Overview
- The Carousel of Progress closed in July and construction is underway inside the Magic Kingdom pavilion with permits and contractors on record and a target to reopen in 2027.
- Walt Disney Imagineering has confirmed a systems-level overhaul that will add new era-themed scenes, an out‑of‑this‑world future sequence, upgraded show systems, and an Audio‑Animatronic figure of Walt Disney.
- Disney executives described the project as guided by guest research and operational data, noting the company spends hundreds of millions annually on parks upkeep and deploys more than 4,000 Cast Members for maintenance and reinvestment.
- The company says it will limit guest disruption through phased work and sightline controls, and teams have used tools such as a PhotoPass AI model to remove construction cranes from morning photos.
- A vocal segment of longtime fans has expressed skepticism that data-driven updates will erode original charm, and observers say the depth of this overhaul may set a template for modernizing other long-running attractions such as Journey Into Imagination with Figment.