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Credit: DisneyDid you know that Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress and The Haunted Mansion share an animatronic? During a recent dive into the history of the Tomorrowland attraction, a Disney Parks influencer shared this and other secrets about the rotating theatrical ride.
TikToker @themouselets recently shared this video about Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. The ride was originally built for the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair and later moved to Disneyland Park before finding its home at Magic Kingdom Park.
@themouselets after 10+ days of traveling today i had to pick a topic all about the home – Monsanto House of the Future you are next! #disneyhistory #disneysecrets #disneyworld #disneyfactmas
“While some may call the Carousel of Progress a ‘boring’ attraction, it’s actually hiding more secrets than almost any Disney attraction,” the TikToker began.
Many astute Disney Parks fans have noticed that the rotating theater’s first scene, which introduces guests to the Progress family, features a character never seen again. John Progress, his wife, their son, and their teenage daughter reappear in the remaining scenes, but one little girl with braids never shows up again.
“No one really knows who she is,” the TikToker explained.
But this scene also hides another secret.
If you think this grandma looks familiar, it’s because this exact character is used as an animatronic on The Haunted Mansion,” the Disney Parks fan said.
The next Carousel of Progress scene holds remnants of a former attraction sponsor, General Electric.
“When you see this vacuum turn around, you can see that it says ‘GE’ on it,” the TikToker continued.
The third scene does, too–several kitchen appliances retain the General Electric branding.
“A funny story is that General Electric didn’t like the song ‘There’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow’ because they wanted people to buy their products today,” the TikToker said. “They requested that iconic song be changed.”
In 1974, the Sherman Brothers’ “The Best Time of Your Life” replaced “There’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” at General Electric’s request. Even after the sponsorship ended in 1985, the new song remained on the ride until its overhaul in 1993.
The final Carousel of Progress scene takes place decades beyond its predecessors. Originally set to represent the future, it now harkens back to what people thought the future could look like around the end of the 20th century.
The scene features several Hidden Mickeys: a painting over the dining table, a nutcracker on the fireplace, and a present under the tree. It also has a tribute to Marty Sklar, former head of Walt Disney Imagineering.
“This note on the wall represents an Imagineer who helped with the attraction,” the Disney Parks fan explained.
Some guests view the Carousel of Progress as a place to nap or enjoy the air conditioning, but it remains one of the most historic parts of Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort.
“This attraction is so underappreciated, but for those of us who love it, we know how special it is,” the TikToker concluded.
What’s your favorite part of Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress? Share it with Inside the Magic in the comments.