Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress

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What It Is
Audioanimatronic theater production
Our Rating

Current Wait Time
Shows every	21.0 minutes
Average wait	5 minutes

Appeal By Age
Based our reader surveys. See our Ratings and Research page for details.
Preschool
Grade School
Teens
Young Adults
Over 30
Seniors

General Info
Location	Tomorrowland
Opening Date	January 15, 1975
Duration	21 minutes
Scope and Scale	Major Attraction
Closures / Refurbishments

Inaccurate/stale data?
Let us know.

Description And Comments

Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress is a four-act play offering a nostalgic look at how electricity and technology changed the lives of an animatronic family during the 20th century. General Electric sponsored the first version of the show for the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City, in keeping with the fair’s theme of progress. The first scene is set around 1900 (our research indicates Thursday, February 14, 1901, on a farm outside Arkansas City, Kansas); the second around 1927; and the third in the late 1940s. The fourth scene is allegedly contemporary, but references to laser discs and car phones are not-so-subtle clues that the script hasn’t been updated in over 25 years.

Although the last scene needs updating, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress is the only attraction in the park that display Walt’s optimistic vision of a better future through technology and industry. If you’re interested in the man behind the mouse, this show is a must-see.

Touring Tips

Open for Early Theme Park Entry.

Carousel of Progress handles big crowds effectively and is a good choice during busier times of day. Because of its age, it seems to have more minor operational glitches than most attractions, so you may be subjected to the same dialogue and songs several times. Think of it as extra time in the air-conditioning.

Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress Full Show Video

Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress Wait Times

This chart shows you roughly how long you'll wait for Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress when you visit on a day with a given Magic Kingdom Crowd Level. The blue bars represent the average "peak" wait time (that is, how long the line will be at its busiest). The bottom and top black lines represent the range of peak wait times to expect (for you fellow nerds out there: it's the 5th percentile and 95th percentile of peak wait times). Please note that these are estimates, and for a better forecast for your travel dates, see Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress Wait Times.