Good-bye New Guinea, Hello USA

[Isaac]

Courtesy of Al:


Regardless of what was causing the boats to ride lower in the water, what really got Disney's goat was when we ran the news that they were planning on adding Disney character dolls to all the sets inside the classic 1960's ride, and were considering replacing the Rainforest and Papua New Guinea scene with an "Americana" scene. That really sent both Glendale and Burbank into damage control mode, and not since we told you about Tom Sawyer Island being changed into Pirates Lair have we gotten the evil eye from Disney like we did with that one.
And now, with the attraction six weeks away from reopening, we can tell you that the original Rainforest and Papua New Guinea scenes from the 1964 World's Fair have in fact been removed from the room between the Polynesian scene and the Grand Finale. In their place, the latest version of the "Americana" scene has just been installed.

As your boat drifts through the gentle curve of that room you will pass by pastel colored versions of haystacks, cactus, football stadiums and modern cities. Multi-cultural American children will sing next to Pixar's Woody as your more buoyant new boat nears the end of its voyage 'round the world. You will have passed plenty of other Disney characters by this point as well, as they join the children of the world in song just as they have in Hong Kong's eight minute long version of the fifteen minute long Disneyland original.
http://miceage.micechat.com/allutz/al100708a.htm


There is no emoticon for what I'm feeling.

[innerSpaceman]

Grrrr. Well, everything has it's time ... and sometimes when they are for a limited time, they have a certain fanasticness for the very reason that they will not be there forever.


Those few years when it's a small world was magically restored, inside and out, to its 60's Mary Blair / Walt Disney magnificence were a gift. I'm glad I got to share my first ride on the restored version with zapppop. That was a wonderful quarter of an hour ... and we enjoyed many subsequent ones.


Now it seems I may go back to my avoidance, like the decade when the retardledly pastel-colored building was home to the insanely repetitive song from the Disneyland Paris version that makes mockery of those who complain the original score is an annoying earworm.



Farewell it's a small world. i loved thee well.

[Kevy Baby]

I look forward to seeing what the new segment looks like.

[BDBopper]

:(

[wolfy999]

I'll miss the old, but looking forward to the new.

[Alex]

I don't care for anything about the ride beyond the building exterior. So, on the off chance that these changes somehow improve it I'd give it a chance (though it may be years before I'm next in Disneyland) but I doubt it so it probably would have been best to just leave it alone. So far as I know, it has continued pulling in crowds.

But I'm not opposed to trying to make it less horrible on the inside.

[BarTopDancer]

IASW would be much better as a shooting game.

[mousepod]

Actually, it's a smart move, I think. Imagine if they hadn't changed it. In the not-too-distant future, some kid will turn to her mother and say "What's a rain forest?" This way, there'll be no awkward and guilty silences.

[Chernabog]

From the description the America scene seems to be about how America is a melting pot of a lot of different cultures. Which is stupid because it says that while there are these discrete cultures around the world, America is the best because it has a moosh of all of them.

I mean, why not turn the whole last scene into the America room? Have everyone doing a maypole around the Statue of Liberty?

Another reason I am mad is because Marty Sklar, who was once a respected imagineer, is a wheezing fvcking liar. Dumb bastard wants to keep his job, so he lies lies lies for Disney. May I be the first to say: Marty Sklar, STFU, you geriatric hypocrite.

[Morrigoon]

Pfft. I don't see why we needed to be added AGAIN. We were already represented, just past the mermaids.

[Strangler Lewis]

I always thought It's A Small World made fun of the funny brown people, so anything that reduces that is still not reason enough to endure it.

[Morrigoon]

Like all those ones in France, England, Scotland, Holland and Italy, you mean?

[innerSpaceman]

And Goonie, why do you assume the Polynsesia section represents Hawaii?

[The Lovely Mrs. tod]

In the words of the immortal Sheridan Whiteside, "I may vomit."

[Morrigoon]

And Goonie, why do you assume the Polynsesia section represents Hawaii?
Queen Liliuokalani.

