“It’s a Small World” is a timeless attraction at Disney parks around the world, and creating a scale model of this beloved ride is a true labor of love. My latest version of this project was inspired by the ride at Disneyland in Tokyo, Japan, and it’s an improvement over my previous one. I spent countless hours researching and gathering photos to replicate the colors as accurately as possible, and the process of painting each element with vibrant and clean colors was a massive task. I used my previously prepared drawings of elevations to correct old mistakes and this time I went with different technology using 3D printing to create the walls with a resin 3D printer.
It’s A Small World Tokyo
“It’s a Small World” at Disney Tokyo is a masterpiece of design and engineering, reflecting the iconic Disney attention to detail and storytelling prowess. The ride’s design is a harmonious blend of creativity, artistry, and technology, all coming together to create an immersive and enchanting experience for visitors. The façade’s design is an almost-complete replica of the California counterpart under a different color scheme, resembling Disneyland’s 1990s version. On March 1, 2017, Tokyo Disneyland’s version of “It’s a Small World” closed down for refurbishment for its first major update since the park’s opening in 1983. Reopened in April 2018, to coincide with Tokyo Disneyland’s 35th anniversary revealing an updated color scheme for the façade.
I love the new colors so decided to repeat this model for my very first collector. I downloaded all the pictures I could find online and started modeling all walls in Google Sketchup. I thought that it will be quick job when using my old CAD drawings. I was wrong, after few years of modelmaking my attention to details increased and I could not accept all the mistakes from my previous build. I scrapped completely the rear wall and roof
Decided to build only the front building to make it compact and nice watch and display from all sides.
My first Its’ A Small World Maquette
Creating a miniature replica of “It’s a Small World” was a challenging and rewarding task. For my first attempt, I chose to use laser-cut cardboard as my building material. The process of cutting all 14 sheets of densely packed cardboard, containing approximately 400 individual pieces, took several hours. I then carefully glued the pieces together in multiple layers to achieve the desired thickness for the projecting elements. I had to fill the visible sides with filler and sand them smooth to achieve a seamless finish.
I painted all parts with Vallejo acrylic paints. Wherever possible before attaching it to the walls. That greatly speed the painting process. I didn’t stick to original colors from Disney attraction because the collector wanted the more vibrant color scheme to match the setting where it will be displayed.
He sent me image with graphic of front facade he liked and I went crazy with the colors on other walls to match the style. you will newer see anything like that anywhere else.
The roof of the pavilion is not visible to visitors of Disneyland so it is not ornamental. I had to invent it to match the rest of the model. I did the same with the rear elevation which is loosely based on source reference.
The size of the finished model is 380 x 225 mm at the base and it is 355mm tall. For safe shipping, I designed it to be flat pack. Each wall was packed separately and for ease of assembly, the small magnets hold them in place. Putting it together will take less than a minute.
Short History of It’s a small World attraction:
“It’s a Small World” is a beloved attraction at Disney parks around the world, and it has been entertaining families for decades. The ride features a cheerful boat ride through a variety of international settings, each featuring dolls representing different cultures and countries. The attraction is known for its catchy and upbeat song “It’s a Small World” which is played throughout the boat ride.
The attraction first opened at Disneyland in California in 1964, and since then it has been replicated in other Disney Parks around the world, like Tokyo Disneyland, Walt Disney World in Florida, and Disneyland Paris. The ride has become a staple of Disney Parks and it’s a must-do for many Disney fans visiting the parks.
One of the things that makes “It’s a Small World” so special is the way it brings different cultures and countries together in a harmonious and joyful way. The dolls that represent the different nations are dressed in traditional clothing and they sing and dance to the famous tune. The ride also showcases the different landmarks and architecture of the countries, which makes it an educative and entertaining experience for both kids and adults.
Another thing that makes “It’s a Small World” special is the way it has been updated over the years to include new countries and cultures. This keeps the attraction fresh and relevant, ensuring that each time you ride it, you can discover something new.
