Celebrity Feuds
Disney Ruining the World?

It's a Small WorldNo, not our world, the Small one. According to the LA Times, the family of the woman who helped create "It's a Small World" is begging Disney not to screw up the iconic ride with "idiotic" changes.

The ride has been closed since January to upgrade its boats - which some think was needed in order to accommodate the ever increasing weight of the general population. But now other changes are being tossed around.

Miceage.com is reporting that Disney Imagineers are considering adding Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Peter Pan, Nemo and other Disney characters to locations throughout the ride while replacing the Papua, New Guinea, rain forest scene with an American tribute.

In an open letter to Disney execs, the family writes, "The Disney characters of themselves are positive company icons, but they do NOT fit in with the original theme of the ride. They will do nothing except to marginalize the rightful stars of the ride 'The Children of the World.'"

Disney officials say some additions will be made to Small World but that no decision has been made on specific creative changes to the ride despite the speculation.



Filed under: Celebrity Feuds

Reader Comments

(Page 1 of 8) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

1. They have to change the ride because of the general weight of the population? Kids get off the video games and everyone here needs to limit their TMZ time and move! So change the name to "It's a fat world" after all. Americans do love thei junkfood,

Posted at 3:37PM on Mar 20th 2008 by It's a fat world

2. Oh great.....................now I can't get that song out of my head! "It's a small world after all......................."!

Posted at 3:42PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Dallas

3. That's the most boring ride in the universe.

Don't add Mickey Mouse, add Britney and Anna Nicole!

Posted at 3:45PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Shalayla

4. Absolutely correct, number one poster. Maybe it should be called "It's a BIG world."

Posted at 3:45PM on Mar 20th 2008 by ReneeNW

5. Wow. I really hope they don't change it. It wouldn't be the same. And the family is right: Putting those Disney Characters somewhere in the ride is defeating the whole point of the ride: The Children of the World. I'm all for putting a bigger tribute to America in there though.

Posted at 3:47PM on Mar 20th 2008 by DisneyFan

6. I actually read a longer article on this and they want to take out some of the children of the world to accomidate a huge Hooray for the USA spot at the end. I guess it is a small world, but a gigantic United States! Disgusting, the ride was designed in 1964 for the World's Fair and the theme was Peace Through Understanding, not look at how big and bloated and ethnocentric we can be!

Posted at 3:49PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Sarah

7. Some rides are not the most exciting yet I believe a lot of people remember how great they were when we were kids. I will love for my children to see what I so when they get there. I wish no changes were made so we can all keep that memory and be able to have future generations see it our way !

Posted at 3:52PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Oscar

8. Maybe they should add more than just one little Mountie to show that Canada is a part of the world. We just went thru the ride in November and it certainly perpetuated the thought that the USA figures that Canada is really just a part of them. Almost like us Canadians getting a big middle finger from Old Walt.

Posted at 3:54PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Colkay

9. When I was 10 years old the Small World ride broke down...for 3 hours...They never turned off the MUSIC..I thought I would go insane. To this day I cannot listen to the song. Everytime I have taken my children to Disneyland, I have skipped this ride.

Posted at 3:54PM on Mar 20th 2008 by CA MOM

10. Please don't change a thing. My husband proposed to me on this ride. Due to this, it will always remain a favorite for us.

Posted at 3:55PM on Mar 20th 2008 by DisneyFamily

11. Let's face it: 99% of us only ride "Small World" because our feet our killing us and we need to sit for a while before marching on to Toon Town.

Posted at 3:57PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Creeker

12. So now we are making rides bigger so our ever increasing asses can ride the rides at a theme park --- gee...what good values Disney is promoting!

Posted at 3:59PM on Mar 20th 2008 by a. klein

13. Whew! For a minute there I was worried that they wanted to change the song to being sung all in mexican! There's too much political correctness and kissing foreign behinds for this old gal!

Posted at 4:00PM on Mar 20th 2008 by GrannyJ

14. No kiddin don't change it. It is the best ride to give your feet a rest! Many memories from my childhood to my kids.

Posted at 4:06PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Kelli

15. Shouldn't even change the boats.... If your to fat, then you can't ride!

Posted at 4:06PM on Mar 20th 2008 by sm

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

Hot Tips

Email Alerts