The Sarsaparilla Times #1: The Carousel of Progress is the Epitome of Magic and Wonder

My lumbago is acting up!

I have lost count of the number of times I have quoted that line from Carousel of Progress — and I am certain my wife would love to hear the end of it. To me, the Carousel of Progress is the best attraction at Walt Disney World. Yes, TRON is incredible and Big Thunder Mountain is a fun-filled wild ride through the wilderness, but Carousel of Progress is an attraction that has ingrained itself in my psyche, and I plan to explain to everyone why this part of Magic Kingdom matters so much. On Carousel of Progress, guests hear the main character John talk about how he is going to venture down to the drugstore soda fountain on a newfangled trolley to have a cold sarsaparilla with the boys. I couldn’t think of a better title for this new series than to pay homage to my favorite attraction by christening this new series ‘The Sarsaparilla Times.’

Carousel of Progress is an old attraction, and one of the few that still exist from the 1964-65 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows, New York. Walt Disney himself can be seen in the preshow video sitting with the Sherman Brothers as they play the legendary and infectious tune ‘There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow’. From the idea of progress, the lyrical tune, and the new Audio-Animatronic technology that was created to make this attraction a success, Carousel of Progress is an attraction that has Walt Disney’s fingerprints all over it.

The fact that this was developed for the World’s Fair, moved to Disneyland, and then relocated to Walt Disney World speaks of the importance of the attraction, the connection to the wizard who started it all, and the value of attractions that are not solely connected to a billion-dollar movie property.

Carousel of Progress is the story of one family seen through different decades. We meet John, the father, Sarah the mother, Patricia the older daughter, and Jimmy the younger son. The cast also includes the grandparents, Uncle Orville, Rover the dog, and offstage characters we never see, including the neighbors Henry and his wife and Schwartz driving by in his new hupmobile.

Entering the circular building, guests sit down and stay seated as the theater rotates around from the introduction to the four scenes of progress stretching from the start of the twentieth century, to the late 1940s, and finally to the family of the 21st Century. The first three scenes are timeless and chronicle the marvel of invention, innovation, and the adventurous spirit of the 20th century.

Guests watch as snap on electricity changes the way of life for the family, how appliances go from holding ice to keeping the food cold in the ice box, to the marvel of a dishwasher. We hear about a young pilot named Charles Lindeberg and his plan to fly across the ocean solo, and of the rat race and the ‘joy’ of commuting. The final scene shows how the world has evolved and the possibility of the future. Grandma and Jimmy may enjoy a virtual reality space pilot game, but houseguests will still overstay their welcome and no matter how great the technology is it’s still possible to burn the Christmas turkey.

Though it’s a theme park attraction, Carousel of Progress is a time machine that allows viewers to look at life in the past. There are ample amounts of humor, from grandma switching off the band concert on television to the wrestling match, the rumpus room disaster that poor Sarah must clean up on her own, and the never-ending houseguest, Uncle Orville, and his air coolant system in the bathtub. This is a genuinely timeless story of humor and progress that reminds the viewers of all that has been accomplished. Most guests of the show don’t care about how long it takes to travel from New York to Los Angeles by train, but this benchmark through the decades shows the change in travel, and how what seemed like a faraway journey is shortened to something that is common, in just a few years.

This notion of the possible is the secret ingredient to the success of Carousel of Progress. From the moment one sits down at the introduction to the exit, guests are taught the chronicle of the twentieth century that highlights what seemed ridiculous, to what became the standard.

Walt Disney always believed in challenging the status quo. He never rested on his laurels, and throughout most of his career, his drive to push the boundaries of what was possible would often imperil the financial stability of his company. When Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was a smash hit at the movie theatres, he spent the profits on the Burbank studio. When he wanted to build a theme park, and the bankers said no to financing it, he turned to television for help and got it.

While other theme park attractions offer thrills and chills, Carousel of Progress challenges guests to dream big, and to say why not to do the impossible. I love TRON, but I don’t get that feeling after a lightcycle run. This is the heart of everything that Walt Disney did.

Lands change, paint peels, and food prices go up, but in the rush for the next exciting attraction, theme parks survive for decades because of innovation in storytelling, like Carousel of Progress. Where else can one go, look back at the past, and dream of the future, while also being entertained for twenty minutes? Nowhere, except for this one corner of Tomorrowland in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

The Carousel of Progress not only beautifully chronicles the story of a family who grows and changes as life improves, it serves as a reminder that theme park attractions don’t always need to be IP connected, nor do they need to scare the living daylights out of you to be memorable.

Some might find the script a little corny, and yes, the audio animatronics are old, and the final scene could be updated for a more futuristic outlook that moves beyond the present, but Carousel of Progress is a staple of what Walt Disney wanted in his theme parks. It’s a reminder to everyone that dreams can come true, tomorrow is always a brighter day, and with enough gumption and spirit anything is possible.

I will never miss a chance to sit through the Carousel of Progress because I am sentimental, and I like to be reminded of how far the world has come and I will never miss the opportunity to be reminded how hopeful the future can be.

Carousel Fun Facts: