"Carousel of Progress" Closing?

[Myron]

I have a feeling that WDW is planning to close my favorite attraction "Carousel of Progress". I know it's too "corny" for the kids but for us senior citizens, it's perfect. I was told it's opened "seasonally". I saw it on opening day at the 1964 NY World's Fair. Walt would "turn over in his grave" if it was dismantled. Remember what they did to "World of Motion" and "Horizons"; all slow-moving, nostalgic rides. I cannot go on the replacement rides, as I have vertigo. I would pass-out on "Test Track" !

 

[All Aboard]

I have no idea what Walt's reaction would be. But, if forced to place a bet - I'd say had he lived to be 100, CoP would have been closed years ago to make way for something that fit the bill of "never finished", "always changing."

However, if it were up to me, I'd keep it alive as a tribute to Walt.

 

[Mickmse2002]

What makes you think it is closing? It was open both in August and November when we were there.

 

[WDWHound]

The rumors I have read (mostly from Jim Hill's site) say that the carousel will remain open until the end of Disneylands 50th aniversary celebration and then shutdown forever. I rode it several times over the last couple of weeks. It stopped rotating once (we got to watch the spring sequence twice), the sound was muddy and the jaw of the father animatronic in the 40's scene did not move, giving a stange ventriliquest sort of effect to his narration (it was fixed 2 days later). In short, the carousel has seen better days and I doubt Disney is willing to come up with the money to restore it to its former glory.

I will miss it, but even on the most crowded day of our trip (the Saturday following Thanksgiving), its theaters were only at 50% capacity. I would love to see it stay, but I thinks it's days are numbered. Hopefully Disney will donate at least one scene to the Smithsonian or some other mueseum. The CoP is more than just an attaction, its a piece of the 1964 worlds fair which can not be replaced.

 

[wtpclc]

I was on CoP in 1996. My first time to WDW. It stopped before teh last scene. Eventually, they just let us out of the theeater. I think we were in the scene it stopped on for 15 mintes befoer they let us out. It was long enought that I can still sing the song and I never actually rode it all teh way through and never went back. I can't believe they are still keeping a ride open that has not run well in at least 8 years.

I am a sentimental person, however, and it seems very sad to me to eliminate such a part of history. I'm with donatng at elast part of it to the Smithsonian.

With that said, I do wish I had tried one more time in February to see if I could go all the way thorugh the ride before it went away.

 

[markP]

When I was there in October my wife and I actually asked the CM working at the COP what is going to happen to it. We asked because of the rumors we've seen here. He said it would never go away because it is a Walt original and it was one of his all time favorites. He did say it was a seasonal thing, but I can’t remember why, sorry. So that may be what it’s closed from time to time.

 

[CrazyaboutMickey]

I cannot tell you how sad it will make me if they close COP forever. I know it is very old and I can understand that at some point in the life of a ride/attraction they have to look at what it would take to keep it going at the high standard of operation needed and do some kind of cost analysis, but it seems this ride/show really stirs people's emotions and would be worth the money. We have to move forward and entertain more and more sophisticated and demanding guests, but it seems there should be some room for nostalgia in the entertainment mix. I really hope rides/attractions that take us through our history are always going to have a place at Disney. The history and progression of our technological advances and development as a people and culture should surely always be important. I just hate to see every ride/attraction become about the thrills and speed and less about the mental and emotional experience. When they got rid of Horizons and World of Motion they took a giant step to doing away with all these types of attractions. About all that is left is Spaceship Earth and Living with the Land at Epcot and I thought this is what Epcot was supposed to be about. Sorry....I'll get off the soapbox now. Just hate to see this trend.

 

[sbelyo]

with everything I've read it seems that after disneyland's 50th and the addition of stitch to that area I think it will be closed.

It is unfortunate, as it is one of my most favorite attractions. Slowly Disney is replacing all those rides for something that today's 3-10 yr olds can recognize.

 

[WDWguru]

I would pass-out on "Test Track" !

Pardon the off-topic slant for a second here... While I agree with your general sentiment and think they should keep some of the slower rides, if you can ride in a car, you can go on Test Track. Frankly, I don't understand the hype of the ride and would NEVER wait in line to ride it. It's okay and all, but there isn't much in the ride that you don't do in a car on almost a daily basis. Ever swerve to avoid a pothole? Drive on a bumpy road? Make a corner on a highway? Then you can handle Test Track.

