Poll: It's a Small World load area?

[Goofyernmost]

View attachment 490986

OK, now I'm getting freaked out. I have been going to WDW every year (except this one) since 1983 and I honestly do not remember it ever looking like that at WDW. I may be losing it!

 

[The Empress Lilly]

This is another way Magic Kingdom has suffered by being considered just an imitation of Disneyland.

This!

DL imported IaSW as an afterthought. The ride wasn't designed for the DL scale or setting. IaSW was placed in a difficult location, a bit in the back. It was given the now iconic Blair façade to make it work in its environment. With impressive result, but not as impressive as the fully cohesively designed DL lands. To this day DL IaSW is an isolated pavilion, feeling closer to FW philosophy than the Castle Parks.

At WDW all this could be corrected. The MK SW was properly integrated into FL, with a proper façade. And a playful loading area that corresponded with the 70s vibe all around. IaSW was made to feel more intimate now, feels more in line with the rest of FL rather than a separate experience near FL.

Only to be undone by later work. By Anaheim-centric designers who saw only an inferior ride that would no doubt be dieing to finally be remade to look a bit like their superior version.


Original MK > DL, always.
Nobody was interested in building in inferior clone. Obviously. That would've been a disaster, marketing wise, creatively, or as Roy's monument to his brother.
It was later generations who slowly rendered the magnificent MK into an inferior, charmless, zoo-like clone.

Not that the difference in charm in this area should be overstated:

 

[EagleScout610]

View attachment 491064

My half awake self thought the crowd of people in the left photo was a boat! Took a moment of thinking "Are the boats really that big?"

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Just out of curiosity, when did they install the sign above the entrance out front (the one with all the kids in the boat)? Was that part of the 2005 refurb too?

Yes, This when the former Exit became the Entrance...

 

[_caleb]

I would not complain if all Disney parks got rid of every instance of drop-ceiling tiles.

 

[InnKpr]

I'm a sucker for fountains. Have always enjoyed them since a wee lad seeing themed ones at shopping malls. The fountains in IASW's former loading area were a nice touch that I missed after the refurb. They were simple, yet pleasant for the ambiance.

 

[Raineman]

This!

DL imported IaSW as an afterthought. The ride wasn't designed for the DL scale or setting. IaSW was placed in a difficult location, a bit in the back. It was given the now iconic Blair façade to make it work in its environment. With impressive result, but not as impressive as the fully cohesively designed DL lands. To this day DL IaSW is an isolated pavilion, feeling closer to FW philosophy than the Castle Parks.

At WDW all this could be corrected. The MK SW was properly integrated into FL, with a proper façade. And a playful loading area that corresponded with the 70s vibe all around. IaSW was made to feel more intimate now, feels more in line with the rest of FL rather than a separate experience near FL.

Only to be undone by later work. By Anaheim-centric designers who saw only an inferior ride that would no doubt be dieing to finally be remade to look a bit like their superior version.


Original MK > DL, always.
Nobody was interested in building in inferior clone. Obviously. That would've been a disaster, marketing wise, creatively, or as Roy's monument to his brother.
It was later generations who slowly rendered the magnificent MK into an inferior, charmless, zoo-like clone.

Not that the difference in charm in this area should be overstated:
View attachment 491064

Another perfect example of the mass DL worship in the Disney organization and some Disney theme park enthusiasts, and the mindset that “all other Disney parks are inferior to DL, cause it’s the original, it’s where Walt walked!”, which is an extremely annoying and myopic view. “The WDW IASW queue is too different than the one on hallowed ground in Anaheim! We must change it so it is the same!”

 

[aladdin2007]

I'm a sucker for fountains. Have always enjoyed them since a wee lad seeing themed ones at shopping malls. The fountains in IASW's former loading area were a nice touch that I missed after the refurb. They were simple, yet pleasant for the ambiance.

agree, and the tiki room use to have one, and the pirates plaza use to have one, and the list goes on but those two come to mind. oh and the Italy pavilion in the front which they filled in with potted plants.

 

[InnKpr]

agree, and the tiki room use to have one, and the pirates plaza use to have one, and the list goes on but those two come to mind. oh and the Italy pavilion in the front which they filled in with potted plants.

Poly lobby.

 

[aladdin2007]

Poly lobby.

ohh yeah that was a biggie, waterfalls

 

[John park hopper]

Poly lobby.

The original Polly fountain was beautiful I can remember standing there just thinking wow!

Then it was changed to just another run of the mill down grade

Typical Disney these days generic is the word

 

[Homemade Imagineering]

YES -- so much is made of the smell of Pirates and Splash Mountain, but my memory has it that Small World used to have its own distinct smell. Particularly the load area.

The ride of course does still smell like water, but not the way it used to - I think it was the fountains that kicked it up into the air in the load area. There's a home video we have of Small World from the early 90's, and any time we watch I can't help but "smell" it.

Difficult to describe . . . almost like distilled water reacting with metal, but somehow a little bit sweet . . . does that sound right to anyone else?

That’s how I feel about Disneyland’s IASW. To me it smells slightly different from all of the other water attractions around the entire resort to me, and it’s very hard to explain the smell. I guess you kind of summarized it’s unique smell with your description (even though you were referring to pre 2005 WDW IASW), as the water at Disneyland’s IASW smells almost sweet.

 

[Goofyernmost]

The original Polly fountain was beautiful I can remember standing there just thinking wow!
View attachment 491106
Then it was changed to just another run of the mill down grade

View attachment 491108
Typical Disney these days generic is the word

There was more then one reason for downsizing the Poly fountain and even the other internal fountains. Cost to maintain was certainly a large factor but there was a health factor as well. It was called mold allergy's. It came in well after all those fountains were installed. It became a problem all of a sudden like peanut allergies, gluten problems, problems with carbs, etc. Another blight on human existence came in about the same time. I am, of course, talking about Starbucks! Coincidence? I think not!

 

[Max Duane]

This is another way Magic Kingdom has suffered by being considered just an imitation of Disneyland.


Disneyland‘s “it’s a small world” is the only one that is uncovered for load and unload. Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland all have indoor load and unload. Disneyland Paris goes outside but remains under a roof.

right, i just meant the clocktower piece though. i believe all the other parks besides MK has the main facade outdoors

 

[TheX8]

I remember before the refurb and where the exit is now the entrance. Their use to be a light up photo of a bunch of kids dressed up in different outfits above the exit with s "It's a Small World after All" on the sign. One thing that stood out was a girl in a Native American headress...I have been searching for that image as it was something I thought just had that great 70's vibe from the photo..Anyone know what I'm referring to?

You mean this one?

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

You mean this one?View attachment 491210View attachment 491211View attachment 491212

Awesome that you found this!! I could have sworn there was a native american girl in the group..But, this shows how rare this picture was..And how my memory tends to be...

 

[Yert3]

Here is a video for anyone interested.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Speaking of MK's IaSW... are the canal's flooring really covered completely in coins from guests, or did Disney put in a faux flooring that looks like it?

 

[_caleb]

I think this might be a case of Nostalgia Goggles. The old entrance/queue is so dated and cheap! The photo of kids in costumes from “around the world?” The backyard pond fountains? The plywood signage and circus-tent facade? I cannot imagine these being passable today.

 

[tirian]

I’m partial to the indoor Tokyo refurb that made the first turn into a show scene.

WDW’s expanded sets, better staging, and flooded rooms have always had an edge over DL’s beautiful façade; DL’s interior is obviously the temporary 1964 World’s Fair version put on permanent display.

EDIT: Even in Tokyo, I hate the inclusion of cartoon characters.