Small World was NEVER about world peace?

[The Empress Lilly]

First, let me say that I love Small World. It's one of those must-do rides for me, and I quite enjoy the song. It's a classic all the way around.

But honestly, Small World was not about "world peace". It got built for two primary reasons, in this order;

1. Selling Pepsi-Cola to tens of millions of 1964-65 World's Fair visitors.
2. Adding free ride capacity to Disneyland after the Fair.

That Walt had a team of brilliant and extremely talented Imagineers to take that concept and create an utterly charming and enduring classic is just testament to Walt's ability to build highly effective teams and to know what the audience wants.

They ladled it with fabulous artistry and this cutesy theme of "singing children of the world", but it was really there to sell Pepsi. That Walt got to ship it back to Disneyland for more ride capacity was a nice bonus. Now, if you'll excuse me, as a member of the Pepsi Generation I am going to go have one in this heat and toast Miss Crawford...

The two girls sitting beside Miss Crawford basically sum up all of my emotions about life, with a nice dose of snarky side-eye from the lad to their port side. I'm a very simple man.

I usually hum this jingle when I pour myself a Pepsi-Cola. Which Pepsi jingle do you hum?....

But the two are not mutually exclusive. Why it was built and what it's about is not the same.

If Coca-Cola had ordered a 1964 'World War III - the Ride' of visitors boarding nuclear submarines floating past Chuckie dolls all fighting each other to the tune of 'It's A Brutal, Nasty and Short Life', culminating in a grand finale of mutual nuclear destruction, then both rides are about very different subjects. Despite both exactly equaling each other in getting built for 1 promoting cola and 2 DL ride capacity.

 

[Minthorne]

'World War III - the Ride' of visitors boarding nuclear submarines floating past Chuckie dolls all fighting each other to the tune of 'It's A Brutal, Nasty and Short Life', culminating in a grand finale of mutual nuclear destruction

This is actually what happens when you play the song backwards,

lla retfa dlrow llams a s'tI, lla retfa dlrow llams a s'tI

 

[Consumer]

Even though Disneyland obviously has the best "it's a small world" façade, the fact the canals aren't flooded and you can see wires and mechanisms when you look down makes it inferior to other variations of the ride. They really should just tear it down.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

This is actually what happens when you play the song backwards,

lla retfa dlrow llams a s'tI, lla retfa dlrow llams a s'tI

It would be so cool if Small World was found out to all along having been promoting global societal collapse by indoctrinating children with subliminal satanic messages...

Music - Satan Brothers
Art direction - Mary Blair Witch
Poisonous potion - Pepsi as itself

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Even though Disneyland obviously has the best "it's a small world" façade, the fact the canals aren't flooded and you can see wires and mechanisms when you look down makes it inferior to other variations of the ride. They really should just tear it down.

No

 

[lazyboy97o]

This. x1000.

So how many direct changes away from the message does it take before the central theme is considered different? The music was changed to highlight Disney characters. The show sets were changed to highlight Disney characters. Does it mean nothing that Disney was under the impression that they were building a Disney character ride?

 

[Phroobar]

First, let me say that I love Small World. It's one of those must-do rides for me, and I quite enjoy the song. It's a classic all the way around.

But honestly, Small World was not about "world peace". It got built for two primary reasons, in this order;

1. Selling Pepsi-Cola to tens of millions of 1964-65 World's Fair visitors.
2. Adding free ride capacity to Disneyland after the Fair.

That Walt had a team of brilliant and extremely talented Imagineers to take that concept and create an utterly charming and enduring classic is just testament to Walt's ability to build highly effective teams and to know what the audience wants.

They ladled it with fabulous artistry and this cutesy theme of "singing children of the world", but it was really there to sell Pepsi. That Walt got to ship it back to Disneyland for more ride capacity was a nice bonus. Now, if you'll excuse me, as a member of the Pepsi Generation I am going to go have one in this heat and toast Miss Crawford...

The two girls sitting beside Miss Crawford basically sum up all of my emotions about life, with a nice dose of snarky side-eye from the lad to their port side. I'm a very simple man.

I usually hum this jingle when I pour myself a Pepsi-Cola. Which Pepsi jingle do you hum?....

Selling Pepsi? Let's just ignore the whole UNICEF charity angle for the real reason it was built.

 

[Disney Irish]

Selling Pepsi? Let's just ignore the whole UNICEF charity angle for the real reason it was built.

Do you wanna sell sugar water your whole life.... Steve Jobs

 

[Too Many Hats]

Even though Disneyland obviously has the best "it's a small world" façade, the fact the canals aren't flooded and you can see wires and mechanisms when you look down makes it inferior to other variations of the ride. They really should just tear it down.

