One Last Spin on Carousel of Progress Before Closure & What’s Closing Next?

Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress in the Magic Kingdom is closing tomorrow for a lengthy update so we had to stop by to pay our respects. Scroll down for the link to our YouTube channel to watch some video from our visit.

Carousel of Progress closes tomorrow, July 6, 2026 and is expected to reopen in 2027 with all new scenes and a new Walt Disney audio-animatronic!

Why Now?

We asked Len about why Disney might have pulled the trigger on a Carousel refresh now. All signs point to needing capacity when Villains Land and Piston Peak open in the Magic Kingdom! The expected reopening date should help direct some of the Frontierland traffic once the new lands debut. In addition to just needing somewhere for guests to go, Len agrees that the ride needs an update. He also mentioned that we should expect more changes on this side of the park….

What’s Coming Next?

John, Sarah, Patty, Jimmy, Grandma, Grandpa, Rover, and even Uncle Orville will be back when the attraction reopens next year. Disney has announced the following scenes in the new Carousel:

• The 1969 moon landing. 
• Halloween Night 1985 ~ we can’t wait to see what Len discovers about this scene. Do you remember when he spent too many hours researching the date of the first scene in the current Carousel of Progress? No? You can listen to the whole thing here!  Side note, if Disney doesn’t give us Gummi Bears merch ~ they were HUGE in 1985 and one of the most coveted Halloween costumes ~ then what’s the point? Oh! Uncle Orville is back in (still in?) the bathroom!
• New Year’s Eve 1999
• The Possible Future

Check out some video from our visit today ~ linked down below. Before you go, what other changes do you think are coming to the Magic Kingdom in the next few years? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for reading!