New Small World - Yeah, I've Seen It!

Originally Posted By Westsider

SPOILER WARNING!!!!

So I will keep it vague to protect my secrets, but let's just say that I've seen the new It's A Small World earlier this week.

My verdict? It's great, and nothing to worry about. The Disney Characters look okay, although the princesses in the Europe section look a tad too noticeable. And when did Pinnochio gain 50 pounds? Maybe the Imagineers have an inside joke on all the bottomed out boats?

But other than that, the new Characters fit in great, and some are very easy to miss. Some look spot on, while others don't look very recognizeable. Lilo on the surfboard in particular just looks like an average Hawaiian girl, but her dress and Stitch sitting on the front of the board give her away.

The new Americana room? It's not bad. One side of the flume is sort of this vague Midwest farm scene, and the other side of the flume is a Southwest scene with cowboys and three Indians. The Indian boys are in different types of dress, and I bet five bucks the press releases will talk about how countless hours of research and consultation with select tribes went in to getting the honorable costumes and sacred iconography used for these indigenous peoples exactly right. I'm sure they'll go overboard on the PC stuff when mentioning the addition of these three Indians in the Americana room, but whatever cause they look good. As you enter the Finale' you sort of pass beneath this odd Hollywood Bowl sunset thing that reminded me a bit of the imagery used in Superstar Limo.

Overall the ride looks great. New paint, new feathers, new props, new fur, new effects, new LED lighting fixtures everywhere that look great, new kites and butterflies and dozens of things hanging from the ceilings. They went crazy on the glitter!

They very clearly cleaned up and spruced up the entire ride from beginning to end. Plus the addition of the new Disney and Pixar characters, and reworking the audio.

I'm sure a few grumpy folks will bemoan the changes, but overall I think it's a positive change and has freshened up the ride very nicely.

Cast Member Previews are on Wednesday. AP Previews are on Thursday. Media rides on Thursday too. And then it opens officially on Friday. Check it out on your next Disneyland visit!

 

Originally Posted By avromark

Well, people got over the changes to Pirates didn't they? How often do you hear people complain "Pie-Rats, Matey it ain't no done the same as it as before, you ruined it avast boycott the changes"

Ok if you don't mind would you say the ride experience is overall the same? (I'm guessing yes), it sounds like the characters where integrated into the scenes and not "Spotlighted"?

 

Originally Posted By Westsider

Forgot to mention that alot of these show changes were handled over the last five weeks. They had painters and glitter artisans in there by the dozens last month once the Christmas decorations were removed. Lots of new props and turntables and additional eye candy was added in since the Holiday version ended.

They got the ride up and running in bare bones fashion for Christmas, added in all the Holiday version stuff, then broke it all down and really went to town on the paint and new additions. They likely had all these new dolls, props, set pieces etc. sitting in storage ready to be installed as soon as the ride closed on January 3rd.

A lot has changed in only five weeks.

 

Originally Posted By avromark

But it's still a small,small world?

 

Originally Posted By Westsider

As for integration, it mostly works very nicely. The additions of Aladdin and Jasmine and Abu to the Middle East and Mulan and Mushu to Asia work the best in my opinion. Sometimes the additions are hard to notice, like Nemo and Dory in Australia.

But for whatever reason, the additions of two of the Princesses in the Europe room weren't as seamless. They stick out more, perhaps because they are the closest to the flume there. Peter Pan and Tink may be missed entirely, because they are flying above London and above Alice in Wonderland.

Overall though, the new Character additions turned out pretty good.

But seriously, they packed on 50 pounds to poor Pinnochio in Italy.

 

Originally Posted By Westsider

Thinking about the Princesses in Europe, they may seem more blatant because...

Cinderella in France is wearing her pre-ball housekeeping rags instead of the fancy ball gown. She's down near the flume past the Eiffel Tower, and your eye hits her after you've taken in the can-can girls. The can-can girls look fancy and frilly, and then there's this little blonde girl in rags right next to your boat and it kind of is jarring against the glamorous and glittery Parisian scene around her. Odd.

And directly across the flume is Alice in her pastel blue dress. But she's in that London chessboard scene done in deep reds and blacks, and the pastel blue clashes with that set. She is just sort of standing there in front of the twirling chess pieces, and it doesn't blend well.

Those are really the only two exceptions I found to the general rule of seamless integration. Unfortunately they are at the beginning of the ride, so I hope folks won't freak out right away. It gets better as you get farther into the ride. Your mileage may vary.

 

Originally Posted By HMButler79

Westsider, did the dolls get new costumes like we did at MK? We used real sterling silver and gold thread in the finale costumes and they saturated the colors more and im wondering if you guys got that too.

 

Originally Posted By amazedncal2

Thanks for the info. Westsider I have to wait a few months to see it so I appreciate the details.

 

Originally Posted By FerretAfros

"They had painters and glitter artisans in there by the dozens"

<---Was a "glitter artisan" in Kindergarden. : )

 

Originally Posted By mele

<--crafted paste cuisine in Kindergarten

 

Originally Posted By disneysnout

His Secrets lol.....funny...Thanks Westsider lol...

 

Originally Posted By MomluvsDisney

<~~~Mud pie queen of kindergarten class 1974..~~grin~~

 

Originally Posted By SpokkerJones

"Well, people got over the changes to Pirates didn't they?"

No. Many people still contend that it was the wrong thing to do.

Just because you don't see a lot of discussion on it anymore doesn't mean people who didn't like it changed their minds.

 

Originally Posted By LadyKluck

I wanna be a glitter artisan! I think that may have just discovered my true calling in life!
It sounds soooo much more glamorous than 'customer care representative'!

 

Originally Posted By utahjosh

My main concern is the music:

How noticeable are the new melodies? How well are they intertwined? Do they distract, or enhance? How often do you hear other Disney melodies?

 

Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt

I'm sure opinions will vary, but it sounds like I was right. The hullabaloo over these changes was all for naught.

 

Originally Posted By Dabob2

<My main concern is the music:

How noticeable are the new melodies? How well are they intertwined? Do they distract, or enhance? How often do you hear other Disney melodies?>

That's my main concern too, Josh.

I didn't like the way they jutted out (audibly) in the Hong Kong video I saw. But maybe they're more subdued in Anaheim.

Westsider?

 

Originally Posted By WorldDisney

Sounds great!! I rode and loved the Hong Kong version, I'm sure I will like this one too when I ride it some day .

 

Originally Posted By Lady Starlight

<<<--crafted paste cuisine in Kindergarten>>


<---- ATE paste in Kindergarden ;-)

 

Originally Posted By Tinkeroon

Me too! YUM! LOL

Can't wait to see the new Small World though.