And the differences in hula style between Tahiti on the left (faster, harder movement) and Hawaii on the right (slower, smoother movement) And Hawaii is the birthplace of surfing.

[Gemini Cricket]

Here's what annoying about the addition in my eyes:
The point of the ride was to promote world peace by encouraging Americans to travel to other countries. The ride was all about OTHER countries. The message will now be, 'Yeah other countries are great, but America is home sweet home so stay put'.
So, when does the Blair-ified Statue of Liberty go up on the facade?
Lame.
Skylar announced that this change was NOT happening. But it is. He lied. I think that is lamer than the change itself.

[innerSpaceman]

Well, I defer to you, Mr. Hawaii'an Cricket, or wherever the apostrophe goes ... is that Hawaii represented in the Polynesia section?

You can't go by the hula style, since the speed varies widely. Which culture does the 101 hula that is so often represented??

:p

[Gemini Cricket]

I'm pretty sure it's Hawaiian. If we're talking about the starboard side dolls.

(The port side dolls look Tahitian to me.)

The surfing, the leis, the grass skirts, the hula, the lauhala hats... Seems Hawaiian to me...

[innerSpaceman]

So ... does that mean America is already represented and the trip to the "mainland" in the next segment makes geographic and themic sense?


I'm glad they are at least representing America as a melting pot. I have always been more concerned, though, with the sets rather than the figures. Will they be the too-literal cartoony kind found in the Paris version (handy photos in Al's article linked-to above) or will they be done in actual Mary Blair mode?

[Morrigoon]

Oddly enough, kinda does.

[Stan4dSteph]

Don't forget there's one doll in that section who's supposed to be a Maori. And at least one Aborigine.

Why did Papua New Guinea have it's own separate section anyway?

I agree that the US doesn't need a separate section.

[Isaac]

Hawaii is on the right side & Polynesia is on the left, after Australia. There's also the cowboy & Native American Indian in the final scene. So yeah, America was already represented.

I'm curious as to what they'll do about the music.
Will they just loop the music from the beginning, ending, or will they record a new piece ?

[Cadaverous Pallor]

:( My kids won't get to see it. Ever. I'm almost in tears, here, at work, in public.

[Alex]

Something I'm curious about. If you try to be completely honest with yourself, how do you think you'd respond if, in 2008 Disney opened a brand new attraction and it were exactly what "it's a small world" was a year ago (obviously, this would mean Small World had never existed previously)?


Would you love it, hate it, be indifferent?

[innerSpaceman]

I'm trying real hard to put myself in that position. I don't love the ride for it's sentimental value of sweet memories ... but I DO love it for its retro art style and retro musical style.

I suppose it's fair to say I'd still love it, because I currently love those styles.


The more difficult question is whether I'd love that style of art and music if THEY never existed before, and had no retro value. And the answer is still a resounding YES (from me).

[Gemini Cricket]

If I rode it for the first time today, I'd say "What were they on?"

[Isaac]

I'd like just as much as I do now.

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

I'm not opposed to change but totally against the non-quality of the recent DL additions. The Bride at the HM for example, where it sticks out like a sore thumb. If the additions are in keeping with the look and feel of IASW, then I've no problem. If they're going cheep and they look like the stuffed characters you can buy in the stores, then I'll be pissed.

[innerSpaceman]

I was just thinking last night how south things turned after the 50th. Pirhanas on Jungle Cruise = brilliant. Floating Leota in Haunted Mansion = the best ride update ever done.


Afterwards: thinking the heartbeating bride was so iconic that she needed to go, and be replaced by the video screen without a beating heart. I cringe every time I ride thru the attic.

Johnny Depp is not the worst part of the Pirates Update. That honor goes to Barnacle Bill or whatever his name is, who decimated the best (imo) part of the ride. I rarely ride this anymore.

Finding Nemo is a cruise past a series of video monitors. The view of the ride from outside is better than the experience of the ride from inside.

