Disneyland Paris closed it’s a small world on January 20th for a brief refurbishment. The attraction is set to reopen on February 1st. When it reopens, some of the dolls will have new costumes and wigs. Disneyland Paris shared about these new looks for the dolls ahead of the reopening of the beloved attraction. Check it out here:
Teams from Walt Disney Imagineering Paris and Creative Costuming at Disneyland Paris are aiming to recreate the beautiful costumes that match the originals for the attraction from 1992. This is the year that Disneyland Paris opened. These outfits are inspired by traditional, folk, and ethnic costumes and are a part of the story and message of this attraction.
Disneyland Paris described the process of creating the new costumes:
This intricate work began long before the costumes were actually made. To faithfully recreate these iconic outfits, the teams meticulously analysed documentation from 1992, relying heavily on photographs to match the precise colours and materials – such as velvet, satin, cotton, and embroidery – used in the originals. While some of the fabrics could be taken from the originals, other fabrics had to be entirely recreated: two years of research and a year of dressmaking were needed to create the gold, pastel and white costumes for the characters in the spectacular final scene, in which children from all over the world come together to sing.
In all, no fewer than sixty items of clothing were created by a team of 13 dressmakers, wigmakers and milliners, with an average of 3 metres of fabric used per figure and 4 metres of wool per wig. Each stage of production (including the choice of fabric, the prototype and the finished costume) is carefully inspected by the Imagineers, to ensure not only the highest quality but also the authenticity of the country they represent: ‘Guests will be able to rediscover the final scene of the attraction looking just as spectacular as when it opened!’ explains Anne-Cécile Houron, Stage Finishing Designer.
The other major challenge for this refurbishment was to guarantee the durability of the costumes and wigs since “it’s a small world” is open all year round, and the figures are constantly in motion, so the costumes had to be designed in collaboration with the maintenance teams to limit their impact on the mechanics. Creating these made-to-measure costumes, hats and wigs by hand in the Disneyland Paris workshops requires real expertise in dressmaking and a thorough knowledge of the attraction. The work that began two years ago will continue long after the attraction reopens in February, as the Creative Costuming teams aim to replace the costumes of the many characters in the attraction, with the same precision and attention to detail for each one – while at the same time continuing their maintenance work on all the figures in the Resort’s other attractions.
What do you think of these new costumes for it’s a small world at Disneyland Paris? Have you been on this version of the ride? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
