The Walt Disney World Resort is updating its iconic Carousel of Progress attraction, adding a Walt Disney animatronic and updating the rest of the show.
The attraction will close starting July 6 and is expected to reopen in 2027.
The Carousel of Progress originally debuted during the 1964-1965 World's Fair in New York with its innovative rotating theater system and the song "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow," written by Disney legends Robert and Richard Sherman.
It follows an American family through the years, chronicling technological advances over the years.
The show moved to Disneyland in 1967, then Walt Disney World in 1975, where it continues its run in Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland. It's received periodic updates over the years, most recently in 1994, and has the designation of the country's longest-running stage show.
With the planned update to the attraction, Walt Disney Imagineers will add an animatronic Walt Disney to the opening of the show. The scene was inspired by the 1964 special "Disneyland Goes to the World's Fair," Disney said.
Updates will also be made to the show's remaining scenes, which will be set in new time periods.
"One of our main goals for this update was to keep the attraction relatable for today's audiences by featuring eras in which our guests have personal connections," Disney said in a post on the Disney Parks Blog.
The first act will take place in the summer of 1969 featuring the moon landing, followed by Halloween night in 1985, New Year's Eve 1999 and a look at the distant future in space inspired by Disney legend John Hench's original concept sketches for the show.
Disney confirmed "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" will continue to be featured in the transitions between scenes.