Today, July 5, 2026, is the final day to experience Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress in its current form. Once Magic Kingdom closes tonight, the attraction shuts down for a complete reimagining with a reopening expected in 2027. If you are in the park today, now is the time to ride.
Why It Is Closing
Disney plans to give Carousel of Progress its most significant overhaul in decades. Imagineers will shift the attraction’s timeline forward, update the scenes, and add a Walt Disney animatronic to the opening. Construction is expected to wrap up in 2027, though no specific reopening date has been confirmed.
A Brief History of the Attraction
Carousel of Progress debuted at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair inside the General Electric Pavilion, built by Imagineers Bob Gurr and Roger E. Broggie. The Sherman brothers wrote the theme song, “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow.” The show was so popular that Disney installed its first-ever wait time sign at the fair.
After runs at Disneyland (1967-1973) and the World’s Fair building’s connection to the early EPCOT concept through its Progress City model, the attraction moved to Magic Kingdom in 1975. It holds the title of longest-running stage show in the history of American theater. A major 1994 overhaul introduced the cast that guests have heard ever since, with Jean Shepherd as John and Rex Allen as the Grandfather.
What the Current Show Includes
The show follows one American family through the 20th century across four rotating acts:
- Act 1 (1900s): John marvels at early technology, from gas lamps and an icebox to rumors of a flying machine.
- Act 2 (1920s): The family celebrates the Fourth of July with a home full of new electric gadgets, including a blown fuse and Uncle Orville in the bathtub.
- Act 3 (1940s): Halloween preparations, with a new refrigerator, a TV in the living room, and John’s ill-fated paint stirring machine.
- Act 4 (21st century): A Christmas scene where a voice-activated oven misreads a game score and burns the turkey.
What the Reimagining Will Bring
The new version shifts the timeline to more recent decades to connect with today’s audiences. The show will open with a Walt Disney animatronic scene, then move through the following acts:
- Act 1 (1960s): The family watches the 1969 moon landing.
- Act 2 (1980s): Sarah takes center stage on Halloween 1985, with Uncle Orville using The Clapper for privacy.
- Act 3 (late 1990s): New Year’s Eve 1999 as the family counts down to the millennium.
- Act 4 (Distant future): An off-planet home with a robot assistant, inspired by concept art from Disney Legend John Hench.
Conclusion
Carousel of Progress has been a fixture at Magic Kingdom since 1975, and its roots go back even further to the World’s Fair. The current version makes its final bow today. Whether you have ridden it dozens of times or never caught it at all, there is still time to see it before it changes. Head to Tomorrowland before the park closes tonight.
Written by
Rachel Van Norman
Contributing Writer
Rachel fell deeply in love with all things Disney as a little girl. Now as a wife and a mother herself, she shares this Disney obsession with her son and everyone around her. From her love of princesses to eating all the Disney food, Rachel spends her time radiating Disney magic and keeping everyone up to date on Disney news.
