Scott And Carol Present - It's a Small World Holiday

With our apologies to the Sherman brothers,
It's a world of laughter, a world of tears,

its a world of Christmas this time of year,
There’s so much we can share and with no time to spare,

It’s a small world for you all

This is either the most loved song or the most annoying song in theme park history. This “classic,” written by Richard and Robert Sherman, was first suggested as a round by Walt himself.“He had a great sense of how music could tell a story, “said Richard.

“When Walt Disney demonstrated it to songwriters Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman, the rides soundtrack featured numerous national anthems all playing at once, which resulted in a musical cacophony.

“Walt said, "I need one song" Richard remembers, “it was the strangest thing when Walt called out “cut the music and we could hear all the dolls clacking away without a soundtrack. Their first offering was timed like a ballad, which Walt requested to be sped up so it sounded more cheerful.

At the first presentation to Walt Disney, Robert and Richard Sherman performed "it's a small world" song while walking through a scale model of the attraction, singing and clapping their hands.

In full spirit of international unity, "it's a small world" song was recorded in various studios around the world. The song was sung by a church choir in London, TV performers in Mexico City, a school chorus in Rome, Italy, and by children from Tokyo, Japan and Burbank, California. The entire attraction was completed in only nine months, still a record for any of Disney’s attractions.

The "Children of the World" ride debuted at the 1964 World's Fair Pepsi Pavilion in New York City as a benefit to the United Nations Children's Fund. The attraction's whimsical design was done by Mary Blair, who was also an art director on several Disney animated features (including Cinderella and Peter Pan).

Like many Disneyland and Walt Disney World attractions, scenes and characters were designed by Marc Davis, while his wife, Alice Davis, designed the costumes for the dolls.

Many of the dolls were created by Joyce Carlson who is honored with a shop window along the Magic Kingdom's Main Street U.S.A. The sign there reads "Dolls by Miss Joyce, Dollmaker for the World.

When it was moved to Disneyland two years later, Walt invited children from around the world to pour water from their homelands into its flume in a gesture of unity during the dedication.

Disneyland's version was closed from January to November, 2008, to receive a major refurbishment. The building’s structure was improved, and the attraction's boats and water flume were replaced.

The refurbishment added 29 Disney characters, and the New Guinea Room was transformed into a North America Room, while the New Guinea scene's figures, props, and set pieces were relocated to the South Seas Room.

The Attraction also got a new sponsor SYLVANA, which will have the agreement of sponsoring the ride for 12 years. SYLVANA created a new marquee for the ride.

Designers insisted the changes to "Small World" wee even more subtle, and conform to Walt Disney's original philosophy and style while keeping the attraction from becoming "like a museum," said Kim Irvine, director of concept design for Walt Disney Imagineering.

"It's what Walt always wanted," she said. "He always said the park would always be changing as long as there was imagination in the world." Mary Sklar addressed Disney fans concerns in an open letter, “Our goal was, and always will be, to bring people together, and keep this classic “the happiest cruise that ever sailed around the world” (words I personally wrote for that souvenir guide nearly half a century ago).”The attractions continued success speaks for itself.

Since 1997, Disneyland has featured "It's a Small World Holiday" during the Christmas and winter seasons. The attraction is closed in late-October to receive temporary holiday decorations inside and outside, and reopens in early-November before the start of the busy holiday tourist season.

Each year guests look forward to when the transformation of It's a Small World turns into It's a Small World Holiday. It is a great attraction at Disneyland that really sets the Holiday Season tone for the family. The 20 minute boat ride gives guests the chance to get closer to Holiday traditions across the world while being surrounded by some wonderful holiday music.

The music alone could possibly being played in your head the entire holiday season even if you only go once on It's a Small World Holiday. The attraction is the same boat voyage through many regions of the world, though the main theme song is not played fully. Instead, the children sing "Jingle Bells" and a bridge of "Deck the Halls" in addition to the main theme. While the ride inside shares the customs and traditions of the people of the world, outside is just as spectacular with music and light shows against the front of the attraction. Over 380,000 glittering lights are on the front of the It’s a Small World attraction which is very impressive to say the least.

It's a Small World Holiday starts the first week of November at the Disneyland Resort. Don't wait too late to see the attraction 'as the closer it gets to Christmas, the longer the lines become. Luckily the queue is outside the building to better appreciate the lights adorning the perimeter. The area usually has many people who just gather around to enjoy the ambiance of all the beautiful lights.So popular it once required a FastPass, the improvements to capacity have eliminated that operational requirement. No visit to a Disney park is complete during the season without a stop to It’s a Small World Holiday.

It's a Small World Holiday starts the first week of November at the Disneyland Resort. Don't wait too late to see the attraction 'as the closer it gets to Christmas, the longer the lines become. Luckily the queue is outside the building to better appreciate the lights adorning the perimeter. The area usually has many people who just gather around to enjoy the ambiance of all the beautiful lights.So popular it once required a FastPass, the improvements to capacity have eliminated that operational requirement. No visit to a Disney park is complete during the season without a stop to It’s a Small World Holiday.