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It Truly is a Small World

The "it's a small world" ride located at Disney theme parks around the world never disappoints.





It is no surprise that Global Wishes loves "it's a small world." Every time my family goes to Walt Disney World in Florida, or to Disneyland Park in California, it is the one ride that I always insist that my family does together. The young and the young at heart love hopping onto the small boats that transports them into the magical world of children from all around the world. The ride features over 300 audio-animatronic dolls who wear traditional costumes from cultures all over the globe and sing about unity and global peace.


The attraction "It's a Small World" was first created by WED Enterprises (now known as Disney Imagineers) for the 1964-1965 World's Fair in New York. Walt Disney personally oversaw the creation of this attraction which was intended to support the United Nation's Children's Fund. A few years before, the talented Sherman Brothers (Robert and Richard) wrote the song to go with Disney's plans for the attraction. "The Children of the World" song as it was originally called, was supposed to be a combination of several national anthems, but when that didn't sound quite right, the Sherman Brothers composed a new song entitled "it's a small world."


Thanks to the creative mind of an artist named Mary Blair, the attraction (first constructed in Burbank before being moved to New York for the Fair) captured the essence of children around the world in a playful way. Blair had already contributed as an art director on several Disney animated films, including Cinderella, Peter Pan, and Alice in Wonderland. Another talented artist, Marc Davis, also designed many of the show scenes in the ride. His wife, Alice Davis, oversaw the costumes for the dolls that were handmade for each show scene. Rolly Crump (know for designing such attractions as the Enchanted Tiki Room and also elements of the Haunted Mansion) contributed to many of the small details in the ride scenes. Also, sculptor Blaine Gibson (who worked on Hall of Presidents statues and also the Partners statue) spent considerable time on the design and the sculpting of the dolls' faces.


The attraction (and the song) were huge hits. After the World's Fair ended in 1965, the attraction was shipped to Disneyland Park. The ride opened to eager Disneyland fans on May 28, 1966. Because of the success of the ride, Disney knew that it was a "must have" for Walt Disney World as well. The attraction opened in Magic Kingdom Park in 1971. Because it is a "must have" around the Disney globe, the attraction also appears at Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Park in Paris, and at Hong Kong Disneyland.


As the ride is so aptly named, It truly is a small world and I hope that you hop on it when you are at a Disney theme park. Trust me, the song will stick in your brain long after the ride is over!



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