The "new" It's a Small World

[froggy33]

Hi. My DH and I are going to WDW in December. I have heard that there have been improvements to It's a Small World. Since this is one of those ride once kind of rides, I just want to know if the improvements are worth it. Thanks!

 

[SamIAm21]

I vaguely remember the It's a Small World from my first trip back in 1983. However, we were just at the MK and It's a Small World last month and I thought it was very colorful and just as cute as ever. I remember it being darker inside the last time, but this time, it's bright and colorful with things going on all around you. It's hard to take it all in with just one go around, so plan on going twice or even three times to see the majority. You will see something new each time.

However, I recommend limiting your trips to about three because after that the song would drive you batty!!

 

[Bob P]

Hi and welcome to the DIS!

Have you been on the ride before? IMO: if you liked it, you'll still like it. If you didn't like it, you still won't like it!

For the most part the changes are cosmetic. The ride itself is not substantially different than it had been in the past.

Hope this helps!

Bob

 

[uncgsweetz16]

We just rode it last week and all I can say I noticed was that it had a paint job to be honest! So I agree with the previous thread..it is a nice relaxing ride that almost never has a line and lets you sit for 10 minutes or so...if you used to like it, you still will. If you never did, you still won't. Have a good one!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

It sounds like you weren't into the original version of this ride, so I'd guess that for you, it's probably worth a ride if you're there for a week, and you walk by it in the evening when there is no line, but not worth waiting in the afternoon line. Personally, I enjoyed the renovations. It is kind of neat if you happen to see the clock in the front when it 'chimes.' You could also walk up to the exit area and look at the queue area renovations - where the changes are the most dramatic -without going on the ride.

 

[Pixiedusttravel]

My DS (3) is a huge fan of It's a small world and begs to ride over and over again!! He immediatly noticed the changes on the ride when we went this year and loved it. I think it's nicer now too. (The place needed a new paint job!!)

It's got fresh new paint, the dolls all work (for now) and the ceiling isn't peeling away! It's much more appealing visually. Of course, it's still not a ride that you want to ride over and over again. Once is quite enough! Now if I can convince my 3yr old of this...

 

[froggy33]

Thank you. I have been on it before, as has DH. I don't mind it, it's drives him crazy. So, if we go on it, it will be a spur of the moment decision. Thanks for your help and timely responses!

 

[Robo]

Since this is one of those ride once kind of rides, I just want to know if the improvements are worth it. Thanks!

Well, if you don't care much for it, don't bother with it.

As for me, I have amazing family memories of seeing IASW in Disneyland right after it was brought back from the '64 NYC World's Fair.

We all LOVED it!

Back then it had MANY different recordings of the song with unique full orchestral arrangements behind each version. There were full-sized Hi-Fi "theater speakers" throughout the ride (Altec "Voice of the Theater" if anyone knows about such things) and it sounded so GOOD in there.

I have no idea how many (and what kind) of tape playback systems ($$$) they had to operate simultaneously to get that many recordings to play in (mostly) sync. There were no compact discs or digital players... only reel-to-reel (and later, "cartridge") studio tape players. It was a staggering technical feat to get all those individual "tracks" to play at the same time.
(I remember each "room" was in sync, with the music being slightly "off-sync" as you passed into the next gigantic room).

We bought the LP record back then (not even released in STEREO, just Mono) of the music and I memorized each version (I was in grade school then).

Since that time there have been many "modernizations" of the attraction.
When IASW came to WDW, it already was "pared-down" from the Disneyland original. And even the original California version was "down-graded" over the years.
Gone where the massive (and superior-sounding) theater speakers, replaced with much smaller speakers of lesser quality.
The music tracks where re-recorded with "smaller", simpler arrangements using fewer singers, and in fewer languages.
The dolls still wiggled and spun but it was... NOT THE SAME!

Well now, in 2005-6 the WDW version of IASW underwent an UPGRADE.
Many (most) of the dolls were replaced (or at least repainted).
The sets and interior walls were coated in a new deeper, richer color scheme.
The load-area was improved by the addition of an elaborate new animatronic "clock" mounted in a surround-setting that has a similar feel to the (much larger) Disneyland IASW exterior.

