Walkabout The World - A Disney Podcast - A Walkabout In Tomorrowland For Carousel and PeopleMover [ep 013]

Episode Date: May 16, 2021

Hello Traveler! This week we dive headlong into some classic Magic Kingdom Tomorrowland attractions. After a brief walkabout, we experience the classic Carousel of Progress together, and then we head over the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, which had only just came back online after many months of downtime. There's no outro on this one, because I think Mike Brassell (the voice of the PeopleMover) says it all at the end.  As always, we record in 4 channel surround sound, so use those headphones or earbuds. Connect with us at @WalkaboutWDW on Instagram, and find our producer Josh at @TheSteele.

🎵 Well, hello, traveler. How are you? You can't answer. I understand that. But welcome back to Walk About the World, your weekly audio future tomorrow expedition thing through one of the parks or resorts of Walt Disney World here in Orlando, Florida. I don't even need to say it. You can tell where we are. Welcome back to the Magic Kingdom and welcome to Tomorrowland. Now, this episode is going to be a little different. I say that like there's a usual, and there's not really a usual.

Ooh, Buzz Lightyear. Wave to Buzz. We are standing right next to the Galactic Gateway. Buzz Lightyear has emerged to meet and greet the Earthlings. Space Mountain is directly to your right, along with Joffrey's Revive, if you're feeling a hankering for some caffeine. To the left, we have the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover and Astro Orbiter. And the PeopleMover is back. It's been gone for a long time. Well, it's not gone. It's's been gone for a long time well it's not gone it's been broke

down for a long time but today this is going to be a little bit different because we're not really going to do a walk and talk other than right now we are going to on, experience two attractions, which is very rare for us. We are going to do the Carousel of Progress, which I can say I haven't personally done in quite some time. I think before COVID, it's been since I've... That's the new thing, before COVID. It's like BCE, before COVID era. So we're going to do Carousel and then we are going to do, of course, the People Mover because we have to. We're in Tomorrowland.

Right now you are in the absolute bustling hub of Tomorrowland. Merchant of Venus to our right. The Kugel Ball. We right, the Kugel Ball. We're passing the Kugel Ball. You say, what is the Kugel Ball? Listen to Retro WDW, folks. Listen to their Tomorrowland episode. They talk about the Kugel Ball.

Free shout-out. Those guys are awesome. And the lunching pad is to your left where you can get all of your goodies, your giant turkey legs. Do they still have turkey legs? They probably have turkey legs. I'm not sure if they do or not.

Hi, guys. All right. You know, you have to... You have to thread your way through the crowd. Oh, there's your announcement. You should know what to do by now. Cover your nose, cover your mouth. Be nice.

Be courteous. Pick up your trash. Say please and thank you. Brush your teeth. Okay, so with no further ado we are going to go seek out and see what the lines are like for our two attractions and i will catch up with you guys along the way at some point ready here we go Thank you. ¶¶ Welcome to Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress. Oh, you're in for a real treat. The Carousel of Progress was Walt's own idea from beginning to end.

He loved it. He introduced the show at the World's Fair in New York City in 1964, and it was an immediate smash hit. Millions of people came to see it, and since then, the Carousel of Progress has had more performances than any other stage show in the history of American theater. You know, Walt loved the idea of progress, and he loved the American family. And he himself was probably as American as anyone could possibly be. He thought it would be fun to watch the American family go through the 20th century, experiencing all the new wonders as they came.

And he put them together in a show called Carousel of Progress, which we are now about to see. Although our Carousel family has experienced a few changes over the years, our show still revolves around the same theme, and that's progress. May the century begin. There's a great big beautiful tomorrow Shining at the end of every day There's a great big beautiful tomorrow

And tomorrow is just straight away And there's a dream that's so sharp Involved in my heart And when it becomes a reality It's a dream come true for you and me. So there's a great big beautiful tomorrow. Shining at the end of every day. There's a great big beautiful tomorrow.

Just a dream away. It looks like the Robins are getting ready to celebrate Valentine's Day today. What year is it? Oh, right around the turn of the century. And believe me, things couldn't be any better than they are today. Yes, sir,

buildings are towering now as high as 20 stories. And moving pictures flip her up on a big screen. We have almost 8,000 automobiles in this country, and we can travel by train from New York to California in less than seven days. And I even hear tell about two brothers from North Carolina who are working on some kind of flying contraption. It'll never work.

