This is cool and if you want i'll do Space Mountain for ya but if we do are we keeping the dome the same but leaving the stuff inside different?
I've got an idea for Space Mountain. It'll be called
Space Mountain: Rocket zum Mond (means "Rocket To the Moon"). It will combine the classic SM ride, the Fritz Lang silent movie "Frau Im Mond" (or "The Girl In the Moon") and the old Disneyland attraction, the Rocket To the Moon. But yes, you can do Space Mountain, if you wish.
And to a degree, the dome should be more or less the same.
Anyway, as promised, here it is, the long-awaited verbal tour of...
IT'S A SMALL WORLD
Located at one far end of Fantasyland, this venerable Disney classic takes you on a boat cruise through all the countries of the world. This ride is actually reshuffling the continents so that they are shown in a different order than usual, so as to give a more "around the world" feel.
Anyway, as you approach the ride, you see signs pointing the way to it in different languages. You then go by the main sign, which features both the dolls of the ride in a boat and the ride's name in both English and German simultaneously (in that instance, it's called "Es Ist Eine Kleine Welt"). The exterior of the ride looks very much identical to the original at Disneyland in California. First, the exterior will be more or less identical to the classic exterior in California in every respect, including having the load area outdoors, but also covered to protect it from the elements. However, one thing about the exterior that will be different of it is a very different color scheme. No whites (in California and Florida (to a lesser degree)), pastels (in Paris and Hong Kong) or multicolors (in Tokyo) here. Instead, the German version of the ride's classic exterior will now have a new, "cool" color scheme. This means that the exterior will be covered in "cool" colors, mainly blues, greens and purples. The classic clock face will be colored purple. The ticking sound the clock makes will also be different, sounding more like that ticking Mickey Mouse watch at the start of "The Mouse Factory" (does anyone know that show?). The fanfares heard for when the quarter hour is about to be told will be slowed down significantly and the bonging of the chimes will be different. I don't know what they should sound like, though.
So you enter the ride queue, which is outdoors, like Disneyland and Disneyland Paris, but it's completely covered in awning-like canopies. You go across a bridge which crosses the boat canal and it's there that you enter you multicolored boat for your cruise the world over. Once you are aboard, the boat pulls away from the dock and under the cast member surveillance tower. Passing through the tower, the canopy awnings take over the top. You cruise along the exterior of the structure as the first notes of the classic song "It's a Small World (After All)" start to play. You then enter the structure itself.
Whenever possible, the scenes in the ride will be in the same order as on the ride when it played at the World's Fair in New York, as per how it's featured on it from the Wonderful World of Color show. Also, as most scenes in the ride will be more or less copied from other rides, I don't feel it will be necessary to go into a lot of detail on them.
The first room, of course, is the Hello Room, which features different cultural greetings from all over the world. It is a cross between the scenes in both Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland, but with the addition of the lighting constantly changing colors. Here, the song is actually starting to be sung for the first time.
You then enter the first actual scene in the ride. Disneyland Berlin's version of the ride will shuffle different scenes around and, for the first time, feature scenes in spots where they would not normally appear. Anyway, your first stop is in the dark continent of Africa. Conveniently enough, the sounds of wild animals fill the air as you enter the scene. This scene is virtually identical to other versions of this scene in the ride (most notably Disneyland's), featuring a variety of wild jungle animals, such as hippos, monkeys, elephants, lions, giraffes and hyenas, as well as masked tribal natives pounding out the song on tribal drums. If you look hard, you can even spot Simba, Timon and Pumbaa from "The Lion King" (the first set of many Disney characters to come), as well. The main difference in this scene compared to other versions is that Egypt is at the end of this scene rather than the start. Other than that, though, you should be familiar with the cast of characters in this scene if you're familiar with the ride. The ride's theme song is sung in English and alternately played via traditional African music and lively jazz music, as well as on tribal drums as mentioned earlier.
Next up, you go through Egypt, gateway to the Middle East. You pass by a winking Cleopatra, a few pyramids and the Sphinx (with its head swaying to and fro in time with the song's music). You also see a boy playing a drum from atop a pink camel, as well as a glittering statue of Anubis. Across the way, you also see a boy dressed as a pharaoh reclining on a throne, accompanied by two of his servants whom perform that "Walk Like an Egyptian" dance. Now you head further through the Middle East scene, which is about the same in every aspect to the ride in Hong Kong, complete with the "Aladdin" characters making an appearance via a flying carpet (save for the Genie who is spotted nearby, emerging from his lamp), of which this part of the ride has a lot. You see a snake charmer (charming a snake) and some of belly dancers. The charmer is playing on his flute an almost eerie and mysterious rendition of the song. As I said before, you also see here several characters on flying carpets. The final scene here is an Arabian bazaar, featuring two children playing flutes and a third playing a mandolin, and finally, the Taj Mahal. The song here is performed in Arabic.
