Overview
- Disney confirmed the Carousel of Progress will close on July 6, 2026 for a multi-act refresh that adds a life-sized Walt Audio‑Animatronic and four all-new show scenes and is expected to reopen in 2027.
- A recently filed Notice of Commencement lists Southeastern Construction & Maintenance, Inc. as the contractor and describes the work as 'general construction,' a broad designation that does not limit the project to cosmetic scene changes.
- Southeastern advertises structural steel fabrication, industrial construction, and large-scale equipment work and previously fabricated components for NASA’s Artemis 1 Mobile Launch Platform, credentials reporters say point to the capacity for heavy structural work.
- The permit was signed April 28 and runs through April 28, 2027, which matches Disney’s 2027 target but could constrain the schedule unless Disney files extensions or additional permits.
- If the work includes structural or rotating‑theater upgrades, guests could face longer access disruptions and Imagineering may use the closure to modernize building systems and safety components rather than only replace scenes.