This article is about the ride releasing in 1997. For the original ride, see It's a Small World.
It's a Small World Holiday is an annual version of the attraction It's a Small World. Since 1997, Disneyland has featured "It's a small world Holiday" during the end-of-the-year Christmas and holiday season. The attraction is closed in late-October to receive temporary holiday decorations inside and outside, and reopens in early-November before the start of the busy holiday tourist season. The attraction is the same boat voyage through many regions of the world, though the main theme song is not played fully. Instead, the children sing "Jingle Bells" and a bridge of "Deck the Halls" in addition to the main theme.
It's a Small World didn’t change much from its opening on May 28, 1966. The sponsor changed from Bank of America to Mattel, with changes to signage and construction of a Mattel gift shop at the exit. The facade was given a more pastel-color scheme in late 1992, inspired by the Disneyland Paris version.
In October 1997, It's a Small World closed for more than typical annual maintenance. The park aimed to boost holiday ticket sales with a holiday overlay of the popular ride. The attraction was going to be altered extensively to celebrate the holiday season. The attraction was closed for the alterations and general maintenance; the ride reopened on November 25, 1997, the attraction was to stay open through January 4, 1998. Planned enhancements to the 12-minute ride, originally designed especially for small children, include choirs singing “Jingle Bells” and “Deck the Halls” instead of the original song by the Sherman Brothers. Animal topiaries were outfitted with Santa Claus hats and red bows. The 30-foot clock at the entrance to the ride received a giant-sized Santa hat, and new holiday themed clock parade music every quarter hour. The wooden dolls were also decorated, while the entire the clock tower and facade decorated with thousands of colorful twinkling holiday Christmas lights.
November 25, 1997 - opening day[]
"It's a Small World Holiday" Record
On November 25, 1997, the attraction reopened as It's a Small World Holiday. Guests enjoyed an experience that was simultaneously familiar and brand new. Disneyland got high marks for skillfully weaving the holiday theme into the famous attraction and was proved very popular. The holiday version was supposed to end on January 4, 1998, along with Disneyland's other holiday activities and decorations, to revert back to its original attraction, but its run was extended to January 25, 1998 because of its huge popularity.
Since 1997, It’s a Small World Holiday has become an annual tradition at Disneyland, which has been returning every year alongside Haunted Mansion Holiday (except from 2020-2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Because of the response of the holiday overlay at Disneyland, the overlay was also formerly added to Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland.
Ride-through[]
As you approach the facade, you hear a familiar tune, along with "Jingle Bells". You board your boat and enter the welcome room, which now has a Happy Holidays sign. You enter the Scandinavia room which is now the North Pole. You travel through the ride and discover Chinese New Year, Jungle Jangles, and Feliz Navidad. You enter the Spirit of America room to see yourself in a country Christmas. Finally you enter the finale room and you hear "Deck the Halls". Everything is decorated with white garland and lights hang from the roof. You exit through the goodbye room, where the postcards have been replaced with Christmas cards. You exit the building and catch the twinkling lights once more as you disembark your boat.
Exterior[]
"It's a Small World Holiday" lighting display
The exterior is adorned with thousands of colorful twinkling Christmas lights. The clock is adorned with a Santa hat and formerly some white garland and wreaths hang along the doors to the clock numerals; they were removed during the 2014-2015 season. The bushes also have lights in them. Every evening, there is a lighting ceremony that brings to life thousands of twinkling lights installed on the facade.
After nightfall; every 15 minutes, a holiday projection show is projected on the facade. The projections debuted in 2005 and have been updated twice in 2012 and 2013, the latter being entirely animated in CGI which still runs to this day. The facade joins in with the seasonal nighttime fireworks show Believe... In Holiday Magic also using the projections.
Global installations[]
Due to the popularity of It's a Small World Holiday at Disneyland, holiday overlays have also been formerly added to Disney parks worldwide. The Magic Kingdom does not have its own holiday edition of It's a Small World, and the regular ride operates continuously through the holiday season.
The holiday overlay was implemented at Tokyo Disneyland titled "It's a Small World Very Merry Holidays" with similar decorations, if not more, than the Disneyland version. The overlay ran from 2003 to 2015 prior to the 2018 refurbishment. The 2011 season was skipped due to damaged props from the earthquake that same year. The overlay ended in early 2015 due to Haunted Mansion Holiday having higher demand, and the two attractions being close to each other.
Disneyland Paris' version used to add subtle decorations around the attraction and changed the music in the North American area to "Deck the Halls". For the 2009 winter season, Disneyland Paris has added "It's a Small World Celebration", highlighting winter season frolic shared by people worldwide. It included new costumes, lighting, sounds, decorations and uses a different version of the music. The clock tower was also given a Santa hat worn until a refurbishment in 2015. Following that renovation, "It's a Small World Celebration" was planned to use an updated soundtrack originally set for winter 2016, but was delayed for unknown reasons. "It's a Small World Celebration" returned for the 2017–2018 holiday season, featuring an updated soundtrack. Since then, it has not returned.
Hong Kong Disneyland's "It's a Small World Christmas" changes the music seasonally and subtly adds a few Christmas decorations. Despite being heavily decorated on the outside with clock tower dolls displayed in Holiday attire, the ride was barely decorated on the inside. The audio also was a mix between the regular, and Holiday soundtrack that would transition at points. Hong Kong's overlay lasted only one season from 2009 to 2010 possibly due to poor feedback.
Changes[]
When it re-opened in 2005, FASTPASS machines were added. They have since been removed.
When the Spirit of America room was back then the Rainforest Room, there were giant black curtains that hid the scene and it was used as a transition room from 1997-2008. The Papua New Guinea set was moved into the South Seas room and for the first time was visible.
The Hawaii room used to feature all of Santa's reindeer. Over the years it has been shortened.
In 2022, the holiday overlay at Disneyland celebrated its 25th anniversary. Hidden 25s were added to the attraction (as well as the numbers on the clock tower). Additionally, two new wheelchair accessible dolls (one in the South America scene and one in the Finale room) were added in the ride. This change was later featured in most versions of It's a Small World (except Tokyo Disneyland).
Trivia[]
In the Japan room of the Disneyland overlay, fireworks from the Main Street Electrical Parade's To Honor America unit can be seen. Considering how the original Anaheim parade (Version A) was scrapped for parts in 1997, these fireworks (built in 1979) were recycled to be used in the Small World Holiday theming. They, along with Casey Junior's drum are the only things saved from demolition.
Incidents[]
On November 27, 2009, the ride broke down while a guest with quadriplegia was on the ride. The guest was stuck in the ride's "Goodbye Room", the final setting of It's a Small World Holiday, for 30–40 minutes before being evacuated. As he suffered from medical conditions that were aggravated by the "blaring Christmas carols" and was unable to exit the ride, the guest sued Disney for its inadequate evacuation procedures for disabled guests, and for not providing proper warnings for those who could not evacuate during a ride stoppage. On March 26, 2013, a jury awarded the man $8,000.
In 2021, a flood in the underground machinery room below the attraction's loading area damaged the ride's machinery and delayed its reopening in November. The flooding occurred as the canal was being refilled in preparation for its reopening. Once the room was drained of the water, many engineers and cast members replaced the damaged machinery with spare parts from clones of the attractions at Disney parks worldwide. The damage, which would've taken months to repair, only took a few weeks. The attraction was able to reopen on December 6, which stayed open until late January to compensate for the delayed reopening.