The Taj Mahal serves as the borderline between the Middle East and your next stop, Asia. Here again, it's similar to other versions of the ride seen out, with a majority coming from HKDL. From the Taj Mahal, you first go through the usual scenes of Southeast Asia and India. Here, you can also see Mowgli and Baloo from "The Jungle Book". Then you go through China, with the skyline of Hong Kong. It's the new version made for the ride in HKDL, with all of the new scenes from that version of the ride in place, plus the Temple of Heaven added in as well. Here, you see Mulan who flies a kite shaped like Mushu. The song is sung in Cantonese Chinese. The last scene of Asia, after this one, is Japan, which features, among other things, the Torii Gate and a big pagoda, through which you go to leave this area. This part of the ride is identical to the ride in Disneyland. Here, the song is sung in Japanese.
As with the HKDL ride, this version of the ride segues from Asia to the South Seas, beginning with an underwater scene, with mermaids and sea creatures. Here, you'll no doubt be able to spot Ariel among the mermaids and her friends Flounder and Sebastian among the sea creatures. Also mingling with the sea creatures are Nemo, Dory, Squirt and Peach from "Finding Nemo", one of two Pixar movies represented in the ride (the other being "Toy Story"). After this, you go past the usual scenes of the South Seas scene: Australia, Polynesia and Hawaii, which features, in addition to hula dancers and surfers and a pod of dolphins, Lilo and Stitch on a surfboard. The song is sung in English throughout. This portion of the ride is identical to the ride in Florida.
The next scene here is a rainy rainforest, which provides an almost seamless link between this scene and the next scene to come: Latin America. The rainforest scene features a variety of animals in the rain, including a crocodile, a jaguar and various small birds. Now you go through South America, where the song is sung in Spanish throughout. It's more or less identical in every respect to the scene of the ride in Florida. First, you see penguins in Antarctica. Next, you go through South America. You go past the usual Andes scene and all of its characters. Here, you see the Incans. After this, you see the usual scene of the carnival in Rio, which, of course, is used to represent Brazil. Next, as you go past the red-hot volcanoes and the Mayan-type sun that serve as the gateway to Central America, you can also make out Donald Duck, Jose Carioca and Panchito, the Three Caballeros, who have been placed carefully so as to show that you're about to leave Brazil and enter Mexico. Next, you go through the usual scene of Mexico, which is very much identical to all other scenes in the ride, complete with the Mexican boys and girls dancing in a circle. In the middle of the group is a mariachi band belting out a mariachi rendition of the song. The mariachi band members consist a straw-type man (on xylophones), a chicken (on trumpet) and a cactus (on guitar). Scattered about the area are various Mexican piñatas.
From here, you segue into North America. Now, this version is greatly different than other versions of the ride out there and a bit longer, too. From Mexico, you go through a desert scene on both sides with coyotes howling on the one side and a covered wagon on the other. The area is covered in goofy-looking cacti. You also see a few Native American children here, as well as cowboy children, two of whom bear a striking resemblance to Pecos Bill and Slue Foot Sue, respectively. Some of the Native Americans are pounding out a tom-tom rendition of the song, while one of the cowboys plays on his guitar a country-western rendition of the song. You can also see Woody and Jessie (Woody is astride his horse, Bullseye). They are NOT the same design as in HKDL, however. Then it transitions into grass and then trees. You first go by a backwoods area, similar to Splash Mountain. You see bullfrogs and alligators, plus an appearance by Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox and Brer Bear. The children here are seen fishing and playing a banjo and a fiddle. You then go through more woods, with snowcapped mountains, fronted by a totem pole and a Mountie, meant to represent Canada. Pocahontas and Meeko are seen here. You also see a grizzly bear and a gray wolf. Then you go through a city skyline comprised of a mish-mash of famous American buildings, such as the Space Needle and the Empire State Building, backed by the HOLLYWOODLAND sign and fronted by the Golden Gate Bridge, which you pass under (it features several cars traveling back and forth across it). You also pass by a small part of Broadway, with a big theater whose marquee shows off this ride's name in big letters. Among the dolls you see here are a pair of Broadway dancers, some sport players, and a big band. The song is heard in the style of a big swing band. Oh, yeah, and of course, the song here is sung in English throughout.
From here, the climate starts to really cool off, and you enter the Arctic, which is once again identical in every respect to other versions of the ride out there. The Arctic features Scandinavia and the North Pole, which is represented by ice skaters, Eskimos and ice fishers. You also see a polar bear and a beluga whale here. The song is alternately sung in Swedish and Norwegian. Here, you can also find two more Disney characters here: Bambi and Thumper.