Now back to your regularly scheduled topic...

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I hope it does not close.
2) I do enjoy the ride.
3) However, I understand the issues
. . . it is a slow-paced and relaxed attraction
. . . it is hard for young kids to relate
. . . it has low attendance when open year 'round
. . . it has "OK" attendance when seasonally open
. . . it does absorb crowds who would otherwise be standing & waiting

 

[simpilotswife]

I hope that they do not close it as I like the ride a great deal. Sadly, the last time I rode it the mouth of the animatronic dad in the last scene was not working.

 

[Figment_Faerie]

I also hope that the Cop will remain open. It needs a lot of rehab though. The car got off track when I was there in August, we waited for an hour in the CoP! The whole time we were in there the song kept repeating. It was fun though. There is hope for the CoP..... because we always need to remember that "there's a great big beautiful tomorrow......"

 

[Uncleromulus]

I like COP!! BUt I'm afraid that it is one of those "dark" rides that Disney would dearly love to close. Then it could join the list of other similar rides now gone (Horizons, World of Motion, etc)
Myron--I would bet that it will close as soon as a "convenient" opportunity presents itself.
And that would be a shame.

 

[ivandisneycastmember]

Pardon the off-topic slant for a second here... While I agree with your general sentiment and think they should keep some of the slower rides, if you can ride in a car, you can go on Test Track. Frankly, I don't understand the hype of the ride and would NEVER wait in line to ride it. It's okay and all, but there isn't much in the ride that you don't do in a car on almost a daily basis. Ever swerve to avoid a pothole? Drive on a bumpy road? Make a corner on a highway? Then you can handle Test Track.

Very honestly from personal experience, if you have motion sickness (depending on what degree), you can get very sick from this ride. They have different forces than when you drive a car. The best example is the banked road when you are going 65MPH. I think that I read that it has a bigger degree than most race courses.

Thats besides the point, but I LOVE CoP. It is wonderful! I would be very upset if it closed!

 

[mitros]

Well, if you drive your car in the fashion that is Test Track, remind me not to ride with you in your car. And by the way, if you do drive like that in our county, our road deputies WILL lock you up!

 

[transparant]

Aw...thats to bad. I love *It's a great big beautiful tomorrow* I can see how it needs lots of work though.

 

[mitros]

We just returned from WDW, Dec. 13,14,15, and CoP was up and running. There were about 30 folks riding when we did, and there was an excellent CM running the ride. Joked a lot with the guests, and got a tremendous round of applause when he was done. After the ride, we spoke to him for a few minutes, and asked him what he had heard regarding the future of CoP. He said that there were a lot of rumors going around as we all know, but he said the most recent one he had heard a couple of months ago was that they were going to close it in October or November {did not happen} and it was goping to be packed up and sent to Hong Kong for the new park there, but the park was not yet ready for it. I kind of find it hard to believe that they would attempt to dismantle it and reassemble it overseas since general information seems to lead toward the fact that it needs a lot of refurbishment, so who knows?!

 

[BelleChick]

I cannot tell you how sad it will make me if they close COP forever. I know it is very old and I can understand that at some point in the life of a ride/attraction they have to look at what it would take to keep it going at the high standard of operation needed and do some kind of cost analysis, but it seems this ride/show really stirs people's emotions and would be worth the money. We have to move forward and entertain more and more sophisticated and demanding guests, but it seems there should be some room for nostalgia in the entertainment mix. I really hope rides/attractions that take us through our history are always going to have a place at Disney. The history and progression of our technological advances and development as a people and culture should surely always be important. I just hate to see every ride/attraction become about the thrills and speed and less about the mental and emotional experience. When they got rid of Horizons and World of Motion they took a giant step to doing away with all these types of attractions. About all that is left is Spaceship Earth and Living with the Land at Epcot and I thought this is what Epcot was supposed to be about. Sorry....I'll get off the soapbox now. Just hate to see this trend.

I agree...you couldn't have said it better! Disney would just lose some magic for me if they took it out.

 

[faireygod mother]

I am so sad. I too saw COP for the first time in 64 at the World Fair in NY. It is my favorite ride. I never get tired of it. I understand things need to change, but it does not deppress me any less. I will have to get back there next year so I can see it one last time.

 

[Nanu57v]

I disagree with the "youth can't relate" feeling. I'm 25 now, but COP has been one of my favorite rides my whole life.