Disney's Carousel of Progress

[rue]

Yay! It's still there I had heard that they were thinking of getting rid of it.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Yay! It's still there I had heard that they were thinking of getting rid of it.

That's news to me. Let's go on the Pirates of the Caribbean!

[video=youtube;jUatd07d960]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUatd07d960&feature=related[/video]

[video=youtube;vyy6lvI2IWA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyy6lvI2IWA&feature=related[/video]

 

[ButteMT61]

It's a fine balance at Disney. Older folks love the older rides, etc. but they bore the kids. Not a shock. You hate to see them go, but I also understand when they need to update things. The things I go to like Pirates and the Haunted Mansion and Carousel don't thrill the kiddies. See if while it's there. At some point, they'll replace it with something totally different. The best you can hope for is that they would upgrade and make a modern, more exciting iteration to attract new folks.

 

[rue]

That's news to me. Let's go on the Pirates of the Caribbean!

[video=youtube;jUatd07d960]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUatd07d960&feature=related[/video]

Weeee.......

 

[Jaguar66]

I too attended the 1964-65 Worlds Fair, and saw the GE Carousel of Progress. Of course there were no video games, the last scene of progress hadn't arrived yet. I remember Its a Small World was there, as was the Abraham Lincoln audio animatronics display, as I recall it was presented by the State of Illinois.

Does anyone remeber the giant smoke ring creating machine? It would launch a 20 foot diameter smoke ring hundreds of feet in the air.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

1964 World's Fair: Futurama II

 

[Jaguar66]

Unfortunately, this company that made this pavilion will never be the same again. I am speaking of course of Kodak.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Corona Park, Queens
Site of the 1939 and 1964 World's Fairs as it looks today

New York State Pavilion

 

[EmergencyIan]

Originally created for the GE Pavilion at the 1964 World's Fair, the Carousel of Progress was an audio animatronic celebration of the advances that progress had brought to the American home in the early 1900s, the 1920s, the 1940s and the present -- the original script had all kinds of pointed references to GE. In 1967 the attraction was moved to California Disneyland and then subsequently moved to it's present home at Walt Disney World. I remember this was one of my favorite attractions back when it was at Disneyland.

[video=youtube;AyWXndm7m2E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyWXndm7m2E[/video]

[video=youtube;KaNqZe1HWQU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaNqZe1HWQU&feature=related[/video]

A re-creation of the original 1967 ending.
[video=youtube;NVH6BouJMlk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVH6BouJMlk&feature=related[/video]

I certainly have fond memories of it.

- Ian

 

[Vera Godfrey]

I saw it when I was at Disney this past Spring. I think I was the only one who liked it!

 

[Gingerella72]

That's news to me. Let's go on the Pirates of the Caribbean!

[video=youtube;jUatd07d960]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUatd07d960&feature=related[/video]

[video=youtube;vyy6lvI2IWA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyy6lvI2IWA&feature=related[/video]

I'd rather they update stuff as needed, rather than get rid of it altogether. 'Pirates' is a fine example....they updated the ride to include animatronic characters/scenes from the movie franchise to appeal to younger audiences.

 

[Atomic Age]

I'd rather they update stuff as needed, rather than get rid of it altogether. 'Pirates' is a fine example....they updated the ride to include animatronic characters/scenes from the movie franchise to appeal to younger audiences.

Well to be fair, Pirates is and has been since it opened, the most popular ride in the park. The changes made to it were not to boost its popularity.

Other attractions like the The Bear Country Jamboree for example, was regularly playing to audiences of 5 or 6 people. Updating the show helped some, but it was clear that it was an attraction who's time had passed. The Carousel of Progress was a similar situation. My problem is when they close down an attraction and don't replace it with anything. The Carousel building sat dormant for almost 10 years after America Sings closed.

The really interesting one is the Tiki Room. In the late 80's people just stopped going to it. They kept it limping along in the 90's, but when it got out that they were going to close it, Save the Tiki Room websites started popping up and there was a letter writing campaign. Suddenly attendance jumped, and now its one of the most popular attractions at the park again. I think people just seemed to forget what they loved about it for a while.

Doug

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Monsanto's House of the Future
Tomorrowland 1957-67
The plastic construction of the house was so durable that when it was torn down ten years later the wrecking ball merely bounced off it!

America Sings was okay, but really only good for about 1 or 2 viewings, then it lost its appeal.

As cheesy as America Sings was it still brings back fond memories. Also Sam the Eagle was voiced by Burl Ives.

 

[nostalgic]

My husband and I went to Disney World last year for our honeymoon and of course I dragged him on the Carousel of Progress!!! I love it but I will admit that the song is a little repetitive . The Haunted Mansion is also still one of my favorite rides. Why mess with a good thing? I really hope that they keep all of the above mentioned rides: they're part of everyone's childhood/memories!

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Another bit of lost Disneyland

Adventure Through Inner Space
Tomorrowland 1967-85

[video=youtube;ctQMV81NIiw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctQMV81NIiw[/video]

virtual re-creation
[video=youtube;KA3uFkF1A9o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA3uFkF1A9o[/video]

 

[rue]

^ Also known in junior high and high school as the "make out ride"

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

^ Also known in junior high and high school as the "make out ride"

:rofl:

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

1955 Disneyland Opening Day
original ABC coverage hosted by Art Linkletter, Bob Cummings and Ronald Reagan

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Here's a bit of personal nostalgia for I was there on that day!

Disneyland, July 4, 1976

 

[Marcus]

We were there just yesterday. I hadn't gone into the Carousel since I was a little kid and it was still America Sings. Some neat stuff in there, but nothing amazing. We saw the Asimo robot which was interesting. I couldn't help but look at the old spot where the sky rides used to come in. Was really bummed when they got rid of those. It's great now to take my kids there. We have annual passes and go all the time. We even left our "mark" at the front gate: