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Chris’ Walt Disney World Confession – The Omission of a Classic

 

I’ve never been on Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. Carousel of Progress - kf

There, I said it. It feels good to get that off my chest. I’ve been going to Walt Disney World off and on for the past 20+ years, and it’s still a hole in my Disney experience. It’s not like I’m trying to avoid it, honest. As a kid, I don’t even think it was on my radar. I didn’t know it existed. My focus was on the new and exciting: Space Mountain (which was more exciting than new), Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Alien Encounter and, yes, even Stitch’s Great Escape were my go-to’s in Tomorrowland.

It wasn’t until I was an adult, when I started digging deeper into my love of Disney, that I discovered this hidden gem.

As I was learning about Walt Disney and the history of Disneyland, the 1964 World’s Fair inevitably turned up. I was fascinated by this chapter in Disney’s history (I still am actually) and especially by the Carousel of Progress. The story of one family moving through time and adapting to new technology as the world changes around them was interesting but more interesting, to me, is the ride system.

You take your seat in what looks like a normal auditorium, like the one you’ve probably already sat in for Mickey’s PhilharMagic or the Hall of Presidents. Then the show starts. The first scene plays out introducing you to this family and their latest new gadgets and technology as of the turn of the century (the turn of the 20th, not this current one). Then the scene changes, but instead of what’s on stage moving on, you move on. The whole auditorium rotates around the stage. That has got to be a cool experience.

For the past few years, I have tried to make it my goal to visit the attraction but to no avail. Either there’s not enough time or it’s closed.

The Disney fan in me, and especially the Disney history fan in me, is itching to get on this ride, but I haven’t been able to make it happen yet.

 

What about you? Have you ridden Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress? Let me know what you think I am missing out on.

 

(Photo from the personal collection of Kendall Foreman.)

 

To learn more about Chris and read his recent posts for WDW Radio, visit his author page by clicking the link on his name at the top of this post.

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About Lou Mongello

Lou Mongello is a former attorney who left the practice to pursue his passion, and is now a recognized Disney expert, author, speaker, and host of WDW Radio. Learn more…

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