Walt Disney Imagineering recently shared the sweetest casting news, and Carousel of Progress fans are going to love this one. Debi Derryberry, the voice of Patricia, the daughter, in the version of the show we’ve watched since the ’90s, is coming back to the attraction. But not as the daughter. She’s taking on a brand-new role as Grandmother when the reimagined Carousel of Progress opens at Magic Kingdom. Daughter to grandmother. For a show that’s literally about time passing and families growing up, I can’t think of more perfect casting.
If Derryberry’s voice sounds familiar beyond the Carousel, there’s a good reason, she’s also the voice of Jimmy Neutron. (And yes, the son in the Carousel family is named Jimmy. Coincidence? Probably. Fun? Absolutely.) I used to watch that show with my kids, I had forgotten about it!
Imagineering shared photos of her in the recording booth, and you can just feel the warmth. There’s something really special about the performer who voiced the youngest member of the family now stepping into the role of the oldest.
In case you missed it, Carousel of Progress closed on July 5th for its biggest overhaul since it arrived in Florida in 1975. When it reopens in late spring 2027, here’s what’s new:
• A brand-new opening scene featuring Walt Disney himself as an Audio-Animatronic
• Act 1 – Summer 1969: the family watches the Apollo moon landing
• Act 2 – Halloween 1985: Sarah takes center stage for the first time (and yes, the pumpkin head is coming back!)
• Act 3 – New Year’s Eve 1999: ringing in the millennium
• Act 4 – The Future: an out-of-this-world home with a helpful robot
Derryberry joins an already star-studded cast, with Bryan Cranston voicing Father (John) and Jamie Lee Curtis voicing Mother (Sarah).
Carousel of Progress has always been about one family moving through time, and now the casting is doing the same thing in real life. The daughter grew up. She’s the grandmother now. How sweet, right? Late spring 2027 can’t come soon enough. Who else is counting down?
Stay tuned to The Main Street Mouse for more updates!
Source: Walt Disney Imagineering via Instagram
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