IASW reopening and Christmas Overlay ?'s

[toddbushman]

I see online that IASW reopens November 29th (the first day of our trip there!). I have never been to DL when any holiday overlays are available. I understand that the Haunted Mansion has NBC overlay and while that is there they actually have Fast Passes for the ride. Does the Christmas overlay on IASW also have Fast Passes? I know it has been a long time without this ride being available, but if anyone knows please share...

Disneyland between Thanksgiving and Christmas!!!

 

[fairykin]

Hi Hi..

I don't know about the fast passes.

But i wanted to pass along that we look at youtube dot com for the it's a small world videos of Disneyland and let the kids watch the vides of this and other disneyland rides. It helps to familiarize them with the ride and also is alot of fun for them.

I always preview the video first.. some are better quality than others.

Can't wait to go to it's a small world..it was one of our favorite rides at WDW.. and was closed when we were there in feb.

 

[DTDkettleCORNfan]

We always go when both rides are in overlay mode. And while I think you are correct about Haunted Mansion's FP option, I have never seen that at IASW. I don't think they offer that. The line seems to go pretty fast, and hopefully they will have all the new boats up and running to keep things moving right along........

 

[Disney Dreams]

There has never been a Fast Pass queue at Small World. They open the second line for loading boats when it gets crowded, but just plan on waiting.

CANNOT WAIT for it to re-open!!!

 

[Sherry E]

Hi Hi..

I don't know about the fast passes.

But i wanted to pass along that we look at youtube dot com for the it's a small world videos of Disneyland and let the kids watch the vides of this and other disneyland rides. It helps to familiarize them with the ride and also is alot of fun for them.

I always preview the video first.. some are better quality than others.

Can't wait to go to it's a small world..it was one of our favorite rides at WDW.. and was closed when we were there in feb.

Here is a tip - ride IASWH in the daytime and not at night. I can tell you that when we went on IASWH last December, on the weekend right before Christmas - like within a couple of days - we first went on the ride in the daytime on Friday, and we basically got right on it. The line was very short and fast-moving. We really just walked right through the queue. To be honest, I think many people did not reazlie that the Small World ride had been done in the overlay - because when you look at the facade in the daytime, you see a couple of holiday touches but it doesn't look all that impressive to alert people that something new is happening INSIDE the ride. We actually rode it once in the daytime on Friday and once early on Saturday, and had the same experience both times. No lines.

Now, fast forward to nighttime. THAT was 100% different. When the IASWH building is lit up at night, it is absolutely stunning. Breathtaking. The lights draw in people from all corners of the parks like moths to a flame. And that is when the line got SUPER long. It was so long, in fact, that it was winding around in areas I didn't even know it COULD wind around, and was on its way into ToonTown. Now I am not saying you shouldn't go and SEE the beautiful IASWH spectacle at night, but if you want the best line for it, go in the daytime. We got on it again at night because we had a friend who had joined us and wanted to see the ride, BUT we waited about 50 minutes to load! Crazy. I have never seen such a line for that ride in my 36 years of going to DLR!

Even though the mere fact that IASW will be reopening in November after a 9-month closure will attract more daytime riders than usual, I still don't think it will be as bad as it will be at night...because, frankly, unless you are a Disney fanatic like we all are here, you may not pay attention to the brochure that tells you about Small World Holiday and may not realize there is a special internal holiday overlay until those lights come on at night!

 

[Jackoman]

Sorry, I don't think IASW has fastpasses. But the holiday overlay is BEAUTIFUL! It's so bright and breathtaking. But, like the post above me, try it during the day. The line will be very long during the evening.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

I see online that IASW reopens November 29th (the first day of our trip there!). I have never been to DL when any holiday overlays are available. I understand that the Haunted Mansion has NBC overlay and while that is there they actually have Fast Passes for the ride. Does the Christmas overlay on IASW also have Fast Passes? I know it has been a long time without this ride being available, but if anyone knows please share...

Disneyland between Thanksgiving and Christmas!!!

Hey, our first day too. YAY! I'm glad it'll be up and running.

 

[ByTheHook]

Wow-- it's been closed since Feb.? How many X-mas decorations are they putting in for this year?

 

[Disney Dreams]

Wow-- it's been closed since Feb.? How many X-mas decorations are they putting in for this year?

hehe It has not been down for Christmas decorating.

They have been redoing the waterways and the boats.

There is also rumor that they are placing Disney characters in certain scenes. For example: Ariel with the mermaids, Simba in Africa, etc.... It is a known fact that the waterways and boats are being done. It is NOT known if Disney characters truly are being added to the class ride.

It will be opening (YAY! FINALLY!) in time for the holidays, so it is assumed that the holiday overlay will be in place when opened.

- Dreams

 

[PinkBudgie]

It has been years since I've been on this so I'm looking forward to it. It was always closed everytime we went. It isn't my favorite ride, but something I would want to see once a visit. I hope they added a few little things to the ride. I like seeing new things on rides!

 

[Leofoenget]

There has never been a Fast Pass queue at Small World. They open the second line for loading boats when it gets crowded, but just plan on waiting.

CANNOT WAIT for it to re-open!!!

Yes there has. I have seen FP at IASW a long time ago. I remember becasue I did not know what it was (way back in like 2001 or something) It was at Christmas time.

 

[Sherry E]

Yes there has. I have seen FP at IASW a long time ago. I remember becasue I did not know what it was (way back in like 2001 or something) It was at Christmas time.

