Walt Disney Imagineering has filed a Notice of Commencement permit for fire protection system work at Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress at Magic Kingdom.
The permit's filing by WDI rather than Disney's typical facilities contractor is notable. When Imagineering files permits directly instead of Buena Vista Construction Company, it typically indicates show-related changes rather than routine maintenance work.
Recent WDI permits for fire protection systems have appeared at other active project sites, including the Monsters Inc. Land development at Disney's Hollywood Studios. This pattern suggests the work may connect to larger project scopes.
Disney announced plans to add an Audio-Animatronics figure of Walt Disney to Carousel of Progress during last year's Destination D23 event. The new introductory scene will feature Walt sharing his vision of progress before the family's story begins.
Whether this fire protection permit relates to those announced changes remains unclear. The permit does not specify a timeline or scope beyond the fire system work.
Disney has not announced a closure date for the attraction or provided a completion timeline for the planned updates.
Background on the Announced Changes
The Walt Disney Audio-Animatronics figure will mark one of the most significant changes to the attraction in decades. Kirsten Komoroske, Executive Director of The Walt Disney Family Museum, called it "an exciting milestone in our shared mission to celebrate the story of the man behind the magic."
Carousel of Progress debuted at the 1964 New York World's Fair and moved to Magic Kingdom in 1975. It holds the record as the longest-running stage show in American theater history.
Imagineers indicated the family characters may also receive updates, though details remain limited.
The attraction continues operating on its normal schedule, with no date yet announced for the debut of the new scene.
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