After 54 years of operation, Walt Disney World Resort has made a major change to its version of “it’s a small world.”
Disney has created countless iconic attractions over the decades, but “it’s a small world” remains one of its most instantly recognizable. With its famously catchy Sherman Brothers theme – recently updated with a new verse honoring the late Richard Sherman – and its whimsical, sometimes polarizing animatronics, the ride has etched itself into the minds of even the most casual parkgoers.
Considering its iconic status, it should come as no surprise that Disney’s most dedicated fans feel pretty protective over “it’s a small world.” Decades after it first debuted at the 1964 World’s Fair, Walt Disney’s creation has a place at all but one of Disney’s castle parks (Shanghai Disneyland decided to give this one a miss) and has weathered its fair share of updates.
Not all of these updates have proven particularly popular. In the past, fans have complained about the decision to integrate familiar characters from Disney IP – such as Lilo and Stitch, Peter Pan, Pinocchio, and Moana – into the attraction. Most controversially, Tokyo Disney Resort temporarily updated “it’s a small world” to become “it’s a small world with Groot.” This saw the beloved Guardians of the Galaxy character pop up throughout the ride, accompanied by dolls inspired by fellow MCU icons, all in Mary Blair style.
The latest update, however, has provided one version of the ride with a much-needed upgrade.
Disney World Updates “it’s a small world”
Four brand-new boats have quietly debuted at Magic Kingdom’s “it’s a small world,” offering a much-needed refresh after months of visible wear and tear. The older fleet often showed signs of damage—mostly from repeated bumps during the loading process. The new additions come in vibrant green, blue, purple, and red, adding fresh color to the iconic ride.
Walt Disney World Resort’s version of the ride has received a lot of flak in the past for being inferior in quality to other versions of the ride. While the interior of the attraction is extremely similar to others, its exterior is perhaps the most disappointing aspect, lacking the whimsical grandeur found at Disneyland Park, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland.
While the update may be relatively minor in the grand scheme of updates heading to Disney World right now, it’s still nice to see an old attraction receiving some TLC. Another iconic attraction, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, is set to close at the park this month for an update. Not only is the ride (finally!) receiving handheld blasters, but a new character, Buddy, is also joining the ride. Designed by Walt Disney Imagineering and Pixar Animation Studios, Buddy will apparently play a key role on the Star Command team.
What other updates would you like to see on “it’s a small world”?
The post 54 Years Later, Disney World Updates Its Version of “It’s a Small World” appeared first on Inside the Magic.