The same can be said of the shiny new monorails, unless you want sauna.

Wrong turn taken somewhere.



Odd that the best new ride in a generation is at DCA ... and proves that you can make riding past a series of video monitors a really fun experience.



Maybe the new it's a small world will pleasantly surprise me as much as Midway Mania did.


But I'm not holding my breath.

[Morrigoon]

Don't forget there's one doll in that section who's supposed to be a Maori. And at least one Aborigine.

Why did Papua New Guinea have it's own separate section anyway?

I agree that the US doesn't need a separate section.
That whole room is basically the South Pacific: Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia. I've heard some argue that the doll I claim is Queen Liliuokalani is actually supposed to represent the Philippines, but I'm not buying it.

Interestingly, the soundtrack playing near kiwi boy sounds like the one that plays in the lost section. At least, it always did to me. Love the drums.

[lashbear]

Maybe the new it's a small world will pleasantly surprise me as much as Midway Mania did..
Diddn't you hear? They've taken out all the dolls and the sets and they've replaced it all with Video Screens.....

[Disneyphile]

IASW would be much better as a shooting game.I agree.

They should have just added guns to the boats so that we could blast at various targets around the world. It would especially have been well-themed in the China area during the holidays, because the firework rockets are probably WMDs in disguise anyway.

It would have represented the current United States in perfect patriotism. ;)

They should have Sam the Eagle from Muppet Vision 3D introduce the ride, since it's just like his slated finale - a "tribute to all countries, but mostly America". :rolleyes:

Er, wait a second... they parody IASW during that finale. Maybe the Muppets gave the idea to WDI??? If so, Kermit should be drawn and quartered.

[JWBear]

Whoa... I want some of what DP is on!

[Isaac]

Barnacle Bill

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v686/zapppop/lol.gif

Barbossa. ;)

[Cadaverous Pallor]

So, who to blame? Sklar? I'm just wondering who we should really be booing. And meh, I'm not going to read Al to find out.

Ouimet was the one who okayed the Pirates lameness, so he's got some mud on him too.

As for whether I'd like it minus nostalgia - how can anyone judge??

[Gemini Cricket]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v686/zapppop/lol.gif

Barbossa. ;)
Or did he mean Davey Jones?

[innerSpaceman]

Yes, Davey Jones. Not the Monkee. The one whose stupid, misfunctional waterfall room DECIMATED that ride.



UGHGHGHGHGHHHHH!



(Barbossa doesn't ruin the "get it" room, he just detracts from it. The pervasive musical score ruins it.)

[Ghoulish Delight]

Yes, Davey Jones. Not the Monkee. The one whose stupid, misfunctional waterfall room DECIMATED that ride.
If only they'd have him say his name once in awhile maybe people would remember it.

[Kevy Baby]

Ouimet was the one who okayed the Pirates lameness, so he's got some mud on him too.Am I the only person who LIKES the Johnny Depp addition to PotC (well, the first two at least: I don't like the third one as much, but IMO it is still better than what was there)? The waterfall effect is an addition I like, but I don't like the expense that was paid to get it.

[innerSpaceman]

If you don't like the dark tunnel with the ghostly intonations "No fear have ye of evil curses, says you ..." etc. - - then you are dead to me.


If you merely prefer, oh, what the hell is his name again ... oh yeah, Davey Jones to the creepy tunnel of pirate warnings, then you are very sick to me.








oh. wait.


:p

[alphabassettgrrl]

I rather like the Depp at the waterfall at the end- that's kind of neat. I could handle the Depp at the dress shop. I don't like at all the Depp in the middle.

And I really don't like the Davy Jones tunnel addition. The creepy pirate warnings were much much cooler. It's a cool effect, but really not a good place for it.

[JWBear]

The first two Deps don't bother me all that much. The third one bugs, because it's so blatant. Barbossa… ehhh. At least the Wicked Wench is still the same.

What really ruins the ride for me is the replacement of the original soundtrack, and the destruction of the atmospheric tunnel with the addition of Davey Jones. (Cool effect, wrong place.)

