Carousel of Progress Conundrum

[BrerSchultzy]

Okay, so my dad has proposed a VERY intriguing question, and I figured if I could get an answer anywhere, it'd be here:

In the Carousel of Progress, the first scene has THREE kids...the son Jimmy, the daughter Patricia, and the little daughter (who doesn't say anything, and has no name) standing next to the Mother who is ironing.

The rest of the scenes, though, only have Jimmy and Patricia. So, we wanna know...what happened to the youngest daughter?

Any ideas?

[Polynesian Dweller]

Well, it will be interesting if someone has a more complete answer but it might have something to do with the change in the script from the 1964 Worlds Fair original. In that one, the younger daughter also only appears in the first scene and there is an allusion to the daughter who talks as being the teenage daughter. Essentially the show is the same but there have been subtle changes.

For example, there was a slightly different script in 1964. The 1964 script had more emphasis on mentioning and promoting GE products (i.e appliances, light bulbs) since they were the sponsor. I saw the original in New York at the Worlds Fair and I remember these things as making a bit more sense then. But that's a while ago.

[huzzah4]

Influenza pandemic?

[BrerSchultzy]

Influenza pandemic?

That is exactly what my dad thought. His explanation was that it was a tribute to one of the Imagineers' sisters who may have died in the flu epidemic. I guess it makes sense...CoP debuted in 1964, the Imagineers would have been born 1910 to 1920.

Those Upstate SC people...always thinkin'.

[Pop Centurion]

I noticed that also. Another thing that kind of bothers me is they don't seem to age accordingly to the time line. The story starts at the "turn of the century" and the mother and father look to be in their late 20's, early 30's. During each time period they are all much younger than they should be and by the end the Mother & Father look in their 60's when they should actually be deceased or at least well over 100
Maybe it's silly for me to be bothered by this but I can't help it.

[TiggerRPh]

Well....I've never assumed it was the same family. Otherwise the Grandfather in the last scene would have to be over 130 years old or so.

[Mickey91]

I think they are just showing what a normal family would look like in each era. I don't think we're suppose to think it is the same family.

[CraniumCommando]

Definitely a different family in each scene. Don't they have different names? I'm pretty sure the wife has a different name, not sure about the kids.

Only Uncle Orville is constant, for his two appearances anyway

[LudwigVonDrake]

I think they are just showing what a normal family would look like in each era. I don't think we're suppose to think it is the same family.

That was my thought until I remembered Uncle Orville is in more than one scene. He certainly gets around!

[kakn7294]

I disagree - it is the same family. They aren't supposed to "age" through the years which is why they are still around over the span of 100+ years. Having the same family in each scene pulls the attraction together. This is one of my favorites! I don't find it strange at all that the same family didn't age much over those 100 years - it's Disney Magic! As far as the little girl in the first scene, it would make sense that she is in tribute to a child who has passed away from something like the influenza epidemic - there are a million such tributes all over Disney World.

[BrerEmma]

there are a million such tributes all over Disney World. Please tell me where these tributes are besides the windows on Main Street USA

[Makusu]

It's the same family. The names are all the same. Even the dog! Over the course of years, his name has changed from Rover, to spot, to just 'boy'.

I believe Walt intended this to just show an average American family going through the turn of each century. And I'm pretty sure he intended on it being the same family.

[indytraveler]

I'm Ok with it being the same family over 100 years of progress. That's the magic of Disney. Haven't you seen the commercials for visiting Orlando? You get to be a kid again. I just wish they'd let Grandma rack up some serious points on the virtual game.

[JPL]

It is different generations of the same family. They even continued on in Horizons at Epcot. It is not supposed to be the same people not aging. The Uncle Orville would suggest Orville is a family name carried on through the generations

[Red Randal]

For the record, it is a representation of the typical American family living in each time period. It IS the same people, just an imaginary look at how their lives would be if they lived in each time period. This is from the Imagineers themselves on the EAC DVD.

Now, as for the original question, I never noticed the extra daughter. I would propose that maybe she just does not appear in the other scenes but it makes no sense for her to not be around in the Christmas scene. I'm going to assume it has something to do with the multiple moves for the attraction. The AA might have broken for all we know. I don't remember the DVD mentioning it. If anyone has more information, I'd love to hear it.

[castlelady36]

Okay, so my dad has proposed a VERY intriguing question, and I figured if I could get an answer anywhere, it'd be here:

In the Carousel of Progress, the first scene has THREE kids...the son Jimmy, the daughter Patricia, and the little daughter (who doesn't say anything, and has no name) standing next to the Mother who is ironing.

The rest of the scenes, though, only have Jimmy and Patricia. So, we wanna know...what happened to the youngest daughter?

Any ideas?

Thanks for asking this!!! I have wondered just about every time 1. about the girl and 2. how come in the last scene they are not over 100 years old, but hey I love the attraction and enjoy it flaws and all.

[CandleontheWater]

You know, I've never noticed that until you mentioned it. I can visualize the little girl turning the laundry crank in my head, but I've never put two and two together to wonder why she wasn't in any of the other scenes. Bravo intercot for pointing out something to me I've never noticed in my 20+ years of enjoying COP!

[Kate In Wonderland]

Very good question! I agree, she may have passed away from influenza.

(either that or she skipped off the stage and ran across the way to Buzz's space ranger spin! )

I hope it is a tribute though - that would be really nice.

[disneymom2000]

I believe JPL is on the right track. Same family, only different generations. But it's all imaginary and imagination goes a long way at Disney.

[Dicecatt262]

(either that or she skipped off the stage and ran across the way to Buzz's space ranger spin! )

I love this theory!