In a major win for team “be fair to Florida,” Walt Disney World has announced another major attraction upgrade in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom: Carousel of Progress is getting a new show scene! Here are official details about the changes, concept art, and our commentary.
As we’ve been saying for a while, Tomorrowland is desperately overdue by a wholesale reimagining. One seemed to be starting in 2019 as part of the lead-up to TRON Lightcycle Run, but then…you know what happened in Spring 2020. Late last year, we shared in The Future of Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom that we still expect a reimagining of Tomorrowland.
My suspicion then was that Imagineering has lined up the current slate of projects purposefully, teeing up a reimagining of Tomorrowland as part of the 10-year plan in the early 2030s once the current 5-year plan is finished (especially the Piston Peak Cars Land). As it turns out, we’re actually getting this–at least part of it–gradually amidst the other projects. First with Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, which is currently closed until 2026 for a ride reimagining, and now with Carousel of Progress.
This comes as Tomorrowland has received a slew of placemaking updates in the last few years, which mostly roll back the Tomorrowland ’94 look to the cleaner style of the original Tomorrowland. Much of this has involved the removal of ornamentation and embellishments, plus new retro-inspired signage replacing more elaborate ones.
The result thus far has been a mixed bag. Tomorrowland once again has Space Age style, with swooping lines and eye-catching visuals that are imbued with a sense of retro-futuristic optimism. However, there’s still a lot of Tomorrowland ’94 in place. Some of this was simply painted over or concealed, likely deemed too costly or involved to restore the retro-futuristic style.
Now, changes have come to Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. With an emphasis on the Walt Disney’s part of the attraction name. Here’s the official announcement made during Destination D23, followed by our commentary:
During Destination D23, Imagineer Chris Beatty revealed that guests will soon be able to see Walt Disney through the magic of Audio-Animatronics in “Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress” at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World!!! pic.twitter.com/XWcLXlFOQ0
— Disney Tourist Blog (@DisTouristBlog) August 30, 2025
In an exciting announcement on stage during the “Creating the Happiest Place on Earth” panel at Destination D23, Walt Disney Imagineer Chris Beatty revealed that you will soon be able to see Walt Disney through the magic of Audio-Animatronics technology in “Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress” at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World Resort.
“We are grateful to The Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney Imagineering for their continued collaboration and ongoing partnership with The Walt Disney Family Museum. The introduction of a new Audio-Animatronics figure of Walt Disney in ‘Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress’ marks an exciting milestone in our shared mission to celebrate the story of the man behind the magic and inspire new generations with his innovations and vision for the future. We appreciate the continued efforts and meticulous care that Imagineering has taken to keep Walt’s legacy alive,” Kirsten Komoroske, Executive Director of the Walt Disney Family Museum said.
Walt’s own idea from beginning to end, the Carousel of Progress made its debut at the New York World’s Fair in 1964, where it was an immediate smash hit for millions of people visiting from around the world. Since then, the show has had more performances than any other stage show in the history of American theater and has found a comfortable home as a tribute to the original version of the show inside Magic Kingdom since 1975.
Progress and innovation were two of Walt’s cornerstone passions, which is as evident in the show today as it was when it first debuted. Before you follow an American family (and Rover!) over four generations of progress as technology transforms their lives and paves the way for once-unimaginable innovations, you’ll be able to catch a brand-new introductory scene and hear from the legendary man who never stood in the way of progress — Walt Disney.
There are still plenty of additional details to be revealed, including what John, Sarah, and the rest of the family are up to. Disney Imagineers love this attraction and the heart of it will stay the same while introducing the Carousel of Progress to an entirely new generation of fans, showing them that a great big, beautiful tomorrow is just a dream away.
It’s actually not the first time Walt Disney World updated Carousel of Progress in recent years, either. Walt Disney World made a minor but meaningful refresh to the finale just three years ago, which mostly involved changing the wardrobes and hairstyles of the Audio Animatronics, along with a few updates to the set.