Closer to home, we've now got gas lamps, a telephone, and the latest design in cast iron stoves. And that reservoir keeps five gallons of water hot in just three buckets of coal. Oh, boy, that sure beats chopping wood. And isn't our new icebox a beauty? Look at that. Holds 50 pounds of ice. Milk doesn't sour as quick as it used to. And our dog, Rover, here keeps the water in the

drip pan from overflowing. It wasn't too long ago we had to carry water from a well. And thanks to Progress, we've got a pump right here in the kitchen. Of course, we keep a bucket of water handy to prime it with. Yes, sir, we've got everything we need to make life easier. Say, Mother, I was reading about a fellow named Tom Edison who's working on an idea for a snap-on electric light. Electric lights? No more kerosene. No more gas. Sarah sure gets the core of the apple. But we do have this new wash day marvel. Now it takes me only five hours to do the wash. Imagine, it used to take two days. Oh, that's right, folks.

Now Sarah has time for other things like... Like panning and cleaning the oven. Yes, dear. I love himself just cleaning himself, you know. I know, dear. And they probably never will. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get the laundry off the line before it starts raining cats and dogs. Don't worry, Rover. She didn't mean real dogs.

Besides, it's not going to rain today. My lumbago isn't acting up. I'm not going to say I know so. Boy, look at it come down. All you have to do is put your wash on the line, right? Oh, well, the cistern was low anyway. Wow-wee, look at that. Now, James, I thought I told you to ask my permission before using my new stereoscope. That's not a toy, you know.

Ooh-la-la, so that's the little Egypt doing the hoochie-coochie, eh, Dad? Isn't she a knockout? She's the star of the new World's Fair in St. Louis, and you put that away before your mother finds it. Aw, Dad. You heard me. Well, we have one of those new talking machines. Now, that is something. It plays music right here in our home.

There's a great big beautiful tomorrow. She keeps her teeth in the middle of the table. Progress. Oh, Papa. Yes, Patricia? Papa, all these people. I'm indecent. Don't worry, Patricia.

They're friends. That's our teenage daughter. She's getting ready to go to a Valentine's dance across town on one of those new horseless trolleys. I think it's very romantic you're taking Mother out for Valentine's dinner this evening. Well, you know what kind of sport I am. I only hope I have an evening as romantic as yours and Mother's.

Now you be home by nine o'clock, daughter, you hear me? Yes, Father. Oh, well, with all this talking, I've worked up quite a thirst. I think I'll take one of those newfangled trolleys down to the drugstore soda fountain and meet the boys for a cold sarsaparilla. Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot. We're drinking root beer now. Same kind of thing, different name. Well, that's progress for you.

And speaking of progress... There's a great big beautiful tomorrow Shining at the end of every day There's a great big beautiful tomorrow And tomorrow is just a dream away Man has a dream And that's the story He follows his dream

With mind and heart And when it becomes a reality It's a dream come true for you and me. So there's a great big beautiful tomorrow, shining at the end of every day. There's a great big beautiful tomorrow, just a dream away Phew, boy, hot as Fourth of July we've had in years. We've come a long way, though, since the turn of the century over twenty-some-odd years ago. You know that pilot fella, Charles Lindbergh? He's about to fly a single-wing airplane all the way across the Atlantic.

He's never gonna make it. And sports stadiums are springing up all over. And boy, nobody hits that old horse hide like that new fellow Babe Ruth. Jazz music is the cat's meow. And there's been ads in the paper for months for a movie starring Al Jolson. And he's going to talk and sing. Boy, I've got to see that. There goes Schwartz in his hubmobile. He sure loves that horn. You know, in my new Essex, I've got an electric starter. Now I don't have to crank. We can travel from New York to Los Angeles by train in only three days. And we've got a house full of new electrical servants. Mr. Edison sure added life to our home.

