It’s always been well understood that with any theme park – and with Disney Parks especially – they will always be changing. Of course, I’m not sure anybody expects things to change quite as quickly as they are at Walt Disney World right now. There's so much new stuff coming to Disney World that it's difficult to keep track of. Yesterday marked the last day of operation for the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island at Magic Kingdom, and the opening day theme park land is about to undergo its most significant change in over 50 years.
But that’s not all. A day after the Rivers of America closed, Disney World announced a big change coming to an opening day attraction. On July 17, the classic earworm of a song “It’s a Small World” will be updated on the attraction of the same name to include the third verse Richard Sherman wrote before the iconic songwriter passed away.
It’s A Small World’s New Third Verse Is Coming To Magic Kingdom
It had previously been announced that on July 17, the 70th anniversary of the opening day of Disneyland, "It’s a Small World" would be updated to include the extra verse that Richard Sherman wrote to the song he and his brother Robert had originally composed for the 1964 World’s Fair. Today, Disney Parks confirmed the same change would be made, on the same day, at the Walt Disney World version of the attraction. The verse goes like this…
Mother earth unites us in heart and mind. And the love we give makes us humankind. Through our vast wondrous land. When we stand hand in hand. It’s a small world after all.
Say what you will about “It’s a Small World” as a song and the way you can’t get it out of your head, but the message of the tune is truly beautiful. It’s a special song about how the people of the world have more that unites them than separates them, and the extra verse, written by Sherman shortly before he passed away, simply reinforces that idea.
I can’t imagine even the most ardent Disney World traditionalist taking issue with this change. The rest of the classic attraction remains; nothing is being taken away, and even the addition comes from the same source as the original song. This is in sharp contrast to the other major change that is already underway.
Work On The New Piston Peak Land Has Already Started On Tom Sawyer Island
The Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island saw their last days of operation yesterday. As of this morning the raft to the island as well as Liberty Belle Riverboat, are closed, and workers have already been spotted on the island, meaning Disney World is wasting no time in beginning the transformation of the area into Piston Peak, a new area that will be themed to Pixar’s Cars franchise.
On top of that, a brand new land will be built adjacent to Frontierland and Liberty Square, a land dedicated to Disney Villains. We have few details about that land, and we don’t know when work will actually begin, but it is expected to either be concurrent with the Piston Perak work or begin shortly after that area is completed.
With not only a major part of Frontierland closed, but most of Dinoland U.S.A at Disney's Animal Kingdom and the Muppet Courtyeart at Disney’s Hollywood Studios also closed, there are a lot of changes set to come in the next few years. Walt Disney World is going to look very different in a very short period. Not everybody will embrace every change, this much is clear.
Since nothing can be done about the change, I choose to look forward to what is to come at Walt Disney World, even if I there is part of me bummed out by what is being lost.
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