12 Days Left: Disney Reveals More About Its Plans To Replace Carousel of Progress
With less than two weeks remaining before Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress closes its doors for a major overhaul, two newly filed construction permits are pulling back the curtain on which companies will be building its replacement.
The Contractors Are Confirmed
On June 24, Walt Disney World Resort filed two Notices of Commencement for work at 1205 Monorail Way — the address of Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom Park. Both documents describe plans to “install set elements” at the attraction and carry one-year expiration dates that align with the 2027 completion window already announced for the reimagined experience.
The first permit names Icarus Exhibits as the contracted company — a firm with an extensive Disney résumé that includes TRON Lightcycle / Run, Toy Story Land, and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, among other theme park projects. The second brings in ThemeWorks, an artistic engineering company that has worked across the theme park industry and contributed specifically to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser at Walt Disney World Resort.
Earlier this month, a separate Notice of Commencement covered steel work at the same Monorail Way address, suggesting preparation for the overhaul is already well underway behind the scenes.
What the New Carousel of Progress Will Look Like
Walt Disney World Resort announced the overhaul earlier this year, describing it as the first significant reimagining of the beloved Tomorrowland show in decades. The updated Carousel of Progress will feature four brand-new scenes set in the 1960s, the 1980s, the New Millennium, and the future — a fresh take on the show’s signature format of following one family through the ages of American technological progress. A new introduction hosted by an audio-animatronic of Walt Disney will also be part of the reimagined experience.
The Final Days Are Here
Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress will close on July 6, 2026. Sunday, July 5, is the last day guests can experience the current version of an attraction that has been part of Magic Kingdom Park since opening day in 1971. The reimagined show is expected to reopen sometime in 2027.
What do you think about Walt Disney World Resort’s plans for Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress? Share your opinion with Disney Dining in the comments!
