Disney’s “it’s a small world” doll builder let guests create dolls online before their trip to Disney World—then surprised them when their dolls appeared in the new interactive ending at the attraction.
"it's a small world" doll builder at Disney World Theme Park
Design-a-Doll on a global stage—guests lit up when their tiny traveler made a surprise debut in an iconic attraction.
As part of Disney’s Next Generation Experience, I led the creative vision for a personalized moment at the “it’s a small world” attraction using early MagicBand technology. Guests designed their own dolls online ahead of their visit—then, with a subtle scan of their MagicBands, were delighted—a “surprise and delight moment” as we said at Disney—to find their creations woven into the attraction’s iconic set design. Though they knew they’d made the dolls, seeing them come to life within the ride’s vibrant, physical world sparked joy, wonder, and that signature “surprise and delight” magic. It was one of Disney’s first personalized theme park moments, blending technology, storytelling, and character in a way only small world—and Imagineering—could deliver. (This experience was more popular than I imagined! Years later, I still get emails from parents begging to make dolls for their kids or track down the physical Irish dancer pictured below. Sorry! The doll designer is offline and Disney owns all the physical dolls.)
This is just a small sampling of the UI design and doll samples that were drawn from a library of 250+ authentic global costumes.
To modernize the beloved yet outdated it’s a small world attraction, our Imagineering team collaborated with cultural experts worldwide. We worked closely with Indigenous advisors, the Museum of Tolerance, African tribal consultants, Scottish tartan historians, and an Asian marketing agency to ensure respectful and authentic representation. The goal: honor tradition while evolving the attraction for today’s audiences. (Creative Direction: Michaelangelo Rocco, Illustration: Jeff Shelly and Geoff Shaw, Graphic Design: Hooky Interactive)
Our Irish doll design is shown here alongside photo reference from the Imagineering archives. For those who’ve asked—no, I don’t own the dolls. Disney holds the keys to the kingdom! (Creative Direction by Michaelangelo Rocco, Illustration by Jeff Shelly)
Art direction and design for in-park postcards featuring guests’ personalized dolls giving a cheerful wave goodbye as they exit the attraction.
New Interactive Ending on "it's a small world.” See the personalized experience in-park with this video from MickeyUpdates.com.