But, during the new construction period, I heard a RUMOR of something that raised my hopes (although tempered with the "real-world" skepticism that said, "Why bother to spend time and $$ on such things?")

Still, when I got to ride IASW after it reopened in WDW...

My own ears confirmed it... YES, the ORIGINAL 1963-64 SOUNDTRACK (that I had loved and "lived") had been RESURRECTED, and digitally RESTORED!

There are MANY added individual speakers in each doll-vignette, each with its OWN version of the song (again, with the elaborate individual track from 1963-4)
What a joy it was to hear the old familiar tracks that my family (brother, two sisters, Mom and Dad) had loved so much in the '60's!

The current "finale" room is a new recording (as the old one had an actual "ending" that just didn't fit with the modern-day ability to "seamlessly" loop the tracks). But even the new finale track is carefully crafted in the same style as the original version... well-done!

To me, IASW is BACK!

So, again, if you don't know or care about these kind of things, don't bother to ride IASW. Its going to seem like that "same-old, once-is-enough" kind of ride.

But to an "old-time Disney veteran" its a trip back in time to when Disney was still the name of a MAN... who loved his park... and nothing was too good to lavish on the guests who came to visit.

A special THANKS to those Imagineers who painstakingly and "lovingly" restored each of those amazing old audio tapes. And made them (again) a part of the Happiest Place on Earth for us "kids" to enjoy.

 

[kimisabella]

We rode it 3 times last week - it is the one ride my 2 dd's keep quiet with their eyes wide open and singing along. It looks and sounds great now!

 

[Tigger2252]

I haven't been able to ride that ride since it broke down when we were on it a number of years ago. OMG! We were stuck for over half an hour and they kept the music playing!! Finally, everyone began to scream TURN OFF THE @**^)@ MUSIC and they did. My DH and I still have flashbacks when we walk by it

 

[jann1033]

It's hard to take it all in with just one go around, so plan on going twice or even three times to see the majority. However, I recommend limiting your trips to about three because after that the song would drive you batty!!

it takes 3 times for the song to bug you????? by 1/2 the ride i start looking for earplugs,3 time would put me in a strait jacket...my face is twitching just thinking about it( relax, deep breath, it'll be over soon..)(Just kidding)

 

[spoon full of sugar]

What does the clock do?

 

[ainmama2001]

My dd made me ride it FOUR times with her Thought I was going to pull a Jack from Titanic and fall overboard! I noticed the colors being much brighter and it was just cleaner...it even smelled cleaner.

 

[Robo]

What does the clock do?

The "face" rocks back-and-forth as it slowly ticks.

It has a display of dolls that rotate around the lower part of the clock every 1/4 hour.

 

[krbq]

Thanks for that report, Robo! The first time I saw it was as a kid at the World's Fair and I didn't ride it again until the late 1970's. I didn't notice that the soundtrack was different, but I'll be listening when we ride it again later this month.

 

[bytheblood]

I personally thought that it was a 100% improvement.

 

[ohanafamily]

Well, we have been trying to ride it for the last year and a half, we went to WDW the week after they closed the ride for "Refurbishment". We love it and can ride it several times. Our DS10MO loves the song on CD. We are hoping to enjoy it.


I am just hoping that they cleaned up the propane leak properly (evidently one of the reasond for the length of time was a leak that has been there since the ride openned (the leak was under the loadind dock).

Again, we love the ride and hope to ride the holiday make-over.

 

[Robo]

...we love the ride and hope to ride the holiday make-over.

Holiday Makeover?

Is there a Holiday Makeover?

 

[ohanafamily]

At DL they do a holiday makeover of IASW for x-mas. I was told that one of the "reasons" for the revamping of the ride (this was from a CM) was so that they could do the same holiday makeover every year.

 

[Skroops]

It is always on our list to see! It was so hard for me to see it closed down for so long. Now it looks "new" again! Love it!!

I think it is mostly sentimental for us!