"it's a small world"
Magic Kingdom · Fantasyland
Overview
"it's a small world" wasn't built for Disney parks at all — it opened as a UNICEF pavilion at the 1964 World's Fair before Disney moved it to Disneyland two years later and then to Magic Kingdom in 1971. Mary Blair's flat, saturated color style is the reason it still looks distinct from everything else in Fantasyland; she was one of the defining visual artists in Disney animation history, and this ride is one of the largest surviving showcases of her work at any Disney park. The song is the same handful of lines, over and over, in dozens of arrangements — which is either the whole joke or the whole problem, depending on your tolerance.
ParksLog Verdict
Better than its reputation as an eye-roll ride for adults suggests — the sheer density of moving figures across a dozen rooms is more impressive than the earworm song lets on. Waits rarely exceed fifteen minutes, so there's no real cost to trying it even if you expect to hate it. Skip it only if you're genuinely certain the song will ruin your day; everyone else should give it one honest ride.
About this experience
Embark on a whimsical boat ride past a jubilant chorus of children from around the globe.
Best For
- Families with young children
- All ages
- Guests with accessibility needs
Tips
- The ride accommodates strollers and wheelchairs directly, making it one of the most accessible attractions in the park
- Midday wait times are typically very short — 5 to 15 minutes — making it an easy add at almost any point in the day
- The finale room where all countries join in unison is worth taking in from start to finish
Details
History
"it's a small world" debuted as a UNICEF attraction at the 1964 New York World's Fair before moving to Disneyland in 1966 and opening at Magic Kingdom on day one in 1971. It was designed by Mary Blair, whose graphic style defined the attraction's distinctive flat, colorful aesthetic.
Fun Facts
- 'it's a small world' is widely considered the world's most-ridden theme park attraction, with hundreds of millions of rides taken globally across multiple parks
- Mary Blair, who designed the visual style, was a pioneering woman in Disney animation and graphic arts
- The title song was composed by Richard and Robert Sherman and was originally created as a hymn for UNICEF