It’s a Small World - I have no problem with that
(Editorial | Source: Disney)
This week, a letter from Marty Sklar the Executive Vice President for Walt Disney Imagineering, appeared on Disney fan sites all over the internet. The letter (found here) states that Sklar and others at WDI have been carefully considering what to do with the classic “Its a Small World” attraction for many months.
He points out that Disneyland was open no more than 24 hours before Walt began “plussing” it, and in that spirit, WDI continues to look for opportunities to plus classic attractions. He reminds us about the recent updates to Pirates of the Caribbean which have been praised for their successful, careful plussing that left it truly better than its previous iteration.
Sklar also clears up some inaccurate rumors in his letter stating that changes such as adding Mickey and Minnie Mouse are simply “not true.” He ends with a commitment that they are not turning the attraction into “a Marketing pitch for Disney plush toys” which many rumors have suggested.
I rarely make editorial comments on Netcot, but I’m going to make one now. First, I’m suddenly OK with the idea of changes to this classic attraction. It is clear that Disney is treating IASM as a classic that should be improved where appropriate but within the guidelines of the original intent of this attraction. They intend to honor the original design styles (of Disney legend Mary Blair) and plus it in a way that retains the core theme while making it more relevant to today’s audiences (many of whom couldn’t describe what the World’s Fair was without first accessing Wikipedia).
Second, I am impressed with Sklar’s willingness to address these rumors and clear things up. Disney fan sites run rampant with rumors and they often have a way of subconsciously seeping into our perceptions about Disney, influencing them in inaccurate and negative ways. When Disneyland was first built, Walt took to television to get the message out and tell his fans all about what they could expect in the upcoming months/years. I feel its more important than ever for Disney to do this same thing today to counter the easy proliferation of rumors through the internet.
I applaud Disney for submitting a letter like this and my trust in WDI Imagineers to preside over the estate of classic Disney attractions has been fully restored.
What I have found interesting in the whole uproar about the refurb of It’s a Small World at Disneyland is that it seems the version opening in Hong Kong is doing more or less what is being described for California. And while my initial reaction to this story was somewhat negative (thinking what they did to my beloved Tiki Room in Florida), I came across some pictures of the scenes from Hong Kong with integration of Disney characters into the attraction… and they actually did not look bad or even THAT out of place. (There are some pictures at the Disney and more blog here.) It seems a lot of sensitivity to the integrity of the look and feel of the original ride is intact. And I think if more people saw these, there might be less outcry from all but the most ardent of traditionalists who don’t want to see it touched at all.