Whoa there, you'll blow a fuse. Grat, that's the third one this week. I buy fuses by the case. And I've blown the whole neighborhood again. He said it again. Go over and give that neighbor a bar of what for. Easy, Rover. Jimmy, hurry up with that fuse.

Shucks. Every time he has company, he blows a fuse. And guess who always has to change it? I heard that, young man. I heard that. Oh, well, that's more like it. John, yours is the last costume I've got to finish before the parade starts. Sarah's Ladies Club is responsible for our town's Fourth of July celebration tonight.

She's got us all roped into performing in their program. And I've decided we're going as George and Martha Washington, dear. Oh, the father of our country. That's a role that really fits me. You know, I... I'm so glad we installed an electric light fixture here on the porch because it's just too darn hot to be sewing inside. Yes, Sarah. You know, next year I'd like to go as Benedict Arnold.

Wait until you see what I've got planned for the fireworks show tonight. Rover, don't interrupt while Sarah's interrupting. And guess who volunteered to choose the music for the program? I did, Pop. Listen to this. Oh, that's a nice tune, Jimmy. You know, with our new Crossley radio set,

we can get news and big-time entertainment from all over the country, even Pittsburgh. We're starting to arrive downtown. The water's spectacular. We're the Deliberated Viral Cinecine. May your name be... Oh, Patricia. Yes, Father?

Better get a move on. The radio says folks are arriving downtown. Do I really have to go? If my new boyfriend, The Theodore sees me in this, it'll scare him away. Well, dear, if that happens, you'll always have that torch you can carry for him. Oh, Father. Calm down, Rover. I was only kidding. By the way, we have indoor plumbing now. Oh, boy, that's really great on cold nights, especially for our perennial houseguest, old Uncle Orville. Uncle Orville's taken over the coolest spot in the house, of course,

and he's rigged up a real clever contraption. He calls it air cooling. Too bad he's not reading the Help Wanted ads. No privacy at all around this place. Sorry, Orville. You know, considering all the... Oh, coming, Martha, as I was saying, considering all the conveniences we now have, I'll say that we're really on easy street these days. It just can't get any better. Just goes to show that there's a great big beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day

there's a great big beautiful tomorrow And when it becomes a reality, it's a dream come true for you and me. So there's a great big beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day. There's a great big beautiful tomorrow. Just a dream away. Well, it's another Halloween here in the fabulous 40s. Everything is better than ever now, and we've got some amazing new wonders around the house to prove it. For instance, our refrigerator holds more food and ice cubes. And thanks to our automatic dishwasher, I don't have to dry the dishes anymore after supper. Gives Rover and me more time to enjoy our evening stroll together.

Later, boy. Oh, and here's something else that's new. I just heard a new term today on the radio. Fella says we've got something now called the rat race. Did you ever hear that one? It sure describes my life. I'm involved in something now called commuting. I drive into the city for work all day and then turn right around and drive all the way back.

And the highway is crowded with fellow rats doing the same thing. That's what they call progress, dear. Yeah, I guess she's right. But we do have television when it works. Gives you something to do after you come home. I kind of like it, you know? Guy named John Cameron Swayze gives us all the news, and then they have all this singing and dancing. A lot of fluff, but it's fun. You know, I predict the day when millions of people will learn Latin

and Greek sitting in front of their TV sets. Are you a racist? Give him a left, give him love. Ah, yes, a new age of electronic civilization is upon us. Hey, Dad, what do you think of my jack-o'-lanterns? Oh, boy, that's scary. That's because I'm using my beautiful sister Patty's picture for a model.

Down, Rover. Jim, Rover appreciates your joke. Now, you're always getting poor Patty. She's certainly prettier than either of you. You hear that? My daughter Patty is using that old exercise machine she rescued from the attic. It was all a rage in the 20s. Grandma, of course, had to have one. Didn't work then, doesn't work now. Consistent, at least. Makes a lot of noise and blows fuses. As I was saying, Pat, I think college is really swell. You should give it a try. Oh, Pat, are you going to the Halloween party tonight? Oh, yes,

and I'm hoping to lose a few more inches by then then since I'm going with that dreamboat, Wildred. Wildred? What a fun! He's coming as the headless horseman. But it fits. Come on, Ben. That claw-hopper Howard you're going with is no rather jack-of-five. Oh, poor Howard. I wonder what they said about me when I was dating Sarah. You're lucky, Rover. You don't have to date. Well, we're caught up in the do-it-yourself craze these days. We're remodeling our basement. There's something called a rumpus room, and we're looking forward to a few rumpuses, I'll tell you, as long as they don't get out of hand. John, this

papering is getting out of hand. I could use a little help. Now, Sarah, didn't I set up that clever automatic paint stirring machine for you? Yes, John, you're a genius. Of course, this will ruin my food mixer. Not that you'd care. Oh, good old Sarah. Always the last laugh.

