Its A Small World is changing?!? *UPDATE*

[SharpMomOfTwo]

I was just on TMZ.com looking for celebrity dirt.... and Mickey popped up! First of all, I didn't know the ride, Its A Small World, is closed right now for renovations - It has to be opened again by Dec. when we go or I will be so sad - but this artical says that they are looking to ad "new additions" to the ride:


Disney Ruining the World?

No, 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.


I really don't like the idea of Mickey, Minnie, etc being on Its A Small World at all! I LOVED the idea that I was going to take by babies to Disney, take them on that ride, and have it be the same exact ride it was back when I was their age. I really hope they don't change it, and most of all, I really hope they reopen it by December!

 

[semo233]

This is the first I have heard of it....I double checked and TGM has no mention of this at all.

 

[syko]

Its a Small World is closed in Disneyland and not WDW.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Its a Small World is closed in Disneyland and not WDW.

I second this!

I still think it is wrong to mess with it though. Did they learn nothing from the Journey into Imagination disaster?

 

[lovinpoohbear]

Omigod! I was having a fit, thinking IASWAA was closed!! I am leaving in 3 weeks and it is my FAVORITE ride!!

 

[mickeyfan0805]

They just finished a major refab at Small World in Orlando and it is fully open and functional. I don't know about Disneyland, but all should be well in Orlando.

 

[emma'smom]

We rode it four times last week....definitely open!

 

[stopher1]

Disneyland's is closed til just before December not WDW's. Lots o' changes underway - but mostly infrastructure - some cosmetic / scenery adds or redos. The DL one is the original, transported from the NY World's Fair in the mid-60's - and has been chugging away all those years without major infrastructure improvements - it's definitely time. I was in Orlando 5 wks ago and rode IASW and then out to DL just 2 weeks ago, and it was definitely behind construction walls.

 

[JeremyGNJ]

How come there's no voting option for "what a stupid ride......I hope they change the dumb song and make the dolls a lot less creepy"?

 

[dragonflymum]

This is my very first post (just joined!) and my heart is still racing after reading that! We're leaving in 8 days for WDW and have had our hearts set on seeing it with the kids...can I just say:

PHEW!

Thank you for clarifying which park! Big hugs!

 

[SharpMomOfTwo]

Well I'm happy (for myself at least) that its only being done in Cali, but I still think its just wrong. Restore it to its orignal beauty, but don't mess with it or change it around so its almost unreconizable (sp?).
And to the person who said:

"How come there's no voting option for "what a stupid ride......I hope they change the dumb song and make the dolls a lot less creepy"?"

I have nothing to say to that comment. Its just so wrong.

 

[SharpMomOfTwo]

Here is the latest TMZ.com update:

Despite heavy protests from angry fans (check out our poll from yesterday), Disney appears to be going through with their plan to add signature characters to a new and improved version of "It's A Small World."

A source was on Disney's Burbank lot yesterday and saw concept art displayed on monitors in the commissary. The video monitors showed Imagineers in the Disney workshop already building pieces for the new ride.

Specifically, Abu (Aladdin's monkey side-kick) appears to have found a home in the Middle Eastern section - Nemo is swimming around an undersea area, and Stitch looks like he might be popping up in the Polynesian section.

What'll be next - Mickey sipping rum with the "Pirates?"


So sad

 

[Camno's Mama]

How come there's no voting option for "what a stupid ride......I hope they change the dumb song and make the dolls a lot less creepy"?

I know many people that would agree with you on that one! My brothers and dad would never even get on it, and I have to drag dh on!

Although, I kind of like it, I do feel a general irritation by the end of it!

I thought the repairs they are making in Cali are going to be similar to the ones made in Florida. Although, I am no imagineer, so I can't say for sure!

 

[stopher1]

I
I thought the repairs they are making in Cali are going to be similar to the ones made in Florida. Although, I am no imagineer, so I can't say for sure!

The fixes/updates they made in FL were based on the original version in CA.

 

[nancy drew]

i am really sad that IASW is closed in DLR. i almost skipped DLR in favor of WDW this year, just so my kids could ride IASW. but in the end saving $$ won out, so we are going to DLR.

from what i have heard the disney characters are in the paris (?) IASW ride, and thats what they are "copying" at DLR. im not too psyched about it, but what can we do now? ive also heard that one of the major reasons they are fixing it is because the boats were bottoming out thanks to the increasing size of americans . of course thats not what the disney people say, they say its "fiberglass buildup" causing the boats to bottom out.

either way, i suppose if the character additions re really poorly received it wouldnt be too difficult to remove them, right?

 

[Tinkerbell424]

Oh No! I think they should leave it the way it is. Where do Disney Character's play a role on this ride? It would totally mess up the whole "theme" of the ride.

 

[PrincessKell]

OH my gosh NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! My dd will have a complete meltdown if this ride changes too much. If they do add these characters I hope they are SMALL and hidden to where you have to find them and not huge. This is my kiddos favorite ride.

We love it, ride it at least 20 times when we are there. I know they have to upgrade the boats and such, but there is really no need for adding the Disney characters.

 

[nancy drew]

OH my gosh NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! My dd will have a complete meltdown if this ride changes too much. If they do add these characters I hope they are SMALL and hidden to where you have to find them and not huge. This is my kiddos favorite ride.

We love it, ride it at least 20 times when we are there. I know they have to upgrade the boats and such, but there is really no need for adding the Disney characters.

you do know it will be closed when you are there, judging by your ticker in your sig. its closed until november. make sure you prep dd that she wont be able to ride it. ive had to do that with my kiddos, who are very disappointed about it.

 

[littleteapot]

I said yes, change it. I said this only because dd and I were stuck in the middle of IASW at DLR for 40 minutes in January. It used to be my favorite ride, it'll be a while before I'm ready to go again. Maybe some little changes will encourage me.