I know, we've passed the age to play with dolls but, hey, it's "It's a Small World" dolls! Recently released on the Disney Store online i have to admit that for once they did it right, as these dolls looks exactly as they do in the beloved ride, as Mary Blair designed them.
The most surprising is not that they're at last available but why did it took so long to Disney to release them? The merchandise potential of dolls - or anything else - inspired from It's a Small World is absolutely huge and i still can't believe it took them almost 50 years to finally make them available.
So far there is seven different dolls available as well as four plushs inspired by IASW animals. Each dolls are dressed in its original IASW costume, are 16" high ( 40 cm ) and they sing in both their native language and english! The seven dolls include the one of England...
...the one of France...
...the one from Kenya...
...the one from India...
...the one from Hawaii...
...the one from Japan...
and the one from Holland...
Considering the number of different dolls in the original attraction if they decide to do them all - which i wish - be prepared to make room in your children bedroom! Each of the dolls cost $29.95 - 22€ - which is still reasonable, but i have a bad news for those of you living outside the U.S , if you order for instance one doll and have it shipped to Europe the additional shipping is $34 ! All this because they ship it with DHL or UPS, etc... If you order three different dolls the total is $89.85 and you still have $61 of shipping. Which makes $150.85 for the three ( 111 euros ) on which you'll pay at least 20% of customs and VAT so the bill at the end should be around 135 euros which put each doll at 45 euros! ( yes, i know, it was too cool to be true, you knew that something was going to go wrong somewhere ).
So, unless you have a friend in the U.S to whom the Disney Store can send them and then your friend forward them to you, you may think twice before ordering these as-good-as-the originals- It's a Small World dolls.
That said it's indeed a good merchandise idea so here is the link to the Disney Store!
And if you prefer books to dolls... click on the pic below.
Pictures: copyright Disney