Hear It First: Richard Sherman’s Emotional ‘The Last Verse’ Now Part of ‘it’s a small world’ at Disney World. This morning at Disney’s Magic Kingdom here in Walt Disney World, Walt Disney Imagineering updated the finale scene of the iconic attraction “it’s a small world,” adding The Last Verse, which was written as a gift to Disney from Richard M. Sherman. I
The finale scene of “it’s a small world” at Walt Disney World is the culmination of the journey through various cultures, bringing all the different global regions together in one grand, unified celebration. As your boat approaches the final room, you’ll see all the Audio-Animatronic children from the different countries you’ve just passed through (Europe, Asia, Africa, etc.) gathered together. They are no longer in their country settings, but are intermingled, symbolizing unity and togetherness.
This morning at the Magic Kingdom was the first time guests would get to hear the poignant final verse on ‘it’s a small world” attraction, which goes: “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” you can watch and listen below.
The Last Verse is well incorporated into the final room, with a children’s chorus singing the lyrics.
The Last Verse was also added to the Disneyland version for Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary, which is today, July 17th, 2025!
Hear It First: Richard Sherman’s Emotional ‘The Last Verse’ Now Part of ‘it’s a small world’ at Disney World
“it’s a small world” – Embark on a whimsical boat ride past a jubilant chorus of children from around the globe.
“The Happiest Cruise That Ever Sailed” – Sing along to the classic anthem of world peace during a delightful musical boat tour. Cruise along the Seven Seaways Waterway on a gentle 10-minute journey through all 7 continents. Pass through vivid, fantastical scenes representing the iconic sights and sounds of dozens of nations.
Behold a cast of dancing darlings from nearly every corner of the globe and watch as the Audio-Animatronics figures achieve universal harmony as they sing one song in many languages. By journey’s end, Walt Disney’s simple message is clear: it truly is a small world after all!
History, After All – “it’s a small world” was created for the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair. Personally overseen by Walt Disney in support of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the attraction was a huge hit. After 2 seasons there, it was shipped to Disneyland park, where it opened on May 28, 1966.
In 1971, “it’s a small world” was recreated to become one of the Opening Day attractions at Walt Disney World Resort. Due to its immense popularity, the attraction has been replicated at many Disney theme parks around the world and is considered a Walt Disney masterpiece.
The Story Behind the Song – “It’s a Small World (After All)” is a timeless classic and one of the most well-known songs of all time. Walt Disney asked the Academy Award®-winning brothers, Richard and Robert Sherman, who were hard at work on Mary Poppins, to create a single song that could be sung by Audio-Animatronics figures in multiple languages.
