'It's a Small World' after all; iconic ride celebrates 50 years

Los Angeles times ^ | Aug 6 2014 | Hugo Martin

[WilliamIII]

en her phone rang that day in 1963, Alice Davis was working as a seamstress, stitching bras and girdles in the downtown Los Angeles garment district.

Walt Disney, the caller said, wanted to see her.

When she arrived at Disney's office, the theme park pioneer made her an offer: Design costumes for a new ride he was planning for the 1964 New York World's Fair. That ride would be, he promised her, an attraction that would bring joy "to every child from 1 to 100."

"I could hardly wait to get there for the first day," recalled Davis, now 85.

Fifty years later, "It's a Small World" remains one of Disneyland's most popular rides, having ferried 290 million visitors, or an average of 111,000 a week, for half a century.

Small World's technology is outdated, and some say it perpetuates broad stereotypes, with Arab dolls flying on magic carpets and Mexicans wearing sombreros. And the famous theme song is so annoying that a recent online poll ranked it the world's worst ear worm, beating "Gangnam Style" and "Who Let the Dogs Out?"

But at a time when aging theme park attractions are routinely scrapped — replaced by expensive high-tech rides tied to big-budget movies — Small World is marking another milestone. It's getting its own movie.

[a fool in paradise]

IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL
IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL
IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL
IT'S A SMALL SMALL WORLD
IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL
IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL
IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL
IT'S A SMALL SMALL WORLD
IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL
IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL
IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL
IT'S A SMALL SMALL WORLD
IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL
IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL
IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL
IT'S A SMALL SMALL WORLD..

[a fool in paradise]

OH HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
HAPPY ANNIVERSARRRRY
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
HAPPY ANNIVERSARRRRY...

[hoagy62]

The Disney inside joke from 'The Lion King'...just the first :28 seconds is needed.

Zazu sings...

[cartoonistx]

It’s a world of laughter, a world or tears
It’s a world of hopes,
Its a world of fear
There’s so much that we share
That its time we’re aware
It’s a small world after all

CHORUS:
It’s a small world after all
It’s a small world after all
It’s a small world after all
It’s a small, small world

There is just one moon and one golden sun
And a smile means friendship to everyone.
Though the mountains divide
And the oceans are wide
It’s a small small world

[DoughtyOne]

I still say this is the most insidious ride ever created by any amusement park. Try getting in and out of Disneyland if there’s one woman or child in the mix, without seeing “It’s a Small World.”

That melody and those words will rattle around in your brain for six months after a mere mention on a forum, so thanks a lot William III. If you happen to ride through the exhibit, you’ll be cursed with the tune and words for six years.

You’ll be bent over your work and all of a sudden the most disgusting melody you’ve heard in your life is emitting from your mouth either by whistling or humming.

Perhaps there’s a medication strong enough to wipe this sucker off the deck, clear the slate. At my age you avoid anything like that for fear it will prevent some of life’s enjoyable moments, if you catch my drift.

Still, zombiehood comes in different forms. One’s “It’s a Small World” thrill is another man’s zombie anthem.

Da da da da da da da,
Da da da da da da da...

Dang it! There it goes again...

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh...

[Nevadan]

I hated this ride until I had kids. It is the perfect ride to rest in when you are tired at Disney Land.

[Ken H]

I thought this was forbidden by Amendment VIII.

[DoughtyOne]

Pirates of the Caribbean was my favorite rest ride. Mid afternoon it’s dark and cool in there. Loved it.

[tumblindice]

Fred: pupils.
Wilma: no pupils, just black dots like a shark’s eyes.
Barney: no pupils, ‘Raggedy Ann’ eyes.
Betty: pupils.
It seems like they were mismatched couples, doesn’t it?

[ziravan]

I took my three boys on this ride when they were growing up (age 13, 10, and 8 at the time).

Halfway through, my 13 yr old asks, “Dad, why did you take us on this ride?”

My answer:

“Because I could.” (Insert evil laugh here.)

[Slings and Arrows]

It’s A Real World (After All) - Duck Logic

It’s a world of acne, a world of germs.
It’s your brand new dog coming down with worms.
It’s the notes being played
By a cockroach parade,
It’s the real world after all.

It’s a world of ulcers, a world of cysts.
It’s the hole in the road that you never miss.
It’s the cheap underwear
Creeping up to your hair,
It’s the real world after all.

It’s the real world after all,
It’s the real world after all,
It’s the real world after all,
It’s the real world after all.

It’s a world of hunger, a world of sin.
It’s a million products to keep you thin.
It’s machinery exhaust
Causing air to be lost.
It’s the real world after all.

It’s a world of stark mediocrity,
It’s a world of mindless activity.
It’s the little white lie
Inside Mom’s apple pie,
It’s the real world after all.

It’s the real world after all,
Cold hard steel world after all,
Slimy eel world after all,
Well, it’s the real world after all.

It’s a world that’s black and a world that’s blue,
And you must duck logic to get you through.
It’s the sudden attack
Of a knife in your back,
It’s the real world after all.

It’s the real world after all,
Spinning wheel world after all,
Cold hard steel world after all,
Well, it’s the real world after all.

“Yeah!”
“That was great!”
“That was really a lot of fun!”
“I can’t breathe.”
“I’ve got blisters on my fingers.”

[Celtic Conservative]

I have to agree, POTC is a good way to get out of the California sun for awhile. It works just as well at Walt Disney World for the same reason. Especially when it’s 100+ and 6000% humidity in the middle of the day. Splash mountain followed by big thunder mountain is a good way to cool off too. Get wet, get on big thunder mountain. The joys of evaporative cooling.

CC

[17th Miss Regt]

Not applicable. Amendment VIII prohibits cruel and unusual punishments. At 290,000,000 victims it is no longer unusual.

[gigster]

I always had a thing for Betty...

[BenLurkin]

Just

No

[a fool in paradise]

I always had a thing for Betty...

"Say WHAT???"

#SHUDDER

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

Stereotypes of Arabs on flying carpets and Mexicans wearing sombreros?

How about updating it with Arabs wearing suicide vests and building bombs and Central American MS-13 gang bangers with lice, scabbies and TB driving drunk and crashing into car loads on American families? That should make the liberal heads explode!

[Dilbert San Diego]

well not Rosie O’Donnell as Betty. I think this was before Rosie announced being lesbian, and before she started behaving like a bombastic left wing loudmouth liberal lunatic.

[a fool in paradise]

Just funnin’ with ya. Rosie was miscast.