The goal of that was making the “futuristic” finale feel less stuck in the 1990s, and it at least partially succeeded. In addition to modernizing Carousel of Progress, a bunch of great easter eggs and nods to Disney history were also added–including things like Patricia’s “Progress Tech – School of Urban Planning” sweatshirt (a nod to Walt Disney’s Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow), John’s “My Food Rocks” apron (a nod to the defunct EPCOT Center stage show), slippers featuring the Bill Justice silly reindeer, and more.
We were really pleased to see all of this. Ages ago, I posted Tom’s Top 7: Walt Disney World Ride Upgrade Wish List, which put Carousel of Progress near the top and mentioned that the first draft of the wish list had 6 of the 7 entries in Tomorrowland. That also mentioned a past post I wrote titled “Give Me $2,975 And I Will Fix Carousel of Progress.” That underscored just how little money it would take to make the Carousel of Progress finale less embarrassing.
It probably cost Walt Disney World a bit more than that, but they did it. The scene still isn’t perfect. There’s still a VR video game, but not a current one–one closer to Virtual Boy (remember that?). There script still contains words like “laserdisc” and “carphone.” There are other elements of the smart home–but not a modern-day one–that feel quaint.
While these changes would’ve been nice, it was clearly a “no dough” refresh. We were pleased to see it as much for the substance of the changes as what it symbolized: that Carousel of Progress was probably “safe” for at least another decade. Enter the upcoming changes that appear they’ll have a very healthy budget (“lotsa dough,” or whatever the opposite of “no dough” is).
Our Commentary
I’m absolutely ecstatic about the Walt Disney Audio Animatronics and brand-new introductory scene being added to Carousel of Progress. This is fantastic news, plain and simple. I cannot even comprehend any negativity around this news. It’s truly a great big beautiful announcement.
Previously, we’ve said that the best long-term move for Carousel of Progress would be to restore the original World’s Fair version of the attraction, with some sort of narrative framing that it’s being presented by the Tomorrowland Metro-Retro Historical Society or something.
This is not exactly that, but is potentially even better. Having a whole new introductory scene featuring the Walt Disney Audio Animatronics is a huge win. The only question is what happens with the remaining scene, especially the finale. My hope is still a restoration of the World’s Fair version–or something that looks forward at the future from the middle of the last century–even if I will miss that glorious mid-199os interior design, the Virtual Boy-esque game, and that Sorcerer Mickey abstract art.
The biggest reason I’m excited to see Carousel of Progress get some love is because, again, this means the attraction can be marked “safe” from replacement for at least a couple more decades. My daughter will be raised right, by the Country Bears and Progress Family, just as the Tiki Gods intended.
Speaking of which, you might recall that my perspective with the reimagining of Country Bear Jamboree was relief that it could be marked safe from replacement, which had been rumored for years. I was the outlier; relief was not the consensus view among CBJ disciples. But I don’t think some fans fully appreciate just how many close calls we’ve had with outright removal of these legacy attractions.
In this case, the enhancements to Carousel of Progress strike me as exactly that–enhancements. This is not like Country Bear Musical Jamboree; it isn’t a matter of Imagineers being tasked with an unpleasant assignment and making “lemonade out of lemons.” Walt Disney World has had a fair number of projects like that, where we’ve basically had to say, “you don’t understand just how much worse that this could’ve been.”
Not the case here. This is a labor of love for the Imagineers working on the project, and a pure win for Walt Disney World diehards. It enhances Carousel of Progress in an incredibly logical way, and will attract new audiences to the attraction. It’s yet another sign of paradigm shift at the Walt Disney Company, within Imagineering, and signals the start of a new chapter.
Bluntly, this is the type of project that I cannot imagine getting greenlit back in early November 2022. I shudder at the thought of a Carousel of Progress reimagining being announced back then; it would’ve gone much, much differently than this.
