Disney World Adding New Last Verse to “It’s a Small World” in Magic Kingdom
Good news! Walt Disney World is receiving one of the previously-announced experiences for Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary aimed at preserving the park’s legacy and introducing more rich history to a new generation of fans. Here’s what fans can enjoy later this month at Magic Kingdom, what else we hope is added from California, along with a bit of commentary about why we’re slightly apprehensive.
When it comes to classic Disney music, no song is more iconic than the theme from “it’s a small world.” This fan-favorite attraction has captivated audiences for decades, with its catchy melody first introduced at the New York World’s Fair in 1964 and later at Disneyland in 1966 before enchanting guests at Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland. The iconic boat ride translates globally, proving its own thesis: it really is a small world, after all.
The late Robert and Richard M. Sherman wrote the song’s original verses; before his passing, Richard wrote a new verse as his final gift to the Walt Disney Company. The last verse of this beloved song will debut in the finale scene of “it’s a small world” at Disneyland on the actual anniversary of Walt Disney’s original magic kingdom. We already knew this.
Now, Walt Disney World has announced that the last verse of the song will debut in the finale scene of “it’s a small world” at Magic Kingdom on July 17, 2025. No word yet on Paris, Tokyo, or Hong Kong–but we hope they follow suit over time if the last verse is well-received among fans in Florida and California.
The update to the finale scene is meant to add to the attraction’s legacy and further emphasize the song’s meaning. As Gregg Sherman, son of Richard Sherman, explains, the new verse is intended to “celebrate that there’s more that unites us than divides us, and reinforce the message of that song.”
For those who want to experience the new last verse outside the parks, they can listen to the digital single wherever they listen to music. Fans can also preorder the “It’s A Small World” (70th Anniversary) special edition vinyl today or purchase at Disney Music Emporium starting July 18, 2025.
Created for the song’s 60th anniversary, the final verse was first revealed in “The Last Verse” short film (watch below). In the spirit of the beloved song, viewers journey across the globe as the song is passed from person to person and generation to generation, culminating in the reveal of this heartfelt new verse:
“Mother earth unites us in heart and mind
And the love we give makes us humankind
Through our vast wondrous land
When we stand hand in hand
It’s a small world after all.”
Since its conception, the beloved “it’s a small world” attraction has become a symbol of unity and embodies hope for a world where all people are celebrated through the connections that make us all human. It’s a message that’s still important to this day.
To bring this vision to life, Walt Disney asked Richard Sherman and Robert Sherman – who wrote music for many Disney classics including “The Jungle Book,” “Sword in the Stone” and “Mary Poppins” – to write an unforgettable theme song that could be sung repeatedly and in different languages. The resulting song became one of the best-known Disney tunes of all time, “It’s a Small World (After All).”
The song pairs masterfully with the art style of Disney Legend, Mary Blair, a celebrated Disney artist who played a key role in shaping the visual style the attraction has become known for. To this day, the ride remains one of the most recognizable around the world.
Inside the famed Main Street Cinema at Disneyland (not Walt Disney World), you’ll get to see the story and impact of the famous songwriting duo, the Sherman brothers.
Here you can watch a heartwarming three-and-a-half minute film called “The Last Verse,” which celebrates the timeless connection and hope behind the Sherman Brothers’ iconic song, “It’s a Small World.”
I’d highly recommend watching the film above. It’s fantastic. I’d love to see this make its way to Walt Disney World. Main Street Cinema isn’t an option, at least not in its current form, but the short film could be added to Walt Disney Presents in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Or better yet, Liberty Square in Magic Kingdom.
As I’ve written elsewhere in posts about the Hall of Presidents, when that Liberty Square attraction is inevitably replaced, my hope is that it’s a switch to a combo of “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” and “Walt Disney – A Magical Life.” The latter debuts at Disneyland, also on July 17, 2025.
That upcoming theater show will share the incredible story of Walt Disney’s life. Through remastered footage and audio recordings, you’ll be taken on a cinematic journey that leads from Walt’s early endeavors to the bright lights of Los Angeles and beyond. And when the curtain rises, guests will be transported to Walt’s office.
