Debi Derryberry, who previously voiced Patricia, the daughter, in Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, is returning to the attraction as Grandmother. Walt Disney Imagineering says Derryberry “is taking on a new role as Grandmother next year at Walt Disney World.” The reimagined attraction has a late spring 2027 reopening target at Magic Kingdom. Here’s the latest.
Debi Derryberry Voicing Grandmother in Reimagined Carousel of Progress
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- Debi Derryberry’s move from Patricia to Grandmother
- Where her casting fits among the announced voice cast
- The current reopening target for the reimagined attraction
Debi Derryberry connects the reimagined Carousel of Progress to the show guests have watched in Tomorrowland for years. She moves from voicing the family’s daughter to voicing its Grandmother. The attraction closed for its reimagining on July 6th, and the voice cast keeps growing as Imagineers build the new version.
From Patricia to Grandmother
Disney says Derryberry previously voiced Patricia, the daughter in the family at the center of the show. Now she takes the role of Grandmother, so the same performer will voice a different generation of the same family. Photos show Derryberry recording in the studio.
Disney has not said which scenes feature Grandmother’s lines. Concept art shown to the media for the New Year’s Eve 1999 act depicts Grandma and Grandpa counting down in another room. Grandma quietly switches the channel to catch her wrestling match once Grandpa drifts off to sleep, a scene we detailed when Disney revealed the new decades for each act.
Grandma is also seen in the reimagined finale scene, depicted in concept art below.
John, Sarah, and the rest of the family are all returning, and Disney confirmed it is refreshing the animatronics instead of replacing the characters. A returning voice supports that continuity as every act moves to a new decade. On top of reimagined decades, guests will also meet a Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic in a new opening scene.
Joining the Reimagined Voice Cast
Derryberry joins a cast Disney began unveiling at D23. There, Disney announced Disney Legend Jamie Lee Curtis and Emmy-winning actor Bryan Cranston as the voices of mom and dad. Her role in Grandmother joins a growing list of attraction details, with plenty left to reveal.
Disney’s timeline calls for a late spring 2027 reopening, but we don’t have an exact date yet. We’ll keep following the casting, permits, and construction as the reimagining moves forward.
Keep Reading
- See how Jamie Lee Curtis and Bryan Cranston joined the cast as the new voices of mom and dad at D23.
- Get the full breakdown of every new decade and scene in the reimagined show, from the 1969 moon landing to an off-planet finale.
- Revisit the current version one last time in our farewell photos and full video of the show.
- Follow every update on our Carousel of Progress page.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!