“There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow…” and now, a brand-new chapter is coming to one of Disney’s most beloved attractions.

Disney has officially announced a major reimagining of Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress at Magic Kingdom Park in Walt Disney World, bringing extensive updates to the classic Tomorrowland attraction for the first time since 1994.

The iconic rotating theatre attraction, originally created by Walt Disney for the 1964–65 New York World’s Fair, will temporarily close beginning July 6, 2026, ahead of a planned reopening in 2027.

A New Era for a Disney Classic

As part of the overhaul, Disney Imagineering will introduce an all-new opening scene featuring an Audio-Animatronics figure of Walt Disney himself. The new sequence is inspired by Walt’s 1964 television special, Disneyland Goes to the World’s Fair, where he originally introduced the concept of Carousel of Progress to audiences.

Disney has confirmed that the attraction’s beloved Sherman Brothers anthem, “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow,” will remain part of the experience.

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Completely Refreshed Storyline

The updated attraction will continue following John, Sarah, and their family through different eras of technological advancement, but with an entirely refreshed timeline and new scenes.

The four acts of the updated Carousel of Progress will include:

• Act 1 – The 1960s
  Featuring the family gathering to watch the historic Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969.
• Act 2 – The 1980s
  Exploring the rise of household technology and modern conveniences during the decade.
• Act 3 – The New Millennium
  Set during a New Year’s Eve celebration in 1999, highlighting the early internet era and changing technology.
• Act 4 – The Possible Future
  A brand-new finale inspired by original Walt Disney Imagineering concept art, showcasing an optimistic vision of the future.

Disney Imagineers have also stated they are carefully preserving the attraction’s nostalgic identity while modernising the experience for new generations.

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A Historic Disney Attraction

Carousel of Progress remains one of the most historically significant attractions at Walt Disney World. It is the longest-running stage show in American theatre history and one of the few attractions personally worked on by Walt Disney himself.

The attraction first debuted as “Progressland” at the 1964 New York World’s Fair before later moving to Disneyland in 1967. It eventually opened at Magic Kingdom in 1975, where it has remained a fan-favourite attraction in Tomorrowland ever since.

The upcoming refurbishment represents the attraction’s most ambitious transformation in decades, blending nostalgia, Disney history, and a refreshed vision of the future for a new generation of guests.