Thank You to my Blog Visitors

In under 4 months, this blog has already had double the traffic of my other blog (which is almost 4 years old).

I have been tracking where in the world visitors to this blog have been coming from.  In order to Thank everyone for visiting, I created this little Small World inspired poster with the title flags replaced with the National Flags of the frequent visitors to my blog... so, if you see your flag, my THANKS For Visiting!

I am glad to see U.S., Japan, France and Hong Kong represented... but I especially appreciate seeing visitors from countries that don't have Disney theme parks of their own!

it's a small world (9 & 10) SUN-day

So this is the final post of this 5-part series and I have a lot to say about these two images.

First off, a bit of history.  North America/USA played host to the first three versions of this attraction (New York World's Fair '64, Disneyland '66, Magic Kingdom '71), so as the host region trying to be a good host, there was never a strong North American presence in the ride other than perhaps the minimal North Pole, Canadian Mountie, totem pole, and Finale appearances.

In 1998, I had my first International Small World experience in France.  Since the States where no longer the host, an entire North American segment featuring Broadway, Hollywood, and American West (cowboys & indians) were totally new to me and I loved it. The addition of this part attraction to the recent update of the Anaheim version is not as appreciated. (I prefer being gracious hosts, and I really miss the original Oceania area).  So below is the "newer" North American Sun.

The final Sun in this set is the Finale Sun.  The Finale, featuring elements from the entire attraction, thus the entire world, are dressed in attire that matches what was worn in the regional areas of the attraction, but in various shades of White (with soft Blues and Yellows).  The Finale room also features a sibling Moon.  During the Small World Holiday overlay, the Sun is replaced with a Christmas style ornament, appropriate for the holiday theming.  For a few years, the Finale Sun was not returned to its original location during the off-holiday season, but since its major rehab, the happy Finale Sun shines brightly over the attractions exit flume.

[Top] North America [Bottom] Finale

View the entire Small World  SUN Series

by clicking the "Small World" link on the right,

or by following the link [here]

it's a small world (7 & 8) SUN-day

The next two comprise my favorite pair.  The South/Latin America Sun is animated by the rotating yellow exterior sunbeams that spin behind the orange clay colored sunbeams.  The South Seas/Pacific Islander Sun is compelling to me because of the unique character of the face and it's lack of symmetry (sum beams only shine down, towards the ground)

[Top] South America [Bottom] South Seas

it's a small world (5 & 6) SUN-day

Next in the series, we venture to Asia.  In my opinion, this is the most clever...and certainly the most 3 dimensional of all the Suns.  I know that I always seem to notice this Sun, but I also seem to always not notice it at the same time.

Below is the most ingenious Sun... Africa.  It combines the blue-green shade of the Sun as seen through the heavy leaves found in jungle Africa, with the distorted rings of heat rising from the sands of desert Africa.

[Top] Asia [Bottom] Africa

it's a small world (3 & 4) SUN-day

Last week, I introduced the "it's a small world" Sun concept with the iconic clock face and the first attraction region Sun, from the Arctic/North Pole.  In the original 1964-65 World's Fair, the Arctic/North Pole Sun had a slightly different look. (I don't think this style currently exists anywhere any longer).  Also this week is the Sun found in the European section of the attraction.

[Top] World's Fair [Bottom] Europe

it's a small world (1 & 2) SUN-day

The first thing one sees when they walk toward the "it's a small world" attraction at Disneyland is the iconic clock face, ticking and tocking back and forth until each quarter hour when a parade of children pass to reveal the current time in giant numbers.

I know that anyone who rides this attraction notices children in unity singing the same song room after room (or is it continent after continent?) throughout the voyage. Recently guests have begun to notice the newly added classic characters (which I am not a big fan of, but can at least respect the artistic decision to make all the "real child" characters match the aesthetic of the original Small World children, while keeping "non-real child" characters, Woody, Dory, etc, looking more like play toys).  What else do you notice while sailing the "seven seas"?

Now let me tie these two paragraphs together.

Since the very beginning of time, time itself was measured (or identified) the exact same way no matter where (or when) in this small world a child lived.  It seems that "the Sun" is one of the more identifiable things that "we all share".  And that element was not lost on this attraction design when it was first introduced in 1964 at the New York World's Fair.  Today, the oldest existing "it's a small world" attraction, Disneyland's 1966 version, although somewhat altered from its original state, has the regionally appropriate versions of THE SUN in each and every show room of this beloved attraction.

Don't believe me?  For the next several Sundays, I'll post duo images of the differing Suns found throughout the attraction.  When all is posted and complete, take the time to see if you can spot all the different solar icons on the ride itself.  (And lemme know if other versions around the planet are similar or different... I'd be love to add those variations)

For this week, however, I begin with the clock face itself and the first sun seen in the Disneyland classic!  Sit back, keep you arms and legs inside the boat at all times, and enjoy the ride...

[Top] Clock [Bottom] Arctic/North Pole

ADDITIONAL posts about 

SMALL WORLD Sun Icons

will continue every Sunday

until August 21st!