Imagineering is seemingly within the house stretch on one eagerly-awaited challenge in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom, with one other slated for a future date to be decided. Nevertheless, two new Walt Disney World development permits counsel the previous, Buzz Lightyear’s Area Ranger Spin, may final lots longer than anticipated and the latter, Carousel of Progress, may start quickly, stealthily. Right here’s the most recent.
For starters, it looks as if each of those initiatives are occurring as a part of a quiet, phased Tomorrowland reimagining. We’ve been discussing the necessity for a stylistic and substantive overhaul for some time, and the Tomorrowland downside is well-documented. There’s a purpose why our checklist of the Prime 10 Experience Reimaginings Wanted at Walt Disney World is dominated by Tomorrowland sights.
After we first mentioned this chance of an overhaul, it appeared that Imagineering was teeing up a metamorphosis of Tomorrowland as a part of the 10-year plan within the early 2030s as soon as the present 5-year plan involving Vehicles and Villains Land is completed. It appeared possible that these and different initiatives would facilitate a Tomorrowland overhaul, liberating up the parcels at present occupied by Monsters, Inc. Chortle Ground and Tomorrowland Speedway.
Now it’s trying more and more seemingly that Imagineering takes a piecemeal method, and can begin to reimagine Tomorrowland earlier than then, with smaller-scale off-year initiatives undertaken to offer company a purpose to go to between now and the 2030s when the Magic Kingdom growth is lastly completed.
It’s a bit untimely to say that is already taking place, however with the aesthetic refresh carried out pre-COVID coupled with the debut of TRON Lightcycle Run and the reimaginings and enhancements to Buzz Lightyear’s Area Ranger Spin and Carousel of Progress, it positive looks as if it’s. Anyway, right here’s a rundown of the brand new permits filed for every…
Let’s begin with the adjustments to Carousel of Progress. In case you missed it, Walt Disney World introduced the next again eventually 12 months’s Vacation spot D23:
Earlier than you observe an American household (and Rover!) over 4 generations of progress as expertise transforms their lives and paves the best way for once-unimaginable improvements, you’ll be capable of catch a brand-new introductory scene and listen to from the legendary man who by no means stood in the best way of progress — Walt Disney.
There are nonetheless loads of extra particulars to be revealed, together with what John, Sarah, and the remainder of the household are as much as. Disney Imagineers love this attraction and the center of it can keep the identical whereas introducing the Carousel of Progress to a completely new technology of followers, displaying them that a terrific large, lovely tomorrow is only a dream away.
It’s been radio silence since then. The Carousel of Progress challenge was a conspicuous omission from Walt Disney World’s 2026 calendar, which listed virtually every part else taking place within the 12 months to come back.
This led some to take a position that the Carousel of Progress reimagining was additional into the long run than thought. That Imagineering wanted extra time to high-quality tune the look of the Walt Disney Audio Animatronics likeness, particulars hadn’t been sorted out in regards to the different enhancements, and so on.
Principally, that the reveal had been made early so as to announce the challenge in entrance of the hometown Florida crowd as an alternative of at D23 Expo, but it surely was truly a 2027 challenge. This wouldn’t have been surprising, as the identical factor occurred with the a number of initiatives from the final Vacation spot D23 slate. The distinction was that Imagineering was simply beginning to ramp up again then, whereas they’ve kicked into excessive gear now.
For the document, all the above have crossed my thoughts. The “some” followers who’re speculating consists of me. However it additionally included me when there was no replace on the Cinderella Fort repainting in that very same calendar, after which that challenge began within the first month of 2026. It’s additionally completely potential that Disney merely wasn’t able to share updates on sure initiatives due to the questions they’d increase (that Disney can’t or couldn’t reply on the time).
Anyway, on with the allow…
Walt Disney Imagineering filed a Discover of Graduation in early February 2026, tapping Grunau Fireplace Safety to put in FA/FP techniques. For essentially the most half, it’s a reasonably mundane and routine allow.
For many who are unfamiliar with “FA/FP” techniques, I’ve carried out the onerous work of Googling it for you/me. This refers to Fireplace Alarm (FA) and Fireplace Safety (FP) techniques; these detect, notify, and suppress fires. The techniques embody parts like smoke detection, management panels, audible notifications to make sure speedy response to threatening situations, and suppression strategies like sprinkler or foam techniques. Roughly precisely what you’d anticipate.
There’s nothing notably nothing in regards to the allow past it being filed by Walt Disney Imagineering. That means this can be a bundle allow as a part of a inventive challenge, versus a routine refurbishment, which might be dealt with by WDW’s in-house Facility Asset Administration (FAM).
