Four out of five mall Santas agree, “It’s a small world” holiday is a must-do on your visit to Disneyland while the park is transformed to the Merriest Place on Earth. The overlay is installed specially ever year and shares the traditions and holidays of different cultures ‘it’s a small world” style.
This is the 23rd season Disneyland has sent guests on a voyage around the world’s different Holidays on the classic attraction. In this beloved holiday attraction overlay, the children of the world spread holiday cheer as they don seasonal costumes and share the holiday spirit. Singing familiar holiday tunes, along with the catchy “It’s a Small World (After All)” theme, the children come together to show that this season is a time for unity and celebrating traditions.
Here are 11 fun facts about “it’s a small world” Holiday you can impress fellow guests with while you wait for your ride:
- New this year, guests will experience three immersive scents as they embark on the happiest cruise that ever sailed. In Asia, guests will enjoy the beautiful fragrance of the cherry blossom. South America adds a classic holiday cinnamon scent, while the South Seas bring tropical flair with the smell of coconut to go along with the hundreds of iridescent bubbles floating through the air. These fun new additions join the scents of fresh pine and peppermint candy that guests know and love in the European scenes.
- 50,000 lights are used to illuminate the façade of “it’s a small world” Holiday with an additional 350,000 mini-lights brightening the trees, hedges and animal topiaries surrounding the attraction in whimsical Fantasyland. The plaza around the attraction adds to the holiday magic as thousands of additional lights decorate the shops and food kiosks to create a holiday fantasy.
- No holiday season would be complete without the classic decorations featured at “it’s a small world” Holiday including colorful garland, festive poinsettias and international holiday wreaths.
- After dark, the smiling clock at the front of “it’s a small world,” decked out in a Santa hat, reveals a sparkling projection show. Multiple times each night, the brightly light façade of the attraction is transformed into an enormous clockwork mechanism with advanced 3D-projection technology. The gears and springs pull back to reveal a world of holiday wonders hidden behind the whimsical clock.
- Guests enjoy a voyage through 10 scenes inspired by locations around the globe, with each one showcasing unique cultural holiday traditions from Europe, Africa and Asia, making this “The Merriest Attraction on Earth.”
- 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 today for families around the world.
- The 14-foot snowman featured in the finale of the attraction is made of glimmering crystal snowflakes that leave guests with a twinkle in their eyes. The snowman, who sparkles with thousands of luminous lights, adds to the holiday magic as he sits atop a 10-foot-wide snowflake and holds a gleaming “icicle” sign that spells out “Happy Holidays” in colors that change as guests drift along.
- The iconic music of “it’s a small world,” written by the legendary Sherman Brothers, is enhanced during the holiday season with classic holiday caroling favorites “Jingle Bells” and “Deck the Halls.”
- Many languages of the world can be heard serenading guests, with cheerful tunes in English, French, Italian, Spanish and Scandinavian languages. Festive signs and banners throughout the attraction spread holiday greetings in such dialects as French Canadian, Dutch, Asante and Hawaiian.
- Holiday “elves” at the Disneyland Resort help to spread the holiday magic by transforming “it’s a small world” Holiday each year. It takes a talented and dedicated team of nearly a dozen cast members 35 days to install the glittering façade, while approximately two dozen cast members spend 18 days decorating the holiday attraction’s dazzling interior.
- Almost all of the holiday props and scenic elements seen in “it’s a small world” Holiday are stored inside the attraction throughout the year.
To make this holiday season more merry and bright, Disney FastPass is available for this attraction. Guests will enjoy “it’s a small world” Holiday from Nov. 8, 2019, through Jan. 6, 2020.