Originally Posted By TDLFAN Ok...I went to the MK today, along with G-Fan.. to meet a friend of ours from out of town, and he wanted to see COP, so off we went.. Upon entering.. the chinese national CM working the attraction was squatting on the floor as guests entered the theater. What was up with THAT??? Never in my wildest dreams would I imagine to see a CM behaving so unprofessionally on stage in front of guests!! Was she tired? maybe.. but squatting in front of guests until the theater doors closed and it was time to do her spiel, was to say the least.. the epithomy of "poor show". I have commented on poor body language from CMs on stage at WDW before (which is rampant) but this took the cake!!! Yet, this CM's poor behavior was nothing when compared to the extremely poor shape in which this show currently plays. I could go on and on with details... but to name a few... the father's AA in the first act was in pretty bad shape. Not only did the waxy body parts, like the neck and hands, looked horribly wrinkled, the movements of the AA appeared very jerky and the mouth hardly moved to the audio. It was quite embarrasing to watch. Other little problems also came up during the show... but most notably in the last act. When mother says to the computer... "set patio lights up to 30% intensity"... the lighting in the back of the set did not come on at all... and also, when the turkey burns in the oven, and the oven door explodes opened... there was NO smoke to indicate a burning turkey.. Little things like that were inop. These may be minimal technical aspects of the show.. but they do make a difference in the overall quality of the presentation... So I ask of WDW's management... what's up with COP??? Do you guys really hate this show so much that you don't care to fit it or properly maintain it?? Not to mention... this show's last update is already stale and in need of upgrading... So, if you management types are not willing to invest in a newer COP experience.. at least FIX IT! Or else, close it down for good, because in it's current state... this show is a major embarrasment, especially when the intro spiel introduces it as Walt's favorite and proudest attraction at the World's fair. Is there no shame for you management at WDW??? Then, I will wish it on you!! SHAME SHAME SHAME!!!!
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Isn't it a shame, TDLFAN? That carousel theater is such a great venue -- and while it might take some thought and writing skills, and theatrical smarts to make the show work properly, I still think it could be a Carousel of Progress. But to keep 'updating' the end scene, just makes it so jarring as to not make sense anymore.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Our whole family loves the Carousel of Progress. I would love to see it better maintained, but a poorly maintained Carousel of Progress is better than no Carousel at all. I agree with Jim in Merced. Further 'updates' of the final scene make no sense at all. My preference would be to scrap the current final scene and go back to the original shown at the NY Worlds Fair. The Carousel is a 'period piece' and is best enjoyed as that. What my daughter loves about it is that it gives her a real feeling for how Americans lived in the past. A phony final scene making predictions for the year 2000 which have NEVER happened just seems stupid. Return the Carousel to its original splendor. <<but to name a few... the father's AA in the first act was in pretty bad shape.>> Yes... please fix that FIRST. It looks like the guy has bones in his neck poking his skin out where it shouldn't be. I expect that sometime a metal part will poke right through his neck; if it starts spewing hydraulic oil all over the place it will be really cool!! But more than likely it won't, and will just look real dumb.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost The last time I was there in scene two the fathers mouth didn't move at all during the narration. In the same scene the daughters hand had become unattached from her arm and was flopping all over. I would hate to see CoP go but it is getting really sad. I just don't understand why they want to ditch a Disney Classic. I also agree with the "let's go back to the original" show idea. Make it a historic piece. We know what the present is, we live in it. No one knows what the future is so why even try. It is good for young people to see the way it used to be. You know the old saying, "how can you know where you're going if you don't know where you have been?"
Originally Posted By FenwayGirl I agree with you RoadTrip...I can't imagine going to WDW and no COP...One of my favorite attractions!
Originally Posted By vbdad55 The only explanation has to be that the current management has ZERO sense of Disney history and is only interested in 'updating things " ( Gee how'd that Stitch ride work out ? ) - rather than preserve anything remotely linked to classic Disney or Walt himself. They obviously feel they know more about what the public wants than the public does.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>a poorly maintained Carousel of Progress is better than no Carousel at all.<< As long as we have guests cutting Disney some slack for poor maintenance like this... we'll never get the company to deliver the quality they so much lie to guests about. That quote is probably one of the biggest "Disney Apologist" excuse I have ever heard. Personally, I would love for them to close this and return it to DL where it belongs, and hopefully .. where it will be better maintained.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost ^^^That would be because your job allows you to go to DL quite often. Mine doesn't and CoP is the best memory I have of my first trip with my kids. That was the "now is the time" era. I want to see it and I want to see it fixed. After it is fixed I want to see it promoted heavier and make it a "must see" again. If Pirates, HM and Small world (especially Small World) can be made into a must see then CoP can as well.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<As long as we have guests cutting Disney some slack for poor maintenance like this... we'll never get the company to deliver the quality they so much lie to guests about. That quote is probably one of the biggest "Disney Apologist" excuse I have ever heard. >> You must not hear many. Of course I would like to see it repaired. But I would rather see it in it's present condition than have Disney scrap it. As long as it is there we can hope that it will be repaired. Once it is scrapped it is gone forever.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <The Carousel is a 'period piece' and is best enjoyed as that. What my daughter loves about it is that it gives her a real feeling for how Americans lived in the past. A phony final scene making predictions for the year 2000 which have NEVER happened just seems stupid. Return the Carousel to its original splendor. < absolutely agree-- while I had to explain what a fuse is and thing slike that the first time around to my kids - they like the historical aspect of the attraction....
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Upon entering.. the chinese national CM working the attraction was squatting on the floor as guests entered the theater. What was up with THAT??? << At least she didn't have a rice bowl in front of her. >> So I ask of WDW's management... what's up with COP??? Do you guys really hate this show so much that you don't care to fit it or properly maintain it?? << I think that really sums up the attitude in the past. Maybe change is on the way with a much needed refurbishment of most things at MK. >> The Carousel is a 'period piece' and is best enjoyed as that. What my daughter loves about it is that it gives her a real feeling for how Americans lived in the past. A phony final scene making predictions for the year 2000 which have NEVER happened just seems stupid. Return the Carousel to its original splendor. << I totally agree it's really the only thing that makes sense when it comes to this attraction. Anything that trys to potray the future is always way off when the future arrives anyway. This would eliminate having to constantly update the final scene. Just fix it back up to the original, and here's the key, maintain it as such.
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct I say move the whole thing to DLP's main street. You can enter the attraction through the Discovery Arcade. At least I know the Franch will properly take care of it.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA I can hear it now.... Bien, les merles sont de retour. C'est un signe sûr de ressort. Quelle année est-il ? Oh juste après le tournant du siècle. Et beleive je, choses ne pourrait pas devoir améliorer qu'ils sont maintenant.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss If Disney ever decided to get rid of it, I'd like to see it donated to the Smithsonian Institution. It would make a fabulous addition to the American History Museum here. They could even charge a small admission fee.
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct Good job Jim !! " Well, the blackbirds are back. It is a sure sign of spring. Which year is it? Oh right after the turning of the century. And beleive I, things could not have to improve that they are now. "
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh I'd like to see them space out the years more, rather than take the last scene back to the 1960's. Why not make it roughly 1905, 1940, 1975, and 2010?
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Here's what I dropped into the AltaVista Translator... <Well, the robins are back. That's a sure sign of Spring. What year is it? Oh, just past the turn of the century. And beleive me, things couldn't be any better than they are now.>
