In honor of the attraction’s grand reopening on May 5, Cast Members were treated to a special ride on the happiest cruise that ever sailed on “it’s a small world” at Disneyland Paris.
Cast Member Preview of “it’s a small world”
Natacha Rafalski, President of Disneyland Paris, shared an Instagram Story today of the Cast Member previews taking place to celebrate “it’s a small world” reopening at the park on May 5. The post includes a full POV video of the newly refurbished ride.
Today marks the first day of the Cast Member previews for the long-awaited reopening of this iconic attraction. It closed in November 2021.
The Disneyland Paris site also released an official statement about the attraction:
From 5 May 2023, the iconic attraction “it’s a small world” returns as part of our 30th Anniversary Grand Finale! Climb aboard this whimsical musical boat tour and be whisked away to far-off lands where dolls from every corner of the globe sing and dance to the beloved tune. Unmissable!
The refurbishment work addressed the outdoor façade and several technical upgrades.
Much of the ride was repainted, including the façade, which was last repainted five years ago. Some wooden elements were also replaced with composite materials.
Ride control systems are also expected to have been replaced, and the control tower used by Cast Members was set to be enlarged. Other backstage areas are reported to have received flooring and electricity updates.
As for the ride scenes, lighting and hydraulic systems were supposed to be updated. Approximately half of the dolls are to be replaced. It’s unknown at this time if the new dolls in wheelchairs will be in place, or if that addition will come later this year.
Disney also reportedly took this opportunity to remove asbestos that was used in the construction of the A/C system and framework of the building. Asbestos was not banned in France until 1997, five years after the opening of Disneyland Paris. The amount of asbestos in the building is not higher than the legally permissible level — so it has not been a significant danger to guests and Cast Members.
“it’s a small world”
Themed for world peace and unity, the original iteration of “it’s a small world” actually premiered at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. When the fair ended, the attraction was moved to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, where it remains one of the park’s premiere attractions.
“it’s a small world” is a water-based boat ride located in the Fantasyland area now at various Disney theme parks worldwide, including Disneyland Park in California; Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida; Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris; and is also the largest indoor attraction at Hong Kong Disneyland.
“it’s a small world” has shown millions of children about the different cultures of the world, and aims to promote understanding and connection between people.
What’s your favorite part of “it’s a small world”? Will you be hopping on board in Disneyland Paris? We want to read about it in the comments below.
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Cast Members Preview “it’s a small world” Before Early May Reopening at Disneyland Paris
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