There's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow Coming To The Carousel Of Progress

All images: Disney

The Carousel of Progress is one of the classic shows at Disney World. The attraction made its debut at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair. It was a passion project of Walt Disney's that included a rotating theater and a song written by the Sherman brothers. The show included four scenes: the early 1900s, the 1920s, 1940s, and a futuristic finale. 

It arrived in the Magic Kingdom in 1975, where it included a different song, "The Best Time Of Your Life". Over the years, the scenes have been updated and altered, especially the final scene which is a vision of the future. The last major update was in 1994, when the original song was restored, so Imagineers have decided it's time for a major refresh. But don't worry: John, Sarah, and the rest of the family won't be going anywhere, just experiencing a new timeline.

The show will close on July 6th and reopen sometime in 2027. An entirely new opening scene will be added, based on the 1964 TV special "Disneyland Goes to the World's Fair". It will include an Audio-Animatronic of Walt Disney himself. Imagineers have been recreating the room, filling it with props like a prototype Tiki Room bird and a doll from it's a small world.

Imagineers also plan to change the other scenes to reflect newer decades that guests may remember. 

• Act 1 1969 - The family is gathered around the TV to watch the moon landing.
• Act 2 1985 - It's Halloween and Sarah gets the chance to show off the new gadgets that make life easier while John hands out candy. Uncle Orville is still in the bathroom with "no privacy around here!"
• Act 3 1999 - The family is preparing for the new millennium on New Year's Eve and exploring that exciting new thing called the internet. Grandpa is already asleep and Grandma is watching wrestling. 
• Act 4 The Future - As always, this scene explores what the future may look like, with a robotic assistant and inspiration from the original sketches for the show.

It's going to be a long wait to experience this new version of the Carousel of Progress, but it sounds quite exciting. What new scene are you looking forward to most?

Din Djarin Quote

Lucasfilm

"The old protect the young, then the young protect the old. This is the way." 

- Din Djarin, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu

Buzz Lightyear To The Rescue

Andy's toys can be found throughout Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios. From Jessie and Rex on Slinky Dog Dash to this Buzz Lightyear near the Alien Swirling Saucers, there are familiar faces everywhere you look. 

Time To Return To The 90s

All images: Marvel

Marvel's X-Men '97 is returning for a second season. Season One of this continuation of X-Men: The Animated Series arrived on DisneyPlus in 2024, so we've had a bit of a wait to see where they go next. And in true X-Men fashion, the answer is: time travel.

Here's the official synopsis from Marvel: 

X-Men ’97 Season 2 continues with the heroic mutant team of X-Men, divided and thrown across different eras in time as they struggle to navigate their return home. Meanwhile, back in the 1990s, suspicious foes and new strains of mutant intolerance are on the rise in the wake of the X-Men’s absence. 

The second season of the original animated series features 9 episodes, and the voice cast includes Ross Marquand as Professor X, Matthew Waterson as Magneto, Ray Chase as Cyclops, Jennifer Hale as Jean Grey, Alison Sealy-Smith as Storm, Cal Dodd as Wolverine, Lenore Zann as Rogue, and George Buza as Beast.

Season 2 of X-Men '97 arrives on DisneyPlus on July 1st.

"Dream A Little Dream Of Me" - Spider-Noir

Marvel

Have you watched Spider-Noir yet? The series was released on Amazon Prime Video yesterday. So far, I've watched the first 4 episodes and I am loving it. It's so delightfully dark and retro, like an old gumshoe movie. And the music is pretty fantastic, too.

All 8 episodes of Marvel's Spider-Noir are available now on Amazon Prime Video.

Toy Story 5 Final Trailer & Posters

All images: Pixar

The final trailer for Toy Story 5 has arrived and the story is beginning to appear. Woody has returned to help Jessie and the other toys find their place in a world filled with electronic tablets.

Here's the official synopsis from Pixar: 

The toys are back in Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5,” and this time it’s Toy meets Tech. Buzz, Woody, Jessie and the rest of the gang's jobs are challenged when they're introduced to what kids are obsessed with today....electronics!

In the IMAX poster, the toys are fighting back against the electronic toys.

The 4DX poster features Jessie lassoing Bonnie's new tablet while the other toys look on.

The RealD 3D poster shows the tablet at the center of all the toys attention.

The Fandango poster has a very retro feel.

Toy Story 5 arrives in theaters on June 19th.

Rizzo's Totally Authorized Tour

Disney

Rizzo the Rat is back to give us his own version of a tour of the newly reimagined Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets (with a little help from Robin and Yolanda.) As you'd expect from Rizzo, there's something a little bit off about his "Totally Authorized Tour", but it's still quite fun.

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets is now open in Hollywood Studios at Disney World.