Carousel of Progress to be replaced by 2009?

[lockedoutlogic]

That sounds like a great addition, but what I was getting at was that, on any given day during February-early June, there are usually at least 4-6 school groups performing at:

- Galaxy Palace Theater,
- Temporary Tomorrowland Stage,
- Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe Stage,
- Future World West Stage,
- Future World Fountain Main Stage,
- American Adventure Capital Dome area,
- Dock Stage at Downtown Disney,
- 2nd Stage at Downtown Disney,
- the ABC Theater,
- Performance Hall at Saratoga Springs,
- Recital Hall at Saratoga Springs,
- even the Motion Stage at Pleasure Island.

And, Disney seems to be promoting these school music performance opportunities more than ever. As a choral director that has had the "please, don't cut our performance time because you over-booked the Galaxy Palace that day and now you need to cut groups"-conversation with Magic Music Days staff, I think they are successfully growing a program that needs more stages, not less.

(Gosh, I feel like I just went on a tangent from the original topic. Sorry folks... I love CoP, and get there every visit.. ok, back on track!)

A stage that is predominantly used for high school groups passing through town would not impede disney's development plans...if it stood in the way

They would find somewhere to put the high school groups if they wanted the programs to continue

But high school groups don't add profit to the parks...so they do it as a service more than anything....

IF they were going to use the stage to build something they could market to attempt to lure repeat customers back from all over the country/ world......

then the wrecking ball would already be swinging....


that...and as stated before...the theater sits empty far too much for them to even give it a second thought if something was in the works....

[johnO]

DW and I love the CoP. But one thing that none of us can stop is the fact that "time marches on", the very thing CoP depicts. If it isnt updated, it will lose relavence. The previous poster who suggested adding scenes is on the right track. If it were to be moved I think the Wonders of Life pavillion would be perfect for a "new and improved" CoP.

Take HISTA for example. In my opinion it's a classic. But kids nowadays don't hardly know or even like Honey I shunk the kids. The film looks way too used and old. It WAS once fantastic but today looks very outdated and tired. If it is to stay relavent then they need to create a new and improved film to keep people interested. Otherwise the crowds fade.

As we get older the newer generations have different tastes, desires etc. that need to be appealed to (however, I think Nemo, stitch and a few others are WAY TOO overdone at WDW) in order to keep people visiting.

The classic characters and exibits can still be relevent if they're presented in a way that can appeal to both us older folks, who want to keep tradition alive, and the younger generations at the same time.

[BrowncatP]

NO, NO, No!! CoP is a oldie but goodie. Disney needs to just update it a little.

[NJ Camper]

Why move COP only to put it at wonders of life then build a new ride where COP was why not refurb COP then build new at wonders instead ??????? would seem to make more sense to me

[goofy for pluto]

I do not think that the ride needs to be redone at all. The fact that they redid the last scene is what dates the ride the most. It is a look at how people thought the future would look, and
there is nothing wrong with that concept. I think Walt would be sad. He wanted the park to be where families could have fun together. He did not believe in talking down to children. What Disney fears most about looking to much like a kiddie park when compared to the other theme parks is exactly where they are taking it.
Look at Spaceship Earth and what they did to the Living Seas as proof.

[raysulak]

I think this rumor is just being confused with the return of The House of the Future...

Disney brings back the House of the Future -- with help from Microsoft and HP
Posted Feb 13th 2008 10:44PM by Nilay Patel
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets



The Disney parks have been getting all kinds of upgrades lately, and the latest is the revival of the "House of the Future," which originally opened in the 50s and showcased such space-age household technologies as microwave ovens and plastic furniture. The new attraction eschews the original's pod-shaped exterior, pictured above, for a more traditional look, but it's inside where the action is: Disney, Microsoft, HP and LifeWare spent over $15 million on hardware and software designed to give visitors a glimpse of a hyper-connected future. Tech on display will include home automation, automatic networking, Surface and touch-based computing, and smart appliances -- all things the designers envision as being five to 10 years away. The new House of the Future is set to open in May at Tommorrowland -- any guesses how long it takes before someone builds a complete replica?

[firefan43]

I know I am going to get flamed here, but I have to say it. I cant stand the CoP. That song is horrible (which makes me sad because Walt himself wrote it), and its a "ride" that I could do without ever seeing again. I agree that Disney needs to keep some of the old MK intact, but also think that the CoP space could be used for something better.

[bruin1344]

COP seems like it belongs in EPCOT rather than tomorrowland. Its very similar to spaceship earth. If they want to use the space in MK, move it to EPCOT, dont get rid of it

[bruin1344]

I know I am going to get flamed here, but I have to say it. I cant stand the CoP. That song is horrible (which makes me sad because Walt himself wrote it), and its a "ride" that I could do without ever seeing again. I agree that Disney needs to keep some of the old MK intact, but also think that the CoP space could be used for something better.

hahaha, thats how i feel about small world

[johnO]

Well it seems that the biggest problem people have with it is the fact that the last scene is out dated now and the gap between it and the previous scene. If the last scene was redone to resemble what people think the world of tomorrow will be like now, then pehaps people would like it better..

[senderella]

"It's a great big beautiful tomorrow..."
Who has never gone to COP and then sung this the rest of the day?
It's great!

[Horizon93]

I love CoP. An update, done well, with respect to the original would be fine and in line with what I humbly imagine would be Walt's concepts.

But never, never, never, replace CoP!

[joanakaylene]

i will be DEVASTATED if they get rid of CoP. It's such a classic piece of the Magic Kingdom. I can't believe more people don't go see it.

It always looks like its shut down, even when its not! Perhaps if they got some more CMs out there to promote it, people wouldn't walk right by it like its an empty building.

[NJ Camper]

Replaced would mean something taking its place whats taking its place????

[Rodders]

These rumours always upset me I'd hate to see COP go

[Mackflava99]

I know I am going to get flamed here, but I have to say it. I cant stand the CoP. That song is horrible (which makes me sad because Walt himself wrote it), and its a "ride" that I could do without ever seeing again. I agree that Disney needs to keep some of the old MK intact, but also think that the CoP space could be used for something better.

You are entitled to your opinion, but you have to think deeper too- its something built long ago that you just need to realize was soooo far ahead of its time, it was something unheard of. Now we say its old, but its there to let us think back to how much improvement Disney has done and how much of the dream has been maintained. We need to keep it open if only to insure the historical aspect is maintained.

P.s. my kids love the song and my wife hates it so they bug her about it all the time.

[Mickey91]

I would hate to COP close. But, Disney doesn't seem to care what anyone else thinks. They will do what ever the $$$$ dictate.

[Disney_Barbie]

Sorry to beat a dead horse, but am I alone here? Does no one else ever remember reading about Walt's wish to keep it in operation?
I was quite confident that someone else would come along with the details of it. Surely I didn't make it up, and I never read any lame guidebooks or stupid fake disney "rumor" websites, so I think I must have gotten my info from a reliable source... if only I could remember when/ where it was!
From memory, I think he said it WAY back eithe while it was in the world's fair or when it was in Disneyland. And if I remember correctly there was a bit of a contreversy about bringing it over to WDW. But then that was decided it was ok, because, as Walt's wishes stated, it would still be operational, just now in a different park.
Ring any bells for anyone?