Credit: Brett Kiger / FlickrIf you are a fan of Carousel of Progress, today is a good day for you!
The busses that pick up and drop off at Magic Kingdom have reportedly changed their messaging to a classic Carousel of Progress tune.
One of the best things about staying on property when you visit Walt Disney World is that you have access to Disney transportation. This means that guests do not have to spend extra money on renting a car when they visit, as they can get anywhere on property thanks to Disney’s complimentary transportation.
When guests visit, they have the option to take a boat, ferry, the Disney Skyliner, monorail, or the Disney bus system while moving around property. Depending on where your hotel is located, different options may make more or less sense. For example, if you are staying at Disney’s Polynesian Village and Resort, you will likely take the monorail to Magic Kingdom, but if you were staying at Disney’s Pop Century Resort, the bus would be your fastest option.
On the side of the Disney busses, guests are able to see where the bus is headed, which is useful for guests who are either going to a theme park and waiting at the bus stop, or for those who are heading back to their hotel. On that same digital signage, Disney often shares a message or greeting for guests.
Disney expert and fan Belle (@FiBelleFi) has been reporting on a plethora of changes at the parks as of late, including that the Magic Kingdom bus message has changed to “Now is the Best Time of Our Lives”.
The MK bus message has changed to
🎶 Now is the Best Time of our Lives! 🎶
Love this throwback to the 1993 Carousel of Progress!
I only noticed this a week ago and see that it’s consistent across all MK buses (as it’s controlled centrally).
The MK bus message has changed to
🎶 Now is the Best Time of our Lives! 🎶
Love this throwback to the 1993 Carousel of Progress!
I only noticed this a week ago and see that it’s consistent across all MK buses (as it’s controlled centrally). pic.twitter.com/X4MWgkj1e7
— Belle (@FiBelleFi) February 12, 2024
The Carousel of Progress, originally created for the 1964 New York World’s Fair by Walt Disney, has undergone several updates over the years. The 1993 version retained the classic format of the attraction while incorporating modern technologies and themes.
One of the notable additions to this iteration was the inclusion of a new theme song titled “Now is the Best Time of Our Lives.” This song, composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, captures the essence of the attraction’s message about progress and optimism through the ages. It serves as a fitting soundtrack to the ride’s journey through different time periods, showcasing the advancements and innovations that have shaped the lives of ordinary families.
Now, “There’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” is the classic Carousel of Progress song that fans associate with the attraction, so it is fun to see Disney dig a little deeper into their archives when it comes to this message, giving some fans who have been following the park’s history a nod to the past.
At the moment, guests are able to ride the current Carousel of Progress in Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland (or if we are talking back in the days of the World’s Fair, Progressland), where John Progress, as well as Sarah, Patricia, James, Uncle Orville, Oscar (grandpa), and Sarah (grandma), share the technological advancements as they approach the turn of the century. The ride has remained a classic for decades and continues to be a rare relic of Disney history that Walt originally had his hand in.
Over the years, the ride has started to see more and more technical challenges when it comes to the animatronics, as we have seen body parts fall off mid-performance or sections of the ride cease operations. So far, Disney has always been able to fix any issues with the ride, leaving it operational shortly after any breakdown.
Do you think that Disney needs to update the Carousel of Progress?