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Description And Comments
Happy and upbeat to an almost unsettling degree, It’s a Small World is guaranteed not to leave you asking, “How’d that song go again?” Small boats carry you on a tour around the world, with singing and dancing dolls showcasing the dress and culture of each nation represented. One of Disney’s oldest entertainment offerings, Small World first unleashed its mind-numbing theme song and lethal cuteness on the big world at the 1964 New York World’s Fair; the original exhibit was moved to Disneyland after the fair, and a duplicate was created for Walt Disney World when it opened in 1971.
Though it bludgeons you with its sappy redundancy, almost everyone enjoys It’s a Small World—the first time, anyway. It stands, however, with Enchanted Tiki Room, and Country Bear Jamboree as monuments to an earlier age of entertainment.
Touring Tips
- This attraction offers Lightning Lane via Genie+.
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Open for Early Theme Park Entry.
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Open for Extended Evening Theme Park Hours.
Cool off here when it’s hot. During the pandemic, lines extend outside into Fantasyland and are largely without shade. Try to visit early in the morning or after the sun starts to set. If you wear a hearing aid, turn it off.
"it's a small world" Ride Through
"it's a small world" Wait Times
This chart shows you roughly how long you'll wait for "it's a small world" when you visit on a day with a given Magic Kingdom Crowd Level. The blue bars represent the average "peak" wait time (that is, how long the line will be at its busiest). The bottom and top black lines represent the range of peak wait times to expect (for you fellow nerds out there: it's the 5th percentile and 95th percentile of peak wait times). Please note that these are estimates, and for a better forecast for your travel dates, see "it's a small world" Wait Times.
Attraction Photos
Special Comments
- This attraction is climate-controlled (has air conditioning and heat).
Special Needs
- Handheld Captioning Available
- Audio Description Devices Available
- Must Transfer To Standard Wheelchair
Disney Dish with Jim Hill

Small World's Crawford Connection
Most people credit Walt Disney with the creation of it's a small world. But we also have screen legend Joan Crawford to thank for bringing the original idea to fruition. Back in the early 1960s, Pepsi-Cola was struggling to come up with a concept for its 1964 World's Fair pavilion. Crawford--the widow of Pepsi chairman Al Steele and a member of the company's board of directors at the time--suggested that her colleagues call up her old friend Walt. When the board later balked at funding what the Imagineers had dreamed up, Crawford stood up and declared, in inimitable Mommy Dearest fashion, "We are going to do this!" And so they did.
Other Attractions in Fantasyland
- The Barnstormer
- Casey Jr. Splash 'N' Soak Station
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Enchanted Tales with Belle
- Mad Tea Party
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Meet Ariel at Her Grotto
- Meet Cinderella and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
- Meet Daring Disney Pals as Circus Stars at Pete's Silly Side Show
- Meet Dashing Disney Pals as Circus Stars at Pete’s Silly Side Show
- Meet Princess Tiana and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
- Mickey's PhilharMagic
- Peter Pan's Flight
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid
- Walt Disney World Railroad - Fantasyland
Touring Plans with "it's a small world"
- Magic Kingdom One-Day Touring Plan for Active Seniors
- Magic Kingdom Unofficial Guide Adult One-Day Touring Plan
- Magic Kingdom One-Day Holiday Touring Plan for Active Seniors
- Magic Kingdom Unofficial Guide Selective One-Day Touring Plan for Adults
- Magic Kingdom Unofficial Guide Dumbo-or-Die-in-a-Day Touring Plan