[Morrigoon]

I like Depp with the dresses. I think any more is overkill. I like the Davy Jones waterfall effect but NOT in place of what was there before. There must have been a better place to put him, like prior to that spot, perhaps?

I liked the fact that the Barbossa addition kept the same lines as the pirate who preceeded him. Granted, I preferred the old pirate, but if he must be added, they did a good job with it.

I hate the final Johnny. Never liked the treasure pirates much either. Wasn't there a barrel pirate before that? Let's have that.

[JWBear]

I like Depp with the dresses. I think any more is overkill. I like the Davy Jones waterfall effect but NOT in place of what was there before. There must have been a better place to put him, like prior to that spot, perhaps?

I liked the fact that the Barbossa addition kept the same lines as the pirate who preceeded him. Granted, I preferred the old pirate, but if he must be added, they did a good job with it.

I hate the final Johnny. Never liked the treasure pirates much either. Wasn't there a barrel pirate before that? Let's have that.

Barbossa's lines are not exactly the same. There's quite a bit about Captain Jack.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I liked the fact that the Barbossa addition kept the same lines as the pirate who preceeded him.
Similar lines, but with the flattest, most uninteresting delivery in the history of voice acting. Steven Wright could have put more emotion into those lines.

[Morrigoon]

Oh and I agree, the soundtrack changes suck.

[RStar]

I don't care for anything about the ride beyond the building exterior. So, on the off chance that these changes somehow improve it I'd give it a chance (though it may be years before I'm next in Disneyland) but I doubt it so it probably would have been best to just leave it alone. So far as I know, it has continued pulling in crowds.

But I'm not opposed to trying to make it less horrible on the inside.If Stitch ends up in it, I'm sure Loni will have you sitting through it once in a while. ;)

I look forward to seeing what the new segment looks like.I'm never opposed to change. I found the ride rather dull until they did the holiday overlay.

. Will they be the too-literal cartoony kind found in the Paris version or will they be done in actual Mary Blair mode?I noticed in the Paris version that all americans are either cowboys, indians, or Marylin Monroe. See, you learn something every day! ;)

Plus, the exit queue was interesting until I realized it was nothing more that a comercial. In fact I found a lot of that in DLP. Is it me or is there more of that there than here? Like that long set of ads before Honey I Shrunk the Audience....

[innerSpaceman]

And yes, Barrel Pirate was the best part of the original Powder Room.


Funny how he seems to have worked just fine for his first 20 years, but really began to have operational problems in the late 80's. I mourned his replacement.

The Johnny Depp treasure room is appalling. I wonder if Depp knows how completely GAY he comes off as in that scene.

[Kevy Baby]

If you don't like the dark tunnel with the ghostly intonations "No fear have ye of evil curses, says you ..." etc. - - then you are dead to me.

If you merely prefer, oh, what the hell is his name again ... oh yeah, Davey Jones to the creepy tunnel of pirate warnings, then you are very sick to me.Well, I am rather sick, regardless of what I like...

But what I meant to say but didn't make clear was that I like the new effect, I just don't like what they replaced to put it in (as in: don't take out the tunnel VO!). If there is enough time for the loop, I think it would have worked better right before the second drop (as a stand-alone effect - not sure how it would tie in with the entire ride).

[Not Afraid]

I'm just sad I'll never hear the line "See that alligator? He put the Gay in Gator" again.

[Isaac]

....just FYI, Nick is in DL tonight.

[innerSpaceman]

Nick who?

[Not Afraid]

Nick. You know Nick. (Formerly NMorales) (He's also on IM as well.)

[RStar]

I'm just sad I'll never hear the line "See that alligator? He put the Gay in Gator" again.

Whats that from?

[Not Afraid]

Whats that from?

SZERBIAC MANIAC.

[Mary Blairiffic]

I'm steaming, hopping mad. I'll be visiting Disneyland on 12/7,8, and 9. My friends and I will booooooo when our boat reaches that part of the ride.

