“it’s a small world” at Disney’s Magic Kingdom (An Attraction Guide)

“it’s a small world” is an attraction at Magic Kingdom Park in Walt Disney World. For most, the name “it’s a small world” is synonymous with Disney.

As far as history goes, the original attraction was once part of the New York World’s Fair in 1964. It was housed in the UNICEF Pavilion during the fair. This is the same World’s Fair where Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress debuted.

This same “it’s a small world” was rebuilt to become Disneyland’s version. During the ride’s construction, it was to be named “Children of the World.” However, Walt Disney renamed the ride after the Sherman brothers created the attraction’s iconic song, “it’s a small world.” Artist Mary Blair is responsible for the ride’s vibrant color palette and children’s costume design.

Today, various versions of this attraction exist at most Disney Parks worldwide, including Magic Kingdom. Below, we’ll go over the specifics of this gentle boat ride and the best time to experience it during your vacation.

Here are a few quick reference details for “it’s a small world.”

“it’s a small world”	Magic Kingdom
Location:	Fantasyland
Height Requirement:	None
Lightning Lane:	Yes, with Multi Pass (Tier 2 Category)
Ride Type:	Slow Moving Boat Ride
Seats Per Vehicle:	3 to 4 per row
Rider Switch:	No
Early Theme Park Hours:	Yes
Extended Evening Hours:	Yes
Scare Factor:	None
Must-Do List:	High
Perfect For:	All Ages
Special Mention:	Look for your name in the final scene. It might be displayed in the farewell signs.

This attraction is a slow-moving boat ride that sails through different countries. Each country offers vibrant displays with child audio-animatronics that sing “it’s a small world” in their native language. Surprisingly, the transition between each scene is seamless, along with the musical notes.

“it’s a small world” has two entrances. A separate entrance is available to the far left of the main entrance for those using an individual Lightning Lane.

Other guests can use the regular standby entrance. Wait times average 30 minutes for “it’s a small world” during the busier portions of the day.

Guests needing wheelchair accommodations will join a separate line that boards on the opposite side of the boat. You can see the ramp for this line in the photo below.

While you wait, you can see other guests come and go from the boats below. Since this entire attraction is inside, it’s a reasonable place to wait in the event of a rain shower.

Hopefully, the rain will have cleared off by the time you finish. However, if not, there are several other indoor attractions nearby. So you can join another line without getting too soaked.

“it’s a small world” is usually a walk-on attraction during the early morning and later evening hours. Each row of the boat holds up to four guests. Cast members do not require that different parties share rows.

Once you set off on the happiest little cruise that ever sailed, look up! Guests might be waving to you while dining above at neighboring Pinocchio’s Village Haus.

Then, you’ll enter the first room.

This is where the new doll in a wheelchair has recently been added. He’s playing a flute and sits between two other audio-animatronics dolls.

You’ll then continue through the various rooms, each featuring small children from all over the world. Here are a few photos of Magic Kingdom’s “it’s a small world.” Here are a few scenes from the ride:

The Resorts Gal Spin on “it’s a small world”

We give “it’s a small world” the green light. This is a high-capacity ride that usually loads quickly, which keeps the wait times fairly low. Also, if you have someone in your party who doesn’t like the noise of fireworks, this attraction is the perfect escape!