Disney had previously announced that a new verse was coming to the final scene of Disneyland’s iconic ‘it’s a small world’ attraction. Today the company shared that the final verse, written by the late Sherman brothers, will also be added to the Walt Disney World version of the ride. The change will take place on July 17th on both coasts. In this post, we’ll share the the news and add some brief commentary.

When it comes to classic Disney music, it’s hard not to think of the iconic tune from “it’s a small world.” This fan-favorite experience has captivated audiences for decades, with its catchy melody. First introduced at the New York World’s Fair in 1964 and later at Disneyland in 1966, Small World has been enchanting guests at castle parks in Disney World, Tokyo, Paris and Hong Kong ever since.

The late Richard and Robert Sherman wrote the song’s original verses. Before his passing, Richard wrote a new verse as his final gift to Disney. The last verse of this beloved song will debut in the finale scene of “it’s a small world” at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort beginning July 17, 2025.  

The update to the finale scene is meant to add to the attraction’s legacy and further emphasize the song’s meaning. As Gregg Sherman, son of Richard Sherman, explains, the new verse is intended to “celebrate that there’s more that unites us than divides us, and reinforce the message of that song.”  

For those who want to experience the new last verse outside the parks, they can listen to the digital single wherever they listen to music. Fans can also preorder the “It’s A Small World” (70^th Anniversary) special edition vinyl today or purchase at Disney Music Emporium starting July 18, 2025.  

Disney released this touching video that shared the final verse shortly after Richard M. Sherman’s passing. It’s a heart warming clip that’s well worth checking out. The lyrics for the new verse are:

“Mother earth unites us in heart and mind
And the love we give makes us humankind
Through our vast wondrous land
When we stand hand in hand
It’s a small world after all”

Since its conception, Small World has become a symbol of unity. The lyrics embody hope for a world where all people are celebrated through the connections that make us all human – a message that’s still important to this day. 

To bring this vision to life, Walt Disney asked Richard Sherman and Robert Sherman – who wrote music for many Disney classics including “The Jungle Book,” “Sword in the Stone” and “Mary Poppins” – to write an unforgettable theme song that could be sung repeatably and in different languages. The resulting song became one of the best-known Disney tunes of all time, “It’s a Small World (After All).”

The song pairs masterfully with the art style of Disney Legend, Mary Blair, a celebrated Disney artist who played a key role in shaping the visual style the attraction has become known for. To this day, the ride remains one of the most recognizable around the world.  

Commentary

I’ve been in favor of this move since it was announced and continue to be. Disney has shown great care in handling the classic tune and the video is tastefully done. That makes me bullish on the implementation of the last verse into the attraction.

Over time, Small World has morphed to add Disney characters into the ride everywhere except Magic Kingdom. I think that change is way more invasive than this added verse will be. To be clear, I don’t mind the characters for the most part. I’m not crazy about Ariel or the Toy Story characters in Disneyland but the rest are implemented well enough. Even if the fit is a little on the nose, they don’t take away from the theme of the ride.

My caveat is that I’m in favor of the final verse being added if it’s a seamless addition. Said in a blunt way, I don’t want to notice it. Small World has this sort of happy haze to it, where all of the music, dolls and art combine to feel like a dream world. The chorus is well known and gets stuck in people’s heads but the verses aren’t as remembered. If the new addition sticks out, then I might change my tune (pun intended) on whether I like the addition.

There’s not much reason to think that will happen though. Disneyland’s recent addition of Miguel (Coco) is done seamlessly. That’s a good example of how much care they put into Small World. Magic Kingdom getting the addition of the verse has me guessing that they like the changes to the song, as I’m sure it’s been tested by now.

If the final verse is well implemented, I’d like to see it move to all of the Small World attractions. For now, it starts stateside and we look forward to hearing it on July 17th.

Are you excited for the final verse addition at Small World? Let us know, along with any thoughts you might have, in the comments below! If you are planning a trip to Disney World, then check out our planning guide. Looking for discount Walt Disney World tickets? Check out this site! If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends, as well as like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email. You can do all of that on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!