The song was written by Richard and Robert Sherman for the Carousel of Progress, one of four attractions Walt Disney and his Imagineers developed for the 1964 New York World's Fair.
The lead vocals were by Rex Allen, a frequent Disney narrator who also provided the speaking voice for the Audio-Animatronic host of the attraction.
At that time, the song was rerecorded to feature the current voice cast, including Jean Shepherd (Speaking) and Jess Harnell (Singing) as the Father character, as can be heard on the theme park's web site.
The new occupant of the Carousel Theater building, Innoventions, paid tribute to the older attraction by reviving the 1964 song until it closed in 2015.
"[4][full citation needed] Walt Disney and the Sherman Brothers sang "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" together in a short promotional film sent to General Electric before the New York World's Fair.
The same DVD also contains Walt Disney's filmed introduction to his original 1966 plans for EPCOT, made to convince Florida legislators, industry and the public of the value of the project.
The band They Might Be Giants recorded a cover of the song which appears as a bonus track on the soundtrack album for the Disney film Meet the Robinsons.