It’s potential that the Carousel of Progress challenge goes to quietly get underway, with the crew laying the groundwork after hours whereas the attraction remains to be operational. We noticed exactly this occur with Buzz Lightyear’s Area Ranger Spin final 12 months, permitting that attraction to remain on-line for a couple of months longer.
I’m skeptical Walt Disney World would take the identical method with Carousel of Progress. Whereas it has a wholesome hourly capability and is sweet counterprogramming, it’s not wanted to the identical extent as Buzz. There’s additionally the sensible actuality that each that and Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad will reopen quickly, relieving a whole lot of the stress on park capability. It’ll make sense to take Carousel of Progress offline.
It appears extra seemingly that this challenge goes to observe the identical trajectory because the Cinderella Fort repainting, with no particulars on the 2026 calendar as a result of they weren’t prepared but, after which a extra sudden replace and closure in faster succession. Carousel of Progress is a ‘decrease stakes’ attraction, and because it’s being enhanced versus changed or reimagined, there’s no have to let followers say goodbye.
The opposite curious new allow filed for Tomorrowland issues the aforementioned Buzz Lightyear’s Area Ranger Spin, a challenge that we’d in any other case anticipate to wrap up within the subsequent two months, as Walt Disney World already introduced a Spring 2026 reopening.
This new Discover of Graduation allow was additionally filed in early February, however this one was by Walt Disney World’s FAM division. Provided that an Imagineering-helmed challenge suggests inventive and substantive adjustments, FAM is the alternative: extra routine upkeep to increase the lifetime of an asset. More often than not, FAM permits are pretty inconsequential.
The allow is assigned to the Jon Richards Firm, with the obscure scope of labor as “normal development.” This contractor is a typical collaborator with Walt Disney World, engaged on a laundry checklist of current reimaginings. Nothing right here is especially noteworthy.
What’s notable is the expiration date: April 2, 2027.
Usually, permits depart the expiration discipline clean and default to a 1-year expiration. Which might imply that this one would’ve expired on February 2, 2027. If that occurred right here, we wouldn’t have even reported on it–the default expiration wouldn’t imply the challenge had been delayed till February 2027; simply that nobody bothered to sort in a unique expiration. That’s the norm.
Accordingly, expiration dates are normally solely added for initiatives which might be of an extended period. There’s been lots we’ve surmised in regards to the Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad challenge, for instance, by advantage of its expiration dates. To this point, these haven’t steered us fallacious–even those on permits from 16+ months in the past.
The easy conclusion is that the challenge goes to proceed for roughly a 12 months after Buzz Lightyear’s Area Ranger Spin reopens. That the challenge is being fast-tracked to get the capability on-line (hopefully) in time for Spring Break, however lingering non-creative work will stay. Maybe queue updates? Your guess is pretty much as good as mine. I haven’t the slightest thought.
One other chance that’ll cross the thoughts of some followers is that the reopening has been delayed. This one didn’t cross my thoughts, and I’m solely together with it right here to debunk it. There’s virtually no manner this has been delayed by a 12 months. Nothing within the scope of labor even means that’s a chance. There must be a catastrophic downside found with the journey system or constructing. I extremely, extremely doubt that is the case.
A closing chance is that somebody meant to sort in an expiration of April 2, 2026 for no matter purpose, indicating it’d solely take a pair months. This ‘above and past’ step isn’t mandatory given the default expiration, but it surely does occur typically. As do typos. This weblog is proof of that. I discover myself nonetheless typing “2025” with regularity, to the purpose that it’s high of thoughts whereas proofreading. A typo of 2027 versus 2026? The filer of that allow should be residing sooner or later.
In the end, two Tomorrowland permits that will usually be pretty unremarkable are curious for their very own totally different causes. If Carousel of Progress is beginning quickly, we’d anticipate an announcement within the coming weeks with Walt Disney World pulling again the curtain and sharing extra idea artwork and particulars. As for Buzz, we received’t know what’s up with that till work continues into 2027…or doesn’t.
Greater image, our hope and expectation stays that the piecemeal Tomorrowland challenge continues and is expanded upon within the subsequent couple of years. There ought to be a Nice Massive Stunning Tomorrow for this land, and hopefully we received’t have to attend for Monstropolis and Piston Peak debut earlier than Imagineering will get right down to enterprise on the extra bold phases of the overhaul. We’ll maintain you posted!
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Your Ideas
What do you concentrate on Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom? Suppose the land can be overhauled given the long run redundancy of Tomorrowland Speedway and Monsters Chortle Ground? Suppose we may get a ‘Tomorrowland Trifecta’ in 2026 with Area Mountain and Sew’s Nice Escape becoming a member of the Carousel of Progress reimagining? Do you agree or disagree with my evaluation? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
