It's a Small World
There are two kinds of people in this world. People who believe that there are two kinds of people, and people who don't. Wait, I mean there are people who love "It's a Small World", and then there are the commies who loathe it. You know who you are! To this day I'm still a little bit shocked when I hear somebody say, "Oh, I hate that ride".
This first photo is from the year It's a Small World opened at Disneyland (after its smashing success at the New York World's Fair, of course). In spite of the brilliant sunshine and blue sky, it is obviously a chilly winter day. "IASW" has one of the most whimsical, joyful exteriors of any Disney attraction, in my opinion. You've got the ticking clock, and the marching dolls every 15 minutes, and even the Disneyland Railroad gets in on the act. Mary Blair (colorist extrodinaire) considered white to be the most festive of colors, which sounds odd at first. But when I see this attraction I have to agree.
Here we are two years later (with warmer weather), in a "postcard worthy" image. Two boatloads of folks have just completed their happy cruise...how many of them will have that song stuck in their heads for hours to come? Somehow I was never bugged by the song...there were too many other diversions at Disneyland. 
From now on, when I think about "It's a Small World" I will always remember how excited my 8-year old niece was to finally experience it last year. She already knew the song by heart because they sang it at her school. I sat with her in the front seat of the boat, and she commented on how AMAZING the ride was. And she sang along, as happy as can be. What could be better?
8 comments:
I admit it...I am one of those commies. Oh how that song sticks in your head and never leaves...still, I force myself to ride it about once a year.
15 mins of air conditioning vs. "the song". No brainer for me.
Major- I have to admit I was one of the commies when I was younger. But as I matured, I changed and now appreciate the artistic work of Mary Blair. The song I can take or leave. (Heresy alert!) I think the Sherman Brothers songs for the theme parks are not that spectacular, I much prefer Buddy Baker's and X Atencio's work.
Matterhorn, I would mostly agree with you, but would also make an exception for "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow"...one of my all-time favorite Disneyland songs!
Speaking of songs, at the Main Gate in the fifties and sixties, they played a medley of tunes, "Through the Jungle you can go with books!..."
The "En...cyclopedia...
E.N.C.Y.C.L.O.P.E.D.I.A.!" Most of them were sung by Jimminy Cricket. I wonder if they still play them?
I love the first shot. Its fun to see people walking 'down' the stairs instead of up, the way it was befor the "barbies of the world" shop reversed the flow.
Aside from the beauty of the building, have you noticed the lack of children in the shots? I read recently that in the "50's" the ratio of adults to kids was 5-1. So did we then, and not now, think the was a "minimum age" for your first visit?
Funny thing, the jacket and sweater crowd in the first shot looks like they were imported from the NY World's Fair.
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