Mary Blair is not feeling Blairiffic.

:rolleyes:

[innerSpaceman]

Well, your boat won't ever reach that part of the ride at Christmas. The new scene premiers in January.

[Mary Blairiffic]

Well, your boat won't ever reach that part of the ride at Christmas. The new scene premiers in January.

I thought the ride re-opens around Thanksgiving. Now I'm confused.

[Mary Blairiffic]

My bad -- I now read the whole AL article and see that they'll pull out the ole' red, white and blue segment later in January. And that's no less infuriating.

[Ghoulish Delight]

The ride re-opens around Thanksgiving with the Christmas overlay. The new America scene won't be seen until January after the ride is closed again to remove the Christmas vomit and add the new scenes.

[Mary Blairiffic]

The ride re-opens around Thanksgiving with the Christmas overlay. The new America scene won't be seen until January after the ride is closed again to remove the Christmas vomit and add the new scenes.

Hee :D

[Isaac]

The ride re-opens around Thanksgiving with the Christmas overlay. The new America scene won't be seen until January after the ride is closed again to remove the Christmas vomit and add the new scenes.
The new scene has already been added. We won't see it til late January/early February cause that portion of the ride is covered w/ black curtains, as the music transitions from Jingle Bells to Deck The Halls. You'll probably be able to sneak a peek since the curtains don't cover the far edges of that show scene too well.

[flippyshark]

Just wanted to mention, we here in Florida still have our rain forest, our alli-gay-tor, our umbrella-carrying lion, etc. I can't promise they'll be here forever, though I sure hope they will. But, if anyone needs incentive to visit Orlando, here you are.

[Gemini Cricket]

I'm waiting for the iSm proclamation that he's never going to ride this ride any more and it's officially dead and only a fool will ride this ride and...



:D

[Isaac]

As far as I know there's still no cameras inside the attraction.

Maybe we should do our own demolition work to that scene. :D

[innerSpaceman]

Naw, I can close my eyes at that point in the ride. You could never close your ears from the crappy Paris version of the musical score.

But, yeah, if the Disney characters are too intrusive, I might boycott this again.


I did it "successfully" for a decade, so don't doubt I will again if called for by my strict moral code of Disneyland excellence.


NOT PURISM. EXCELLENCE!

[CoasterMatt]

I can always vomit my way around the world again.

[Stan4dSteph]

As far as I know there's still no cameras inside the attraction.

Maybe we should do our own demolition work to that scene. :DI hope you have a lot of money socked away for all of the fines and your legal defense.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

I can always vomit my way around the world again.

Or you could take after me and vomit your way around the World Showcase instead!

[Kevy Baby]

I hope you have a lot of money socked away for all of the fines and your legal defense.It's not illegal if you don't get caught!

[Disneyphile]

I'm guessing these changes will be received in this same respect:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b80/Disneyphile/Funny/StinkyIASW.jpg

[Isaac]

IASW @ NYWF 1964 (note how much more animated the character were):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKt_o6AflbI

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Hmm, they do look like they move faster in the video. Perhaps the video is manipulated? Or maybe they just reduce wear and tear by making everything sloooooow.

[Stan4dSteph]

Or maybe they just reduce wear and tear by making everything sloooooow.That's my guess. They probably weren't too worried about long-term maintenance during the World's Fair.

[Morrigoon]

Dude, look how much prettier Italy is there, it's not all orange and black

[RStar]

I think some things wear out after a while as well. Not to mention how old film makes things look faster. Just look at old silent films (though part of that is how fast the camera man cranked the film through).

[Isaac]

:mad:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v686/zapppop/mg_1206_original.jpg

[Disneyphile]

Ok, yeah, they really should add pea-shooters to the boats.

We so need a barfing smilie.

[Kevy Baby]

We so need a barfing smilie.Will this work?

http://home.mindspring.com/%7Ekevin_elder/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/puke.gif

[innerSpaceman]

Grrrrrr.


