As we certainly expected, Disney’s new Haunted Mansion movie is simply overflowing with references to the Disneyland and Walt Disney World attractions. However, those aren’t the only Disney ride references to be found in the film. There’s also a hilarious nod to the classic It’s a Small World, though at one point director Justin Simian was apparently trying to add a Frozen reference to the movie.
In a brief scene later in Haunted Mansion we see Dan Levy, the proprietor of a very strange bed and breakfast, performing on the piano for his guests. He then breaks into a rendition of the classic "It’s a Small World," perhaps the most iconic (though not necessarily the most beloved) song from any Disneyland ride in history. Justin Simien tells EW that he always planned to use a Disney song in that scene as a little easter egg, though he apparently tried several different ones He explained…
I was just obsessed with putting as many Disney Easter eggs as possible, because I'm a nerd. We tried a few different things in that moment. I told Kris Bowers, our composer, that I want him to be playing a Disney tune, and we tried a few, and that was the one that universally made everybody chuckle in exactly the right way.
In the scene, we see a crowd surrounding Levy while he plays piano in the background. He starts up his song instrumentally, but when he offers to provide the lyrics too, the crowd asks him not to do so, poking a bit of fun at the tune, which is seen by many as one of those songs that tend to get stuck in your head no matter how much you wish it would not.
Apparently, the classic “When You Wish Upon A Star” was also considered for the scene. While that song certainly would have worked perfectly as a reference as it’s essentially the theme song for the entire Walt Disney Company, it certainly wouldn't have been as funny. For Disney fans, it might have actually been quite touching.
One song that might have worked as well as “It’s a Small World” is Frozen’s insanely popular “Let it Go." The song was so popular at one time that, like “Small World” a lot of people clearly got tired of hearing it, so the movie could have made some similar jokes. Apparently, the filmmakers discovered that “Let it Go” just didn't work quite as well. Simien continued…
There was a second I was trying to convince them to let us do 'Let It Go' from Frozen, but a megamix version. I tried a couple of things in there, but ["It's a Small World"] was the one everybody could agree with and made you smile in the right way.
While seeing Dan Levy break into “Let it Go” likely would have been funny, the “It’s a Small World” choice was probably the right one. It’s somewhat more fitting since it’s also a reference to one of the best Disneyland attractions, one that’s slightly older than the Haunted Mansion itself. You can visit the Haunted Mansion and hear “It’s a Small World,” in theaters now.
