What ‘It’s a Small World’ Got Right, and What It Didn’t

Few attractions have lasted, and polarized, like It’s a Small World. Created for the 1964 World’s Fair, the ride is part cultural showcase, part sing-along, part design time capsule. It’s inspired billions. But as our awareness around inclusion, nuance, and representation evolves, so must our willingness to critique even the most beloved icons.

This article explores what Small World got profoundly right, where it falls short, and how its legacy shapes the future of culturally inclusive design.

1. Cultural Representation in Attractions

At its core, It’s a Small World attempts something rare: a global stage where every culture is acknowledged. The intent was sincere. The scope, ambitious. For many guests, it was their first exposure to a world beyond their borders.

But representation is not just about visibility, it’s about complexity. And while every country gets its moment, the depictions lean heavily into stereotypes: sombreros, rice paddies, snow-capped Alps. The world becomes a diorama of digestible clichés.

2. Inclusive Attraction Design

In 1964, the very act of representing dozens of cultures on a unified stage was radical. The message, “we are one world”, was an early form of global inclusion. It prioritized unity over division.

Still, inclusion has moved beyond shared melody. Today’s guests expect multidimensional characters, not just colorful costumes. True inclusion now means empowering cultural authenticity, not flattening it.

3. Park Storytelling Evolution

Storytelling in parks has grown more sophisticated. Where once a chorus of dolls sufficed, modern attractions now blend culture with narrative agency. Guests want stories that reflect lived experience, not museum displays.

Small World paved the way. But future-facing design demands we move from symbolic inclusion to authentic expression. Representation must grow up with the audience.

4. Iconic Ride Master Planning

Few rides are as instantly recognizable as Small World. Its design, soundtrack, and pacing redefined what an “attraction” could be. It was immersive without thrills. Emotional without characters. Repeatable without fatigue.

From a master planning perspective, Small World proved that tone and theme can drive guest traffic as powerfully as IP. But even icons need maintenance, not just structurally, but culturally.

5. Themed Entertainment Critique

Critiquing a beloved ride feels taboo. But reverence without review is stagnation. As designers and planners, we must honor legacy while questioning message.

Small World deserves our admiration, and our scrutiny. What was progressive once may be regressive now. Critique isn’t rejection. It’s renewal.

6. Diversity in Park Experiences

Today’s parks serve increasingly diverse audiences. Representation is no longer symbolic, it’s strategic. Cultural literacy isn’t a side detail; it’s core to emotional resonance.

Attractions must now reflect the sophistication of their guests. Diversity should inform design, casting, narratives, and tone. One world, yes, but many voices.

7. Attraction Legacy Planning

Legacy rides are emotional landmarks. But nostalgia can’t exempt them from evolution. Updating Small World doesn’t mean erasing its spirit, it means protecting its promise.

Legacy planning means revisiting tone, refreshing visuals, rethinking lyrics, and partnering with cultural experts. You don’t discard icons, you redesign them with care.

8. Disney Master Planning Lessons

Small World offers key lessons in experience design: simplicity scales, music matters, unity resonates. It also warns of flattening culture to fit aesthetic.

Disney’s challenge, and opportunity, is to retain magic while deepening meaning. To shift from showcasing culture to collaborating with it. To replace caricature with craft.

9. Designing Global Themes

The future of global theming is not about summarizing cultures. It’s about designing invitations. Spaces that celebrate context, contradiction, and voice. No more “one outfit per country”, design for nuance.

This means local designers, plural narratives, multi-sensory references, and layered storytelling. Global design must be lived, not lifted.

10. Intercultural Design in Parks

The end goal is not unity without texture, it’s belonging through difference. Intercultural design is an ethic as much as a method. It centers dignity, fluency, and co-creation.

Parks must move beyond “representation” and into reciprocity. Because the real world is small. But it’s also complex. And guests deserve experiences that reflect both.