Disney Celebrates 50th anniversary of “It’s a Small World”
The classic Disney parks attraction “It’s a Small World” that premiered as a tribute to peace and hope at the 1964 New York World’s Fair celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. In 1963 Walt Disney was asked to design and create four pavilions for the 1964 World’s Fair including one for UNICEF. From this comes the initial idea (with the working title “Children of the world”) of a boat ride along little audio-animatronics dolls representing children from many regions of the world singing the national anthems of different countries. Disney legend designer Mary Blair, who had worked on several Disney cartoons before, was responsible for the attraction’s design. As this many-voiced singing was not very melodic, Walt Disney entrusted the songwriters Robert Bernard Shernan and Richard Morton Shernan with the composition of a song for the attraction. Walt Disney was so delighted with the song that he finally renamed the pavilion “It’s a Small World”. After the end of the World’s Fair and some major enhancements, the attraction was brought to Disneyland in California.
Today, nearly one billion visitors have enjoyed a ride on the attraction featured at Disneyland Resort in California, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Disneyland Paris in France, Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. To celebrate the attraction’s 50th anniversary, on Thursday, April 10, 2014, all visitors, guests and stars at the Disney parks are invited to sing the theme song together. Fans from around the world can join the festivities in an online global sing-along event at www.SmallWorld50.com and even upload their own “It’s a Small World” videos. (eap)
