Ring in the Season With a Ride on “it’s a small world” Holiday in Disneyland

For many guests, a visit to the Disneyland Resort during the holidays includes a “must-do” trip around the world to experience the traditions and holidays of different cultures at “it’s a small world” Holiday. Now in its 23rd season,  “it’s a small world” is magically transformed with a heaping dose of holiday cheer!

 The lovely animatronic inhabitants of “it’s a small world” don seasonal costumes and share the holiday spirit.  They’ll even sing a seasonal song or two in addition to the iconic “It’s a Small World (After All).” During the holidays this is a particularly poignant message showing that the season is a time for unity and to celebrate tradition. 

Don’t miss your chance to check out this holiday-themed overlay for yourself from November 8, 2019 – January 6, 2020. 

Fun Facts:

To put you in the mood for one of our favorite holiday attractions, here are some fun facts that you’ll want to be on the lookout for when your hop aboard!

New Scents- NEW- This year guests will experience three immersive scents as you embark on the happiest cruise that ever sailed.  As you venture into Asia you’ll enjoy the beautiful smell of Cherry Blossoms. In South America,  you’ll notice a classic holiday cinnamon scent. Meander into the South Seas where you’ll bask in the smell of coconut along with 100s of iridescent bubbles floating through the air! These new scents enjoy the existing fresh pine and peppermint candy scents that occur through the European scenes. 

50,000 Lights – One of the most magnificent sights of the Holiday Season at Disneyland is the 50,000 lights that are used to illuminate the facade of “it’s a small world.”  There are an additional 350,000 mini-lights used to decorate the threes and animal topiaries.  

Classic Decorations: Like previous seasons, you’ll also find all of the classic decorations that Disneyland regulars have come to know and love. This includes colorful garlands, festive poinsettias and international holiday wreaths. 

Projection Show: Throughout the night the iconic smiling clock at the front of “it’s a small world” decked out in a Santa hat will reveal a sparkling projection show! This happens multiple times each evening as the attractions brightly lit facade is transformed into an enormous clockwork mechanism with advanced 3D projection technology!  The gears and springs of the ride pull back to reveal a magical world of holiday wonders hidden underneath!

10 Festive Scenes: Guests on “it’s a small world” Holiday enjoy a voyage through 10 scenes inspired by locations around the globe. Each scene showcases cultural holiday traditions from Europe, Africa and Asia. 

150 Candles: In the European scenes, 150 giant candles decorate the Christmas tree and surrounding areas to create a warm holiday glow. The once common Western European tradition of lighting candles has inspired the custom of stringing lights to Christmas trees, a practice common to this day for families around the world. 

14-Foot Snowman:  Be on the lookout for this snowy fella as you near the attraction’s finale. He is made of glimmering crystal snowflakes sure to leave you with a twinkle in your eye.  The snowman features thousands of luminous lights and he sits atop a 10-foot-wide snowflake and holds a gleaming icicle sign that spells out “Happy Holidays.”

Classic Theme Song Meets Seasonal Favorites: The iconic music of “it’s a small world” was written by the legendary Sherman Brothers.  This catchy tune is enhanced during the holiday season with classic holiday carolling favorites like “Jingle Bells” and “Deck the Halls.”

Celebrate This Season In Many Languages:  As you slowly drift through this attraction you’ll hear many languages of the world serenading guests.  You’ll hear cheerful tunes in English, French, Italian, Spanish and Scandinavian. There’s also festive signs and banners the spread holiday greetings in dialects like French Canadian, Dutch, Asante and Hawaiian. 

24 Cast Members and 35 days: To really understand the full size and scope of “it’s a small world,” it took nearly a dozen cast members 35 days to install the facade of the attraction and two dozen cast members 18 days to decorate the attractions dazzling interior!

The Attraction that Doubles as a Storage Unit: Did you know that all of the holiday props and scenic elements seen in “It’s a small world” are actually stored inside the attraction throughout the year!? 

Unlock an Extra Bit of Magic With the Play Disney Parks Mobile App:  When guests use the Play Disney Parks mobile app* and ride “it’s a small world” Holiday, they have the opportunity to earn a limited-time digital achievement for the seasonal overlay.

Thinking about a destination Christmas to Disneyland? There are still plenty of great deals to be had! Simply fill out our form below to get your FREE, no-obligation quote from MickeyTravels!

Find articles like this helpful? Then why not consider working with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner? As an agent with MickeyTravels, I’ll be on hand to assist you with everything from finding your perfect package to helping you plan lots of special touches to make your visit truly magical.  Best of all my services are absolutely FREE.  Get in touch at 1.800.801.4025 via email at mroden@mickeytravels.com or follow along on Facebook