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.



Reader Comments

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76. read about disney and their BRAINWASHING techniques....i think that there is hpnotizism involved in this rides!! and someone said it broke down and they heard the song for three hours?? what does this all mean???!!!

Posted at 8:38PM on Mar 20th 2008 by poison apple

77. I totally agree with the person who said that most people ride the ride out of foot relief or boredom! The ride does need to be updated as it just looks and feels out---but adding Disney characters would take away from the meaning of it.

Posted at 8:39PM on Mar 20th 2008 by FloridaGirl

78. I really hope they do not change the ride. It's a wonderful, classic ride, and wonderful just the way it is. There is no need to "update it". My 3 yr old and 1 yr old both LOVE this ride, as is, without the marketing scheme of adding Disney characters Adding characters would ruin this ride and the whole meaning behind it. It's would be a shame.

Posted at 8:41PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Marie

79. .

I grew up near Disneyland; we could see the fireworks in the distance on summer evenings. They already took away The Electric Light Parade, most of Tomorrow Land and other fantastic things... but, you can bet, if they can make a bigger (they think...) buck, they'll change it. The Disney empire is every inch as mercenary as old Walt was - I have friends working at various Disney locations in the US, and they all concur on ONE THING: it sux to work for the mouse!!! But, as they enjoy feeding their families and not being forced to live on the street, they stay... the powers that be have already made up their minds, and no amount of public outcry will change the course of things to come... so sad... it was my favorite ride!!

Posted at 8:56PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Kate

80. Words to "It's A Small World"
By Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman

It's a world of laughter,
A world of tears.
It's a world of hopes,
And a world of fears.
There's so much that we share,
That it's time we're aware,
It's a small world after all.

Chorus:
It's a small world after all.
It's a small world after all.
It's a small world after all.
It's a small, small world.

There is just one moon,
And one golden sun.
And a smile means,
Friendship to every one.
Though the mountains divide,
And the oceans are wide,
It's a small world after all.

Chorus:
It's a small world after all.
It's a small world after all.
It's a small world after all.
It's a small, small world.

(Repeat ad nauseam until it's permanently etched into your neural synapses.)

Posted at 9:00PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Kate

81. Kate, I didn't appreciate that! UGH!

Posted at 9:38PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Just saying

82. One more thing... I had a friend, this is in the early 70's ,who had the perfectly awful job of cleaning Small World. They never shut the ride down. After hours Bruce and his co-workers would stand between all the little people and spray them down with water hoses. Trust me, Disney didn't pay enough for that particular job. Tho come to think of it, Disney didn't pay any of us enough for our jobs.

Posted at 9:45PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Creeker

83. my neighbor is one of the guys who is right now doing the facelift on small world thats what they call it. he hadnt mention this to me but im going to find out if this is true since he is a major guy in the process of fixing small world.

Posted at 1:33AM on Mar 21st 2008 by sherrie

84. Seeing how we americans love our junk food the only change I see fitting woudl be if they added a drive thru..

Posted at 10:22PM on Mar 20th 2008 by jlamasapedro

85. Forget Small World and go to the Carousel of Progress--that ride rocks!

Posted at 11:27PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Linda

86. The entire point of the ride is to show that we are all connected and Disney wants to trivialize that by putting cartoon characters in it. There does not need to be a bog tribute to America because the world is not only made up of Americans and every country should get their turn.

Posted at 11:34AM on Mar 21st 2008 by happybee

87. If you don't like the ride then don't get in, geez let's tear down everything a few people don't like,
if we did that we have no rides left at the Disney resorts, avoid what you don't like!
Most people I think ride it to rest a little.

Any-ho I like to see the Peoplemover ride returned to service at Disneyland.

Posted at 12:03AM on Mar 21st 2008 by BOEING 787

88. I noticed I was tilting the boat on my last trip through. I love to watch the clock change and the entire ride. I could go through there several times if the line was not so long. But, I feel so sorry for the person who was stuck on there 3 hours as a child. OMG, the image you created. I would have swam out.

Posted at 12:21AM on Mar 21st 2008 by boat tilter

89. I really hope they don't change a thing. My parents took me on the ride back in 1969 or 1970 and I was sitting on my dad's lap. I was so excited by the whole experience that I let go and pee'd all over myself AND my dad's lap. That story hs now been passed down to my children (who, of course, get a big kick out f their mom wetting her pants)!. Sometimes, it is better to just let things remain the same for nostaligia's sake!

Posted at 10:38AM on Mar 21st 2008 by calif_laurie

90. WELL I GUESS WERE NOT A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL

Posted at 1:29AM on Mar 21st 2008 by JOE CAPRIO/ CITYLIFEPRODUCTIONS

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