History Ride / CarouselOfProgress

''Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress'' is an attraction located at the [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Magic Kingdom]] in Ride/WaltDisneyWorld and formerly at Ride/{{Disneyland}}. Starting life as an exhibition at the 1964 New York World's Fair sponsored by General Electric, the Carousel of Progress is an audio-animatronic show built into a rotating theatre. Steeped in nostalgia and the excitement of future technologies, the Carousel [[JustForPun revolves]] around an American family living through four different eras while experiencing the wonders of how TechnologyMarchesOn.

Since its opening in 1967, the final act of the ride has been updated four times to keep it up to date with trends in consumer product technology. The most recent update was in 1993.

* AnachronismStew: A minor example. The 90s modern act featured an analogue TV, but it broke, so it was replaced by a very modern-looking flatscreen.

As said, the attraction shifts through four different eras, featuring the same family of father John, his wife Sarah, their kids Patricia and Jimmy, the family dog Rover, Grandma and Grandpa, and "perennial house guest" Uncle Orville, as they experience the development of technology and electricity. The first act is in the turn-of-the-century on Valentine's Day and features innovations of the era and nods to early films, UsefulNotes/ThomasEdison, and the Wright Brothers. The 1920s act takes place on Independence Day, featuring the new electrical marvels that cause a blackout. The third act is set in the 1940s on Halloween, introducing television and Sarah's attempt to handle a makeshift paint mixer. The final act is set on Christmas in the modern era (around the 1990s) that features hi-def television, virtual reality games, and voice-activated appliances (all of which actually became more feasible--technologically and affordably--in the 21st century than back in the '90s). An early version had the last act set in Progress City, better known as Walt's original concept of Epcot.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: The theme of the entire attraction. The "modern" scene has also been hit by it pretty hard; the ride was last updated in 1993, and it shows. The new appliances this time are a flatscreen TV that's rather small, a virtual reality video game with awful graphics and controlled by bulky headsets and gloves, a desktop computer with a cathode ray monitor that looks more like an '80s workstation than anything modern, and a voice activated virtual assistant that John rigged up himself and is ramshackle and pretty bad at its job. The entire thing comes off as exactly what it is -- what the '90s thought the 2000s would look like, with the audience living in the 2020s.

* SpiritualSuccessor: Epcot's ''Ride/{{Horizons}}'' was considered this to the Carousel, featuring a similar premise but set in the near-future. The theme song even played at one point.

''Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress'' is an attraction located at the [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Magic Kingdom]] in Ride/WaltDisneyWorld and formerly at Ride/{{Disneyland}}. Starting life as an exhibition at the 1964 New York World’s Fair sponsored by General Electric, the Carousel of Progress is an audio-animatronic show built into a rotating theatre. Steeped in nostalgia and the excitement of future technologies, the Carousel [[JustForPun revolves]] around an American family living through four different eras while experiencing the wonders of how TechnologyMarchesOn.

Generally considered one of Walt Disney’s finest and most beloved achievements, the Carousel has run for fifty years and is the longest-running show in the history of American theatre. The attraction’s original concept was set in the never realized Edison Square area in Disneyland and would show how G.E. appliances have benefitted American families. The actual attraction opened at the 1964 World’s Fair as Progressland, featuring Rex Allen as the voice of the host, the father of the family later named John, and a theme song written by [[Music/TheShermanBrothers Richard and Robert Sherman]] named “There’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow”, which has become a popular song among Disney fans.

The attraction opened in Disneyland in 1967, lasting until 1973 when it was replaced by Ride/AmericaSings. The Magic Kingdom edition was sponsored by G.E. for ten years and went through numerous changes, particularly in the final modern setting to keep up with the times and changing technologies (the attraction is about progress after all). The Sherman Brothers were asked to write a new song to match G.E.’s desire for audiences to buy appliances now rather than in the future, the song being “The Best Time of Your Life”. After G.E.’s sponsorship ended, the Carousel underwent major refurbishments and became a tribute to the original attraction and Walt Disney’s vision, featuring a new cast headed by Creator/JeanShepherd and a return of the original theme song.

