Tonight at the D23 Expo Parks Showcase, Neil Patrick Harris revealed new details on the update to Magic Kingdom’s Carousel of Progress. In this post, we’ll share the news before adding our commentary at the bottom of this post. Let’s get to the news!

There’s a great big, beautiful tomorrow on the way for Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. For the last 60 years, this passion project of Walt himself has served as a powerful reflection of optimism, innovation, and family over time.

New Mom and Dad

Kicking off the Horizons: A Carousel of Progress, host Neil Patrick Harris told the crowd at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event that two new voice additions would be joining the show, stepping into the iconic roles of mom and dad. Disney Legend Jamie Lee Curtis and Emmy-winning actor Bryan Cranston pick up the mantle as the attraction is updated for a new generation of fans.

Neil also shared a look at one of the new scenes, set in the 1980s, showing us exactly where this iconic family is headed next.

First Look at New Attraction Poster

Fans are also treated to a new attraction poster that pays homage to the original Carousel of Progress poster created for its Disneyland debut. Just like the attraction itself, the design reflects both where we’ve been and where we’re going.

When Will These Changes Happen?

Carousel of Progress is temporarily unavailable and this new take on this classic attraction will debut in late spring 2027.  

I can’t wait to share more of the incredible work the team is doing in the coming months as we carry on Walt’s vision, introducing the show to an entirely new generation of fans while honoring its history and heart. I could not be more optimistic about the beautiful tomorrow on the way!

The Evolution of Carousel of Progress

To understand the full history of Carousel of Progress, you have to go all the way back to the 1950s. As Walt Disney set his sights on expanding Disneyland, he envisioned an extension of Main Street, U.S.A. called Edison Square.

The square would be anchored by Harnessing the Lightning, a walkthrough drama exploring how electricity and technology transformed the lifestyle of the American family. While Edison Square was never built, the groundwork was laid for a show centered on a powerful idea: technology would continue to evolve, but people would stay the same.

When work began on the Disney shows for the 1964–1965 New York World’s Fair, Walt and his team of Imagineers reworked the Harnessing the Lightning concept into the smash hit of the Progressland pavilion — Carousel of Progress.

The fair marked the debut of the attraction’s iconic rotating theater system, as well as its equally iconic anthem by songwriters and Disney Legends Robert B. and Richard M. Sherman. It was an enormous success and a project deeply personal to Walt. It captured his overarching spirit of optimism while reflecting his hands-on creative direction, down to details as specific as how Uncle Orville’s toes should wiggle in the bathtub.

Following its run at the fair, Walt brought the show to Disneyland, where it opened in 1967 with several updates, including a refreshed finale scene (now set in Progress City, a community of tomorrow based on Walt’s vision for EPCOT). At the time, no one could have known that this finale would become a sign of things to come, as Carousel of Progress made its way to Walt Disney World in 1975.

In its time at Magic Kingdom, the attraction has continued to evolve, through new scripts, voice actors, time periods, and even full scene updates. The attraction even featured a new theme song, “The Best Time of Your Life,” which stood in for “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” for the attraction’s first two decades of operation in Florida. You can still hear the tune playing as background music throughout Tomorrowland today. The attraction’s last major update was back in 1994, which included an updated finale scene and the return of the original Sherman Brothers’ song.

Keeping Walt’s Vision Alive

As you can see, Carousel of Progress was designed to celebrate change, not to stand still. As Imagineers, we now have the great responsibility of keeping Walt’s ideas of innovation and forward-looking spirit alive as we continue building the attraction’s future together. So where are we heading?

You may remember that last year it was announced that guests will soon be able to see Walt Disney himself in the attraction, made possible through the magic of Audio-Animatronics technology. 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. 

Imagineers are 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.

This once unimaginable opening moment will set the stage for the next era of storytelling for our American family and their lovable dog.

New Decades Coming to Carousel of Progress

In addition to adding Walt Disney to the very attraction that bears his name, Imagineers will also be updating all the scenes to new time periods, where we’ll get to see what John, Sarah, and the rest of the family are up to as they navigate ever-changing technology in new decades.

One of our main goals for this update was to keep the attraction relatable for today’s audiences by featuring eras in which our guests have personal connections. That includes the iconic “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow,” which will continue to play as guests transition between scenes.

