News Walt Disney Imagineering Files Signage Permit for "it's a small world" at Magic Kingdom

[DisneyHead123]

It wasn’t working in late 2021. Maybe they fixed something after that but those “personalized message screens” have gone the way of the dodo.

It was definitely working at some point after that because I saw them with my son, who didn’t start visiting until 2022. I’m about 80% certain it was working in 2024 and maybe even into 2025.

 

[Brer Panther]

Are they gonna replace the sign? I hope not. I like the sign.

Disney characters…cool

I'm in the minority on this, I know, but I'd be okay with them adding Disney characters. I only have two conditions.

One, make them subtle. Less like this:

And more like Simba, Timon and Pumbaa just so happening to be among the animals in Africa.

And two, make sure the characters fit the locations they're put. The Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland versions do this well (Alice, the White Rabbit, and Peter Pan in the United Kingdom; the Three Caballeros in Mexico, the Aladdin characters in the Middle East, etc.). So, for example, don't put Buzz Lightyear among the hula dancers.

Also, no Marvel or Star Wars characters, please. They'd be out of place.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Are they gonna replace the sign? I hope not. I like the sign.

I'm in the minority on this, I know, but I'd be okay with them adding Disney characters. I only have two conditions.

One, make them subtle. Less like this:

View attachment 917054​

And more like Simba, Timon and Pumbaa just so happening to be among the animals in Africa.

And two, make sure the characters fit the locations they're put. The Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland versions do this well (Alice, the White Rabbit, and Peter Pan in the United Kingdom; the Three Caballeros in Mexico, the Aladdin characters in the Middle East, etc.). So, for example, don't put Buzz Lightyear among the hula dancers.

Also, no Marvel or Star Wars characters, please. They'd be out of place.

If they follow the example of Small World in CA it should be fine. Not too many characters and those they did add were area-appropriate. Keep it to 5-6 character adds, maximum, and it shouldn’t be a problem. More than that and it’ll start getting obnoxious.

 

[Ayla]

I’m pretty sure we saw it as recently as January 2025. If not it was spring 2024.

It wasn't working in October of 2021 or May of 2022.

 

[lazyboy97o]

May I ask why you’re against it? They are a very small inclusion in DL and I find them to be very well blended into their surroundings. They don’t really stand out much.

It’s not just a scenic change. Their entire purpose, going back to their initial proposal for Magic Kingdom and eventual inclusion at Hong Kong Disneyland, is to change the very nature of the ride to a game of hide-and-go seek. That’s how Disney described the character infused ride.

 

[eddie104]

Speaking of… I didn’t know this

The wdw version is pretty sad

How?

Give us details of everything wrong with it and not just anecdotal evidence. You guys love to exaggerate like they don’t fix things outside of major refurbs.

All change is not good.

splash and buzz

Splash was in terrible condition at Disneyland when it closed as well so that point is irrelevant.

Ours was actually maintained a lot of better before its closure.

 

[DisneyHead123]

It wasn't working in October of 2021 or May of 2022.

Sounds like they brought it back briefly sometime between late 2022 and very early 2025 then. As of fall 2025 it appeared to be completely gone.

 

[HMF]

Almost every MK update / refurb rumored before the 50th has either happened or been announced: Philharmagic, Hatbox Ghost, Big Thunder, Buzz, CoP…

I think Small World was the last one, so wouldn’t be shocked if they revisit the plan to add characters

If Space doesn't get one soon, they have completely lost the plot.

 

[HMF]

That’s been gone for a number of years, IIRC.

Yet another ultimately removed relic of the billions of dollars they wasted into the financial black hole known as MyMagic+. I really hope they are planning to remove PLQ from Mansion in the near future.

 

[HMF]

I'm sure more than a few people thought of it as disturbing instead of magical....like if you weren't aware that your magic band was sharing your name data, etc. around the park and suddenly it shows your name.

A lot about MM+ was quite disturbing when you look into it. Thankfully, it ultimately failed though I would have liked to have the billions of dollars they wasted on it back and use it to you know actually invest it in new things for the parks.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

A lot about MM+ was quite disturbing when you look into it. Thankfully, it ultimately failed though I would have liked to have the billions of dollars they wasted on it back and use it to you know actually invest it in new things for the parks.

Not at all…

That was a wifi project

They had none…They’re computer systems were hopelessly based in the 1980s

It was actually a brilliant move by Bob…had to pay for it and cost is not tolerated by the markets…so he threw up the smoke screen of “new revenues” from it

It was well played

 

[HMF]

Not at all…

That was a wifi project

They had none…They’re computer systems were hopelessly based in the 1980s

It was actually a brilliant move by Bob…had to pay for it and cost is not tolerated by the markets…so he threw up the smoke screen of “new revenues” from it

It was well played

The infrastructure replacement was not the issue it was all the pointless interactive queues and borderline "Big Brother" treatment of guests.

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

It’s not just a scenic change. Their entire purpose, going back to their initial proposal for Magic Kingdom and eventual inclusion at Hong Kong Disneyland, is to change the very nature of the ride to a game of hide-and-go seek. That’s how Disney described the character infused ride.

That is how they described it sure, but I would not personally that is how it comes across in practice. They really don't stick out save for one or two of them. If their goal was to make them a big flashy inclusion that makes a substantial change to the experience, they didn't do a very good job in achieving that goal.

 

[lazyboy97o]

That is how they described it sure, but I would not personally that is how it comes across in practice. They really don't stick out save for one or two of them. If their goal was to make them a big flashy inclusion that makes a substantial change to the experience, they didn't do a very good job in achieving that goal.

Hide and seek doesn’t involve sticking out…

 

[ChrisFL]

I think it was just a way to promote to investors that they were not only upgrading their infrastructure but also promoting new experiences to guests built upon those changes. In that regard it makes sense.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

Disney Characters have no place in IASW. There's literally no point.

 

[ChrisFL]

Disney Characters have no place in IASW. There's literally no point.

Better than Marvel characters in Tokyo's. I LOVE the MCU but that was just too much, but thankfully it's only temporary.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

Better than Marvel characters in Tokyo's. I LOVE the MCU but that was just too much, but thankfully it's only temporary.

I forgot about that. Yes, that's far worse.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The infrastructure replacement was not the issue it was all the pointless interactive queues and borderline "Big Brother" treatment of guests.

Yeah but that was pretty much a smoke screen

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I think it was just a way to promote to investors that they were not only upgrading their infrastructure but also promoting new experiences to guests built upon those changes. In that regard it makes sense.

Yeah the first part was needed

The second part was the excuse