Disneyland's Small World Remodels

Disneyland's It's a Small World ride is closing for a lengthy rehab, shutting down from January 22, 2008, to November 28, 2008.

One assumes that when it first reopens it will be the Small World Holiday version of the ride, so it will be just about a year before we get to see the original Small World again.

We've been watching the new Disney Treasures DVD set, which is terrific. The set includes a WONDERFUL WORLD OF COLOR episode, "Disneyland Goes to the World's Fair," detailing Disney's creation of the Primeval World, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Carousel of Progress, and It's a Small World for the New York World's Fair of 1964-65. It's a fascinating slice of Disney and pop culture history.

As a side note, one of the things that particularly intrigued me in the World's Fair program was the 120-foot-tall Tower of the Four Winds mobile Disney built for the fair. Sadly, the mobile was scrapped after the fair rather than sent to Disneyland with the rest of Disney's contributions to the fair. A small model of it lives on at the Contemporary Resort at Disney World in Florida:


Click to enlarge the photo. I hope to take a much better picture -- without a flash reflection! -- on my next visit to Disney World...which I'm happy to say is going to be much sooner than I expected. :)

Previously: Joyce Carlson, Co-Creator of It's a Small World.