term used among Imagineers for attractions with such high capacities is “people eaters.”)
Following the World’s Fair, the attraction was packed up, moved west to Disneyland and opened in 1967 with only a few edits made to the overall show. Due to a lessening of crowds coming in, the Carousel of Progress was refurbished into America Sings, just in time for the American Bicentennial.
The Magic Kingdom version has been updated at least five times over the years, mostly to keep the last scene appear to be somewhat current. Casts have revolved as well, while other sections have received major and minor edits to keep the flow of the show somewhat consistent.
Earworm alert: The theme song, “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow,” was composed by Disney Legends Richard and Robert Sherman – yes, the same people who brought us “It’s a Small World!” They also provided a replacement tune, “The Best Time of Your Life,” for the 1974 opening of Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress in the Magic Kingdom. The original song was reinstated during the 1994 revamp of Tomorrowland, though bits of the latter song can be heard outside in the queue area, as well as outside of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Epcot.
Reality Check:
In the first scene featuring the family, a young daughter is seen alongside Mother in the stage right area behind the scrim; this girl is never seen again through the entire show. You may have seen the behind-the-scenes story on an episode of Unsolved Mysteries.
This attraction features arguably the most over-the-top innuendo uttered by any character in any show found on Disney property. This is a somewhat family-friendly site so we’ll leave it up to you to find it, but once you hear it, you can never unhear it, no matter how hard you try.
The current version of the Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress stars the late radio personality and author Jean Shepherd as the Dad. If you’re having trouble placing his voice, he also narrates the film A Christmas Story as Adult Ralphie. On top of that, Rex Allen, who voiced Dad in the original version of the show now provides the voice for Grandpa in the final scene. (He’s the confused one who wants the refrigerator to bring him a root beer.)
If you ever need to find Uncle Orville, he’s in the bathroom, guaranteed.
The family dog sure seems to live a long time or the family has incredible luck finding pups who look exactly the same.