Reviews of New "Small World" at Disneyland - Post HERE

[b236en]

I think It looks good, I don't think the new pieces take away from the feel of the ride.

[brandond6]

Originally Posted by Tomorrowland_1967

Taking the characters .. one at a time ... The only ones that appear to blend in, and be unobtrusive .. are Simba, Pumba ... and the ocassional "pop goes the weasel" - Timon.

The others are positioned along the flume so you can't miss them.

So much for Marty Sklar saying they would be "seamlessly blended in."

He was either lied to .. Or he lied to us.

Either way ........ the company is more concerned with as much Disney Character commercialism they can cram in. And if it impedes on the artistic integrity of their classic rides - Well .. who cares!

They are on a One-track course with with their Branded Characters.

That is NOT a good thing!

I'm now officially beginning to loose heart and interest in Disneyland. I never thought it would happen.

But Disney is devolving .. by relying on their line up of fictional-fantasy branded characters too much .... and the 3D World of Disneyland is devolving into a 2D Cartoon Fest.

Geez man it seems like you are starting to hate Disney. If thats the case I don't see whats the point of you posting here as this is a forum for Disney FANS.

[bfdf55]

Originally Posted by brandond6

Geez man it seems like you are starting to hate Disney. If thats the case I don't see whats the point of you posting here as this is a forum for Disney FANS.

No, this is a forum for ANYBODY to discuss Disney. People can bring up anything that they determine to be good, bad and/or ugly to discuss. If you want a FAN site, there are others that you may prefer.

[Walt Jr.]

I have not posted a review of the new small world attraction because my opinions are a bit "strong", which has prompted other posters to accuse me of not riding the finished attraction. Now that the newness of these "changes" have worn off, I'll give my official review of It's A Small World.

Even before these changes, I have quoted this change to be a "desecration".

Dictionary.com lists synonyms as: defile, violate, dishonor, pollute, and outrage.

I am afraid, that this word is still very much a description of the changes.

Let's start with the once upon a rainforest shall we?? A once dramatic room with lots of three dimensional sets and movement. The sheer scale of this room was impressive, especially the New Guinea scene. The scene still stands, in the next room. With next to NO dramatic scale even left.

Instead, we have an overly lit, two dimensional, America room. The biggest waste of space I've ever seen an imagineer put out. You designers should be ashamed of yourselves.

This project is A) Overly lit. B) Completely Bland and Uninteresting C) Very Little Movement D) What the heck is the Hollywood Bowl even doing there, whoever thought of that should be fired.

This is a product that should never have been unveiled to paying audiences, I would be ashamed to ever give out this level of work considering the reputation that Disney has. I would never give out anything like this, Small World is an E-Ticket, not a C-Ticket dark ride, and they are even better detailed then this set.

I've also come up with a little philosophy about why there was never an America scene in the original Small World. It's simply because America in the first place is the great melting pot of all cultures, which by simply adding the cowboy and native american, the only two cultural points that are truly ours, makes the Finale itself America!

As for the characters, in the spotlight (I am working in theatre lighting so I know how a figure is lit), the music is repulsive, and please, keep Ariel from singing like Miley Cyrus.

So congratulations Disney, the theme of goodwill through the eyes of children has been expunged from Small World forever. I feel like a helpless child for not reading through your letter loopholes Marty Sklar, and my respect for you and Kim Irvine is now so far below the radar, it would read as a .000000000000000000001.
Tony Baxter, I'm still hoping that you will be able to deliver a much better project, and I still have some faith in you.


When Small World was unveiled for the first time with characters I stated:

Small World is now the Disney Whore.

Dictionary.com lists the use of whore with an object as corrupt and debauched.

Nothing could be more true, the themes, love, and heart given to Small World by its original creators has been destroyed by 21st century relevance. Can't we for once add without destroying???

Farewell Small World.

[Tomorrowland_1967]

I still have yet to answer another poster .. but I'm going to address this one now:

Originally Posted by brandond6

Geez man it seems like you are starting to hate Disney. If thats the case I don't see whats the point of you posting here as this is a forum for Disney FANS.

Excuse me ... Did you even bother to thoroughly understand my point?

And by what criteria (According to you) make a "Disney" Fan?

You want to dish out sharp words? I'll dish it right back to you!

The various "Disney" related websites make up for all kinds of "Disney" fans.
From fans of the movies, to fans of the characters, to fans of the theme parks, to fans of the music, etc.

I'm a Disneyland fan first. Grew up less than 10 miles from it. It's a part of my growing up more than any other aspect of the Disney Co. I ALSO enjoy the Disney characters .. and have respected Disney for how they used them. Keeping them in their respective worlds ... and not over use them, like they are The-End-All to all life on planet Earth!

I've been going to Disneyland from 1968 to the present. I think I understand a former (better) balance between attractions that utilize the branded characters to the attractions that are "original" like PoC, Jungle Cruise, 'it's a small world', etc .. better than most people care to.

