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DisneylandKid
07-26-2001, 12:23 PM
In Al's update today, he discussed how "it's a small world" might be getting a refurbished facade with lights and everything. Then he said that Disneyland was reconsidering spending $1 million on an attraction that might not be in the park in ten years...

As much as I dislike the ride, I would hate to see it go. Think about a Disneyland without it. Think of the holidays without it. I have a five year old sister whose eyes just light up when she sees the dancing dolls. Then I think about when I was younger, and wanting so much to have "it's a small world" in my backyard. And, come on, that song isn't that annoying.

I think Disney should put there money into updating this classic Disney attraction. Afterall, Walt did work on the ride. If they did it right, WDI could turn this attraction into a great ride for all ages.

Imagine Disneyland without that great pink and purple facade at the end of Fantasyland, and the smiling faces of the little children exiting through the Small World Toy Shop. Imagine those flying carpets and dancing hippos (gosh I love those hippos) in the trashcan. Imagine Disneyland without small world.

Lacrosse Boy
07-26-2001, 12:29 PM
It is essential for little kids . . . it is my 5 year old brother's favorite!

downingfamily1
07-26-2001, 01:24 PM
Taking Small World out of Disneyland would be taking the Disney out of Disneyland. Like Al mentioned, Small World is something that parents and kids of all ages can do together. On many attractions parents must split up if they have a small child, either because of height requirements or fear factor. Small World is one place where families can be together. Disneyland is a family amusement park. Management would be wise not to alienate the very people who spend the most money at the park.

Lacrosse Boy
07-26-2001, 01:32 PM
Have you seen the clown in the balloon that is waving the help sign? It is funny.:p

DL*Guy
07-26-2001, 04:22 PM
Even though some people dis-like the ride (and song), they are still taking away a classic ride that the whole family can go on. Plus it is a ride that Walt worked on. I remember the 1st time I rode this ride, I thought it was neat that the dolls were singing in their own langage. Then when they made it over for the Holidays it added more magic to Disneyland during the X-mas. I say use the one mill to fix it up!!

Napsto
07-26-2001, 04:26 PM
one thing is taking country bears, and another thing is small world. that ride has to be one of the most well known attraction in the theme park industry. disneyland without small world is like a world without imagination.

Ralph Wiggum
07-26-2001, 04:33 PM
I think they should replace the music with rock songs for about 2 hours each day. Let's say 3-5pm. Then we can at least avoid that part of it.

Napsto
07-26-2001, 04:34 PM
that is a great idea. but who would you have them play?

stan4d_steph
07-26-2001, 05:26 PM
Hmmmm... I wonder who I would pick? :D ;)

PirateoftheCaribbean
07-26-2001, 08:18 PM
:( :( :eek: :mad: :mad: :( :eek: :mad:

That's just my expression after envisioning DL without it. Especially after Taking out the Bears, COP, Rocket Jets, PeopleMover, etc. I would love to see an updated version. While there is still some room, No classics should be removed (By classics, this does not mean Innoventions). Tiki, Mansion, and Splash could use some Refurb and Update as well, but they would rather spend their money removing classics (Again, while there's room in other areas). And they aren't even spending very much on those. Reading Al's updates, Headlines are More Cutbacks , Pooh and Buzz Cutbacks, and Lincoln Cutbacks, It makes me Angry. You aren't THAT bad off. Pooh would be awesome in the Lagoon. It's just useless space right now. Geeze. Get it through your dang heads. You Need the bears. People are going to be really dissapointed. Let's step into a little situation here...

Mom: Did you enjoy the movie, honey?
Kid: Yeah, Big Al was great.
Mom: When we go to Disneyland you can see them in person.
Kid: Yeah!

Later at Disneyland...
No Bears.

Think of the advertising they could do and the tie-ins. That could mean big business. That's good. The Bears were Walt's last attraction. That's destroying a legacy. The happy rumors of keeping one of the theaters are great, But they are saying The show will be closed. Not part of it. And moving the show over to DisGraceland, Do you think Mike will spend the money to haul it over there, let alone build a new building for it? The show will probably be worse.

The thought of not having an IASW t DL, let alone no Bears makes me freakin' sick.

merlinjones
07-26-2001, 09:52 PM
"its a small world" is a living testament to the brilliant color and design artistry of Mary Blair and a charming, undating homage to optimism and human spirit.

