Small World Holiday

Feliz Navidad! It’s the same ride as It’s a Small World mashed up with a Christmas theme and fancied up with a ton of lights and holiday decorations. You will hear holiday music fused with the it’s a small world song. Believe me when I say the music will stick in your mind for the rest of day. It is super cool to see the little villages and various cultures as you glide through the ride. This ride definitely gets you in the holiday spirit.
Also, you can’t miss the ride since during the holidays, the exterior of ride is decked out with a gazillion bright lights and there’s even a light show was saw as we stood in line. It’s one of the few rides that Disneyland modifies for the holidays annually and definitely a must ride.

Ride #2 of the Day!
LOL I would give this place 4 stars but for some odd reason I found the music so annoying the bajillionth time I heard it– it’s a medley of «It’s a Small World» and (Jingle Bells). Located wayyyyy in the back of Disneyland in Fantasyland.
It starts off by waiting in a queue. The line takes about 10 – 15 minutes because of the fact that many boats come in and out and there are two different lines to step in. My friends and I chose the right one because it looked faster. Once going in, we saw all the different worlds and their «holiday celebration» of Christmas and New Year.
Disneyland, why did the Chinese one look all decorated like Chinese New Year? :P
The ride moves along pretty slowly so you get to see everything and take pictures. It’s 95% indoors; the only part that is outdoors would be when you got in. You get to see how the Japanese, Mexicans, other Asians, Middle Easterns, Americans, and other cultures celebrate the holiday season. There are a lot of holiday decorations throughout the ride (and the outside looks gorgeous as well) so just sit down, take a break, and enjoy the ride.
Sick drop factor: ¹⁄₁₀ because there actually was a mini drop in there somewhere. Right?

When this classic ride transforms into «Small World Holiday,» it’s probably the ONLY time of the year that I go on «It’s a Small World.» This ride is absolutely GORGEOUS when decked out in Christmas décor, and it’s no wonder that it’s closed for a month (if not longer) beforehand to undergo the full transformation. Everything – from the outside of the building to every minute detail inside – is outfitted in its holiday best, and I actually really look forward to riding «Small World» during Christmas.
This is probably the only time of the year that «Small World» gets a super-​long line, so it’s probably best to hit this ride up earlier in the day, if you do decide to go. Or, if you visit the Park after Christmas – but before the ride returns to its traditional look – that’s probably the next best time to ride «Small World.» Whatever you do, do NOT attempt to go on this ride on Christmas Day. Last year, I was in the Park with my visiting family ON Christmas Day, and the line for «Small World Holiday» was 90 minutes long and going all the way into Toon Town! Although I really wanted to ride this seasonal attraction, there was no way that I was standing in a 90-​minute line for it.
Here are some of my recommendations if you’re planning to go on «Small World Holiday,» as well as some of my favorite scenes from the ride:
Go Early: Self-​explanatory, especially if you know the Park’s going to be busy. Actually, the BF and I went on this ride the day before the holiday decorations were supposed to come down, and the line was pretty short. So, my best advice would be to make a Disney trip closer to New Year’s to avoid some of the Christmas crowds — the decorations will still be up and you’ll probably have a less-​stressful experience (trust me, when I was in the Park on Christmas Day 2014, there were 80,000 people IN DISNEYLAND and they were actually turning people away because the Park had reached maximum capacity).
Stick to the Right: For some unknown reason, every time I get in line for this ride, the right side ends up moving faster from the left. I’ve noticed this repeatedly every time I’m in line for «Small World» (regular version or holiday version), so this is the line I always jump in.
Look for the Disney Characters: I forget what year it was, but in recent years, they added Disney characters in the appropriate lands they come from. I always make it a point to find one in every room in the «Small World» ride, so be on the lookout if you’ve never noticed them before. They include: Alice in Wonderland (and the White Rabbit), Pinocchio, the Three Caballeros, Aladdin and Jasmine (they’re soaring on the magic carpet in the «India» room), Cinderella, Marlin and Dory, Woody and Jesse, Simba, Timon and Pumbaa (eating bugs in the jungle), Ariel, Mulan (one of my favorites) and Lilo and Stitch (my other favorite). Genius feature to add to this ride to amplify the Disney factor.
«Christmas Décor»: The over-​the-​top Christmas decorations make this ride so much fun and there’s no better way to get into the holiday spirit. Some of my favorite decorations include the large gingerbread men and women and their gingerbread house. Gingerbread cookies are one of my favorite treats (whether or not it’s Christmas), so this is a feature I always appreciate seeing! I just love how each room looks so festive and is decked out in white, red, green and LOTS of lights. I also really like seeing the reindeer on snow-​covered mountain tops.
«Hawaii»: Being from Hawaii, of course, this is my favorite room. You get to see Ariel on your way here (and experience floating bubbles), but my favorite thing is seeing Lilo and Stitch on the surfboard (with the Elvis doll). It also reminds me of the land I call home due to the simple features like shimmering, blue waters; the shaking hula dancers and grass huts. This room also is representative of Australia/​New Zealand, with the koalas and of course, Marlin and Dory (after all, they did catch the EAC).
«Asia»: The «Asia» room is one of my other favorites because of all the Japanese dolls and figures that you see. I haven’t been to Asia yet, but with all the kites and Asian décor, I feel like this room is representative of what I would see if I were to take a trip. And, of course, you can’t forget about Mulan — you can’t miss her because of the huge Mushu dragon kite that she’s holding.
«Winter Wonderland»: This is what I decided to call the last room, because this is your last chance to see all the singing dolls before you exit the ride. Everything is decked out in white, many of the dolls are singing Christmas carols (with the carol books), some are skating on frozen ponds and the room is just all-​around beautiful. Plus, you see lots of Christmas décor hanging from the ceiling, as well as some decorations designed to ring in the New Year.