You might care to look outside the borders of micechat.com .. and read other comments of other Disneyland fan sites that include other aspects of Disney, that people are into ... And see that the opinions are mixed. And the opinions vary from casual posters, to industry people with carefully thought out insights into the changes.

AND you might care to read a few selected sites where professionals in the industry have spoke out against the additions - Recognizing that various artists and other talents can look into the "core structure" of an attraction's theme - and see how the Disney character additions mess it up.

[brandond6]

^Sorry about that man, I was having a REAL crappy day yesterday and getting mad at everything.

[Tomorrowland_1967]

Originally Posted by brandond6

^Sorry about that man, I was having a REAL crappy day yesterday and getting mad at everything.

Sorry you had a bad day. Hope things are better for you, now

[Tomorrowland_1967]

Originally Posted by ICe101

I have to contradict this statement. If you have ridden the ride you can clearly tell that the characters are tastefully placed in their correct countries not blurting with words. IF Disney was all about merchandising then the characters would physically say something and there would be a big label on them. I mean have you physically ridden the ride. Me an my mom thought it was much improved. Even the rooms without the characters seemed to be freshened up. Clearly Disney did the right thing because on a Disney fan site, which is super critical, there is an overwhelming amount of votes that think it was a lateral move or improved.

>> I mean have you physically ridden the ride. <<

Might help if you read the last couple pages in this topic , because I have stated that I have ridden it. Twice.

>>
If you have ridden the ride you can clearly tell that the characters are tastefully placed in their correct countries <<

And I can "tastefully" place a stuffed pig on a Thanksgiving dinner table, instead of the more appropriate turkey.

>>Clearly Disney did the right thing because on a Disney fan site, which is super critical, there is an overwhelming amount of votes that think it was a lateral move or improved.<<

I can see fans of the Disney Characters would feel that way. But as I mentioned with another poster - Not every "Disney" fan - is a huge Disney Characters fan.

The world is made up of all kinds of "Disney" fans. Whether it be all about the characters .. or other aspects to this multifaceted company.

I'll try to encapsulate in one short "half page" (for those who missed my previous posts) why I think the characters are ill-placed in this attraction:

* The Disney branded characters are unique individuals with strong personalities of their own. They were originally designed to command an audience. From Snow White to Wall-E. The core essence of the attraction, is that no one person is meant to stand out from one another. The message is - We are one people. And our mission in this building is to show our individual cultures. Not show off as INDIVIDUALS.

* The Disney branded characters are products of fiction & fantasy. There are only a few exceptions where they are recreations of real people - Such as Pocahontas. Now, I appreciate the premise that in Disneyland the characters "magically come to life" so we can frolic and play with them for a day. But while the "children of the world" look all cutesy and all .. they are not meant to resonate as "fiction" and "fantasy". These "real" children are singing to us ... with a very real world message of Peace and Unity. 'it's a small world' had a very consistent uniformity with all the "children of the world" singing a very real-world message. But now their uniformity .. is now interrupted by fictional characters intermittently sprinkled in here and there.

It blurs the world of reality with the world of fantasy. And what imagineering ended up doing - is trivializing their own attraction, and watered it down to just a "cutesy ride with dolls, and 'Disney' dolls, too."

I get the point Disney Executives .........
that within Disneyland the characters "magically come to life" ... But within that 15 minutes in 'it's a small world' ... the point was to experience something far more important than ourselves as individuals, and that goes for the characters which, no matter how long they've been around - they are still works of fantasy and fiction. And this ride is meant to resonate something MUCH MORE than "Fantasy" and "Fiction" .. no matter how hard you or others want to make them "real".

[ICe101]

Originally Posted by Tomorrowland_1967

The world is made up of all kinds of "Disney" fans. Whether it be all about the characters .. or other aspects to this multifaceted company.

I'll try to encapsulate in one short "half page" (for those who missed my previous posts) why I think the characters are ill-placed in this attraction:

* The Disney branded characters are unique individuals with strong personalities of their own. They were originally designed to draw attention to themselves in whatever their respective films are. That's the point of their creation and their point - period. No matter who they are - From Snow White to Wall-E. The core essence of the attraction, is that no one person is meant to stand out from one another. The message is - We are one people. And our mission in this building is to show our individual cultures. Not show off as INDIVIDUALS.

* The Disney branded characters are products of fiction & fantasy. There are only a few exceptions where they are representing real people - Such as Pocahontas. Now, I appreciate the premise that in Disneyland the characters "magically come to life" so we can frolic and play with them for a day. But while the "children of the world" look all cutesy and all .. they are not meant to resonate as "fiction" and "fantasy". These "real" children are singing to us ... with a very real world message of Peace and Unity. 'it's a small world' had a very consistent uniformity with all the "children of the world" singing a very real-world message. But now their uniformity .. is now interrupted by fictional characters intermittmently sprinkled in here and there.