Through the magic of Audio-Animatronics storytelling that he helped pioneer, Walt Disney will come to life and share heartfelt stories and words of wisdom. I had a chance to visit Walt Disney Imagineering in Glendale for a sneak peek at the figure, and the attention to detail is remarkable. I cannot wait to see the finished version in the actual show, which should be a huge asset to Disneyland and introduce new generations into Walt, the man, instead of just Walt, the Disney Corporate mascot.
If that’s popular (and why wouldn’t it be?) in California, it could be brought to Magic Kingdom to run in tandem with Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. While I’d prefer the Hall of Presidents continue indefinitely, it sure seems like its days are numbers unless America suddenly becomes less politically polarized and partisan. (Highly doubtful!)
There’s a lot of time between now and 2029 or the mid-2030s, and plenty of good ideas could be born between now and then. But as of right now, replacing Hall of Presidents with Walt Disney – A Magical Life and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln strikes me as the perfect compromise that respects the legacy of this space, the company’s founder, and our great nation’s history.
These two attractions would take up a lot less space than Hall of Presidents, leaving room for the other exhibits that are being added to the Main Street Opera House at Disneyland for the 70th Anniversary. Since the attraction is in Liberty Square at Magic Kingdom, the exhibition space could offer a tribute to the American presidency as well as the history of the United States. That would be lovely to see, and would make for a less polarizing attraction.
As for commentary about the final verse of “it’s a small world,” I’m still in “wait and see” mode on that. It’s not that I’m against the idea–I’m not. To the contrary, this sounds like a lovely tribute to two of the all-time greatest Disney Legends, and one that will raise awareness about them and spur new interest in “it’s a small world.” All great goals and outcomes!
My only slight hesitation is that “it’s a small world” is one of the few sacred Disney attractions, and any changes should be carefully scrutinized and thoughtfully made. Basically, that ‘wait and see’ should be the default when changing the Walt-era attractions, especially those that are already perfect.
We were just at Disneyland yesterday to enjoy our last ride on “it’s a small world” before the changeover happens (that wasn’t the primary purpose of the visit). I still amazes me just how excellent and timeless that attraction is, and that even the most jarring of the character integrations (looking at you, Woody and Jessie) don’t change that.
I’m nevertheless slightly apprehensive about a more structural shift (for lack of a better term) to the attraction. A few characters are easy to miss; a new verse to the iconic song is potentially a different story.
I’d also add that even though it’s seldom held in as high of regard among the fan community, the substance of “it’s a small world” itself in Magic Kingdom is better than Disneyland. It doesn’t have the iconic facade, but the ride-through is the quintessential version of “it’s a small world” and I’m slightly apprehensive about Disney messing with the only remaining ‘pure’ version of the iconic boat ride.
Then again, it seems wild to write that about a song verse written by one of the Disney Legends who is responsible for the enduring popularity of “it’s a small world” and its cultural significance. That verse itself is fantastic and this sounds like a lovely tribute, so it all hinges upon how seamlessly it’s integrated with the rest of the historic boat ride.
I’m about 95% confident the outcome here will be a positive one–it’s just that lingering 5% that gives me pause. Especially when it comes to a ride we love and do as much as “it’s a small world.” At the very least, it’s better than injecting Marvel characters into the show scenes!
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Your Thoughts
What do you think of the final verse being added to “it’s a small world” in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World? Does this strike you as a no-brainer positive change since it was written by Disney Legend Richard M. Sherman? Or are you also in ‘wait and see’ mode with a bit of apprehension on execution, given that “it’s a small world” is such an iconic attraction? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment on honoring Walt Disney and his park’s history? Any questions? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Hall of Presidents should not be changed. It is unique to WDW, and it is more of what Walt envisioned. I would like to see them add speeches from at least one more president though. I do think it was wise to only have the current president take the oath of office, instead of the larger speaking part. People need to get over themselves.
