Go ahead. Try to tell us that you don’t break out in a cold sweat at the mere thought of being stranded on Disneyland’s “Small World” ride. Try to tell us the sound of that annoying song doesn’t fill you with a terror unlike any other.
Time Newsfeed has the details:
A quadriplegic man is suing Disneyland after being stranded on the “It’s A Small World” ride for more than 40 minutes during an evacuation.
Jose Martinez is suing the “Happiest Place on Earth” for negligence, emotional distress and liability, claiming that after the famous ride stalled, Disney staff evacuated other passengers, while leaving him and his wife behind.
The lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court by the Disability Rights Legal Center on behalf of Martinez, claims that Disney violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by not having proper procedures in place to evacuate disabled passengers. Martinez also alleges that Disney staffers refused to call the paramedics after the stress of the situation caused his blood pressure to rise.
We pause now for another one of those mildly amusing stories from the Editor’s sordid past:
When I was about 17, my dad’s Rotary Club paid for a group of local Cub Scouts to attend Disneyland’s annual Scout Day extravaganza. My dad decided it would be a character building experience if I were to pack my car full of Cubbies and drive them to the amusement park. The good news was that he paid for my ticket, too.
It was not only the middle of summer, but a particularly hot Southern California day. No, that doesn’t quite describe it. It was freakin’ torrid. Steaming. Hotter than hell. And I was in this amusement park with 10,000 screaming little scouts.
It was fun for a while, but as the temperature soared I desperately began searching for a place – any place – out of the sun. Then I thought of “It’s A Small World.” I handed over what I remember as a “C” coupon (c’mon, It’s A Small World couldn’t have been more than a “C” coupon) and boarded my boat for a short cruise through the air-conditioned building. Life was going to be good for the next seven or eight minutes.
Then, halfway through the ride, the boats ground to a halt. Cool, I thought. Figuratively and literally. I’ll get a few extra minutes in here out of the heat.
Unfortunately, the minutes dragged on. And on. And friggin’ on. I was forced to sit there with a boatload of heat-crazed, screaming Cub Scouts waiting for the ride to start up again.
But the sound of the screaming Scouts was nothing, a mere distraction. The real problem was that damn song. Those friggin’ little foreign-dressed figures kept singing “It’s A Small World” over and over and over again, searing it into my brain, driving me ever close to that fine line between sanity and lunacy.
Eventually – I lost track of time, but it must have been three or four days – they fixed the ride and we completed our circuit of “It’s A Small World.”
To this day, though, I hate that damn song. Absolutely hate it. It’s like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.
So, Mr. Jose Martinez, I completely understand why you’re suing Disneyland. I hope you take ‘em to the cleaners. I hope you win so much money that they’re forced to change the name of the place to JoseLand.
That’s what I hope.
Source: Time
This post was last modified on February 19, 2011
View Comments (24)
Thankfully, I have never had the misfortune of going on that ride.
It is good to go at least ONCE in your entire life. Even if it is to hate on it like all my friends do.
I liked Its a Small World ok until I got to visit WD World in Florida back in its early days. As a child of the 50's who grew up with the Mickey Mouse club, I was entranced as any child to walk under Cinderella's castle into the Happiest Place on Earth. Until I went on the Small World ride. I never got stuck, but I hated the song for years after that, and was VERY disappointed at the many retail outlets and constant push to take your money. I always wanted to stay overnight in the Castle, and now I understand you can do that. Its far away from the Small World ride.
Yes it is a beautiful yet expensive suite.
I've been on that ride way more than I would ever admit to in a court of law but my major question was and is, why in the hell was this quadriplegic man on the most lame ride in the park in the first place?
There must be 1000 reasons to dislike Disney, but I just can't get myself to do it. maybe its all just sentimental childhood memories.
But certainly, 'small world' is just about the most annoying song on the planet, right behind 'who let the dogs out.'
and I loved the Haunted House as a kid.
I made one visit to the Kingdom of the Rat and did the Haunted House, Pirates of the Caribbean, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Space Mountain, & Mr. Toads Wild Ride... Then I booked over to Epcot.
I wouldn't waste my time on the corny rides like It's a Small World.
Everyone I know hates It's a small world. The problem I have with it that I don't see any dolls with my country's native garb. I personally love to torment my friends with it, because in all sincerity the song doesn't really bother me that much. Interestingly enough the first time I went to Disney World I was about five and that song is one of the oldest memories I have in my life. Since it is associated with a point in time where I was very happy, I guess that is why it doesn't bother me that much.
As for the gentleman I say sue. Sue to his heart's desire if he CAN prove that he was ignored and that no one looked after his health, then he is going to be rich b*tch!
It's a small world after all... It's a small world after all... It's a small world after all... .It's a small, small world.... It's a small world after all...
Are you hating right now? LOL
STOP IT!!! STOOOOOPPPPPP ITTTT!!!!!!
:-D
I once got trapped on It's a Small World Myself. My family and I went on the ride once as a joke, even though we were all too old for it. As it turned out, the joke was on us. Our boat stopped near the end of the ride and could easily have gotten off, except for the ride attendants who stood there to make sure no one left because that would be a violation of park policy. Instead, we had to wait for workers to restart the ride. It was every bit as awful as it sounds.
I got stuck on the upper part of a log ride at Magic Mountain many years ago. My lady and I were in the back of the log, and there were two small kids in the front. Of course, there is always water in the bottom of the log, and I managed to convince the kids that we were sinking, even though we were only in a foot of water. Way too much fun. And there was no irritating music!
I took the "Small World" ride once with my kids when they were pre-schoolers. It was multiculturalism at its cloyingest, stupidest, most inane common denominator. Everyone who has the misfortune to take the ride should sue Disney for the brain damage it inflicts.
It has the potential of being a great ride if they'd let you take a .22 and shoot the little buggers as you ride by.
LMAO! Not that we are condoning or otherwise supporting violence in any capacity to any human being...
After taking the ride a few times with visiting out-of-town friends, I can relate. It's gone from the "Happiest Place on Earth" it's the "Most Annoying Place on Earth."