This isn’t to say that everything is perfect now (gestures over at the Riverbeds of America), but things are getting back on track with the right projects being approved and properly funded, and the creatives given the latitude to actually execute on their visions.
As for my perspective on adding a Walt Disney Audio Animatronics to the parks, I’ve shared that at length in my coverage of the ‘Magical Life’ show at Disneyland. In case you’ve missed that, I was unequivocally on board with adding the Walt Disney Audio Animatronics to Disneyland. I am likewise equally enthusiastic (perhaps more so given divergent demographics) about the figure coming to Walt Disney World.
Today’s younger generations are not learning about Walt Disney. Or worse yet, they’re consuming anti-Walt propaganda and learning about who he actually was not. Walt no longer comes into our living rooms on Sunday nights, but slander about him is ubiquitous on social media. In my view, Walt Disney is one of the greatest people of all-time; a shining example of American ingenuity and spirit who should be studied as a role model.
Whatever other arguments for or against a Walt Disney Audio Animatronics that might’ve existed at one time, this is the one that wins out for me in 2025, nearly 60 years after Walt Disney’s passing. Keeping his legacy alive for future generations is of paramount importance, as if safeguarding his reputation from morons and misinformation.
Adding the Walt Disney Audio Animatronics to Carousel of Progress should help raise awareness about this great American, introducing him to younger generations in a way that the pre-show video that plays outside (or even Walt Disney Presents over at DHS) just cannot accomplish.
Then there’s the Walt Disney Audio Animatronics itself. As you’re likely aware, a similar figure debuted at Disneyland this summer as part of Walt Disney – A Magical Life. It instantly became the subject of social media criticism and ‘My Pillow’ memes.
Our review of the new show at Disneyland covered how the Walt Disney figure is off-model. That criticism aside, the review is hardly scathing, and if anything, my opinion of the show has improved with subsequent viewings of Walt Disney – A Magical Life playing to a packed house of actual fans who are enthusiastic to see the Walt Disney AA. There’s something about the energy of the audience that elevates the experience as a whole.
As it stands, the Walt Disney Audio Animatronics is about ~80% of the way there, but the face could use a bit more iteration. Hopefully the Imagineers are able to slim his head, add a bit more definition to his jawline, and fix other faults with the second generation of the Walt AA that’ll be used in Carousel of Progress.
Even so, it’s not like the current version of the AA is bad. The mannerisms and body language plus the ‘close enough’ likeness effectively convey exactly who this is. Walt Disney is the most lifelike human Audio Animatronics figure that Imagineering has ever created, and is incredibly technically sophisticated.
The WDI team achieved many innovations never done before in a humanoid figure, and actually had to wait for technology to catch up to requirements for Walt Disney on which they would not compromise. The Walt Disney Audio-Animatronics is incredibly fluid and lifelike–Imagineers shared that it was important to capture and convey the way Walt spoke with his hands, how he furrowed his brow, and the twinkle in his eye.
The technological leaps to achieve these far-reaching ambitions were called “moonshots” within the Imagineering team that innovated them. Some of the innovations were driven by necessity–there were certain movements Walt had to be able to accomplish to appear appropriately lifelike. Some just came about naturally in terms of pushing the bounds of the Audio Animatronics medium.
All of this is truly impressive. The Walt Disney Audios Animatronics project was clearly a labor of love for Imagineering, and they nailed so many of Walt’s mannerisms. In only a couple minutes of the show, they managed to personify Walt Disney. This is more or less what we’re expecting of the brand-new Carousel of Progress introduction, albeit with new dialogue, costuming, and set dressing.
The Audio Animatronics is like an episode of the Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color came to life. The achievements with the Audio Animatronics, its fluidity, and those mannerisms are second-to-none. From a technical perspective, Walt Disney is the best human Audio Animatronics we’ve ever seen.
