Carousel of Progress Surprise plus Important Info [Merged Threads]

[Nesser480]

Hi guys! I am a avid reader but I don't get to post much (any) but I had to tell ya'll about this. Sorry if this information is somewhere else.
I was at Magic Kingdom last weekend and at the buzz light year and stitch fastpass a "surprise fastpass" for carousel of progress comes out with your fastpass for those two attractions. It is used to get traffic over there on crowded days. I was curious if it really worked, and it does!! I rode the COP twice and both times the theater was filled just about to capacity and there was a long, long line in the FP line! lol you could just walk right into the open queue area for standby. I was completely amazed how successful the "surprise fastpass" was...just having that little ticket in their hand had people waiting in a long line instead of just walking on. Very humerous to see! I had to take a picture! Glad to see the COP so busy! It is a classic!
Hope Everyone is having a great weekend!

[Vito]

Hopefully it helps CoP to find a whole new crop of fans! It's really a good idea (even if it's a bit sneaky) by Disney, but anything that gets more attendance at CoP is a good thing!

[T-Belle]

Wow! I think this is a great idea.

[VolMickey]

Thanks! :thumbsup:

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I haven't seen a need for FP on CoP in years.
2) But, it is a great way to advertise CoP.
3) Let's hope it catches on.

[Daisy'sMom]

We would not think of not seeing COP each time we visit MK. It is a must and I hope many more people fall in love with it now. :thumbsup:

[Young@Heart]

Wow! It it works, great! It would be horrible to ever see a classic like this close.

[stormy57]

We were there last week and on wed.Jul 16 we got a surprise FP for COP also,:thumbsup:

[garthbarth1]

Great idea!! The Carousel of Progress is such a classic...we always ride it at least twice while we are there!

[LauraleeH]

Wow, I got a good laugh out of that one. That's pretty clever, I want to go on the ride now!

[CraniumCommando]

Anything to save CoP sounds good to me.

Maybe they can update it some. Instead of 1900, 1920, 1940, today, it could be 1900, 1940, 1980, today. That last jump is too big.

But it's still one of my all time faves. My daughter and I sing the song on the way to school, and she's never seen the show yet!!

"There's a great big beautiful tomorrow ..." :mickey:

[big blue and hairy]

Hopefully it helps CoP to find a whole new crop of fans!
Would that be the COP Crop?

:sulley:

[ISLE39]

i like to visit cop at least one time on each of my trips sometimes 2 if i need a cooled off naptime. i have to admit its one of the rides i nap in when i need a quick 20 minute nap. hop is also one i nap in for a resfresher when its hot

[lindique]

I agree that COP needs some TLC too, but instead of upgrading the last scene - how about restoring the original 1960's scene? That way the last scene won't look outdated almost as soon as it is installed.

[Vito]

I agree that COP needs some TLC too, but instead of upgrading the last scene - how about restoring the original 1960's scene? That way the last scene won't look outdated almost as soon as it is installed.That's exactly what I would like to see. Restore the original ending, and don't worry about showing us futuristic technology. They could simply have a little epilogue at the end to wrap it up (audio only after the final scene).

And while I'm thinking of it, CoP still says "seasonal operation" - does anyone know if it will be open in September? I'll be there then and I hope I don't miss it!

[Mousemates]

I hope it helps CoP as well....I love to sing a few lines form the song and have it stick in my kids brains....

[JPL]

It hasn't been seasonal for quite a few years now but sometimes it does close earlier in the day than the rest of Tomorrowland.

[Vito]

It hasn't been seasonal for quite a few years now but sometimes it does close earlier in the day than the rest of Tomorrowland.Awesome, thanks Jeff. I haven't been to WDW in four years, so sometimes I'm out of touch with the latest trends ;) I noticed on the WDW website it had "open seasonally" so I got a little worried.

[trackbarroness]

It's been open every day since I started working in the land, so no worries dude the ride will probably be open when you visit WDW. :D

[Bethis26fan]

We rode it for the first time last trip and loved it. That was only our second trip to the world. It's now a must for us.

[Main Street Jim]

All of the Tomorrowland FastPass attractions (Buzz/Stitch/Space) are now issuing "surprise" FastPasses for Carousel of Progress. Yep, you read that right - CoP now has a "FastPass" line, but no actual "FastPass" kiosks. The "surprise" FPs are being issued to try and get ridership up in Walt's World's Fair original - because it's been down in numbers for so long, if it doesn't come up soon, it's going away from the Florida park - and another rumor is that it may return to its original Disneyland show building, where their version of Innoventions is now located.

