Shocking Vandalism at Disney: Teens Destroy ‘It’s a small world’

Disneyland Resort, a place where families come to escape reality, was once shaken by a series of shocking acts of vandalism that have since become part of the park’s untold history. In the mid-1990s, a group of local teenagers with annual passes wreaked havoc on the iconic “it’s a small world” attraction, leaving behind a trail of damage that would tarnish the beloved ride for years to come.

Guest Damage Beloved Attraction

The teens, who had regularly visited Disneyland as Annual Pass holders, were initially banned from the park after repeatedly violating rules in Tomorrowland by loitering and dancing—activities that were not aligned with the park’s strict guest conduct policies. Rather than quietly accepting their revocation, the group chose to retaliate by targeting the park itself, specifically the “It’s a small world” ride. What started as a series of harmless pranks would soon escalate into something much darker.

Initially, the teens would rock the boats during the ride, creating disruptions in a seemingly harmless manner. However, this small act of defiance quickly grew more reckless. Reports from the time suggest that the teens started climbing out of their boats and running through the intricate scenes that had been carefully designed to showcase global harmony. This blatant disregard for park property was only the beginning of their spree.

Soon, the group began taking their pranks to a more destructive level. The non-animatronic dolls—which had long been part of the “It’s a Small World” ride’s charming scenery—were rearranged in an unsettling manner, with some dolls moved or displaced entirely. But it didn’t stop there. The teens began vandalizing the animatronic figures, with some reports even suggesting that pieces of the dolls were torn apart or thrown at other dolls, causing severe damage to the delicate mechanisms.

Small world tarnishing in the nineties.
byu/brdrech inDisneyland

What Did Disney Do?

While “it’s a small world” was the primary target, there are rumors that other popular rides, such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion, also suffered damage at the hands of these rebellious teens. However, due to the lack of documentation, much of what occurred on these attractions remains speculative. What is clear, however, is that the teens’ actions at “it’s a small world” left a permanent mark on the park’s history, and the ride’s reputation would never quite be the same.

The teens’ destruction of “it’s a small world” was never fully acknowledged by Disneyland in an official capacity, leaving much of the story in the shadows. What started as a simple act of defiance grew into one of the most damaging acts of vandalism the park had seen at the time. For years, the ride’s upbeat anthem would carry with it the memory of that rebellion, a reminder that even the happiest place on Earth can be touched by unrest.