# Revamping Iconic Amusement Rides Disneyland's "It's a Small World" Rebrands & Reopens By Marissa Brassfield | Published 2009-03-01 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/disneyland-its-a-small-world References: [daveibsen.typepad](http://daveibsen.typepad.com/5_blogs_before_lunch/2009/03/disneylands-its-a-small-world-is-now-a-giant-product-placement-opportunity.html) & [seattletimes.nwsource](http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2008737281_trsmallworld15.html) [Disneyland](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pixar-place-hotel)’s “It’s a Small World” has finally reopened after the popular attraction was closed for a year-long renovation. It’s a hot rumor that widening waistlines since the ride first opened in 1966 required Disneyland to widen and deepen the channel in which the ride’s boats float, but “It’s a Small World” has certainly received a branding makeover. Like “Pirates of the Caribbean” and the “Haunted Mansion,” “It’s a Small World” was retrofitted with characters from movies that have come out since the ride opened. There are 29 Disney and [Pixar](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/la-fort-secrte) characters that have been appended to their appropriate places of origin. For example, Peter Pan, Tinkerbell and Alice in Wonderland appear in the UK section; Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket have been placed in Italy, Mulan added to China, and Lilo and Stitch integrated into the Polynesian area. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.2/10 - Popularity: 12% | Activity: 77% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Architecture](https://www.trendhunter.com/architecture) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Rebranding Amusement Rides:** Opportunity for amusement parks to update iconic rides by incorporating characters from popular movies, enhancing the visitor experience. - **Retrofitting with Movie Characters:** Embracing the trend of retrofitting amusement rides with characters from recent movies to attract new audiences and increase engagement. - **Branding Makeovers for Theme Parks:** The rebranding of iconic amusement rides with characters from popular movies to refresh and modernize the park's image. ### Who This Affects Most - **Amusement Parks:** Opportunity for amusement parks to revamp their iconic rides and attractions to cater to changing customer preferences and expectations. - **Entertainment:** Opportunity for entertainment companies to collaborate with amusement parks to integrate their movie characters and IP into the park's attractions, creating synergistic marketing and revenue generation. - **Tourism:** Opportunity for tourism industry players to leverage branded amusement rides as a unique selling point to attract more visitors and create memorable experiences. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Animation-Inspired Themed Hotels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pixar-place-hotel.md) - [Halloween-Themed Amusement Park Activations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/disneyland-resort.md) - [Ride Attraction Play Sets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/starspeeder-3000.md) - [Upgraded Experiential Museum Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/museum-of-ice-creams.md) - [Adventure-Themed Cruises](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/disney-treasure.md) - [Dreamy Princess-Themed Restaurants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tianas-palace.md) - [Amusement Park Fine Dining](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/la-fort-secrte.md) - [Inclusivity-Focused Media Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/reimagine-tomorrow.md) - [Reimagined Pop-Culture Music Genres](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/whole-new-sound.md)