You are right. I don't know when they stopped the Fast Pass for IASW, but I, too, was there back in 2001 (November) and there definitely was a FP for it. In fact, I THINK there may have been a FP for it in late 2000/early 2001 as well. But you generally don't need it - even with the Holiday version - in the daytime. It is the nighttime one really has to worry about, because that is one crazy line. However, just the fact that it has been closed all year due to the refurbishment will probably make the daytime line longer when it re-opens! People will be curious to see what is new.

I think I would like to see some Disney characters subtly interspersed into some of the scenes in the ride, sort of carefully placed here and there in the appropriate scenes. Ariel or Nemo would be great in the underwater scene, as would Simba in Africa. They could also put Mulan or Pocahontas in there somewhere, and of course, Jasmine and Aladdin or someone from that cast! There are many possibilities. Whether they do it or not remains to be seen. I can't wait for IASWH to open in November so someone here on DISboards can report back to us and tell us if any characters have been added!

 

[Disney Dreams]

I think I would like to see some Disney characters subtly interspersed into some of the scenes in the ride, sort of carefully placed here and there in the appropriate scenes. Ariel or Nemo would be great in the underwater scene, as would Simba in Africa. They could also put Mulan or Pocahontas in there somewhere, and of course, Jasmine and Aladdin or someone from that cast! There are many possibilities. Whether they do it or not remains to be seen. I can't wait for IASWH to open in November so someone here on DISboards can report back to us and tell us if any characters have been added!

It's just my opinion but I am amongst the group that is hoping SOOOOO strongly that Disney came to and realized that Disney characters do not belong in It's a Small World. It's NOT a Disney-made ride and staying true to it's theme, Disney characters would simply distort what is wonderful about the ride. I for one have zero interest in seeing Aladdin near the pyramids when going through the world showcase of children around the world.

The controversy on this got so big that Disney went into HUGE hush-hush mode of whether they are or aren't doing it. I am SOOO hoping they are not. It's not what IASW was ever meant to be.

JMO,
Dreams

 

[Sherry E]

It's just my opinion but I am amongst the group that is hoping SOOOOO strongly that Disney came to and realized that Disney characters do not belong in It's a Small World. It's NOT a Disney-made ride and staying true to it's theme, Disney characters would simply distort what is wonderful about the ride. I for one have zero interest in seeing Aladdin near the pyramids when going through the world showcase of children around the world.

The controversy on this got so big that Disney went into HUGE hush-hush mode of whether they are or aren't doing it. I am SOOO hoping they are not. It's not what IASW was ever meant to be.

JMO,
Dreams

I think I am behind the times! Today was the first I had heard of Disney characters added onto IASW! I had no idea there was a controversy brewing! It doesn't surprise me, though. There are many Disney purists who want the rides to stay as they are, true to form. Many folks don't even like the holiday overlays at all (although I really do think the exterior of the IASWH is stunning at night!). There are many rides I would like to stay as they are, but there are others on which I could bend a little and welcome a little change. For example, I am one of the ones who does not mind the addition of Jack Sparrow on the POTC ride. If they had changed the ride entirely to mirror the movies, I wouldn't like it. But subtle changes I don't mind. It keeps it fresh and interesting for me. Many other folks disagree with me, though! When I read the post here today about the possible Disney characters showing up on the Small World ride, my first reaction was, "Oh no...that won't work at all. It will seem TOO cheesy." But then I looked at it from what I imagine is Disney's side of things. That ride is VERY dated, and a lot of people cannot even stand going on it (many of whom have stated that fact on these boards!). They hate the children, they hate the song - it is just old. We will go on it but it is not imperative - unless there is the holiday overlay! The holiday overlay sort if infused new life into it, but then how does Disney get lots of folks interested in going on it for the rest of the year? It does not pull in the crowds that it once did. So maybe by sticking in a few random well-known characters, that will be enough to attract some folks because it is adding a new spice to the old recipe!

For the record, I DOUBT Disney will end up adding characters on IASW. And I think it would change the essence of the ride if they made the character additions TOO obvious. I only thought that maybe it might be okay if they stuck them in sort of 'Hidden Mickey style' - where they are so well-camouflaged that you aren't quite sure you are seeing who you are seeing! There are so many little children on IASW that they could easily insert characters among them where they wouldn't be ostentatious and obvious, but just sort of like little surprises along the way.

 

[Disney Dreams]

I think I am behind the times! Today was the first I had heard of Disney characters added onto IASW! I had no idea there was a controversy brewing!

Been a pretty big issue amongst It's a Small World admirers for quite some time.

Here's an article from April from The OC Register (large local paper in Disneyland's area): Small world, big controversy

Here's a blog from March, A World of Tears

Also from March, Yep, Disney is Going to Ruin the World

If you run a Google search, you will find LOTS of sites about this. Including, Save the Small World.

For the record, I DOUBT Disney will end up adding characters on IASW. And I think it would change the essence of the ride if they made the character additions TOO obvious. I only thought that maybe it might be okay if they stuck them in sort of 'Hidden Mickey style' - where they are so well-camouflaged that you aren't quite sure you are seeing who you are seeing! There are so many little children on IASW that they could easily insert characters among them where they wouldn't be ostentatious and obvious, but just sort of like little surprises along the way.

They have already done it at HKDL, which is what sparked the commotion when DL's attraction went down.

Here's some pictures... (egad... so sad, it's a ride about world peace, not world spread Disney-fication)

Aladdin and Jasmine in Egypt:

Cinderella and Prince Charming at IDK where:

Ariel and Flounder and Crush (sigh) in the Underwater scene

It just goes on and on. Anyway, yes, they HAVE done it in Hong Kong and many fear that is what is happening at Anaheim when the construction walls come down in November.