Spaceship Earth in Disney World is such an interesting ride. It's a journey through the history of human communication inside EPCOT's geosphere. My favorite section is the Renaissance. It's filled with painters, sculptors, and sleeping monks. This artist is painting a still life of fruit, wine, and cheese.
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?
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.
The newly reimagined Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets is ready to rock. The queue, and ride, are filled with Easter Eggs from past Muppet movies, TV shows, and of course, Muppet Vision 3D. Join the Imagineers for a sneak peek of these Muppety touches while we wait for the ride to open next week.
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets blasts off on May 26th.
It's nearly time to experience the Muppet takeover of Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios. The fun begins in the courtyard where there are Muppety touches everywhere you look. There's even a new spot for munchies: FØØD by Swedish Chef. The menu includes returning favorites alongside a few Muppet-inspired dishes.
Wocka Wocking Nachos - corn chips with queso blanco, tomatoes and just the right amount of guacamole
Churro Drumstick - twisted churro tossed in mixed berry sugar and topped with raspberry sauce and assorted sprinkles
Mayhem Soft-Serve Float - Frozen Fanta Blue Raspberry with vanilla soft-serve topped with pink cotton candy
Pink Le-moi-nade - Minute Maid Premium Lemonade with guava and a sprinkle of pink shimmer
Pond Water Limeade - inspired by Kermit the Frog himself, it brings together Minute Maid Premium Limeade, green apple, and fruit juice-filled pearls
Frozen Blue Raspberry (Also available with Bacardi Superior Rum or Tito’s Handmade Vodka)
After you make your way through the Muppet-filled queue, you'll arrive at the recording studio where the Electric Mayhem are rocking out while Scooter is trying to get them to the concert on time. You'll board a Lengthy Immediate Motion Object (L.I.M.O.) created by Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker and race across town to the sounds of the Electric Mayhem and a few of their friends.
Song 2 – The Electric Mayhem
Born To Be Wild – The Electric Mayhem ft. Camilla the Chicken
Love Rollercoaster – The Electric Mayhem ft. Jennifer Hudson & Questlove
Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop) – The Electric Mayhem ft. Def Leppard
Walking on Sunshine – The Electric Mayhem ft. Kelly Clarkson
And maybe a few mystery bonus tracks
Of course, Statler and Waldorf will be on hand to do what they do best: heckle.
The attraction photos have fun new frames featuring various Muppets. They will be available in the new Rock Around the Shop along with lots of fun Muppety merchandise.
There will be lots of Muppet T-shirtsT-shirts for those who want a bit more Muppets in every day. A Muppet water bottle features a bright, bold design.
RSVLTS has designed a fun new button down shirt with a zany print. And there's a simple ball cap, too.
For Loungefly collectors, a guitar bag will soon be headed to the shop. Featuring several Muppets on the strap, its the perfect rockstar accessory.
An awesome set of six stickers is great for decorating laptops, water bottles, or wherever you need a little more Muppet mania. The set features Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzy Bear, Statler and Waldorf, Animal playing the drums and a Rockin’ Muppets license plate.
Of course, there will be pins to collect, and a few fun magnets. Muppet drumsticks are a great souvenir for rocking to the beat wherever you go. A cool postcard and other knick-knacks will also be available.
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets is ready to rock on May 26th.
Join Imagineers for a trip through the newly refreshed Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Imagineers added new lighting and audio, refurbished over 20 figures in the town of Tumbleweed, and added new track and passenger trains for a smoother ride. Are you ready for the "Wildest Ride in the Wilderness"?
The Muppets are taking over Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios. And with that, we get a whole new look and story. In the Courtyard, the guitar is getting a psychedelic new paint job and the piano at the base will feature a gold key in honor of Dr. Teeth.
Throughout the queue in G-Force Records, you'll discover awesome posters featuring the members of that famous Muppet Band: The Electric Mayhem.
And you never know what celebrity cameo you may find hidden anywhere from the queue to the merch shop. Celebrities include:
Awkwafina
Danny Trejo
Darren Criss
John Stamos
Neil Patrick Harris
Travis Barker
Yvette Nicole Brown
Wayne Brady
“Weird Al” Yankovic
Once you reach the recording studio, you'll see the Electric Mayhem jamming out the familiar sounds of Can You Picture That?
Scooter, with the help of a host of penguin audio engineers, is trying to get the band to stop rehearsing and head to their concert across town.
And Muppet Labs has developed a new super-powered vehicle to get you there: a Lengthy Immediate Motion Object (L.I.M.O.).
The Electric Mayhem teamed up with a few famous names for the set list. And, of course, they've been working on a few bonus tracks, too.
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets blasts off from zero to sixty on May 26th.
Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, located in the France Pavilion in EPCOT, has a delightful queue filled with nods to everyone's favorite little chef. There are rats, cheese, and wine in the designs of the wallpaper. As you walk over the rooftops of Paris, you'll see a sign for Gusteau's. If you're lucky, the sign will come to life and Gusteau will welcome you to Paris with a message about Remy's cooking.
Soarin' is getting another update next year. For a limited time, in both Disneyland and Disney World, it will become Soarin' Across America in honor of our 250th birthday. Imagineers are currently working hard to capture more than 12 new locations from sea to shining sea. And, of course, everyone's favorite chief flight attendant will be returning for this new version.
The Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney'sAnimal Kingdom are one of the best ways to see big animals in the park. The giraffes are often around during a safari ride and it's fun to see them up close.
One of the most iconic songs in the Disney Parks is "it's a small world". The song, written by Richard and Robert Sherman, made it's debut in 1964 at the New York World's Fair. Shortly before his passing, Richard wrote one final verse:
Mother earth unites us in heart and mind
And the love we give makes us humankind
Through our vast wondrous land
When we stand hand in hand
It’s a small world after all.
This new verse will be added to the finale scene of the ride at both Disneyland and Disney World beginning tomorrow, July 17th.
I really enjoy the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Hollywood Studios. It's so fun to fly the Millennium Falcon on a dangerous mission to liberate coaxium from the First Order. The smuggling operations are run by a rather familiar face from the Star Wars animated series, Hondo Ohnaka.
Hondo first appeared, causing more than a bit of trouble for Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano, in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. After a few episodes, the Weequay pirate really starts to grow on you, so when he popped up again in Star Wars Rebels, it was unexpectedly delightful. After many disreputable adventures, he opened Ohnaka Transport Solutions in Black Spire Outpost on Batuu, "borrowing" the Millennium Falcon for a smuggling run or two.
The We Call It Imagineeringseries on YouTube is so fascinating. The latest behind-the-scenes video is about how imagineers create the ride vehicles that make each ride experience spectacular. From the vehicles of Main Street and Autopia to Stark's Flight Lab and the Monsters, Inc door coaster, it's amazing how much thought and design goes into every ride. This episode also includes an interview with Disney Legend and original Imagineer, Bob Gurr.
Pandora: The World of Avatar in Animal Kingdom is still one of my favorite lands in any Disney World park. There is so much to see, it's like being in another world. The queue for Flight of Passage is so detailed, especially the lab scene, which includes a life-size avatar still in the tank.
Walking towards Remy's Ratatouille Adventure in the France Pavilion at EPCOT is rather magical. It truly feels like you're stepping into a street in Paris. And the rats and champagne fountain is an unexpected delight.
Can you believe Space Mountain turns 50 today? In the 1960s, Walt Disney wanted to build a roller coaster that simulated a ride through space in Disneyland. Unfortunately, the computer technology wasn't quite there yet, but when the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, there was more than enough space for a new ride called Space Voyage. Imagineers were inspired by the Matterhorn ride to create a fully enclosed, fully immersive, galactic-themed roller coaster renamed Space Mountain.
Riding Space Mountain became a rite of passage for young Disney fans. With a height requirement of 44", it was something to strive for on a trip to Disney World. It was definitely a ride the kiddo looked forward to experiencing.
Space Mountain has popped up (with a few variations) at Disney Parks around the world since it first opened in the Magic Kingdom in 1975. It opened in Disneyland in 1977 and is now home of the Season of the Force, a Star Wars overlay, from March to May. Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland are both home to Hyperspace Mountain, and Star Wars-themed adventure through the galaxy that is actually quite fun. And a new version of Space Mountain is scheduled to open at Tokyo Disneyland in 2027.
While the classic ride with its particular soundtrack will always be fun, at Disney World there are a few seasonal variations that are only available during parties. At Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, it becomes Deep Space Mountain, and you ride in complete darkness to a Halloween soundtrack. It is unexpectedly exciting because you can't see where the track is going next! At Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, it becomes Space Mountain Holiday Run, with a soundtrack of Christmas music and Christmas colored lights as well. I've also ridden once with all the lights on, and I'm honestly not sure which is more thrilling, all the lights on or all the lights off. Whichever version you ride, Space Mountain is a real blast!
For many years, the Sherman Brothers were the creative force behind the songs in Disneymovies and Parks. From "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" in Mary Poppinsand "The Age of Not Believing" in Bedknobs and Broomsticks, to two of my favorite earworms from the Parks, "The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room" and "There's a Great, Big, Beautiful Tomorrow", the brothers wrote many of Disney songs we all know and love. Shortly before he passed away in May of this year, Richard Sherman added one final verse to their most recognized song, "It's a Small World."
The Last Verse and The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story are available now on DisneyPlus.