The song is pretty darn catchy! And on a hot day it is nice to sit and just float and cool off! And all the lights on it are amazing and so beautiful!

The holiday overlay and outside lighting are 50 star additions to the ride. The projection on the outside was amazing as it transformed the building every 15 minutes with a show to complement the time announcement.
I think this is the best holiday transformation in the entire resort and i could easily have gone on it several times a day if the lone wasn’t so long.
The soundtrack is holiday as well with a combination of Jingle Bells and It’s a Small World sung in various languages as you proceed through the holiday enhanced ride.
The inside is great any time of the day, but the outside has to be seen after dark.

My kids LOVE this ride so it’s an automatic 5 stars from this uncoolmomof2 (shoutout to my IG handle) LOL! But seriously, this ride is great for the little ones and older ones alike. You sit in a little boat as you glide across through different worlds (?) as the tune «it’s a small world» plays in the background. The holiday version is better than the «normal» one IMO, because my kids like it better ;p
Can’t wait for next year’s version so we can try to spot what they’ve changed!

my favorite!
i need the Jingle bells lyrics in french !!! as it is sung in this ride! help me out

so.annoying.
it’s a small world after all
it’s a small world after all
it’s a small world after all
it’s a small world after all
it’s a small world after all
it’s a small world after all
it’s a small small world
scary puppets, scary song
blah

This is a kiddo ride 100%, but I have to tell you I like going on it. It’s relaxing to move slowly through the water, there’s no bumps, there’s no jumps and during the holidays it’s very very pretty to look at.

Great, nostalgic ride to go on every once in a while. They dress it up really beautifully during the holidays!

What better way to learn about culture and diversity of the world than experiencing this magical ride with sing-​a-​long! «Its a world of laughter, a world of tears…» You ride in a boat and go through the musical ride, which uses animatronic children of different ethnicities and each section is basically split into various cultures (Asian, European, etc.), but the music stays the same, since «its a small world after all.»
The decorations are beautifully crafted and during some sections, you can spot different Disney characters like Woody and Jessie from «Toy Story» or Lilo and Stitch or Ariel. The ending is nicely done with all the different children dancing together as a final sha-​bang.
Every now and then (maybe by the hour or every three hour?) there is a a little show outside the building where the animatronics twirl around out of the clock.
It is worth seeing during the Christmas holiday season when they play holiday music. I have heard «Jingle Bell» on the ride.
And here are the lyrics for your entertainment:
It’s a world of laughter,
A world of tears.
It’s a world of hopes,
And a world of fears.
There’s so much that we share,
That it’s time we’re aware,
It’s a small world after all.
Chorus:
It’s a small world after all.
It’s a small world after all.
It’s a small world after all.
It’s a small, small world.
There is just one moon,
And one golden sun.
And a smile means,
Friendship to every one.
Though the mountains divide,
And the oceans are wide,
It’s a small world after all.
Lyric source:

