It's a Small World: The Animated Series is an online-exclusive series inspired by the classic Disney theme park attraction. It was produced by Disney Interactive and Powerhouse Animation Studios. Six international friends embark on unforgettable adventures traveling the globe, in a hot air balloon. The series is presented by Rosetta Stone Kids.
The theme song for this series, titled "We're on Our Merry Way", was written by Richard Sherman.
Production[]
It's a Small World: The Animated Series was a collaboration between Disney and language instruction company Rosetta Stone, and was created as a promotion for their then-recent kids' app, Lingo World Builder. The series was part of a year-long celebration for the It's a Small World attraction's 50th anniversary in 2014.
The theme song, We're on Our Merry Way, was written by the late Richard M. Sherman, who composed the song of the original ride with his brother Robert B. Sherman. Each episode features cameos by characters from one or two animated Disney movies, usually relevant in some way to whatever part of the world an episode is focused on.
The series was revealed at D23 Expo in August 2013, and was available to watch on Disney.com, in addition to Disney's YouTube channel and connected TV apps.
On April 11, 2014, Dina Sherman (the voice of Ashley and Harold) announced that a layoff at Disney Interactive resulted in the series having to cease production.Despite positive reception from audiences and plans to renew the series for more episodes, it was quietly cancelled, with no new installments having been made since. All episodes of the series were unlisted or privated from Disney's video platforms by late 2016.
Characters[]
Maruma[]
Maruma is sporty, and can usually be seen playing local sports whenever the friends land. He is from New Zealand.
Ashley[]
She is from France and likes to look at clothes from around the world.
Luis[]
Luis is from Mexico. He enjoys trying new foods, and cooking as well as baking.
Zanele[]
Zanele is from South Africa. She enjoys the historical aspects of the places the friends visit.
Ling[]
She is from China, and has a knack for music. She claims she can play any instrument.
Harold[]
Hailing from the Netherlands, he is a skilled painter.
Wazoh[]
The friends' companion, a bluebird. He can speak English, and knows some words in Spanish.
Cameos[]
Many Disney characters have appeared in the show, and can be seen at random points in the show:
- Shanti and Mowgli (Episode 1, "A Jolly Holi Day")
- Merida (Episode 2, "Bricht and Braw")
- Stitch (Episode 3, "Let's Go Fly")
- Anna, Elsa, and Olaf (Episode 4, "Little Birds, Frost and Pine")
- Lilo, Dory, Marlin, Squirt, José, Fritz, Pierre, Michael, and Andrina (Episode 5, "Tropical Hideaway")
- Kuzco, Pacha, Donald Duck, and José Carioca (Episode 6, "Up and Down")
- Zazu, Pumbaa, and Timon (Episode 7, "One Golden Sun")
- Mulan, Mushu, Cri-Kee, and 2 Dancing Mushrooms (Episode 8, "Just One Moon")
Gallery[]
