Carousel of Progress Like You’ve Never Seen It
Tuesday, October 19, 2010 at 2:24PM Posted by Mitch As a boy I was entertained to no end by the cleverness that was Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. Today I enjoy it just as much-- Laser discs and all.
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Here we get a look at our favorite animatronic family and their surroundings from all new angles. Photos provided anonymously with statement that they were taken with permission a number of years ago. **May contain partial animatronic nudity!**
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I too spent a bit of time working on-set at Carousel of Progress and noticed a few interesting things. First of all, it was great to work with some of the very same props seen in photos and video of Walt with the Carousel sets. Few things at Walt Disney World were around for Walt to enjoy so this attraction has great meaning.
I thought it was fascinating that inside the cups and other dishes there are screws and other tiny pieces of hardware for Maintenance workers to easily access.
The printed paper props (newspapers, calendar, etc.) are made up of stacks of the exact same print. If the top print wares out or goes missing, the subsequent layers of paper are identical. Was this always the case? Don’t know.
The stages are not as deep as I would have thought. I had suspected the center core of the building be be much smaller- that the stages went further in.
Rover has a two-piece shell of fur (head and body) that easily pops off. Until recent years, his fur was glued directly to and animatronic components and had to be cut away and sewn back together every time the dog was maintained.
The television Grandma is watching is driven by 8mm film projectors running footage from the basement below- the ballroom dancing footage and the boxing footage (for when Grandpa’s asleep). “Give’m a left you big lug!” Here you see an actual piece of dancing scene film stip thrown out after breaking:
Preview of Things to Come
In our new and upcoming series we compare the old to the new and see what remains the same. Golly this will be fun!
This post is intended to be a simple study of attraction staging with no intent to spoil illusions. Please do not photograph or visit backstage areas without permission.
Related posts:
A Look at the Progress City Model - Then and Now
Horizons Animatronics Found Under Carousel of Progress
America Sings
HORIZONS MURAL, "The Prologue and the Promise [High Res]
Reader Comments (7)
I LOVE CoP! It is still my favorite attraction! No matter what!!!!
These blog posts about behind-the-scene looks at the classic DL rides are simply fantasmic. Thank you so much!!!
This just made my day!
Outstanding! I've always loved CoP, even though I'm always afraid it could be next on the chopping block. The relaxing show, the lack of lines, and the uncrowded seating make it a favorite, but also make it prime for elimination. I think if they added a new room with an updated theme, it would help rejeuvenate the attraction. It shouldn't be difficult, as they could move the curtain to the first(earliest) scene and have it raise at the beginning of the show. The "new" room that was behind where the curtain used to be could be used for the "room of the future" with another curtain to lower at the end. Any chance Iger reads these?
Definitely looking forward to the Then and Now Photo Series.
So funny- I had never even heard of carousel of progress when I was a kid- It was all America Sings. I was five the year it was opened and I loved it for the same reason a lot of folks like CoP- no lines, AC, great show. It wasn't until years later that I realized Disneyland had this amazing legacy and, surprise surprise, there were rides that were built and removed before I was born!
So, fast forward to 1993 and my first trip to WDW and there was the CoP, still in working order!! I went around the carousel many times that trip.
Pure awesomeness.
I remember at WED when the Carousel Of Progress was pulled from Disneyland to be sent to Forida's Walt Disney World. A lot of the sets and props had to be updated including the present day kitchen scene. All the appliances had to be removed for newer ones, and I was told to take the old ones to the dump. That's a whole other story.
Truly fascinating. Love this! CoP is forever one of my must-do's.