Just because some cynical, myopic marketing mavens and accounting idiots with no hearts or aethetic sensibilities don't like it - - they might not reinvest in this asset? These are just the sort of people that need to be flushed from the Disney Company with a boron enema.

Look how popular "its a small world holiday" has been - - moreso than anyone could have imagined. This attraction will always be fresh to the young and young at heart. The George Banks of the world shouldn't decide its fate - - or that of any other ride in the Magic Kingdom!

"Feed the birds indeed - - what'll you get? Alot of fat birds!" - - similar minded muthf**kas in a very perceptive film. Stuff the tuppence up their as**s!!!

SimpTwister
07-26-2001, 10:35 PM
Originally posted by PirateoftheCaribbean

Mom: Did you enjoy the movie, honey?
Kid: Yeah, Big Al was great.
Mom: When we go to Disneyland you can see them in person.
Kid: Yeah!

Later at Disneyland...
No Bears.



Well put. When the Bears movie comes out, even Joe Public will be smart enough (though ironically incorrect) to assume that the whole point of the movie is synergy with the attraction.

What do they plan to do, run a disclaimer before the movie: "Though there was a Country Bears attraction at Disneyland in the past, it is being removed even as you watch this."?

The whole thing is just incredibly boneheaded, unless they move the Bears to DCA.

Since we're only hearing about closure, with hardly (nary?) a peep about a possible move, I fear the worst.

SimpTwister
07-26-2001, 10:41 PM
...Just realized that my last post was completely off-topic.

Getting back on course, it seems that once again the Suits are being penny wise and pound foolish.

They hesitate to improve IASW because they're not sure it will be there in 10 years.

10 years will go by, IASW will still be popular, and they will need to spend 10 times the money to improve it than if they'd just done it when the time was right (now).

Napsto
07-27-2001, 12:08 AM
Originally posted by SimpTwister
They hesitate to improve IASW because they're not sure it will be there in 10 years.

10 years will go by, IASW will still be popular, and they will need to spend 10 times the money to improve it than if they'd just done it when the time was right (now).

that is a great point. they will have to spend more less now than in the future.

TP2000
07-27-2001, 02:24 AM
Okay, I have to say this again....

The Bears may leave Disneyland, but they are still in Florida! They started in Florida in 1971. They opened after WDW at Disneyland in 1972. We got a copy of a WDW attraction. They are much more popular in Florida, and the East Coast and Midwest market is much larger than the SoCal market to do any sort of movie tie-in. If they want to do a movie tie-in with a theme park, then they can do it in WDW. And if the Bears attraction is really important to you, then you can fly out to Orlando to see it. And hey, that's more money for Disney too! ;-^

As for Small World. I find it interesting the amount of people who said "I don't go on the ride myself, but they can't take it out!"

If the ride isn't getting as many people per hour as it was designed for, then why continue it? Bears is a good example, as there are two theaters, but they usually can get away with just running one theater for visitors. Why should it continue if it's not as popular as it should be or once was?

If Small World does close in a few years, then all those people who said "Well, I personally don't like the ride, but they shouldn't close it" won't have a leg to stand on in my opinion if they want to complain.

If you don't want them to take out a ride at Disneyland, then GO ON IT WHEN YOU ARE THERE! And spin the turnstile a few times for good measure. ;-)

Thanks for letting me vent gang. ;-)

winniepooh
07-27-2001, 02:32 AM
IASW is a signature Disneyland ride, the same way as POTC is. It appears in all Disneypark, and though some people find it to cute or annoying, it one of those rides you cant imagine not being in Disneyland.

So please Mr. Suit, dont take away, the happy dolls...

3894
07-27-2001, 03:18 AM
What other gentle, reassuring rides for children and their parents exist at DL? I'm talking about ones where things don't pop up and shout (like Roger Rabbit), there's no death (like POC and HM).

Storybook Boats and Country Bears are the only ones that come to mind. Am I missing any?

lisap
07-27-2001, 05:25 AM
Originally posted by 3894
What other gentle, reassuring rides for children and their parents exist at DL? I'm talking about ones where things don't pop up and shout (like Roger Rabbit), there's no death (like POC and HM).

