"it's a small world!" - 2009 version (Part 1 of 2)

Link to the second part of this video:    • "it's a small world!" - 2009 version (Part...  

In early 2008, Disneyland closed it's classic attraction "it's a small world!", for an extensive refurbishment. What was done?

A new fleet of boats was designed, and created, which are more buoyant than their predecessors (they replaced the original boats from the 1964-65 World's Fair debut of "it's a small world!"). Also, a new, deeper flume was created, inside the attraction, that would all but eliminate any unexpected stops, due to a weighed-down boat bottoming out. All of the sets were painted, lighting effects upgraded, the children and dolls cleaned up, as well as the return of all elements that have slowly disappeared over the years (such as- painted flats of children of the world in the "hello room", children hanging from kites in the Asia section of the ride, bunting that resembles the inside of a Middle Eastern tent in the Egypt/Cleopatra section, the return of all 5 polynesian dancing girls, and a giant Sun in the finale that never made it over to Disneyland from the World's Fair, in 1966). In a few sections of the attraction, too, some more traditional musical instruments were added into the soundtrack (China and Mexico, for example).

Outside, the attraction didn't go untouched. The whole façade was given a fresh coat of paint, the dolls that are in the clock show (occurs every 15 minutes) were replaced, as well as well as lighting upgrades to the façade, for spectacular color displays. These are shown during the nighttime clock show, and whenever a train departs the Mickey's ToonTown station, traveling in front of "it's a small world!".

The biggest, and most controversial, changes and additions, however, was that of select Disney characters being added to the appropriate country of their story's origin (Alice and Peter Pan in England, Cinderella in France, Pinocchio in Italy, Aladdin and Jasmine in the Middle East, Mulan in China, Simba, Pumbaa and Timon in the African jungle, José Carioca, Donald Duck and Panchito in Mexico, Ariel and two of her sisters in the underwater section, Dory and Nemo in Australia, Lilo and Stitch in Hawaii, and Woody and Jessie in America), along with the addition of a new representation of the United States of America (which displaced the Rainforest and Papua New Guinea children into the Polynesian room).

And if you actually read all of that... hats off to you. ;)

So, here it is, in it's new 2009 version- "it's a small world!".


Filmed at Disneyland Park, in the Disneyland Resort of Anaheim, CA on May 18, 2009.


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