It blurs the world of reality with the world of fantasy. And what imagineering ended up doing - is triviliazing their own attraction, and watered it down to just a "cutsy ride with dolls". But now with "Disney Dolls" to throw into the mix.

I get the point Disney Executives .........
that within Disneyland the characters "magically come to life" ... But within that 15 minutes in 'it's a small world' ... the point was to experience something far more important than ourselves as individuals, and that goes for the characters which, no matter how long they've been around - they are still works of fantasy and fiction. And this ride is meant to resonate something MUCH MORE than "Fantasy" and "Fiction" .. no matter how hard you or others want to make them "real".

Give me a break. You are making it sound like the entire message was lost in the attraction. Okay so yes there are a few characters who stand out. But they aren't one after another. They are placed every so often. It gives new fun to the ride.

Oh and the one think that makes no sense is your whole message about how It's A Small World should have no form of Fantasy.

"Here you leave today and enter the world of Yesterday, Tomorrow, and Fantasy"

Hmm....their seems to be a lack of entering the worlds of "Today" or "Present" in that statement.

When I was a child the last thing I would think about on a ride at Disneyland is the moral or the message the ride is suppose to send. Yes I understand that it was the purpose when it was created but I mean HELLO? People don't come to Disneyland to learn about inner-peace and what not. They come for fun. The new characters add fun. It is fun to search and find them. I have respect for people who believe that we should teach kids morals and what not but I mean as soon as a kid comes to Disneyland they are like "Who cares about learning? I am at Disneyland!"

[Tomorrowland_1967]

From a very early age ...
I appreciated the fact that there was some "Edutainment" as part of the Disneyland experience.

I think it's a much better experience when fun and education are part of ONE experience.

[Tomorrowland_1967]

>>Oh and the one think that makes no sense is your whole message about how It's A Small World should have no form of Fantasy.<<

"Here you leave today and enter the world of Yesterday, Tomorrow, and Fantasy"<<

I think that's taking Walt's line a bit out of context and spinning it to our own liking.

The beauty of Mary Blair's talents .. and all the rest of the imagineering team back in '63 .. when this was in the works............. Is that the whimsical designs of the sets gave the attraction all the "fantasy" it needed.

They did a PHENOMENAL job working into the "fabric" of the overall design -a method of giving a "fantasy" element without the attraction coming off - All-Fantasy.

Think - the designing of the Haunted Mansion. "We'll make the mansion on the outside look one way, and let the artisans take over inside, in another way." (That's a paraphrase on Walt's statement - of "We'll take care of the inside, and let the ghost take care of the inside").

And what I'm getting at .. is - When Disney is really on top ... the artisans and all other creative staff have a brilliant way of manipulating our senses .. to see: One thing at first (or on the surface), but open and broaden our minds to see so much more.

[Captain_Jenny1987]

I thought it was sadistically adorable. While I agree that they shouldn't have done what they did, since they did do it, this is definitely the right way to.

[OTownGuy]

Who cares about learning? I am at Disneyland!"

Good thing you didnt go to DL from '55-'95 or EPCOT Center. Imagineering must be LOVING you right now.

[ICe101]

Originally Posted by OTownGuy

Who cares about learning? I am at Disneyland!"

Good thing you didnt go to DL from '55-'95 or EPCOT Center. Imagineering must be LOVING you right now.

I am fine with somethings being about learning but It's A Small World is in Fantasyland. FANTASYLAND...which is the last place I want to learn anything. Infact I would love to ride Adventure through Inner Space or some of those rides but I am just not a big fan of edutainment or however it is called.

[Tomorrowland_1967]

Originally Posted by ICe101

I am fine with somethings being about learning but It's A Small World is in Fantasyland. FANTASYLAND...which is the last place I want to learn anything.

Well .. here's a shocker for some of you .. who miss it.
But Disneyland is chuck full of "edutainment" elements that work on a few different levels ... Some very subtle.

New Orleans Square itself is a form of "edutainment" because it's educating us, who've never been to New Orleans a recreation of the famous city. We tour around it .. checking out all the beautiful architecture and other nice details.

"Edutainment" can work on a variety of levels. Some ... not blatantly noticeable .. and in some cases - A full-out conscience effort.

The post show (film) for the Maelstrom, the boat ride in the Land pavilion. And ..... yes ... the "peace and unity" theme in 'it's a small world'. This is "How" and "Why" Disneyland has had a profound affect on my growing up. And why I've come to love it so much. So many things .. a 'growing up' experience ... and not just fun-for-fun sake romp in some kiddyville.

We have been blessed with brilliant imagineers in the past .. who have very creatively mixed in education and fun into the many lands, and attractions in the various Disney theme park chain.

But lately .... everything seems to be handled like a romp in kindergarten .. from Pooh, to Nemo, to Buzz, to the characters in 'it's a small world'.

Those "growing up" elements held on for a long time .. despite the growing number of kiddy-toon elements in the last 10 or so years .. But now ... they are coming into the classic rides that held a stronger artistic integrity, than what today's Disney can offer.