Carousel of Progress Too Progressive? Viral Report of a New “Woke” Scene Enrages Disney Fans

As new generations flood Walt Disney World, Imagineers are adapting attractions to an evolving culture. The modernized Ariel from the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid debuted at the Parks, the fastest roller coaster, TRON Lightcycle / Run, launched Guests into the grid in April, and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is making its mark on the Park maps.

While it would be hard to imagine a world where Disney never updated its attractions, it’s difficult to see changes made to nostalgic favorites. Disney fans have been mourning the closure of Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World since January, and Guests flocked to Disneyland to ride the last Splash Mountain log flume on May 31.

Guests hold the quintessential Disney rides close to their hearts, especially when they can share them with younger generations of family members who experience them for the first time. While boarding a Lightcycle is bound to attract more teens and kiddos, a carousel through the American experience still holds the attention of Disney fans of all ages.

A “Woke” Scene Causes a Scene

An air-conditioned peek into the theme parks of yesterday, the Carousel of Progress opened to Disney Guests in 1975. Based on the attraction Walt Disney designed for the 1964 World’s Fair, the audio-animatronics show was a smash hit with its revolutionary rotating theater.

Taking Guests on a journey through technological advancements throughout the 20th century, Carousel of Progress tells America’s story through the eyes of one family. Encompassing nostalgic Disney with its classic song “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” by the Academy Award-winning Sherman Brothers, some have wondered if the iconic attraction would get an update to reflect its Tomorrowland neighbors.

In a viral report by the satire site Mouse Trap News that landed during a divided time for Disney, Carousel of Progress was said to get some controversial updates. With sarcasm at the helm, the site reported a “woke” Christmas-themed scene would include celebrations of Hanukkah and Kwanza to represent more cultures.

The satirical article also noted that the daughter of John and Sarah, Patricia, will become the first-ever transgender animatronic and an all-new African American animatronic will be incorporated into the ride. Presented as a legitimate report, the comments were flooded with enraged Disney fans. However, nothing about the news report was accurate from the start.

Please note that the scene hypothesized by Mouse Trap News is not happening at Disney, and Disney Parks have no plans of making “woke” updates to the Carousel of Progress. However, the heated response to the satirical proposal sends the message that Disney shouldn’t make any progress on Carousel of Progress updates soon.