Okay, going semi off-topic here but just took my first visit to Magic Kingdom in almost 7 years, and had considered a trip to Epic Universe while in Orlando — until I thought better of it due to uncertainty about crowds, conditions (lack of shelter from heat/rain), and attraction reliability.
Now, imagine Magic Kingdom without It’s a Small World. A lot of people would shrug their shoulders or even say “good riddance,” but MK has a ton of rides like this that provide enjoyment for all ages, protected from the elements, for 10 minutes or more. Walt Disney World Railroad, the people mover, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, etc. (Not to mention the many shows/theaters).
Epic Universe, however, seems from my view to have an “all headliners plus kiddie rides” vibe. And while “people eating” capacity exists for certain rides, even if the number of riders per hour may be statistically robust, the ride lengths aren’t very long. There’s no It’s a Small World there. There’s no leisurely train or people mover ride, no dark boat rides, no omnimover-style rides.
At MK, you might not plan your day around It’s a Small World, but it’s nice that on a hot afternoon with wait times spiking across the park, you can still jump into a boat after a few minutes’ wait (or less) for a relaxing 10 minutes or so. Even if you’re not excited about the music or visuals, it’s still something to do that’s restful and entertaining. That is such an underrated part of a positive theme park experience! So while I’m not a huge It’s a Small World fan, it’s the perfect example of why I love Disney parks and am less inclined to go to Epic Universe anytime soon.
You’re 100% right. I’ll take this a step further because we just spent the weekend at Disneyland as a multi-generational family trip that really underscored the importance of a diverse and robust ride roster.
It really got me thinking about just how few attractions we all could do together at more modern theme parks versus the castle parks. There was even a fairly big difference between Disneyland and DCA!
Hopefully we see this type of long, low-barrier boat ride (or dark ride) come back into fashion. Encanto and Coco are promising starts, even if those will be pretty popular.
Very much this! Even as someone who is all about the E-tickets, I’ve come to really appreciate the value of having some rides/experiences that you can slot in with minimal effort for a change of pace. The Tiki Room, It’s a Small World, Sinbad at Tokyo Disneysea, all are important to having a well rounded day and giving yourself not just a break from the weather, but the amount of planning and strategy so many of the parks require now.
It’s been a central theme of both American Adventure and Hall Of Presidents that the nation’s struggles have been harsh and fleeting, but the legacy of greatness and unity is permanent.
If the current era of polarisation is one of those struggles, it would certainly be antithetical to its message throw the attraction out because of it.
I’m with you on the new verse. I’m willing to give it a shot, but am apprehensive of altering something so iconic and classic.
You indicated you thought the substance of the Disney World version was superior to the Disneyland version of Small World. I’m SoCal resident, so I’m far more familiar with the Disneyland version. My wife and I rode the World version last year and walked away a little disappointed. Admittedly a big part of that was the more closed down entrance and lack facade (especially compare to the placemaking impact it has on that corner of Fantasy Land in Disneyland). However, we also thought the ride felt small and overly dense compared to what we were used to. Granted, that was based on a single ride though and may have just been our familiarity bias.
You have such good takes in these things that I’d love to hear your take on why World’s has the better substance.
Well in fairness, IASW did make our list of attractions that are better at Disneyland: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/rides-better-disneyland-versus-disney-world/
That’s as an attraction, though. The complete package, which includes the approach, facade, and outdoor segments.
If you could possibly compartmentalize the evaluate just the interior, I think it’s possible to see that the flooded show scenes and lack of characters elevates WDW’s to the top spot. When it comes to the attraction as a whole, Disneyland’s is easily #1, followed by HKDL and TDL at #T2, Walt Disney World at #4, and Disneyland Paris in (distant) last place.
There is a schematic comparison of the two Small Worlds here: https://parklore.com/vault/here-there/5/ My take is that DL feels more “one sided” where I’m mostly looking to my right or left while WDW feels like I have things on both sides more often. The facade of DL obviously wins, but I like the interior of WDW a little bit better, (Though not enough to really matter.)
Thanks to both of you, I appreciate the insights.
