Hello All, Harold here celebrating International Friendship Day with a nod to the Happiest Place on Earth and one attraction in particular that seems to foster the idea of friendship around the globe. Yes, I am talking about Walt Disney's "It's a Small World". The attraction was created by Walt Disney and WED Enterprises and made its debut at the 1964 World's Fair in New York City. It was Miss Ann's FAVORITE attraction and not only does she remember seeing it 14 times (!), she can still sing all the words of the theme song!!
Though many years had passed since the World's Fair shut its gates in 1966 and afterwards It's a Small World was shipped to Disneyland in California, Miss Ann always hoped she'd see it again someday and sure enough she did in 1999. She also saw the second incarnation of It's a Small World at Disneyworld in 2005.
I thought I'd share with you some interesting trivia:
It's a Small World was designed and constructed in 11 months.
There are over 300 animated dolls that sing and dance to the theme song as you glide through the waterway. (See the upper right-hand corner above).
The original title of the attraction was Children of the World, but when Walt Disney heard the final version of the theme song, he changed the name to It's a Small World.
The attraction is enclosed by a 120-foot, continuously spinning mobile and clock tower called the Tower of the Four Winds. You can see part of it here in the lower right-hand corner of our collage.
Piggy and the Critters have also been prepping for International Friendship Day. You can see what they've been up to, check out this shot:
I have been through the ride, It's a Small World, at Disneyworld in Florida about 15 years ago. To this day, I can still hear the song playing over and over... Great collage and history of "Small World."
Thank you everyone! I confess I do not know all these facts off the top of my head (with the exception of the dates of the World's Fair and that the original attraction landed in Disneyland) but it was fun to pull up the research and learn along with Harold.
Thank you everyone! I confess I do not know all these facts off the top of my head (with the exception of the dates of the World's Fair and that the original attraction landed in Disneyland) but it was fun to pull up the research and learn along with Harold.
@digitalrn Thank you Rick! Did you go to the World's Fair or did you see it in CA? Or did you go to Disney World instead?