A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow -- Again

Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress has always been about one thing: the future. For 60 years, this beloved attraction has championed optimism, family, and the relentless march of innovation -- and now, it's about to take its biggest leap forward in decades.

Before diving into what's coming, it's worth appreciating just how far this attraction has already traveled.

From Edison Square to the World's Fair

The roots of Carousel of Progress stretch back to the 1950s, when Walt Disney envisioned a Disneyland expansion called Edison Square. The centerpiece was to be a walkthrough experience called "Harnessing the Lightning," exploring how electricity reshaped American family life.

Edison Square never got built -- but the concept did. When Disney began developing pavilions for the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair, Walt and his Imagineers reimagined that idea into the showstopper of the Progressland pavilion: Carousel of Progress.

The World's Fair debut introduced the attraction's now-iconic rotating theater system and its equally iconic theme song, penned by Disney Legends Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman. Walt was deeply personally invested -- reportedly down to the specific wiggle of Uncle Orville's toes in the bathtub.

From Disneyland to Magic Kingdom

After its World's Fair run, the show moved to Disneyland in 1967 with several updates, including a new Act Four set in Progress City -- Walt's vision of a community of tomorrow, and a clear preview of what would eventually become EPCOT.

The attraction made its way to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in 1975, where it has continued to evolve through updated scripts, new voice actors, revised time periods, and a full scene overhaul. For its first two decades in Florida, the Sherman Brothers' classic was even replaced by an alternate theme song, "The Best Time of Your Life" -- a tune that still plays as background music throughout Tomorrowland today. The last major update came in 1993, which restored the original song and refreshed the finale.

Walt Disney Steps Into His Own Attraction

The most striking addition to the upcoming update? Walt Disney himself.

Made possible through Audio-Animatronics technology, Walt will appear in a brand-new opening scene inspired by the 1964 television special "Disneyland Goes to the World's Fair" -- the very broadcast where he first introduced the concept of Carousel of Progress to the world.

The Imagineers have been sourcing and recreating props seen in that special, including a prototype Tiki bird, a Tower of the Four Winds model, and a doll from "it's a small world." It's a tribute as meticulous as Walt himself would have demanded.

New Decades, New Stories

Every scene in the attraction is being updated to new time periods -- ones chosen specifically because today's guests have real, personal connections to them.

Act 1 -- The 1960s

Mirroring the original show's structure of looking back roughly 60 years, the updated Act 1 places the family in the summer of 1969, gathered around the television to watch the moon landing. It's a moment of collective wonder that perfectly captures the spirit of possibility at the heart of the attraction.

Act 2 -- The 1980s

It's Halloween Night 1985, and for the first time, Sarah takes center stage -- walking through all the new gadgets and appliances making family life easier. John is out on the porch handing out candy. Uncle Orville, as ever, has retreated to the bathroom complaining about the lack of privacy.

Act 3 -- The New Millennium

New Year's Eve 1999. The family is counting down to 2000 while a brand-new thing called the Internet is connecting John, Sarah, Jimmy, and Patty to the world like never before. Grandpa has already nodded off before midnight arrives. Grandma has quietly switched the TV over to wrestling.

Act 4 -- The Possible Future

The finale takes the family off-planet entirely. In a home somewhere beyond Earth, helpful robots handle everyday tasks and space travel is just part of life. To design this vision of tomorrow, Imagineers drew inspiration from original concept sketches by Disney Legend John Hench -- a fitting way to honor the imaginative DNA that has always driven this attraction forward.

A New Poster for a New Era

A new attraction poster has also been revealed, designed as a loving homage to the original Magic Kingdom debut poster. Like the attraction itself, it honors the past while pointing confidently toward the future.

When Does It Reopen?

Carousel of Progress will be temporarily unavailable beginning July 6, 2026, with a planned reopening in 2027.

The wait will be worth it. This is one beautiful tomorrow that's right on schedule.