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New Additions to “it’s a small world”: Miguel and Dante from “Coco”
Following a period of refurbishment, Disneyland’s “it’s a small world” will reopen on April 25th with a new addition: characters from Pixar’s “Coco.” This update by Walt Disney Imagineering revisits a history where changes to the beloved attraction have ignited strong opinions among devoted fans. The inclusion of Miguel and Dante marks the latest evolution of the iconic boat ride.
Related – Disneyland’s ‘it’s a small world’ Reopening Delayed to May
As guests float through the Mexico portion of the water-based “it’s a small world” attraction, they’ll encounter silhouetted figures of Miguel and Dante from Pixar’s 2017 film “Coco,” set against a backdrop of a marigold bridge. Miguel will be strumming his guitar, dressed in a mariachi ensemble, and Dante will be visible in his distinctive rainbow-hued alebrije form.
The addition of 29 new dolls representing Disney and Pixar characters to “it’s a small world” in 2008 sparked significant debate among fans, even being dubbed the “Small World War.” This update saw Alice in Wonderland integrated into the England scene, Cinderella joining the France display, and Woody and Jessie from “Toy Story” featured in a newly created American West section.
The Disney+ docuseries “The Imagineering Story” explored the difficulties of updating beloved Disneyland attractions and the predictable fan backlash that often follows changes to Walt Disney’s original park.
“Guests want everything to stay the same, just as they remember the first time they ever came,” Imagineering art director Kim Irvine said in the Disney+ docuseries. “But that’s really not a good idea because things become stale. Walt wanted all of these attractions to be updated. He kept saying you’ve got to keep this thing alive, fresh and new.”
The online reaction during the controversy saw “disgusted” fans using strong language, such as “idiotic plan,” “pointless destruction,” and “gross desecration,” to describe Disneyland’s proposed changes to Imagineer Mary Blair’s iconic “it’s a small world” designs.
“While this was happening I was afraid to go out on the street at night,” Irvine said in the docuseries. “It was really serious and people were very upset about it.”
The Small World outcry prompted Disney Legend Marty Sklar to pen an open letter to aggrieved fans.
“We all agree that It’s a Small World is a Disney classic,” Sklar wrote in the letter. “But the greatest ‘change agent’ who ever walked down Main Street at Disneyland was Walt himself. In fact, the park had not been open 24 hours when Walt began to ‘plus’ Disneyland and he never stopped.”
Sklar directly addressed the allegations that Imagineering was ruining Walt Disney’s creation.
“I’ve heard that we are planning to remove the rainforest, add Mickey and Minnie, create an ‘Up with America’ tribute, to effectively ‘marginalize’ the Mary Blair style and Walt’s classic,” Sklar wrote in the letter. “In fact, just the opposite is true. We want the message of brotherhood and goodwill among all children around the world to resonate with more people than ever before, especially today’s young people.”
The “Coco” additions aren’t the only updates planned for “it’s a small world.” As part of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration on July 17th, the attraction will also feature new lyrics, including a previously unreleased “Last Verse” for its iconic song, written by the late Richard Sherman.
Are you looking forward to “it’s a small world” reopening with the new Coco characters?
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