Disney Must See Day 3: A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow!

I have to admit that the first time I headed towards the line to see Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress at the Magic Kingdom - I was skeptical. It seemed to me like I would be stepping into some antiquated ride that would likely close down sooner rather than later. There was hardly any line to speak of, and the building was pretty boring looking.

But, Steve seemed happy and excited to be heading into the ride - so off I went. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.

What I found myself stepping into wasn't a ride at all. Instead, I took a seat in a cushy movie-theater style chair and settled in for a 20 minute trip through history. I learned from the nice announcer-man that the Carousel of Progress actually debuted at the 1964 World's Fair and was sponsored by GE (which... if you've ever been on the CoP it's VERY obvious that this was the case). The announcer-man also informed us that "Walt Disney loved progress" - something that any Disney-fanatic probably already knows. The 20 minute trip through history is a great display of not only Disney's love of the progress through history but also the progress the Walt Disney Imagineers made when it came to animatronics.

Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress is one highlight of a recurring theme in almost all of the parks at Walt Disney World. Whenever you're in any of the parks, you learn a bit about the Disney history either by hopping on one of the attractions. You know what - I'll let Walt himself tell you about it:



Just remember... this was in 1964. Obviously there's been a lot of, well, progress since then. The latest version is more updated, and is still quite enjoyable. As you close in reading this and make progress in your own worlds - remember...

"There's a great big beautiful tomorrow, shining at the end of every day. There's a great big beautiful tomorrow, and tomorrow is just a dream away..."

(Sorry, that tune is so catchy I couldn't resist the corny ending.)

Danielle's Disney Dining Recommendation: Looking for an inexpensive and entertaining lunch while you're at the Magic Kingdom? Take a trip over to Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe. The food is counter service and is reasonably priced - and doesn't taste badly either. For a bit of entertainment while you eat, go into the enclosed room for a taste of the musical stylings of resident lounge "singer" Sonny Eclipse.