I find it pretty easy to ignore the conspicuous wires and speakers on the regular iteration of the ride. On the holiday overlay, however, they distract me (I suspect the holiday version may be brighter-lit). Still one of the best attractions in the park.

You know what concerns me about Small World? These days, the wait rarely exceeds 5 minutes. What’s going on? Pre-covid, it would often have a 30+ minute wait during the day. Hate to complain about a short line, but it worries me.

 

[TP2000]

But the two are not mutually exclusive. Why it was built and what it's about is not the same.

If Coca-Cola had ordered a 1964 'World War III - the Ride' of visitors boarding nuclear submarines floating past Chuckie dolls all fighting each other to the tune of 'It's A Brutal, Nasty and Short Life', culminating in a grand finale of mutual nuclear destruction, then both rides are about very different subjects. Despite both exactly equaling each other in getting built for 1 promoting cola and 2 DL ride capacity.

Coca-Cola must have passed and sold that theme to the LBJ 1964 Re-Election Committee and it became this commercial...



Don't laugh. It got that womanizing and racist old SOB re-elected.

Selling Pepsi? Let's just ignore the whole UNICEF charity angle for the real reason it was built.

As for Small World, I'm old and remember reading the E Ticket Magazine in the 1990's and hearing those 1960's Imagineers talk about their work at fan events. It wasn't about "world peace", it was about "the children of the world doing arts n' crafts on a rainy day". And Pepsi threw some money at UNICEF to prove they were serious, and/or to wrap their corporate brand in the unimpeachable concept of caring for the children of the world.

We laugh at today's Imagineers who give rides cumbersome and long titles, with sporadic colons and different formats. But they had nothing on the official title of Pepsi's World's Fair pavilion back in '64...

"PEPSI-COLA presents WALT DISNEY'S "it's a small world" a salute to UNICEF and all the world's children"

Can we just call it the Pepsi ride instead?

I guess in today's world of 2022, where we are suddenly once again on the brink of World War III on several fronts on the east and west, it's comforting to think It's A Small World represents some higher calling about "world peace".

But it really was about selling Pepsi and increasing Disneyland ride capacity.
With singing dolls and a catchy song. And UNICEF.

I'm suddenly reminded of a hilarious Veep scene with the fabulous Julia Louise Dreyfus.... "....and AIDS."

 

[Consumer]

Coke did world peace better.

 

[DrAlice]

So how many direct changes away from the message does it take before the central theme is considered different? The music was changed to highlight Disney characters. The show sets were changed to highlight Disney characters. Does it mean nothing that Disney was under the impression that they were building a Disney character ride?

??? I'm not sure what to say to this. I wasn't arguing about Disney's intent. I was complaining about the music.

Again, i don't care that Disney added characters. I don't think they were necessary, but for me, they don't detract from the intent or feel of the ride. I just hate the music changes. I also don't think the changes in music impact the intent of the ride. I think the music changes, well, suck. MUSICALLY. They lesson the charm of the ride. They turn a pleasant auditory melding of cultures into a cacophony.

 

[TP2000]

Coke did world peace better.

Don Draper did that one, didn't he?

 

[Consumer]

Don Draper did that one, didn't he?

He also did this one. (RIP Gorbachev)

 

[CaptinEO]

To me Small World is about unity "there's so much that we share". Not sure if it's about war or peace. To me it's more like the message of people/cultures are different but not so different after all.

 

[DLR92]

To me Small World is about unity "there's so much that we share". Not sure if it's about war or peace. To me it's more like the message of people/cultures are different but not so different after all.

I thought the same. It quite true.

 

[Too Many Hats]

There is just one moon and one golden sun.

We are not so different. And we are all we have. We must take care of our planet and each other.

Undoubtedly the Cuban Missile Crisis, still fresh on Americans' minds as the attraction was developed, informed this message.

 

[Californian Elitist]

The ride is absolutely about world peace, arguably as well as other things. Since we are not that different from each other and “there’s so much that we share,” there’s no sense in battling each other over so-called differences. The song aims to bring the world together for various reasons.

 

[SteveAZee]

 

[TP2000]

To me Small World is about unity "there's so much that we share". Not sure if it's about war or peace. To me it's more like the message of people/cultures are different but not so different after all.

Agreed. It's about the common humanity that we all share, regardless of culture or religion or costume or language.

Also Pepsi-Cola. In a friendly corporate salute to UNICEF. Presented by Walt Disney. And don't forget Bank of America.