Well obviously this ride doesn’t need and more praise than it’s already accumulated, so I’m writing this because it was my favorite ride as a kid growing up.
Is it even possible for someone to love «It’s A Small World» as their favorite ride in a park that also has classics like «Splash Mountain» and «Matterhorn Bobsleds»? I was borderline obsessed with this ride as a kid, and even when we came to the park 8-​or-​so years ago, I still had to ride it twice in succession. When I say obsessed, I mean, ride it over and over and over all day kind of obsessed. Trust me, it wasn’t a juvenile affinity for world peace that got me so hyped, it was the music and the eternally blissful dolls that really got me going. The boats move at, like, 2 miles an hour, and the song plays on a loop that, when paired with rooms of doll scenes more colorful than the next, can get kind of trippy.
The Christmas/​Holiday version of the ride is even more extravagant and Alice-​in-​Wonderland psychedelic. Everything, from the lights to the countries to the dolls themselves have been amped up. The level of cheeriness is through the roof. Literally every platform and colored balsa wood blade of grass is adorned with tinsel. The air in the ride is thick with what I have to believe is radiation or something from all the electrical currents running through the place. I really want to know how many dolls they use, and I want to personally congratulate the person whose shroomed-​up mind could think of all this. I know it’s been awhile since I last rode this ride, but they have made significant improvements to it. Everything is more vibrant and 3D than before when it looked like a life-​sized but lifeless first grader’s diorama.
The outside of the ride is completely covered in (probably) thousands of yards of lights, which have been programmed to flash or turn off at regular intervals for the traditional clock chiming, as well as a special nutcracker segment where scenes reminiscent of Candy Crush Saga are projected onto the side. Was I missing something when the entire crowd would cheer after every light and projection display? Of course the line is ridiculously long (90 freaking minutes at one point), but even when it said 60 minutes, we got to the front in around 30. No matter how long the wait is, you’ll never be bored taking selfies, glaring at cutesy couples holding hands while wearing matching Mickey and Minnie ears or thinking about the other rides with 120 minute wait times.

Soooo pretty at night! The ride lasts quite awhile. The decorations inside the small world is so nice and beautiful. I like how they implement all the cultures of the world and the overall message that we are all in the same world. Everytime you enter a new room, its like entering into a new continent. There are lots of Disney characters also that you get to see during the ride!

If you hate this ride during the non-​holiday season, you won’t like it better during the holiday season, but it might still be worth it to take a peek, just because Dland really does make enormous changes to the ride.
Starting with: the outside! Small World has one of the few iconic buildings in the park, and while Disney does festoon it with loads of tinsel and glass balls and whatnot for daytime viewing, at night it’s carefully detailed in zillions of colored lights, accenting all the strange architecture lines I love and the cartoonishness of the building. I also managed to catch a projected show on the castle at 10pm, and it was FANTASTIC; I wish I could adequately describe it, but I don’t think I can do it justice: a very clever visual orchestration of various holiday images (candy canes, gingerbread men, snow, etc.) set to music, creatively using the shape of the building to its advantage. Big smile on my face. Find out when it’s showing so you don’t miss it, we were lucky to catch it at random.
The inside of the ride still has the dolls in the same lands you travel through on the non-holiday’d version of the ride, but there’s just so much more STUFF, when you already thought the ride was overwhelming. Strings of lights, Christmas trees and ornaments, sparkles, signs, some costume changes, and while you’re still hearing The Song You Can’t Get Out Of Your Head, it’s mixed with Christmas carols being sung in various languages. You won’t be able to catch everything on one ride-​through.
Christmas is the only winter holiday being celebrated in here (lame), but I was pleased at least that Disney was mindful of which countries were generally winter-​themed vs. which were specifically Christmas-​themed. I liked that China had firecrackers, fireworks and a new year’s theme (not that Chinese new year coincides with Dec. 31!), and overall, it seemed as if Disney put some thought into which areas of the world would be shown to celebrate in which appropriate ways, thus avoiding «hey this decoration fits over here so now the Middle East area is putting out cookies for Santa, ok?»
During most of the year, the line for this ride is pretty short, but the holiday theme seems to make the line at some parts of the day startlingly long. You might have to check in more than once if you don’t want to be patient (who does?), or use a smart phone app that has wait times to avoid standing in line for too long.