From here, you head into your last stop on your globe-circling excursion, the largest scene in the ride: Europe. Your first stop is Denmark, where you pass through Tivoli Gardens, guarded by toy soldiers. From there, you go to Ireland, land of shamrocks and leprechauns, with Celtic music mixed into the song. Next, you go past Scotland, where you see a wee bagpiper playing the song on his bagpipes, followed by England. Here you go under the Tower Bridge (with a double-decker bus driving back and forth over it). Off to your right side, you see a chessboard with spinning chess pieces on it. Here, you can see Alice and the White Rabbit. On the left side, meanwhile, you see more of London itself, with Mary Poppins holding onto an umbrella in the sky, and Peter Pan and Tinker Bell flying around Big Ben. The theme song is being performed in British English with a Cockney accent. The next scene is a brand-new scene that no other version of this ride has, one that rounds out the British Isles: Wales. Here, the dolls you see are Welsh woman and a rugby player, with Cardiff Castle as a landmark. Next, you go past the usual scenes of Belgium (with its gooseherd) and the Netherlands (with two windmills, huge tulips and children in Dutch clothing, complete with big wooden shoes). After this, you go past the usual scenes of Spain and Portugal, followed by Italy, with its Leaning Tower of Pisa, Venetian gondolas and a new icon, the Roman Coliseum. Look carefully and you can see a puppet show being performed by Pinocchio (with Jiminy Cricket nearby). All the while, the song is sung in Italian. Next you go past the usual scene of France, complete with the Eiffel Tower and cancan dancers. You also see a new icon: Notre Dame. You also go past a scene introduced in the Hong Kong ride, a castle with a Disney love couple dancing in front. But this time, it's not Cinderella and Prince Charming; it's Princess Aurora with Prince Philip. Aurora's dress is blue. The song, of course, is being sung in French. You now go past the usual scene of Switzerland, backed by the Matterhorn, and then an expanded version of Germany, which features not just brand-new dolls, but also some new scenes, including Neuschwanstein Castle and Heidelburg. You can also see, during the Germany scene, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (provided you look hard; they're kind of hidden). Finally, you see yet another new scene in the ride: Austria, which features the palace of Belvedere. The song is performed in German during this whole scene of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Next, you head through the Balkans and go through the usual scene of Russia, with its Cossack dancers, backed by St. Basil's Cathedral. The song is sung in Russian. From here, you head through the usual scene of Greece, which newly features Hercules nearby and a few pieces of Greek mythology (from "Fantasia"): such as a Pegasus horse in the air and a couple of fauns playing the song on their panpipes as they mingle with Bacchus, the god of wine. Other than the new characters, though, the scene of Greece is the same as other versions of the ride.
Passing through a Greek temple, you finally reach the all-white finale of the ride, which is more or less the same as in all other versions of the ride, but with the additions of some of the newer doll characters from the newer scenes of the ride mixed in. Also featured new are the lights on the walls often changing colors randomly and fireworks going off randomly (think the Pleasure Island scene of the Pinocchio ride). The theme song, of course, is sung in the finale-type version now used in most versions of the ride (especially in Disneyland), in German only (just as it's solely Japanese in Tokyo's version's finale).
Leaving the finale scene, you finally go through the Goodbye Room, similar to all other versions of the ride, featuring both the flowers of Hong Kong Disneyland and the postcards of Disneyland. After this, the boat emerges into daylight, under some canopy tent-like roofs and you cruise along the exterior of the fanciful Small World building and reach the unload dock, where you disembark from your boat. You then go along an exit path toward a gift shop and then continue on with your day at Disneyland Berlin. And there you have it: your ride through It's a Small World at Disneyland Berlin!
So for those of you keeping track out there (and for a more complete list), this ride features a whopping 59 Disney characters in all! Don't worry, though; a number of them will be kept mainly subtle. The list features the following:
- Simba, Timon and Pumbaa (from "The Lion King")
- Aladdin, Jasmine, Abu, the Flying Carpet and the Genie (from "Aladdin")
- Mowgli and Baloo (from "The Jungle Book")
- Mulan and Mushu (from "Mulan")
- Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian (from "The Little Mermaid")
- Nemo, Dory, Squirt and Peach (from "Finding Nemo")
- Lilo and Stitch
- Donald Duck, Jose Carioca and Panchito (from "The Three Caballeros")
- Pecos Bill and Slue Foot Sue (from "Melody Time")
- Woody, Jessie and Bullseye (from "Toy Story")
- Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox and Brer Bear (from "Song of the South")
- Pocahontas and Meeko (from "Pocahontas")
- Bambi and Thumper (from "Bambi")
- Alice and the White Rabbit (from "Alice In Wonderland")
- Mary Poppins
- Peter Pan and Tinker Bell (from "Peter Pan")
- Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket (from "Pinocchio")
- Princess Aurora and Prince Philip (from "Sleeping Beauty")
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- Hercules
- Pegasus, two fauns and Bacchus (from "Fantasia")
So what did everyone think? Can anyone weigh in their opinions here, please? Anything you liked or didn't like?
meaning I am from Berlin and I kept fantasizing about a Disney park in Germany since reunification, before it would have been impossible but I am sure, if Disney would have planned their European park AFTER 1990 Berlin would have been a prime location co-competitor to Paris as it is located nearly exactly in the center of Europe.
