“There is just one moon and one golden sun
And a smile means friendship to everyone
Though the mountains divide and the oceans are wide
It’s a small world after all”
It’s a Small World is such an iconic Disney attraction! Love it or hate it, there is no denying that it has a special place in Disney history. Here are some fun facts about this whimsical boat ride around the world!
– It’s a Small World was originally built for the 1964/1965 New York World’s Fair and was featured in the UNICEF Pavilion.
– The attraction was built at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank and then shipped to New York.
– The original name of the attraction was Children of the World and it was going to feature audio-animatronic children from around the world singing their country’s national anthems.
– Walt asked the Sherman Brothers to compose a song that could be easily translated into several languages when the whole national anthem Idea turned out to be noise pollution.
– The Sherman Bros composed the well-known song It’s a Small World, but it was initially a slow-sung ballad. Walt want a more upbeat song so Richard and Robert Sherman simply sped up that same tune and it was a hit with Walt.
– The bold colours and whimsical feel of the attraction are based on Disney artist Mary Blair’s signature style. These themes are also seen in the films she worked on such as The Three Caballeros (1944), Alice in Wonderland (1951), and Peter Pan (1953).
– A tribute to Mary Blair can be found inside It’s a Small World. Take a closer look at the Eiffel Tower for a blonde doll with a groovy yellow dress the next time you set sail.
– It’s a Small World was part of the New York World’s Fair from April 22, 1964 – October 17, 1965. Disney also provided three other attractions for the fair: The Magic Skyway, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, and The Carousel of Progress.
– It’s a Small World then opened at Disneyland on May 28, 1966 and has since been replicated in 4 other Disney Parks around the world:
o Magic Kingdom (opening day attraction – October 1, 1971)
o Tokyo Disneyland (opening day attraction – April 15, 1983)
o Disneyland Paris (opening day attraction – April 12, 1992)
o Hong Kong Disneyland (opened 3 years after Park opening – April 28, 2008)
– In 1997, the first Christmas overlay occurred at Disneyland with the dolls singing Jingle Bells and Deck the Halls in addition to the classic song. A version of the seasonal overlay occurs at every Disney Park except Walt Disney World.
– In 2008, Disney character dolls were added to represent their own nations at the Disneyland version. In Hong Kong, the attraction originally opened with these extra dolls and they were also added to the Tokyo version in March of 2017. Some of my favourites are Alice and the White Rabbit in England, Cinderella and Prince Charming in France, and Lilo and Stitch in Hawaii.
Which Small World attractions have you ridden? What are your favourite scenes and countries represented? Let me know in the comments below!
Leave a Reply