Do you know what stage show boasts the most performances in American theatre history? The answer might surprise you. You can’t watch it in New York (well, not anymore) or catch a show on tour. It doesn’t even feature any human actors. If you want to see this production, celebrating its 50th anniversary in its current venue, you must travel to Tomorrowland. “Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress,” located in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, surprisingly is the most performed, continuously running stage show in American theatre. I would like to look at the progression of this classic attraction, beginning at the start in 1964 New York.
There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow …
"The Carousel of Progress,” originally titled “Progressland,” premiered on April 22, 1964 at the New York World’s Fair in the General Electric Pavilion. It was one of several attractions created by Disney for the fair. It was a hit with guests and later transferred to Disneyland in 1967, remaining there until 1973 when GE, not Disney, wanted the show to be relocated to the Magic Kingdom in Florida. Motivating this switch was the worry that the show was not gaining new viewers; it had grown old in California, but Florida was a fresh audience. So, on January 15, 1975, the “Carousel of Progress” gave its first show of what would become a over 50-year run. Shining at the end of every day …
The "Carousel” itself is a rotating animatronic musical theatre show. A technical marvel, the audience sits in an auditorium that changes scenes by spinning, counterclockwise, around the stage. The show has four acts, going through the turn of the twentieth century, 1920s and 1940s before ending in the 21st century. It was incredibly innovative when it premiered in the 1960s, using audio-animatronics technology. Its six-stage design, each simultaneously running a scene, has helped it earn the most performances of a show in American theatre. Assuming continuous operation, it gives over 200 plays daily!
The show tells the story of an American family and how technological progress has changed their everyday lives. Originally designed to highlight the evolution of GE products, it now depicts the maturation of technology at large. The animatronic cast includes narrator and father John, mother Sarah, daughter Patricia, son James and dog Rover. In addition to the recurring cast, a classic Disney song ties the decades together. “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow,” written by the Sherman Brothers (who also penned “It’s A Small World” and “Bedknobs and Broomsticks”), has been a show staple. Sung by the animatronics, and often the audience too, it is an upbeat number about progress and man’s ability to fulfil his dreams. The brothers have stated that, while written for the show, it was really Walt’s theme song, mirroring his own optimism for the future. There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow …
Like the world at its center, the “Carousel” has also progressed over its half-decade spinning. When it opened in Walt Disney World, it didn’t feature “Beautiful Tomorrow.” Rather, GE executives wanted a song that focused on the present. The result was a new Sherman Brothers song, “The Best Time of Your Life,” about the wonders of the now. (The original “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” has since regained its place on the “Carousel.”) Additionally, over the years, the technology in the final scene has been updated, currently featuring VR videogames and voice-activated appliances. In our rapidly changing technological generation, I am excited to see what the show will be like in the coming decades — just a dream away!
“Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress” is a Tomorrowland gem and an American theatrical landmark. Noteworthy for its historic and technical significance, it has become a fan favorite. The epitome of Walt’s positive view of progress and the future, its optimistic message is one we all need to hear: even when the present seems dark, tomorrow is just a dream away.
