it's a small world closing Walt Disney World (WDW) News Discuss it's a small world closing in the News & Rumors forums; Originally Posted by disneyfanatic101 A rumor going around is that they may be adding the Disney characters like in Disneyland but we won't know for sure until the refurbishment starts. ...

[Aww Phooey]

Originally Posted by disneyfanatic101

A rumor going around is that they may be adding the Disney characters like in Disneyland but we won't know for sure until the refurbishment starts. (I'm sure the Disney Parks Blog will mention something.)

I was a little "ACK! NOOOO!" at first just to keep the integrity of the ride.


...but if DL's use of characters is like that Alice and Peter Pan cameo I saw in the youtube videos I.....actually liked that. The characters look like IASW dolls and they seem to be found in the country their stories originated from. I'm a bit of the stick in the mud when it comes to WDW change...but this seems to be tastefully done. I can get behind that.

[BrotherHuet]

God please no Disney characters inside. I hope they move the entire ride to the front of world showcase. Maybe then it will be a little safer from the needless insertion of disney plushies.

I dont see why they would need to add them. It didn't exactly boost attendence in DL

[Major Dude]

Originally Posted by Aww Phooey

...but if DL's use of characters is like that Alice and Peter Pan cameo I saw in the youtube videos I.....actually liked that. The characters look like IASW dolls and they seem to be found in the country their stories originated from. I'm a bit of the stick in the mud when it comes to WDW change...but this seems to be tastefully done. I can get behind that.

After you've been through a couple of times and get past the "Where's Waldo?" curiosity of the ride, some of the placed characters work and some not so much.

I liked IASW better before the characters but still enjoy it every time I visit Disneyland

[Disney's Folly]

While I'm not one to bash it's a small world, it's not on the top of my list when I visit. (Usually because i can't fathom spending that much time on line for a ride whose only endearing quality to me is its historical significance). That said, I'd probably still have take a spin in October when I visit.

So as of right now, I'm already aware of two rides that won't be open in October: Star Tours and IASM. Missing out on one last ride on Star Tours is very disappointing but as I type this I'm also now concerned about two rides that turned around a lot of guests are now going to be closed. I'm dreading what this means to the remaining attractions of each park. Hopefully this means that they would time any other closures for a different part of the year. As this is my first visit in 5 years, and maybe my last for 5 years, I'd hate to miss out on any other big rides.

[WDWLocal]

I'm cautiously optimistic that they're finally going to bring It's a Small World Holiday to WDW.

Besides, all the other Disney parks around the world (DL, TDL, DLP and HKDL) already now change over their respective Small World rides for the holiday season annually, so it's already now time for WDW's version of the attraction to follow suit and do the overlay as well.

[JNota0005DakMC]

all i know is my girlfriend is not happy... it will be her first trip to the world... and she really wanted to see this attraction... i did convince her that there is so much to see she may not remember that it is closed... but to no avail...

[Disneydanny]

I don't see Florida getting the Holiday overlay anytime soon. guests don't like the idea of attractions being down too long (and if they DID do it who knows how long it would take to install/remove the first time.

[doconeill]

There are no plans for the holiday overlay.

However, some recent merchandise releases point towards IASW getting the "Mary Blair-ized" character additions that California received...

[tdf192]

Well i have heard they've started selling the same type of merc that Disneyland has (with Disney characters interlaid with the IASW children) in a nearby stall/shop, but with the WDW logo on instead of the Disneyland logo.

Maybe forewarning us? or just so they dnt have to come up with new merc?

i'm off in 2 weeks so i'll check it out and see if i can wrangle any worthwhile info

[supernova]

For good? YAY! Wait, not for good? Never mind.

[luvsdisney24]

I have heard something similar to what a previous user posted. Some merchandise (a coffee mug and something else) has been seen on the selling shelf that shows a small world tableu with some disney characters.

Originally, the ride was down to receive a new handicapp friendly queue line revamp. However, it appears that we are going to be getting the disney character refurb as well.

[doconeill]

Actually, the latest from Disney is that this is just merchandise duplication from Disneyland. We'll know for sure soon

It wasn't so much a queue redesign, as much as swapping the entrance and exit queues so those with wheechairs, ECVs, etc. can be mainstreamed. Why that would take as long as scheduled I have no idea.

[trickster]

According to WDWNews Today, the attraction is having it's queuing area re-configured back to how it used to be:

8/1/10 “it’s a small world” Refurbishment Update | WDW News Today

[JNota0005DakMC]

i guess we will know for sure in October... i cant see them letting too much out of the bag right now... and i would think that moving the entrance and such wouldnt take almost 2 months...

[Flotsam&Jetsam]

Originally Posted by doconeill

Actually, the latest from Disney is that this is just merchandise duplication from Disneyland. We'll know for sure soon

It wasn't so much a queue redesign, as much as swapping the entrance and exit queues so those with wheechairs, ECVs, etc. can be mainstreamed. Why that would take as long as scheduled I have no idea.

I must be missing something or it's probably just my poor memory. The last time I was there, I recall the entrance ramp being just that, a ramp. But I also remember wheel chair guests being loaded on the exit side for some reason. Am I forgetting stairs on the load end? I thought it was odd that Toy Story Mania had so many stairs to get to the attraction.