What happened, Sarah? Oh, you and your progress That paint mixer of yours just sloshed paint across my room I'm the roughest in the room How do you like that? I always say if you're going to be married Marry a girl with a sense of humor Well, it's time to move on

Let's cheer up Sarah by singing our song Come on, everybody There's a great big beautiful tomorrow Shining at the end of every day There's a great big beautiful tomorrow And tomorrow's just a dream away Man has a dream and that's his story He follows his dream with my heart

And when it becomes a reality, it's a dream come true for you and me. So there's a great big beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day. There's a great big beautiful tomorrow. Just a dream away. Isn't it a pleasant holiday? Oh, turkey's in the oven. It's peaceful and quiet. Yes, 300 points. My best score yet.

Well, it was peaceful until Santa brought that new virtual reality space pilot game. Your turn, Grandma. Let's switch the image over to the TV so the resident flying ace can show you how it works. Now, it's a little tricky. Just use your game glove to fly behind the other guy and blast him with your laser blaster. Laser blaster? Well, I'll give it a try. Take a look around, Grandma.

You're in the ship. Feels like I'm really there. Okay, get ready. You're about to blast off. Here goes nothing. Whoa. All right, here it comes. Okay, get ready. You're about to blast off. Here goes nothing. Whoa. All right, here it comes. Oh, you missed him.

Hey, everybody. I'm done programming our new voice activation system. Now all our household items will do anything we tell them to do. Great. Tell the refrigerator to bring me the roof, dear. Well, it can't quite do that. But I'll show you something it can do. Tree lights 30% brighter. Oh, that's no big deal. Anybody can do that voice activated

stuff. Watch this. Rover, speed. John, the oven should respond to your voice commands now. Give it a try. Oh, okay. Here goes. Temperature to 375. Temperature increased to 375. Look at that. It even talks back. Reminds me of certain people I know. Yeah, right, Dad.

You've got to lose them, Grandma. Think to the right. Remember Dad's turkey last year? Yeah, that thing really smoked up the place when it burned, didn't it? We ended up microwaving frozen pizzas. Well, no need to worry about the turkey this year. Not with an oven that will do anything your father tells it to do. Ooh, good shot.

Did you see that? Dad, Grandma's up to 550 points. Did you say 550? Hey, she's getting the hang of that thing. Five, five, zero. I can't believe all the new gadgets they've got now. You know, in my day... Oh, no. You're not going to tell us about the old days

when you didn't even have a car phone. Hey, Trish. For a while, we didn't even have a house phone. Not to mention laser discs and high-def TV. Everything is automated today. Including... Well, including that.

No privacy at all around this place. Sorry, Oracle. Anyway, you guys don't know how good you've got it nowadays. You know, my grandpa told me the very same thing when I was a kid. Take that, you nincompoop! Hey, check it out, Dad. Grandma's up to 975 points. Wow, 975! Temperature increase to 975.

Bake mode overload. Command, error. John, what's wrong with the oven? What? Uh, uh... Bake mode complete. Enjoy your meal. Anyone for pizza? Oh, another Christmas turkey ruined. Man, what a game.

I really smoked those guys. Looks like I'm resident flying ace now. Best two out of three, Grandma. Later, kid. Boy, that was fun. What will they think of next? Who knows? We've got a whole new century waiting for us out there. Yeah, and maybe sometime

in the new century, your father will learn how to talk to our oven. Well, maybe by then ovens will read our minds. But hey, as long as we're all here and happy and together for the holidays, who cares if I burned our Christmas turkey? I do! I'm starving! Don't worry, Dad.