So if you get those "surprise" FastPasses for CoP, PLEASE use them! ;) :thumbsup: And even if you don't *get* them, PLEASE come and see CoP and enjoy a very historic attraction - the only one here at Walt Disney World that has had Walt's hands on it. PLEASE watch the preshow film outside in the queue, and show your children that Walt Disney was indeed a real person!

Enjoy!

[disneymom2000]

I love CoP. I ride it everytime I am in the World. I can bypass Stitch and even Space Mountain as long as I can ride CoP. I love to see how technology has changed over the decades.

[dixielandings]

Thanks, Jim! And I totally agree! I love the historic attractions at WDW and DL - I wish none of them ever had to go. DH and I are among those who don't need cajoling to see CoP. I hope those FPs are working!!

PS - I would LOVE to CoP return to DL as long as it meant WDW didn't have to give it up.

[LandFan]

No problem - I love CoP! We won't be in MK on our short trip this week (because we were just at Disneyland) but we will surely ride it during our November trip!! Probably twice!

[PharmD]

Thanks for the update Jim. That is the one ride that I start our visit with and the last one we ride before we have to return to our home away from home :( with WDW being our offical home ;) . As an aside we looked for you when we were down in Oct. 2006 but didn't see you on duty.

[BelleCiavo]

We sure will, but I think I'll skip the fast pass line, I hear it's longer than stand-by :secret:

[johnO]

CoP is a classic, and a "must see" for us when we're at WDW. Hopefully it never closes.

[MickeysEars]

I love it! I always check both line even if I have a fastpass. That is just classic. :thumbsup:

[pianobabe]

We love CoP. It is always a must do for us. To the pp who was asking about it being opened in September, it was last year and they were also doing the Surprise Fastpasses then. I think last year it was only if you got a FP for Space Mountain did you get the surprise one for CoP. I may be wrong about it being Space, but at that point it was at only one of the FP kiosk not all of them.

[GhostHost999]

Shame they couldn't do this to some of our other favorites before they closed.

But it is a good idea.

Remember...sometimes sneaky is good. :mickey:

[Young@Heart]

A spin-off question:
Does COP always close early or are there some night when it runs until park opening? I'd love to stop in on our first night at MK, but we probably won't make it over to that side of the park until after dinner-around 7:30pm. TIA for any info!

[CaptSmee]

I think this is ridiculous, but if it saves COP then I guess i'm all for it! I hope it never goes away!

[fairies*n*fireflies]

COP has been my favorite since I was a little girl! I never miss a chance to ride. I can't even believe that they would contemplate not having it around. I'll be there in December!

[SpecJoe Magic]

I can't believe that actually works. That's probably the first time Disney has ever issued Fastpasses for a non-Fastpass attraction.

[yjgirl32]

That is great news. I was so bummed when a while back I heard a rumor that they might close it down. We went on it last May- but my ds 3 had to go to the bathroom so I missed most of it. Wanted to see it again when we go Next Sept. Maybe this will help make it happen!

[Dyanna]

My last trip in Oct of 2007 there was a total of 8 people in COP. Thought this was a bit insane as it is such a nice attraction. Cant wait to go back again in Nov.

[Jodileigh]

That's great!! I would LOVE to see CoP become a very popular ride again! Especially amid all the rumors of it being removed to be replaced by an Incredibles ride!!

Jodi

[BoricuaBell]

My husband never wanted to go in the COP 'cause he thought he wouldn't like it. I forced him in last year and he really liked it! Even my 3 yr. old was hipnotized. That shows you, you have to give everything a chance 'cause you never know!

[Mackflava99]

Terrific to hear- COP is the best- we alway make sure to go see it-

[Septbride2002]

I think that is a great idea. COP and Hall of Presidents doens't get the attention it deserves. If nothing else they are great rides to get out of the heat in.

~Amanda

[minnesotafreeze]

This is great news. This is the wifes favorite ride.:yoda:

[Imagineer1981]

great idea...I hope they do it more often

[dolphinmickey9170]

We ride CoP at least twice each time we are in MK, sometimes three and four times. It has to be one of our favorites. We really enjoy it.

We received a surprise FP for it a few years back, and my DH fell in love instantly. Every so often you hear it on live 365 and he stops everything so he can listen. I then found it on you tube and play it quite often.

Long live CoP!!

Henry....go give that neighbor of ours "what for"

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

I'm glad to hear there was interest in the CoP. We finally saw it on our 3rd trip, and quite enjoyed it...DD sings the song all of the time in the car :thumbsup:

[KAJUNKING]

anything to help cop gain some popularity, on a side note, while i was reading this thread cop audio came on subsonic radio, eerie

[TINKERBELL_82]

This is an excellent idea! Go Imagineers! I'm sure they want to keep COP as badly as the rest of us!:mickey: