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The Disneyland Report > Disney News > Walt Disney World's 'it's a small world' attraction gets makeover for Disneyland's 50th birthday Disney NewsWalt Disney World's 'it's a small world' attraction gets makeover for Disneyland's 50th birthdayLAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- One of the most beloved attractions at Magic Kingdom, "it's a small world," has received an extreme makeover -- of sorts. The classic Disney attraction, inspired by a similar Disneyland theme park attraction, was brought to Florida for the Grand Opening of Walt Disney World Resort in 1971. Thirtysomething years later, it's received a makeover that includes décor from its California cousin at Disneyland. In honor of the "Happiest Celebration on Earth" 18-month celebration of Disneyland's 50th birthday, the attraction received the most extensive renovation and refreshment in its history, courtesy of Walt Disney Imagineering, the original creator of this classic attraction. Guests will instantly sense a major change as they make their way through Fantasyland toward the attraction. Stroller parking moves to a designated area away from the entrance, opening up the area and giving "it's a small world" a more inspiring welcome statement. The new exterior marquee is more vibrant than the original, with a fresh color palette and layered flats depicting a small troupe of international children aboard a whimsical sailing ship. In addition to the renovation work, the celebrated "clockwork" art from famed Disney artist Mary Blair that dons the facade of the Disneyland attraction is being added to the Walt Disney World attraction's main inner queue area. The space comes to life like never before with the addition of fanciful, three-dimensional set pieces, including a delightful miniature facsimile of the Disneyland attraction's signature clock tower. The clock's smiling "face" rocks to and fro as a gentle "tick-tock" and hourly musical chimes echo throughout the load area. "From its beginnings as one of the ground-breaking Disney shows, premiering at the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair, to the millions of guests who enjoy it today at Disney theme parks around the world, 'it's a small world' is an attraction that endures the test of time," said Eric Jacobsen, senior vice president of creative development for Walt Disney Imagineering. "Its colorful cast of international dolls and delightful theme song -- paired with a simple message of multicultural friendship -- celebrate the beauty of nations, peoples and societies coming together in global harmony." This extensive refreshment of the attraction's exterior and queue area only sets the stage for the magic to come. Every show scene will reflect the attraction's opening day brilliance, from freshly repainted sets and scenery to major "hair and makeup touch-ups" for the international cast of singing dolls. Extensive technical upgrades, including an enhanced soundtrack and a refocused lighting package, ensure that the show's Audio-Animatronics performers and the sets on which they perform look and sound better than ever. The Creation of a Disney Classic Originally created for the 1964 World's Fair in New York as an exhibit to benefit UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund), this is a boat ride through a Lilliputian land populated by colorfully dressed Audio-Animatronics dolls representing children from many regions of the world. In 1963, executives from the Pepsi-Cola Co. asked Walt Disney for assistance with the creation of an exhibit for the 1964 World's Fair to benefit UNICEF. With Walt's blessing, Marc Davis, one of the original Disney animators (Nine Old Men) designed the boat ride attraction through the countries of the world. The first version of "it's a small world" was on exhibit at the New York World's Fair from 1964-65 where it entertained and thrilled more than 10 million children. In 1966, after some major enhancements, including an enlargement of approximately 33 percent, the attraction found a permanent home at Disneyland in California. There are a total of 289 dolls that "sing" the familiar song, "it's a small world," in five languages (English, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and Swedish). Academy Award®-winning composers Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, who won two Oscars® for their work on Disney's feature film "Mary Poppins," were asked by Walt Disney to create a simple, yet catchy, piece that could be sung in many different languages while guests traveled by boat through the attraction. The resulting song, "it's a small world," became one of the best-known and happiest of all Disney tunes. Disney's "Happiest Celebration on Earth" The "Happiest Celebration on Earth" pays tribute to Walt Disney's dream of Disneyland, the original park that introduced an entirely new genre of family entertainment that now spans the globe and continues to offer the most visited attractions in the world, drawing 100 million visitors on three continents every year -- and still growing. Beginning May 5, 2005, the event will take place in all of the Disney theme parks around the world, with the premiere of exciting new shows and attractions at Disneyland Resort, Calif.; Walt Disney World Resort in Florida; Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan; and Disneyland Resort Paris in France and the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland. Walt Disney World Resort pays tribute to 50 years of Disney theme park magic around the world with its most over-the-top event ever. Each of the four Walt Disney World theme parks will feature an incredible attraction or show imported from Disney's parks around the globe -- plus a unique new attraction will be created just for the Florida resort. * Guests at Magic Kingdom will see a favorite princess begin her "happily-ever-after" life during the magnificent, musical coronation of "Cinderellabration," direct from Tokyo. * At Epcot, guests will take flight over the Golden State with the opening of Soarin', based on the hit Anaheim attraction. * The secrets behind Hollywood's most astounding stunts will be revealed in the high-octane "Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show" at Disney-MGM Studios, direct from Paris. * At Disney's Animal Kingdom -- from out of the secret labs of Walt Disney Imagineering -- will come Lucky the dinosaur, the first-ever free-roaming Audio-Animatronics figure. Later in the celebration year, Expedition Everest will take guests to thrilling new heights in a runaway mountain train. Source: Press Release Return to Disney News.
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