(Is that Hong Kong?)

[belleh5]

Grrrrrr.


(Is that Hong Kong?)


I hope so:eek:

[Isaac]

It is but it's probably a good preview of what to expect come late January/ early February.

[Isaac]

I hope you have a lot of money socked away for all of the fines and your legal defense.
Sure do!
In the closet.
It's not illegal if you don't get caught!
Exactly ;)

[belleh5]

Do I have to travel to Flordia to see the original IASW??

[Isaac]

Eew! They don't even have a facade !

Toyko Disneyland or Euro Disneyland would be more appropriate.

Too bad Taylor won't get to see the original version :(

[Kevy Baby]

(Is that Hong Kong?)

It is...Then why the hell didn't you say so?!? To have posted the way you did lead one to believe that this was somehow a "preview" picture of the Anaheim makeover.

Sheesh!

[Isaac]

LOL!

Sorry Kevy !

Somehow I doubt the Anaheim version will be much different.

[belleh5]

Eew! They don't even have a facade !

Toyko Disneyland or Euro Disneyland would be more appropriate.

Too bad Taylor won't get to see the original version :(


She can always watch Youtube


(Maybe they will change it back, if enough people complain :cakes:)

[Stan4dSteph]

Maybe you should lay some flowers outside.

[Isaac]

One can only hope.
Maybe you should lay some flowers outside.
LOL!

Roses w/ lots of big thorns & a pair of longjohns, right ? ;)

[belleh5]

Issac!!!!

Longjohns.......:(

[RStar]

Issac!!!!

Longjohns.......:(

Wow, I had to go back one page and read up. I thought Issac was decapitated there for a minute!

:decap:


:eek:

[Gemini Cricket]

Al has some new info about ISAW in today's update:
But it's in the South Seas room that the biggest hint that changes are afoot will be on display, and that's the sudden addition of a condensed and restaged Rainforest scene that has been added to the left of the flume just as you are leaving the South Seas room. The much smaller version of the Rainforest scene, using most of the original 1964 figures and sight gags, has replaced the tall angular volcanoes with the revolving Polynesian boys on them. Two of those volcanoes and their boy dolls have been pushed over to the left, and are now slotted in behind the famous row of hula girls shaking their hips wildly at passing boats.

It's not nearly as dramatic as the darkly lit room the Rainforest scene used to inhabit, but the folks at both WDI and in TDA hope this token of goodwill can placate the members of the Save The Rainforest protest campaign. Other than those changes that only a diehard fan would likely notice most of the additions and plot changes for it's a small world will remain under wraps through Christmas.
Source (scroll down)
(http://miceage.micechat.com/allutz/al111808b.htm)

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

On Monday, one of the walls were down and you could hear the X-Mas music coming fromthe buidling. The "Water" People were all in the new boats. Non of them looked like us, so maybe we can sink it again.

[innerSpaceman]

It will certainly be a challenge, won't it!!!


Do we want to attempt it at Christmas? I personally think it would be more appropriate when the Craptacular version premiers in '09.

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

Well, there is LoTmas still....

[Morrigoon]

On Monday, one of the walls were down and you could hear the X-Mas music coming fromthe buidling. The "Water" People were all in the new boats. Non of them looked like us, so maybe we can sink it again.
Can't sink it, but (I bet) you can make it list tremendously.

[Kevy Baby]

Can't sink it, but (I bet) you can make it list tremendously.You realize that by saying we can't, it only inspires us more to make the attempt.

[Morrigoon]

You're gonna get wet.

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

Anyone have a weight/barbell set? I think we all can carry a 100lb weight under our coats...

[madmonkeygirl]

Hey carrying weights is an idea never thought of. I'm so in on this trying to sink it lol....don't say can't that isn't in my vocabulary when it comes to breaking down rides lol..

[lashbear]

Can't sink it, but (I bet) you can make it list tremendously.
It is, of course, a required part of the LashMeet that we bring at least one boat to a grinding halt.