It’s a Small World is probably one of the most ridden attractions at Disneyland. It’s arguably the most famous, especially with the song that you’ll never escape once you get it in your head. Everyone can ride it, it gets you out of the heat during the hottest summer days, and it allows you to sit and relax for 15 minutes, which is longer than most other rides at the theme park. Because of all of that, I’ve always been surprised by how long the ride gets shut down for at Halloween in order to prepare for the holiday season.
As a result, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the team responsible for transforming the attraction into It’s a Small World Holiday as a centerpiece for the Christmas season have been focused on reducing ride downtime. Sure, the overlay feels a bit chaotic, but it’s also a seasonal delight that will ensure you feel the holiday spirit. And according to the L.A. Times’ Mr. Todd’s Wild Ride newsletter, trimming the refurbishment time from 18 days down to 14 days will allow for approximately 74,000 more guests to be able to ride the attraction this year.
Even More Guests Will Get To Enjoy It’s A Small World Holiday At Disneyland This Christmas Season
Christmas at theme parks is big business, so it makes sense that the Disneyland Resort would want to maximize what many consider to be the “most wonderful time of the year.” Disneyland during the holiday season is undeniably a magical place, with It’s a Small World Holiday being the centerpiece of that. While subtracting four days off the refurbishment time might not seem like a lot, any little bit helps.
Latest Videos FromCinemablend
It’s a Small World has been a popular attraction since it first debuted at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York, before opening first at Disneyland and then Magic Kingdom. If you’ve gotten to leisurely cruise down the water and take in all the sights in the Southern California theme park’s version of the ride, then you know how special and unique the façade is. Its transformation for the holidays is truly breathtaking, before you ever even see what the inside has to offer. And it sounds like a lot of this was made possible by doing something as simple as just storing the overlay pieces closer to where they actually need to be used.
You Can Celebrate The Most Magical Time Of Year At The Disneyland Resort From November 13, 2026 through January 6, 2027
While It’s a Small World is one of those rides that feels like it will always be a part of the Disneyland Resort no matter what changes get made around it, it hasn’t gone untouched over the years. Back in 2008, the attraction underwent a major refurbishment that included the addition of more than two dozen classic Disney characters to the ride, with the new dolls having been created in the original style of Mary Blair. And the 70th anniversary of the opening of Disneyland added the final verse to “It’s a Small World” that was penned by Richard Sherman before his death.
The best part of It’s a Small World Holiday has always been the brightly lit finale and its floor to ceiling decorations. Every doll in that room is embellished in some way, and its explosion of merriment is hard to ignore. I wouldn’t have been surprised if you told me that room alone took 18 days to deck out with Disney holiday magic. Still, I’m grateful that they have been able to shave a few days off of the refurbishment time because I’m glad to have the extra holiday merriment at the theme parks.