Disney and More brought out their tribute to the Carousel of Progress today and this came at a great time because we were just talking about this attraction at a baby shower this weekend (because babies are the future AND can sleep on this one). Here is a summary of the progress this attraction has had over time:

Locations

• 1964: General Electric Pavilion for the 1964 New York World’s Fair
• 1967-1973: Tomorrowland at Disneyland
• 1975: Walt Disney World’s Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom

Renovations

• 1967 – The move to Disneyland – There were some slight changes: a new voice was recorded for Mother, “Christmas in the Home of the 1960s” was slightly updated, updates to GEs promotional material, and Father from “The Home of the 1940s” now sat on a bar stool, rather than on the kitchen nook bench.
• 1975 – The move to Disney World – decreased to a one-story pavilion, no post-show, The Progress City/EPCOT model was significantly sized down, New theme song by the Sherman Brothers – “Now is the Time”, new cast of voices and “performers” and new finale with Christmas in the 70’s.
• 1981 – New Finale, Christmas in the 80’s
• 1985 – GE contract is up, references to GE in the script and some signs/logos changed
• 1994 – New signs and Finale – Christmas in the 2000’s. “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” by the Sherman Brothers returned as the attraction’s theme song

Scenes

• Scene 1 – Valentines Day ~ 1904: gas lamps, a kitchen pump, a hand-cranked washing machine, cast iron stoves, icebox
• Scene 2 – 4th Of July ~ 1927: electricity, vacuum, a sewing machine,  electric light fixtures, indoor plumbing, AC (ice box and a fan)
• Scene 3 – Halloween ~ 1940s: automatic dishwasher, television,vibrating exercise machine and a rumpus room, automatic paint stirring machine, food mixer
• Scene 4 – Christmas ~2000s:  high-definition television, virtual reality games, voice activated appliances, computer, automated toilet flushing

Obviously its time for a new ending, especially since the last update was 1994.  Maybe we can hope for some action starting in 2014?  I think this family could spend Christmas on a space station. Then again, it was originally “the family of today” and so for the time being we can rest easy because I know I don’t have an automatic flushing toilet in my home yet.

The coolest part of the Disney and More blog was a link to this video where Walt gives a summary of each scence and also shows how the audio-animatronics will work for the worlds fair exhibit.

For more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carousel_of_Progress

http://carouselofprogress.tripod.com/dscript1.html