It’s a small world is one of the most well-known Disney attractions. Even if you’ve never been to Disney World or Disneyland, you know the song. It’s a catchy tune that gets stuck in your head. Not only is the song catchy, but many consider the ride to be weird and creepy. Well, the ride is even creepier when you learn that the it’s a small world dolls actually have beating hearts.
It’s no surprise that it’s a small world is ranked as the worst ride in America, which we reported on here. The combination of the annoying song and the creepiness of the ride puts it as the front-runner for that ranking. This ranking came before learning the creepy fact that it’s a small world dolls have beating hearts.
It’s a small world Dolls Have Hearts
We just learned from an internal source that it’s a small world dolls have beating hearts. According to our source, these hearts were originally installed when Walt Disney created them for the 1964 World’s Fair. The purpose of the heart was to pump hydraulic fluid throughout the doll so it could move around. In fact, if one of their hearts stops working, the animatronic essentially dies.
Very few people also realize that it’s a small world dolls almost never turn off. This is why they continue to run all night long, even after the park is closed. This alone is creepy too. If you were to walk inside the it’s a small world ride building at 4 AM, the dolls would be moving and signing as if it were the middle of the day. Yes, sometimes the dolls do stop moving, but their hearts don’t stop beating. The hearts continue to pump the hydraulic fluid.
Of course, this is a lot like humans, we need our heart to beat or we will die, which you can then be buried at the Haunted Mansion. Usually, when an it’s a small world doll’s heart stops beating, Disney cannot repair them. In this case, the cast members have a small funeral and bury the doll behind the ride. This is a very odd thing to do for an animatronic, however, it’s more of a superstition.
Funerals for it’s a small world Dolls
What may be creepier than the it’s a small world dolls having beating hearts is that Disney has funerals for the dolls when they “die”. According to an internal source, if they don’t bury the animatronic, it’s been said that it will haunt the ride and cause it to break down. It’s not new for Disney Cast Members to have rituals like this. In fact, there is a whole ritual around saying goodnight and good morning to George at Pirates of the Caribbean, or the ride will break down the next day.
Our source mentioned that the it’s a small world cemetery has over 30 dolls in it at Disney World. All of the dolls are resting in pieces as they say. The cemetery is just a small plot of land where they dig a hole and add another doll’s body when it “dies”. However, apparently, there is a small tombstone that notes each doll that has been buried there. Disney gives all of the dolls names and denotes which country they represented.
Also, what is a funeral without a small ceremony. Our source said that typically there are anywhere from 10-20 Cast Members at each funeral. They do a few readings from Walt Disney personally and sing it’s a small world as they bury the doll. It’s quite creepy according to those who have attended a funeral. However, as we noted, this is primarily a superstition so the ride doesn’t break down.
What do you think of this creepy it’s a small world doll story? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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