Disney Animation released a first trailer for It's a Small World, the Animated Series as, yes, an animated series inspired by Mary Blair beloved attraction and tribute to all children of the world will come on your TV anytime soon! In this new animated series, six international friends - i suppose one for each continent - embark for an unforgettable adventure travelling the globe in a hot air balloon.
Disney also released recently on the iTunes Appstore an iPhone - iPad application called "It's a Small World", which i strongly recommend to you as this new app is a lovely, charming tribute to Disneyland beloved attraction. If you have young children between 1 and 6 they will love it, really, as this is an application designed as an interactive app for very young children. Still, all of you who love Mary Blair's attraction and who are always young at heart - and own an iPhone or iPad or iPod Touch - should enjoy the app. Why? Because they've succeed to find back the original childhood spirit of the ride. And you can feel that the guys who developed the application tried their best to find back this "original spirit".
One of the great things is all the interactive part: almost wherever you "touch" elements of each image something is happening, the characters are moving, a crocodile goes out of the water, a dragon breath fire, etc... until the final where you launch your own fireworks by taps in the night sky. So, basically, the app is as much animated as the ride is!
There is 15 "chapters" in the app, and each one transport you, just like in the ride, in a different country or continent. In most of them you'll find Mary Blair famous color tones, and even reminiscences of her style. Here is screen captures of some of them, and although they don't pay totally justice to how it looks when you're experiencing the app, i'm sure you will identify which country / continent they are showing.
As i've told you the interactive part is charming... for instance in this chapter inspired by the jungle scene of the ride the page will look like this when it appears...
But if you tap on the crocodile or in the black area where you see the glowing eyes then the jungle animals appear, the hippo goes out of water, etc...
Each image is also slowly moving, almost as the same pace than the boat in the ride, giving you the feeling to discover each scene like you do when you're in the ride!
Again, it's a read along / sing along app for young children, but if you download it you'll be surprised how charming it is. The app cost $3.99 or 2.99€ on the Appstore, and knowing all the work it is to develop an app as i create also applications myself as you know, i can tell you that it's a fair price. And as i said, if you have young children they will love it! Here is the iTunes direct link to downed the App. There is an iPhone version of the app but of course if you own an iPad it will look even better on it. Finally, Disney also released a promotional video that you can see below but it don't show how charming the App is.
Pictures and video: copyright Disney