it's a Small World Reviews - Disney Reviews and Ratings

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it's a Small World

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73	3625

Recommended By	Average Price	Average Rating
97% of reviewers	None indicated	8.1

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Description:

NOTICE: closed 08/1/10 - 10/22/10
Year Opened: 1971

The legend has it that if you ride it's a small world at Disney World or Disneyland, the song will stay in your head forever, its a small world after all. It's cool to diss this ride as a cliche or for being just for kids. People will tell you that they avoid it like the plague.

These are the same people that will turn around and moan that the Carousel of Progress should be saved, or that they never should have taken out Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Their reasoning is that these are Walt Disney's legacy (this should be said in an extremely reverent tone.)

Let's talk about that. Many of the older, or original, if your prefer, attractions at Disneyland and Disney World have Walt's touch. Walt and his team of Imagineers, led by artist and designer Mary Blair (who also created the huge multi-story murals on the Grand Canyon Concourse at Walt Disney World's Contemporary Resort), created it's a small world as tribute to the children of the world for the UNICEF pavilion at the 1964/65 World's Fair. The Sherman Brothers, responsible for a big chunk of Disney music (i.e. Mary Poppins) originally wrote the theme song as a ballad. Legend has it that Walt told them he needed something peppy that would last throughout the ride. It was decided that the song you love to hate was sped up and sung as a round. What you see today is very close to Walt's original attraction for the World's Fair. Seems like a pretty good pedigree to me.

After the World's Fair ended, it's a small world was moved to Disneyland, where it remains one of the park's premiere attractions, even after a controversial update that had classic Disney characters added to the attraction. Those additions have NOT (as of yet) been made to the Walt Disney World version of the attraction.

Information:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/guides/magickingdom/fan-small.htm

Author

alayna86

Registered: July 2010
Posts: 44

Review Date: Tue July 20, 2010

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Long ride and cheerful
Cons:	the song gets annoying

This ride is rather lengthy. It is inside and the air conditioning feels wonderful on a hot day. Nice to see different cultures!

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MarchMadness24

Registered: June 2010
Posts: 46

Review Date: Sat June 19, 2010

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 7

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Classic, Kid-Friendly, and Relaxing.
Cons:	Loud, Breaks Down, and Can Be Really Annoying If You Allow It To.

This ride is a classic and should always be kept here at the MK. It is a relaxing, positive ride to enjoy with young ones. The singing can become tremendously annoying you allow it to. It also broke down for 30 minutes, which took away time from the park.

friendnc

Registered: January 2007
Posts: 137

Review Date: Tue June 15, 2010

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 7

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Classic. Realxing. Comfortable indoor ride.
Cons:	Boats tend to bunch up at the end, the "It's a Small World" songs runs in a loop in your head the rest of the day.

Great classic Disney ride.

csjordan

Registered: February 2005
Posts: 45

Review Date: Sun May 9, 2010

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 7

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	nice seeing countries, cute dolls
Cons:	annoying song that sticks in your head

This ride is overall good for kids. The only bad thing is the song that gets stuck in my head everytime I ride!

Joolish1313

Registered: August 2007
Posts: 351

Review Date: Sat February 13, 2010

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 8

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Lots of colorul, creative
Cons:	Needs an update

We go on this every trip, usually as many times as we are in the MK (so like 3-4 times a trip). By the 2nd time through you can see where paint needs to be touched up, or where speaks are in the middle of animals. Maybe a face lift would help, but don't change the ride.

kaetra

Registered: January 2010
Posts: 39

Review Date: Wed January 20, 2010

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 6

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	not as bad as I thought it would be
Cons:

I was dreading going on this, I really was. But, it wasn't that bad. It's been kept up nicely and the song wasn't blaring as loud as I thought it would be. The very end is kind of wierd where they mix all the world's children up into a single room playing together but everyone is wearing white. Why white? Kind of creepy, but I'm surely over-thinking it. Anyway, you have to do it at least once, might as well get it over with! Wink

Rainkiss

Registered: September 2009
Posts: 259

Review Date: Thu September 3, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Classic, always something new to see
Cons:

I love this ride, I really do. Sure, the music will require a sledgehammer to get out of your head, but there's just SO much to see, you catch a new detail or two every time.

Cherinva

Registered: October 2007
Posts: 1180

Review Date: Tue September 1, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 7

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Good to get out of the hot sun
Cons:

This is a good ride for kids and those that need a break from the hot Florida sun. Once you've done it, that's it. I'm not wild about some of the new things they added, I think it takes away some of the classic style that Walt invisioned.

disney_lily

Registered: July 2009
Posts: 11

Review Date: Sat July 25, 2009

Would you recommend the product? No | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 4

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	good for young children or people who dont like fast rides
Cons:	slow and boring

this ride is good for young children and people who dont like rollercoasters (my mum loved it!).
however i would NOT recommend this for thrill seekers.

Mgoblue44

Registered: February 2008
Posts: 79

Review Date: Wed July 22, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 8

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Classic, cool down, nice long ride.
Cons:	None

I've been on this during Holiday season with massive lines, and the wait still went fast. The 20 minutes it takes is a great time to cool down. You never look at this ride the same way after reading Ridley Pearson's "Kingdom Keepers".

OverTheParkway

Registered: July 2009
Posts: 7

Review Date: Tue July 7, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 8

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Long, gets you off your feet.
Cons:	Repetative song.

Its a classic! I love to try and guess what country each doll is from!

wdwfreeksince88

Registered: May 2008
Posts: 519

Review Date: Mon June 29, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 8

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	A true Disney original, great for all ages
Cons:	Lots of bad cliches but thats all

This is a pretty good attraction. It is not my favorite but I still hit it once in a while because of the history behind this attraction. Its a boat ride that moves slow and has a song that never stops. lol But still worth checking out. Wouldn't wait long in line for this attraction if your going to wait try not to wait more than 15 mins.

klam_chowder

Registered: November 2007
Posts: 1464

Review Date: Sun June 28, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	A true joy to ride this classic
Cons:	Water can smell funny

I love this ride, and I believe it might have started my love of Disney from my first trip to DLR as a young girl. If I sing along and just enjoy the ride, it can still bring a tear to my eye. And that song? I love it too!

tlhbdm

Registered: February 2007
Posts: 1171

Review Date: Thu June 25, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 8

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Cute Ride
Cons:	Song kind of gets annoying, if you get stuck

Love this ride, it's a classic. At the end of the ride you can get stuck for boats waiting to unload and the song can get quite annoying.

Mouse Skywalker

Registered: August 2005
Posts: 5531

Review Date: Sat June 20, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Classic, very cute, lots to look at
Cons:	song is trite

I like this attraction. You just have to ride it. No trip for us is complete without doing it.

Donaldfan81

Registered: June 2006
Posts: 179

Review Date: Thu June 11, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 8

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	A true Walt Classic
Cons:	The song gets stuck in your head

To me I have to go on this one on the first night every time we go. A true Classic.

jeanigor

Registered: February 2008
Posts: 12182

Review Date: Tue June 9, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	classic
Cons:	the song?, a must do

Everyone wants to ride IASW. That can create horribly long lines. But it is worth it. The color and pizazz of IASW is worth the wait. The underlying message is also a good thing.

mommyceratops

Registered: January 2006
Posts: 2430

Review Date: Tue June 9, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Cute and slow
Cons:

My 2DS love this ride! It is slow and cute...slow down and enjoy this ride

princessluvsapirate

Registered: December 2008
Posts: 52

Review Date: Sat June 6, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	classic Disney
Cons:	none for us

True classic Disney.Even if you get sick of the song

alamode

Registered: May 2009
Posts: 458

Review Date: Thu June 4, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 7

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	The visuals
Cons:	The song... oh the song

You know what to expect going in, lots of cute kids from all over the world singing that song, oh that song... over, and over, and over and over.

auroralark

Registered: September 2004
Posts: 736

Review Date: Wed June 3, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Classic
Cons:

I'm a fan of this ride - the song doesn't bother me and I love all the visuals of all the different lands. For a first timer, this is a must ride.

DisneyDaddy-O

Registered: March 2009
Posts: 773

Review Date: Tue June 2, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Cheesy, that's why it's fun
Cons:	none

We do this ride all the time and really like the cheesy aspect of the whole thing. This is what makes Disney great. Getting a grown man to love this ride and sing that tune.

disney_fan1972

Registered: June 2007
Posts: 108

Review Date: Wed May 20, 2009

Would you recommend the product? No | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 4

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	cool place to relax
Cons:	La la la la la la la over and over and over!

Well... its a classic and if you've never been to the world you have to try it but once is enough. My 7y/o daughter and 1 y/o son love it. As for me... been there, done that... not going back (untill they beg me "Mooommmm plllleeeeaaassseeee!"

SheenaXena21

Registered: February 2005
Posts: 1092

Review Date: Tue May 19, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9

Positive aspects of the product (pros):
Cons:	Slow loading

How can you not love it?!

cathie1327

Registered: May 2008
Posts: 943

Review Date: Tue May 19, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 7

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Nostalgia, Air-conditioned
Cons:	Slow

This ride is a classic, and anyone who loves seeing things Walt was directly involved in usually will appreciate the ride for what it is. It's not fast paced and it's definitely a more mellow ride, but good for just a moment to stop and look around and smile.

Disney Anna

Registered: October 1999
Posts: 577

Review Date: Sun May 17, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 5

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Disney Classic
Cons:	Pale version of the original at Disneyland

I rate the Disneyland version of this ride as an 10. The WDW version I can only rate a "5." Still a classic, and a must see for children, and for those who will never make it to the original; but truly, there is no comparison to the Disneyland version. The WDW version does not have the stunning facade, nor is the ride as visually stunning, intricate and beautiful as the original version.

Love2663

Registered: May 2009
Posts: 109

Review Date: Sun May 17, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 6

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	beautiful dolls and architectural scenes from throughout the world
Cons:	the song, while cute the first time, is tiresome the hundredth time

When young, my children enjoyed it, but when older, considered it a form of cruel and unusual punishment.

mr. figment

Registered: September 2007
Posts: 134

Review Date: Fri May 15, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 7

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	It's a classic!
Cons:

I think if you sing the song at a slower tempo it takes it's intended meaning.

chattwdw

Registered: January 2004
Posts: 77

Review Date: Wed May 13, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Classic Disney and great for the whole family
Cons:	the song

This is just part of Disney and when you think disney you think of this ride. This is great time for the whole family, but that song can get stuck in your head and drive you nuts.

msc_idiot

Registered: January 2009
Posts: 90

Review Date: Tue May 12, 2009

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 5

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Classic
Cons:	Boats frequently get backed up waiting to unload

Everyone should experience this atleast once. The song can be a bit much, but one time through is easily managable.

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