To Tom: Its entirely possible the end-to-end experience affected my perception of the ride itself. When Disneyland introduced the IP characters to the ride, we were very apprehensive, likely more so than this new verse, but it wound up bothering us less than we expected. (Though I do agree Woody and Jessie feeling especially discordant and out of place.) That being said, I completely respect the preference for keeping Small World pure from that perspective.
To (other) Kevin: That’s a good insight about activity on both sides of the ride. We’ll have to pay attention to that the next time we’re at Magic Kingdom. It seems like the sort of thing you pick up in more in the second, third, etc. ride.
It’s crucial that the last verse was written by Richard Sherman. Seems likely to refresh interest and appreciation for the ride. If it been authored later by someone other than the Sherman brothers, it’s tough to envision this change being made in a way that guests would accept enjoyably.
As it is, this additional verse reduces the amount of lyric repeats in the ride. Given the length of the WDW, perhaps that’s a good change. Although I certainly understand Tom’s apprehension toward making changes to this ride, in a park where very few things remain in their original state.
These are very fair points. I hope my nagging apprehension is completely unfounded, and this is an unequivocally positive addition. There’s a high probability of that being the case!
The more I read about the life and work of Mary Blair, the more I appreciate It’s a Small World. Her work pairing unconvential color combinations with geometric reductions that highlighted the emotional impact of those colors was groundbreaking.
And it’s extra nice to see the sentiment of unity expressed in such a lovely Manner as the culture wars ramp up yet again, and people expect their favorite companies to take sides.
100%.
I will never understand people who hate “it’s a small world.” Not that it’s necessarily conclusive of anything, but it strikes me as a ‘tell’ of sorts.
“even the most jarring of the character integrations (looking at you, Woody and Jessie) don’t change that”… you meant Groot and Rocket, right? 🙂
This is quite interesting. I love the attraction and don’t think it needs anything new, but since it’s penned by the original writer I cannot complain and the lyrics certainly fit the ride.
I still haven’t seen the Marvel overlay in person yet! I maintain that it’s an awful idea and seeing it in person is not necessary to evaluate it, but at least the characters look on-model (I guess?).
Maybe I’m missing something, but Woody and Jessie look totally off in the Disneyland version. While I don’t love the presence of the other IP, it all at least looks stylistically passable.
It also doesn’t help that my attention is now really drawn to the Toy Story characters because our daughter says “Hi Woody” and “Bye Woody” every time we ride IASW. I keep trying to explain thematic integrity to her, but despite my best efforts, she continues loving that portion of the ride! 😉
I believe the Greet overlay ended June 30, so you missed your chance! I haven’t watched a Youtube video, but I should now that it’s done. I now have an adorable mental image of my daughter waving hi and bye to Woody when she was Megatron’s age. Oh, I wish I could recapture some of that time…
I may be in the minority but I kind of loved the Marvel overlay when we went to TDR this spring. I felt the Marvel characters were integrated as well as the Disney ones are, thoughtfully placed and blending in pretty well with the existing show scenes. Also, Groot in his little Hawaiian shirt is too cute! All that said, I think the amount of Disney plus Marvel characters in the overlay was at the limit of what would be acceptable to me in IASW; even one more and it would have felt like “too many.”
I don’t think I’d want the Marvel version to become permanent anywhere, but as a limited time offering I thought it was a great plussing of a ride I’ve grown to appreciate more and more as time goes on.
I have a slightly different take than the consensus here. I think the theme and the message of IASW are so important (and core to the Disney vision) that anything (especially temporary overlays) that gets more people in to experience it is positive.
My son usually whines about IASW (and frankly we typically skip it unless we’re bringing guests who want to experience it) but he was enthusiastic about checking out the Rocket and Groot version—I’m disappointed that we won’t make it to TDR in time to enjoy it as a family (would definitely make a specific trip to see it at WDW or DLR if they loaned out). I think our daughter enjoyed IASW a little longer before outgrowing it because she enjoys the princesses peppered throughout the attraction.
Of all the festivities for Disneyland’s 70th, we are most excited about the new verse.