Originally Posted By plpeters70 "We know what the present is, we live in it. No one knows what the future is so why even try." "Anything that tries to portray the future is always way off when the future arrives anyway." You know, if Walt followed this philosophy, we never would have had Tomorrowland to begin with. Doesn't anyone care about the future anymore, or get excited about the wonders of tomorrow?? I know that I do, and I really hate this whole new philosophy of removing "tomorrow" from Tomorrowland. To me, it's just an excuse to save money and not have to constantly change an area of the park. As for the Carousel, I would recommend a complete rethink. The original attraction was designed in such a way that there were actually members of the audience who remembered living in all of those time periods - not so much today. Why not start the show in the 50's, and end about 20 years from now. That way, almost all members of the audience would feel some nostalgia for the different time periods shown, and it would still tie nicely into Tomorrowland by having a scene about the world to come.
Originally Posted By EdisYoda Good idea plpeters70. I'd also like to see it return to it's home at Disneyland in Anaheim.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 WDW management's policy regarding CoP since 2000 has been one of 'benign neglect' ... in other words, they just pretend the attraction doesn't exist and hope their guests do the same. If updated, it would be as relevant today as it ever was ... the show's concept really is timeless. But maybe they can rip it out for a 90 second thrill ride. If you aren't happy, clog Phil Holmes and Erin Wallace's inboxes and voicemail. It may not work, but you'll feel so much better for having done so!
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Doesn't anyone care about the future anymore, or get excited about the wonders of tomorrow?? >> The Carousel of Progress was never about the future. The original last scene at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair took place in the 60's. I suppose you could then say that we should have the last scene reflect current times, but that brings up all kinds of problems in continuity. If people have a huge problem with it not being "future oriented" make it inaccessible from Tomorrowland and let you get there from Main Street. It certainly would be a good Main Street attraction.
Originally Posted By plpeters70 "The Carousel of Progress was never about the future." While the show may not have been blatantly about the future, the whole point of the show was that there was a “Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow†coming right around the corner, and that technology was going to make it happen. Plus, the original show at Disneyland had that upstairs post-show area that was future-based. I’ll grant you that the original show at WDW wasn’t future-based – the “Now is the Time†theme made it pretty clear that they wanted you to think about the here and now, and not about what was coming down the road. And frankly, it didn’t really fit in with Tomorrowland – same with If You Had Wings. But with the reinstatement of the original theme song in the 90s, and the new ending, Carousel became somewhat forward-thinking once again. But really, as much as I enjoy the current show, it just doesn’t work well anymore and should be updated. And since the show is situated in Tomorrowland, then I think the Imagineers should make every effort to make the show fit the theme of the land. There’s really no need to move it to Main Street – I’m sure a way could be found to update the attraction and still keep the spirit of the original intact.
Originally Posted By Mickeyfan1 This is the very reason I won't be going back to WDW for many, many years. I think I posted this on another thread, but I was there in November/December and I found so many thing either closed or in great need of attention, and I don't just mean attractions. The overall look of buildings and the rather carefree "non-Disney" attitued of those who worked there. For me....give me Disneyland any day over WDW....and I say this with great regret as I truly love WDW, but there is just no draw for me anymore.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<While the show may not have been blatantly about the future, the whole point of the show was that there was a “Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow†coming right around the corner, and that technology was going to make it happen.>> What it *really* was, was an elaborate ad for General Electric... an appliance show.