As said, the attraction shifts through four different eras, featuring the same family of father John, his wife Sarah, their kids Patricia and Jimmy, the family dog Rover, Grandma and Grandpa, and "perennial house guest" Uncle Orville, as they experience the development of technology and electricity. The first act is in the turn-of-the-century on Valentine’s Day and features innovations of the era and nods to early films, UsefulNotes/ThomasEdison, and the Wright Brothers. The 1920s act takes place on Independence Day, featuring the new electrical marvels that cause a blackout. The third act is set in the 1940s on Halloween, introducing television and Sarah’s attempt to handle a makeshift paint mixer. The final act is set on Christmas in the modern era (around the 1990s) that features hi-def television, virtual reality games, and voice-activated appliances. An early version had the last act set in Progress City, better known as Walt’s original concept of Epcot.

* ReplacedTheThemeTune: The original theme song was replaced with “The Best Time of Your Life” to suit G.E.’s desire for audiences to buy appliances then and there rather than wait for the future. The original song returned in the 1993 refurbishment.

''Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress'' is an attraction located at the Magic Kingdom in [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Walt Disney World]] and formerly at Disneyland. Starting life as an exhibition at the 1964 New York World’s Fair sponsored by General Electric, the Carousel of Progress is an audio-animatronic show built into a rotating theatre. Steeped in nostalgia and the excitement of future technologies, the Carousel [[JustForPun revolves]] around an American family living through four different eras while experiencing the wonders of how TechnologyMarchesOn.

Generally considered one of Walt Disney’s finest and most beloved achievements, the Carousel has run for fifty years and is the longest-running show in the history of American theatre. The attraction’s original concept was set in the never realised Edison Square area in Disneyland and would show how G.E. appliances have benefitted American families. The actual attraction opened at the 1964 World’s Fair as Progressland, featuring Rex Allen as the voice of the host, the father of the family later named John, and a theme song written by [[Music/TheShermanBrothers Richard and Robert Sherman]] named “There’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow”, which has become a popular song among Disney fans.

The attraction opened in Disneyland in 1967, lasting until 1973 where it was replaced by Ride/AmericaSings. The Magic Kingdom edition was sponsored by G.E. for ten years and went through numerous changes, particularly in the final modern setting to keep up with the times and changing technologies (the attraction is about progress after all). The Sherman Brothers were asked to write a new song to match G.E.’s desire for audiences to buy appliances now rather than in the future, the song being “The Best Time of Your Life”. After G.E.’s sponsorship ended, the Carousel underwent major refurbishments and became a tribute to the original attraction and Walt Disney’s vision, featuring a new cast headed by Creator/JeanShepherd and a return of the original theme song.

As said, the attraction shifts through four different eras, featuring the same family of father John, his wife Sarah, their kids Patricia and Jimmy, the family dog Rover, Grandma and Grandpa, and "perennial house guest" Uncle Orville, as they experience the development of technology and electricity. The first act is in the turn-of-the-century on Valentine’s Day and features innovations of the era and nods to early films, UsefulNotes/ThomasEdison, and the Wright Brothers. The 1920s act takes place on Independence Day, featuring the new electrical marvels that cause a blackout. The third act is set in the 1940s on Halloween, introducing television and Sarah’s attempt to handle a makeshift paint mixer. The final act is set on Christmas in the modern era (around the 1990s) that features hi-def television, virtual reality games, and voice activated appliances. An early version had the last act set in Progress City, better known as Walt’s original concept of Epcot.

* AluminumChristmasTrees: The final act makes references to products that have since gone the way of the dodo bird, such as carphones and laserdiscs. Subverted with virtual reality headsets, which were a fad for a time until they became relevant again in the the New Tens.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* GrumpyBear: Uncle Orville doesn’t like his privacy being disturbed.

* AluminumChristmasTrees: The final act makes references to products that have since gone the way of the dodo bird, such as carphones, virtual reality headsets, and laserdiscs.