True confession: The first theme park attraction that mesmerized me was “it’s a small world” at Disneyland. I was 6 years old, on a family vacation to California, and the boat ride was exhilarating to me. It was populated with kids, bright scenes and unusual settings. I didn’t want it to end.
(The first theme park to terrorize me was on the same trip: Matterhorn at Disneyland. That’s another column).
The “small world” ride at Magic Kingdom has been front of brain lately after the addition of a character in a wheelchair. It’s a simple, subtle act that fits into the long-standing “there’s so much that we share” message of the ride.