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 Last July, one room of seats in CoP was closed off. The CM said they were replacing the seats in that room. I took that as a sign things were improving for the ride.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<This is the very reason I won't be going back to WDW for many, many years. I think I posted this on another thread, but I was there in November/December and I found so many thing either closed or in great need of attention, and I don't just mean attractions. The overall look of buildings and the rather carefree "non-Disney" attitued of those who worked there.>> I understand that POV quite well. I find the MK largely a very depressing, poorly maintained kiddieland now. In the past month I've spent considerable time in the MK, DL and DLP and the MK ranked last in just about any/every category I can think of. That park desperately needs new management and some vision from WDI and John Lasseter. Because no matter how they spin the numbers and make it appear (and it may well be, but I have my serious doubts) to be the world's No. 1 park in attendance, the place is in serious need of TLC, new attractions and a return to Disney standards. <<For me....give me Disneyland any day over WDW....and I say this with great regret as I truly love WDW, but there is just no draw for me anymore.>> There's plenty of draw for me. Just not at the MK. There's Epcot ... and DAK ... and the resorts and the water parks. But the MK? I'll leave that for the Disney geeks/foamers and folks who never visited prior to 2000 and don't know any better.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Last July, one room of seats in CoP was closed off. The CM said they were replacing the seats in that room. I took that as a sign things were improving for the ride.>> I would have taken it as a sign that one of WDW's rather large guests sat in the chair and broke it. No more ...
Originally Posted By a1stav "I would have taken it as a sign that one of WDW's rather large guests sat in the chair and broke it." Would they have to close off an entire room for only one broken seat? Either the CM was telling the truth and they were replacing the seats or that they closed off the room because there was no need to have it open.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA <The Carousel of Progress was never about the future.> I respectfully disagree. While the final scene may have been the 1960s, it was a beautiful and splashy version of said 60s. Also, the City of the Future was a big part of the final sequence, with the EPCOT concept there for all to view. So, while it may not have been a visionary '2001: A Space Oddysey' type of prediction, it was most certainly about the future.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Also, the City of the Future was a big part of the final sequence, with the EPCOT concept there for all to view.>> Since the NY World's Fair was held during 1964-65 and Walt first presented his vision for EPCOT in 1966, I doubt it could have been in the final sequence. You are probably thinking of the Carousel as it first opened in Disneyland. I was talking about the Carousel as it premiered at the NY World's Fair.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 ^^^^^^^^^^^ unfortunately manhy of us are -- the NY World's Fair was great !
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<We are not that old, sorry.>> I am. Too bad you aren't. The New York World's Fair was spectacular. Even though I was just twelve when I went there, I remember it very clearly. I think it probably heavily influenced how Disney designed Epcot. I know this is sacrilege, but given a choice of the Epcot of Today or the 64-65 World's Fair, I would choose the fair hands down.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 World's Fairs seemed all the rage for a while there -- remember Seattle's also...but there was something just special about N.Y.'s ( aside from the 14 hour car ride ) -- and I really can't say it was any one thing....I was 10 when we went.... As I have been re-buying my favorite toy's from my childhood the last few years -- everything from a fully working Robot Commando - to Kenner Girder and Panel building sets -- I remember I had a comic book called - Yogi Bear @ The World's Fair. An extended version comic - that I must have read cover to cover 50 times in the car -- have never been able to find one of those...
Originally Posted By ChiMike ROADTRIP>>The Carousel of Progress was never about the future<< ROADTRIP>>You are probably thinking of the Carousel as it first opened in Disneyland. I was talking about the Carousel as it premiered at the NY World's Fair.<< While completely incorrect in your first statement, RT, you still are incorrect in your adjusted view that [COP was not about the future] for the NYWF64. COP was the First/Second Act of "Progressland". Just as many of the original EPCOT Center attractions were in relation to their overall pavilion. So while as the First/Second Act COP only focused on where we have been and where we are, the sixth theater did have the "Time Tunnel" which led guests to the Third Act of the pavilion; the multiple exhibit areas all focused on tomorrow, including Medallion City. So with the "Time Tunnel" ending, in conjunction with it's theme song, COP unashamedly projected an inevitability of a better, more sophisticated future.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<So with the "Time Tunnel" ending, in conjunction with it's theme song, COP unashamedly projected an inevitability of a better, more sophisticated future.>> You are mixing your pavilions. The Time Tunnel was a park of Ford's Magic Skyway attraction which was also designed by Walt Disney. <<Traveling through the first "time tunnel" on the Magic Skyway is an appropriate example of his expression. The illusion is that passengers are being projected though space and time at tremendous speeds to some unknown and unseen destination.>> Source: <a href="http://nywf64.com/ford04.shtml" target="_blank">http://nywf64.com/ford04.shtml</a>
