I don’t remember going on the It’s A Small World ride before, either when I visited Disneyland Paris in year 8 or Disneyworld Florida in my teens. If anything, the most I knew was that it’s an annoying song that Scar can’t stand Zazu singing in The Lion King. Somewhere at the back of my mind, I thought there might be a ride, but I certainly didn’t know anything about it other than some people find it a bit creepy.

But the first ride we all went on when we got to Disney last week was It’s a Small World. I assumed it would be like a Disney right of passage that I’d do it once, say ‘well that was that’ and move on. But surprisingly, I was really struck by it, and I think I ended up going on it at least five times in four days.

Yes, the song is really annoying. It’s squeaky and gets stuck in your head and I like it about as much as Scar does. But here’s something I never thought I’d find myself thinking, let alone blogging. There is something, dare I say… Holy? …Kingdomly?… Godly? about the ride itself.

If you don’t know, the ride takes you through a series of scenes with little doll figures singing It’s A Small World. Little boats that hold about 18 people move down a stream and through depictions of different countries and cultures. Many figures are singing or playing instruments, but some are dancing, riding animals, using transport, playing sport, flying on magic carpets, surfing and there are a few people in wheelchairs, too!

Here are some pictures I took:

I’ve only chosen a selection of photos here, and I definitely didn’t manage to capture everything!

After a swift visit to Hollywood with ballroom dancing models, you’re through another tunnel into a fairground scene, where every figure is in white, but in the same style clothes as before. There are burkas, Hawaiian grass skirts, sombreros, dresses, skirts, shorts with braces, and headgear of all sorts.

There are a couple of things I love about all of this:

In the ride, all the figures are the same height. Nobody is taller, or better, or more important. It’s easy to think that some countries or cultures matter more than others, but they are all equal.

And yet, through the ride, diversity and difference is celebrated. I enjoyed listening to other passengers point out the little details they appreciated to each other.

I love the key change in the music and the change of clothing at the end. Each character still retains the look from their own country, and yet there is a real one-ness about it.

I disagree that it’s a small world after all. And I don’t think that the ride depicts a small world. I think it shows a big, diverse world full of variety and colour, yet a world where we are all God’s children made in His image. One day, I hope very much, our eyes and the eyes of world leaders, will be fully opened to that.

I told you it was holy!

More to come on Disney.