Walt Disney Presents at Disney’s Hollywood Studios now has a Carousel of Progress display with the first up-close look at costumes and sets for the reimagined Magic Kingdom attraction. Walt Disney Imagineering added Father’s new costume for Act I, set in 1969, Mother’s costume for the distant-future Act IV, two 1:12 scale models of the new scenes and new concept art. Carousel of Progress closed July 6, 2026, and returns in late spring 2027 with Bryan Cranston and Jamie Lee Curtis voicing John and Sarah.
Just like the new Monstropolis display right next to it, these pieces debuted at D23 in August and are now in the park for everyone to see. You can find all of the Carousel of Progress news from the event in our D23 2026 Walt Disney World recap.
The best detail is on the new Time-Tested Fashion sign. It explains that Father’s 1969 look draws inspiration from his appearance in the Act IV finale of the original Progressland show at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. That finale was the “present day” when the show first opened, so the new opening act brings that 1960s look back where it started. The outfit is a mustard yellow cardigan over a white V-neck sweater with striped trim and a brown turtleneck, with brown check trousers and penny loafers. The mannequin even wears the mustache.
Mother’s future look is a big change. The sign says the Act IV costumes combine future-forward materials with classic silhouettes. Hers is a gold wrap dress stitched with a pattern that looks like circuit lines, with a turquoise high collar and cuffs, a woven metallic sash, cream pants with scalloped hems, blue suede boots and a silver bob. Each costume stands next to Imagineering’s original sketch.
The two 1:12 scale models show how the new scenes will look. The Act I kitchen has orange cabinets, a rounded white refrigerator, a stone wall and a terrazzo floor, with John on a bar stool and Rover lying nearby. The Act IV model is a sunken conversation pit with curved yellow sofas, a chess table and a rock fireplace, with Sarah seated in a red swivel chair. Above them are new concept art and a retro Tomorrowland poster that sums up the show as a trip from the good old days to the possible future.
The reimagined show moves every scene. As we reported in May, the acts are now set in the summer of 1969, Halloween night 1985 and New Year’s Eve 1999, with a finale in a home off-planet inspired by Disney Legend John Hench’s concept sketches. A new opening scene adds a Walt Disney Audio-Animatronics figure, developed in partnership with The Walt Disney Family Museum, and the Sherman Brothers’ “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” stays. The ride has been closed since July 6.
Leading the update is Chris Beatty, Portfolio Executive Creative Director at Walt Disney Imagineering. When Disney announced the new decades, Beatty said the goal was to keep the show relatable by featuring eras guests have a personal connection to. “Lots of our team grew up during these decades themselves, so it’s been a real trip down memory lane to revisit the music, fashion, technology and experiences that helped shape our history,” he said. You can see that in the new costumes at Walt Disney Presents. Beatty also called the show one that “was designed to celebrate change, not to stand still,” and said Imagineers now have “the great responsibility of keeping Walt’s ideas of innovation and forward-looking spirit alive.”
If you grew up with Carousel of Progress, stop by and look for the World’s Fair callback in Father’s costume. It shows Imagineering is paying attention to the history of this show while it changes almost everything else. The whole display only takes a few minutes, and pairing it with the Monstropolis display makes Walt Disney Presents worth a stop on your next Hollywood Studios visit.