The only way It’s a Small World can get better is when they gussy it up for the holidays. Lights, lights and more lights make the exterior glittering and magical. Perfect for photo ops during the season and even better the inside of the ride is made over in holiday theme and the music is updated to Jingle Bells. This is my favorite time of the year at Disneyland and they spare no expense to make this ride the best it can be.

The way the exterior and interior is decorated is amazing! Seeing it the daytime is cute, but you must go back to see it all lite up once dark comes. The light show that the exterior has at night is great as well.
Overall it’s a classic ride that you must hit, and with all the holiday decorations, it will undoubtedly put you in the holiday spirit. It’s a also a nice way to rest your feet while enjoying music and the decorations.

A must do!
This is probably one of the most beautiful rides i’ve ever seen starting from the outside. There are thousands of lights covering the iconic It’s a Small World building and it is just breathtaking at night.
This is one of the few rides that changes for Christmas. It is totally adorable. Christmas celebrated all around the world plus some of the classic IASW ride.
Because the boats are continuous it loads pretty fast. It is pretty to look at while you wait. The clock also chimes every 15 minutes and on the hour. This is the first year where they have a projection show on the building. You’ll know because the colorful lights go out and the show starts.

I already love this ride, but it so SO MUCH BETTER during the holidays. It is just so beautifully decorated. The music is so cute, the added holiday decorations are so WOW. My kids sang a long with the Jingle Bells and Deck the Halls mixed in with the small world.
LOVE coming here for the holidays!

This is the ONLY time that I will go to It’s A Small World. The holiday season is the sole reason for me going this far into Fantasyland to bother with this attraction, because it’s truly magical.
Did you know that every single one of the lights on the exterior is hand-​screwed in place ONE BY EFFING ONE?!? OMG. I can’t believe it either, but if you look closely on an off-​season day, you can see that they’re all individual bulb sockets! Makes replacing them easier that’s for sure.
The décor inside and out is just so magical and amazing…
Adding to Ann G’s creepy factor = Ariel /​Little Mermaid section has fish tail «stockings» uh… okay. it’s like. you cut off the human part and made stockings out of them. but that’s not creepy at all. right? O_​O

LOVE the pretty exterior christmas lights. Small World is probably one of my favorite places to be at Disneyland during the Holidays. Pictures just don’t do those lights justice~
HOWEVER, the lines are soooooo much longer than usual because of all the holiday decorations. I believe the wait was 60 – 80 minutes long at the time I went. We had a GAC pass so we didnt have to wait as long. BUT if you are in line there still entertainment every 15 minutes when the little world people come out to take a spin, followed by a light show (sponsored by sylvania!) shown on the Small World exterior to keep you busy.
Once inside, the dolls sing a «It’s a Small World» and «Jingle Bells» mashup and continue singing it in different languages~ All the dolls are decked out in their holiday gear and I loved all the cute/​creative little details that Disney is famous for… And the fireworks, FIRECRACKERS!, and dancing lion thing over by the Asia section were so pretty! I thought it was cute how Mushu was holding firecrackers to get in the festive spirit too! (or is he holding firecrackers throughout the year? lol i dont remember)
But my fave part is DEF under the sea… «Jingle Shells… Jingle Shells» hehe so cute!
Anyways, if you’re at Disneyland, definitely go check it out! Go and night so you can have the WHOLE experience. It’ll def get you in the holiday spirit! (: