http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20796496,00.html

The Disneyland version opened in 1964 at the Queens, NY World Fair. Since then many of people have been tortured by the noise it makes.

The official anniversary website http://www.smallworld50.com/

Also turning 50 this year will be Carousel of Progress (and it's awesome song) and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln which also debuted at the fair.

All of which I read about contemporaneously in My Weekly Reader, as a small child in a small town...regretting there was no way my family was going to New York City to see any of those awesome things. Little did I know I would end up at Disneyland, and it would be one of my most favorite places...more than 35 years later.

As for a certain song, it must be the fighting spirit of the underdog in me: That Song, Rolling Thunder...to celebrate and venerate that which most find only annoying...that's a central part of my miasma...celebrate our differences...see how ahead of its time that ride\song was\is? I think it no accident The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is of the same year origin. Harry Golden would be so proud.

Carousel of Progress? Great concept. Great metaphor. Life goes in circles, yet much of it you see only once, while other parts repeat. But can you re-ride? Will your money help you do so? Good works? Bad works send you the other place? Redemption? Salvation? Fast Pass? Oh, so many questions...but the carousel just keeps on turning to a constantly changing bunch of participants, some of whom aren't even aware they are watching, yet some can and do come back years later, to find the experience oddly the same, yet oddly different. Others repeat, yet on the other side of the Nation. And some...get no second chance. Not unlike life itself. The Carousel had/has a sponsor. Does life? So many questions. I hear Mr. Russell, but is he singing?

Now, pardon me. I have a song to sing. It makes me happy.

Love this attraction and amazing how some things remain timeless. The California Version is still my favorite, but in honor of the 50th we just booked our trip to the World in December. Can hardly wait to sing that song that so many have the whole way there.

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/03/disney-legend-rolly-crump-looks-back-on-creation-of-its-a-small-world/

Rolly Crump's memories on the ride.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRu9TXAJ2m8

Original figurines being prepped for a return trip to New York. Also contains some vintage 1964 footage.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-small-world-20140804-story.html?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fbusiness+%28L.A.+Times+-+Business%29

A nice piece from the Los Angeles Times.

The ride was originally going to play the respective national anthems from each country represented. In testing, they found that the many songs were outrageously miserable when overlapping between rooms and scenes. Enter the Sherman Brothers.

Another thing I like – all of the dolls' faces are made from the same mold, just painted, dressed, and decorated differently. Get it?

In the LATimes story it says Small World has given 290,000,000 rides. Racer has a long way to go to catch up.

I'm trying to imagine Mr. Don Helbig riding It's A Small World 12,000 times.

Once was enough for me. That blasted song...

One poster here has been known to "sing" it on lifthills.

Well, at least to make a joyful noise remotely resembling that glorious song.

I say Diamond

While it is a catchy diddly(and a great ride), I still prefer "those happy friends that live in my tv" .Sadly lost to most.

Would be great for Kings Island to really have a dark ride for generations to come, something like a small world, or our own past Fantastic Voyage with updates and such.

So happy Small World is still here.

Terp is right. Those times (60's) were probably the most turbulent of times for America, not totally unlike today. We definitely need to read and live by the words of the song now for sure!

It's a world of laughter, A world of tears. It's a world of hopes And a world of fears. There's so much that we share, That it's time we're aware, It's a small world after all.

There is just one moon, And one golden sun. And a smile means, Friendship to every one. Though the mountains divide, And the oceans are wide, It's a small world after all.

Chorus:
It's a small world after all.
It's a small world after all.
It's a small world after all.
It's a small, small world.

^ Thankfully, I've forgotten the tune to that song, or else I'd have the blasted thing stuck in my head again now.

^ Thankfully, I've forgotten the tune to that song, or else I'd have the blasted thing stuck in my head again now.

Do you want it? I can get it for you. I'm sure it's all over YouTube....LOL

Absolutely NOT.

While it is a catchy diddly(and a great ride), I still prefer "those happy friends that live in my tv" .Sadly lost to most.

I noticed a variation of that song was used as an intro to the Flintstone's Christmas Special. I was both proud and ashamed I knew that

This is cool....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weZrqrN9Jp0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=673R9tE9c9o

This is cool....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weZrqrN9Jp0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=673R9tE9c9o

haha Ben Stiller's description is the best. "kind of scary, but not.....once it's in your head, it's just there forever" haha

I like how they can at least have fun with the fact that the song is repetitive.