Storybook Boats and Country Bears are the only ones that come to mind. Am I missing any?

There's always the Carousel...there used to be Big Thunder Ranch (DON'T get me started on that one)

I have a very bad feeling that if they were to redo IASW, the ride would have laser beams shooting out of the doll's eyes, a "cool" updated song, and perhaps condom distribution as you disembark to stay relevant to kids today. Gag.

Us grown-ups may be a bit sick of the ride, but children 1-5yrs. really dig it--at least the ones who have not been raised on Sega or Pokemon or fill in the blank with the latest cool thing.

dsnyredhead
07-27-2001, 05:32 AM
Personally, I would hate to see the ride go. It is one of DL's signature rides. It has always been one of my favorites. My husband even proposed to me on the ride.:)

blusilva
07-27-2001, 08:54 AM
Originally posted by SimpTwister
Since we're only hearing about closure, with hardly (nary?) a peep about a possible move, I fear the worst.

I just read in the e-newsletter Zentertainment yesterday, that a Country Bears SEQUEL movie has just been greenlighted. Yes, folks, a sequel to the movie that isn't out yet that ties in to the attraction they are closing.

Go figure.


To keep this slightly on-topic, I don't know what to make of the possible refurbishment of the facade of IASW. I prefer the original white, blue and gold facade to the current pastel one, and have really been irritated lately with the way it always looks dirty and rusty like the old Rocket Rods tracks (I now know it's all that glue). It would be nice to see some work done on it. I doubt they'd put as much money into it as the plans discussed in Al's updates.....remember when the that satellite dish non-whirly thing in middle of Tomorrowland was billed as "a kinetic sculpture that will spin, play music and perform a stunning laser light show every 15 minutes"? Uh huh.

I love the Mary Blair facade, and since it is now (iirc) the only original piece of hers left in the park, it would be a shame to lose it. It also goes with the interior design of the ride. So, I'm torn. I'd love to see it updated, but retain the original design and be done RIGHT.

As for imagining Dland without IASW, I can't. I don't understand this driving desire for the accountaneers to make things "hip and edgy" for "today's kids". It was hokey when I was a kid in the 70s! But I loved it; it was my favorite ride for many, many years. And it was a ride I could go on with my mom and my grandparents and we all enjoyed it.

*sigh*

If only Disney could see that their best-selling marketing idea has *always* been nostalgia and innocence from bygone eras, then maybe, just maybe they'll come to understand why things are starting to look so bleak for them now.

SimpTwister
07-27-2001, 10:40 AM
Originally posted by 3894
What other gentle, reassuring rides for children and their parents exist at DL? I'm talking about ones where things don't pop up and shout (like Roger Rabbit), there's no death (like POC and HM).

Storybook Boats and Country Bears are the only ones that come to mind. Am I missing any?

I agree. Most of the Fantasyland dark rides are potentially too scary even for certain young grade-school kids (I know this from personal experience!).

I'll never forget the look on my daughter's face the first time I took her to IASW. Eyes as big as saucers, just gazing around in wonder and singing along the whole way.

She wasn't even smiling- She was a couple of steps beyond that, in a trance. It was amazing.

Storybook, Country Bears, Casey Jr, IASW, Carousel, Dumbo, Teacups, DL Railroad, and Mark Twain are the kid-friendly rides in my experience.

Kinda funny how Toontown seems to be set up for the young'uns, what with the characters and all, but the two rides there (Gadget and Roger) are a bit intense for many kids...

stevemo
07-27-2001, 04:12 PM
But just think of the huge plushy store, or World of Disney store that they could put in the IASW space. If they increase the income per square foot of this horribly under-utilized plot of land (I bet IASW doesn't generate any income as it sits) then Disney could afford to put in the Tower of Terror over in DCA, or maybe the Batman rollercoaster, or how about Superman the Ride!

DisneylandKid
07-27-2001, 05:19 PM
NO!

Disneyland has enough stores as it is!

And anyway, do you really think the money we spend at Disneyland doesn't go into someone's (...wonder who that could be...) pocket? j/k

Splash Freak
07-27-2001, 06:04 PM
They could always put People Mover back

DisneylandKid
07-27-2001, 06:13 PM
Originally posted by Splash Freak
They could always put People Mover back

Woh..that was COMPLETELY irrelevent to the subject. :);)