That’s why it pains me all the more to say that the facial features just do not nail Walt Disney’s appearance. There’s just something slightly off about the figure. I’m not entirely sure what, or even if it’s one single thing. The face looks bloated, the cheeks and nose aren’t quite true to life, his neck is too stout–I’m not sure what else. My hope is that Imagineering nails this on the second go-round of the Walt AA, and the model for Carousel of Progress conveys his more slender and elongated facial structure.
At minimum, Carousel of Progress will benefit from the format. “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” is off-balance, with the lengthy “One Man’s Dream” film followed by only a couple minutes of the Audio Animatronics at the end. This will essentially be the exact opposite of that, functioning as the opening act to an Audio Animatronics-heavy stage show. (I’m going to assume Walt Disney will be, by far, the most advanced AA in Carousel of Progress, helping him look better by comparison, too.)
What’s also interesting about these Carousel of Progress changes is what they take off the table.
Since last fall, we’ve been speculating that the most logical replacement for Hall of Presidents that would not outrate Walt Disney World diehards is importing “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” and running that in tandem with Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. It could be a very similar set-up to Disneyland, using the same type of turntable system.
In my view, this would’ve been the ideal “solution” for Hall of Presidents. (Aside from the best option of all, which is just leaving it alone and continuing to add new Audio Animatronics, regardless of who wins each election.) It would have far fewer Audio Animatronics, so Walt Disney World would like the lower operating and maintenance expense. It would also be uncontroversial, as Walt Disney and Abraham Lincoln are among the two most popular Americans of all-time. Finally, it’d be a fantastic legacy attraction.
Although we want to see it continue to exist forever, it does seem that Hall of Presidents’ days are numbered. Assuming that, replacing it with Walt Disney – A Magical Life and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln struck me as the perfect compromise that respects the legacy of this space, the company’s founder, and our great nation’s history. If replacing attractions were a democratic process, I would’ve voted for this option.
With this Carousel of Progress news, that’s off the table. With the previous Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets announcement, so too is another concept that was rumored to be in the running for replacing Hall of Presidents. I’m not sure what, if anything, that leaves for a Hall of Presidents replacement in 2029 or whenever.
Hopefully nothing! I’m mildly fearful it’ll be something completely incongruous with Liberty Square, but that’s another concern for another day. Today, let’s just celebrate this great plussing to Carousel of Progress!
Ultimately, it’s great to see Tomorrowland continuing to receive attention in an effort to incrementally improve the area and drag it into the 2000s. It’s even better to see Carousel of Progress receive enhancements, and I can think of no better way than via the Walt Disney Audio Animatronics figure. This is a big win for the attraction, diehard fans, the legacy of the man behind the magic, and the Imagineers behind bringing Walt to life.
In the grand scheme of things, this is a relatively minor victory for Walt Disney World and team “be fair to Florida.” But it is a victory. It’s very much worth celebrating these improvements, and drawing attention to them–just as we do with the bad things happening at the parks.
These are the kinds of things that matter disproportionately to diehard fans, so giving Walt Disney World a bit of “positive reinforcement” could result in similar such improvements in the future. And as discussed above, it suggests that things are back on track for the company as a whole, Walt Disney World as a site, and within the halls of Imagineering.
Here’s hoping that there’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow for this land, and updates like this to Tomorrowland only accelerate (…right over to the speedway). It would be wonderful if Walt Disney World allowed Imagineering to bring back the original Walt-era Space Age design of this land to produce something that’s at once futuristic and classic. There’s a lot of room for improvement in Tomorrowland
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Your Thoughts
What do you think about the new enhancements coming to the Carousel of Progress at Magic Kingdom? Thoughts on the Walt Disney Audio Animatronics coming to Walt Disney World? Is this what winning tastes like, team “be fair to Florida”?! Any hopes for additional updates or an overarching reimagining of the Tomorrowland? Do you agree or disagree with my thoughts? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!