More than 300 dolls representing more than 100 regions of the world are featured on the “it’s a small world” ride at Disneyland. April 10 marks 50 years since the ride first opened as an attraction at the 1964-64 New York World’s Fair. Photo by Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland
“It’s a world of laughter, a world of tears. It’s a world of hope …”
Just say, “it’s a small world,” and that song can immediately pop into one’s head, seemingly embedded forever.
Still, “the happiest cruise that ever sailed the seven seas” continues to be one of the most popular rides not only at the Anaheim park, but at all of the Disney theme parks around the world.
Walt Disney created the ride as an attraction for the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair in honor of the United Nations Children’s Fund — UNICEF. It opened April 10, 1964, and drew more than 10 million visitors in that year, according to the Disneyland website.
After the World’s Fair, the ride was shipped piece-by-piece to Disneyland where it opened May 28, 1966, dedicated with a ceremony featuring children from around the world pouring water from their native land into the ride’s “Seven Seaways.”
To celebrate the ride’s 50th anniversary, Disneyland has invited the world to join in on a global sing-along, submitting videos of yourself and family, friends or whomever, singing the tune penned by the Sherman Brothers.
Create and post your video at SmallWorld50.com, where you can also create virtual “it’s a small world” dolls. The Walt Disney Co. has pledged to donate $150,000 to UNICEF, plus $1 for every sing-along video recorded on SmallWorld50.com and another $1 per virtual doll created, up to $100,000, Thomas Smith, social media director for Disney Parks, said in a blog.
If you create a video, be sure to share it with us.
Also, on April 10, hundreds of voices from Disneyland, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan, Disneyland Paris in France and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort will sing the theme song. It’s expected to air on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
Richard and Robert Sherman composed many memorable songs for Disney movies such as “Mary Poppins,” and “it’s a small world” is one of Richard Sherman’s favorites.
But by the end of the 12-minute boat ride through a tunnel of more than 300 animated dolls singing the song in a variety of languages, many come out saying it is annoying. Mainly because it’s stuck in your head for what seems like forever.
I was among them. Then, at an event I attended, I heard Richard Sherman share his disappointment that the song is so aggravating to so many because it was created as a simple tune of hope for world peace and acceptance of all races and genders. Then he sang it, and it gave me a new appreciation for the song — and the ride.
A video on the history of the ride, including footage of Walt Disney introducing it on his ABC TV show and Richard Sherman talking about the song’s creation, can be viewed at http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/03/vintage-disney-parks-video-take-a-trip-back-to-the-beginning-of-its-a-small-world/
Just a little FYI: The ride is currently closed for renovations and expected to reopen for the April 10 celebration.