Someday everything's going to be so automated, you won't ever have to cook another Christmas turkey again. Wah! Wah! Wah! There's a great big beautiful tomorrow Shining at the end of every day There's a great big beautiful tomorrow And tomorrow is just a dream away Man has a dream and that's the start

He follows his dream with mind and heart. And when it becomes a reality, it's a dream come true for you and me. So there's a great big beautiful tomorrow. Shining at the end of every day. There's a great big beautiful tomorrow. Just a dream away thank you for joining us on Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress we hope you've enjoyed this tribute to the

1964 Carousel of Progress from the New York World's Fair please gather all of your personal belongings and exit through the doors located at the back of the theater. Have a great big beautiful day. And remember, tomorrow is just a dream away. So it's been a long time, and the people mover, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority, has been down.

And she's back running again. And so we're going to go take a ride. You ready? Here we go. All right, here we go. PeopleMover. PeopleMover. Welcome aboard the Tomorrowland Transit Authority Google Boots, your quiet and sheer fate, highway in the sky. We invite you to sit back, relax, and enjoy your grand circle tour of Tomorrowland. Along the way, you can preview many of the exciting places you'll want to be sure to enjoy today while visiting this land of tomorrow. The Regal Rover is the perfect vehicle for people watching, so keep your eyes peeled. You never know what you might see. Thank you. And now, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority proudly presents Progress City, Walt Disney's trailer for an experimental prototype community of tomorrow.

Progress City was the inspiration for Epcot, and many of its forward-thinking ideas have been realized throughout all history. If your future includes shopping, then you'll want to visit Stock Traders, where you'll find the greatest tips for around the galaxy. At the Tomorrowland Speedway, put the pedal to the metal and speed towards the checkered flag in your very own race car. Young or old, this is your chance to drive in the fast lane flag in your very own race car. Young Earl,

this is your chance to drive in the family without worrying about getting a speeding ticket. Thank you. We're now entering one of the new waters of our world, Space Mountain. Blast off on a high-speed outer space adventure and complete the convo. Paging Mr. Morrow, Mr. Tom Morrow. Please contact Mr. Johnson in the control tower to confirm your flight to the moon. Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Lundsjö, Thank you. Welcome back to Tomorrowland. Be sure to visit Space Mountain while you're here for an adventure with out of this world! For a different high-flying adventure, hop on board the Astro Orbiter. Pilot your own spacecraft as you take a spin around the planet and ascend to otherworldly heights. We're now approaching Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress. Inside this routine theater, old families welcome you into their homes of yesterday and today,

starting way back at the turn of the 20th century. First presented at the New York World's Fair, this legendary circular theater celebrates the progress that has made our lives better. It's a perfect reminder that there's always a great big beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every year. I'm going to see you later. May I have your attention? Please remain seated. This ride has stopped temporarily and will resume motion at any time. Please remain seated for your own safety. Thank you. personal laser can

to save the entire galaxy uh oh we broke it guys now we are stopped we had just made the transit the second transit through Tomorrowland

and we're about to go past the Buzz Lightyear windows, where you can see inside Buzz Lightyear. And it stopped, and we got the announcement you just heard, and now the light's turned on. So I'm wondering if this is going to be my first and our first Tomorrowland Transit Authority. ...passengers. For your safety, please remain seated with your hands on the speed panel at the side as we are coming back.

Oh, okay. We're going to start. I thought we might evac. That was going to be cool. Alright. I think... I think we're good. I'll shut up now. Here we go. All right. I think we're good. I'll shut up now. Here we go. Here's the lady in the weird hair machine. Hello, Space Rangers.

This is Buzz Lightyear. Report to your star recruiter and join me on this daring space mission. I'm your CEO, Edward Zurg. As an honorary space major, you can use your own personal laser cannon to save the entire galaxy. This time it's laughter they're after at Monsters Incorporated, so drop in and join Mike Wazowski and all his pals at Monsters Incorporated Labrador. Yeah, yeah, yeah, because this transportation system never stops. Thank you for joining us on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Hooper. It's been a pleasure and a happy horror. Enjoy the rest of your day and have a great, big, beautiful tomorrow.