The Imagineers working on this refresh grew up during these decades, so it’s been a real trip down memory lane to revisit the music, fashion, technology, and experiences that helped shape our history all reflected in this family’s story.

One thing that I think makes the Carousel of Progress so special is that physical props, painted backdrops, and practical effects everywhere. And the team is working tirelessly to make sure things like appliances and artwork are true to that decade.

Act 1 – the 1960s

When the show first opened at the World’s Fair, its story began by looking back about 60 years to the dawn of the new century. Now more than six decades later, this new iteration mirrors that idea, starting 60 years back from today in the 1960s.

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.

Act 2 – the 1980s

It’s the ‘80s, where everything bigger is better, and things keep on getting bigger! We pick up with the family on Halloween Night of 1985, and for the first time ever, Sarah is taking center stage. She’ll share how all the new appliances and gadgets are making life easier for the whole family.

Speaking of John, we’ll find him out on the porch handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, and poor Uncle Orville can be found in the bathroom with “no privacy around here!”

Act 3 – The New Millennium

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.

Act 4 – The Possible Future

As we reach the end of our show, we see the family one last time in the distant future, in an out-of-this-world home. 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.

To help bring this new finale to life, Imagineers looked back at original concept sketches by Disney Legend John Hench, drawing inspiration from his imaginative vision of the future.

Commentary

With the parks showcase being titled Horizons: A Carousel of Progress, there was a real emphasis put on the coming update to the titular ride. Anytime the theme parks touch something Walt actually worked on (although the ride has been updated several times since), the company gets very careful with wording, attention to detail and announcements on the project. That’s important, as these legacy attractions are meaningful to park history and to so many fans.

All of the updates shared during the showcase were good news and I was even more encouraged about what I heard from Imagineers in the show floor pavilion. There were several presentations, particularly on Sunday, that underscored just how seriously this project was being taken. I was fully convinced, and then some, that the Imagineers working on this project care about this just as much as us fans do. Honestly, I was convinced that they care about Carousel of Progress more than we do, which is no small feat for such a lasting ride.

The news announced on Saturday night of the D23 Expo was secondary to the feeling. That’s not to say I didn’t like the parks showcase update on the ride, I definitely did!

Casting Bryan Cranston and Jamie Lee Curtis in the role of mom and dad adds some star power to the ride. Both have strong voices and incredible resumes. Seeing how there’s photos of the cast together, it appears that dialogue is at least partially recorded for the attraction. With Sarah set to lead her own scene in the updated attraction, it’s cool to see an Oscar-winning Disney Legend take on the role.

Among the many nods to past versions of Carousel of Progress is the new poster, paying tribute to the original Disneyland poster. I love the style and am already looking forward to buying one of these next year, if they ever sell them, in Magic Kingdom.

Speaking of next year, the timeline on the project seems aggressive! I expected summer 2027 at the earliest. The ride just closed at Magic Kingdom on July 5th so the turnaround time is less than a year. That’s a lot of work to do! Disney World has been aggressive in a few of these projects lately, like the Muppets at Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin. Those both turned out wonderfully but I’m sure it’s some added stress for Imagineering. I’m happy the project will be opening that soon though!

Those were just the surface level announcements given at the big parks showcase. In the Imagineering Pavilion, fans (like me!) were treated to more details on the project. Those included Bob Gurr consulting on the project, how Imagineer Brice Croskey went to great lengths to replicate the books shown in Walt’s office and how all of the art throughout Carousel of Progresses history has led to the design inspiration for the new one.

An update was needed to the ride but I’m still amazed that it’s actually happening. Sure, we can say all of these projects like Everest’s yeti, Spaceship Earth, Figment and Dreamfinder, Buzz Lightyear and Big Thunder should have been worked on years ago. But they weren’t, instead opting for saving money for buzzier projects. That trend has totally shifted and the resort is significantly better for it.

That improvement couldn’t have been made without Imagineers who really care about the project, paying respect to an attraction’s history while pushing it forward. In listening to different presentations and talking to people working on the project at the D23 Expo, I’m thrilled to say that Carousel of Progress is in good hands.

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