Best Time to Ride "it's a small world"
One of the most iconic attractions in Disney history, "it's a small world" takes guests on a gentle boat ride through colorful scenes featuring audio-animatronic children from cultures around the globe singing the famous Sherman Brothers theme song. Originally created for the 1964 World's Fair, this Fantasyland classic is perfect for all ages and offers a cool break from the Florida heat. The queue features a whimsical clock tower facade that puts on a show every 15 minutes.
Hour-by-Hour Wait Guide
Wait Times by Hour
Best Day of the Week
Wait Time Heatmap: Day × Hour
"it's a small world" averages 18 minutes at 3 AM on Saturdays but only 5 minutes at 12 AM on Sundays.
| 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 5 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 10 | ||||||||
| Tue | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 6 | ||||||||
| Wed | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 12 | ||||||||
| Thu | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 | ||||||||
| Fri | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | ||||||||
| Sat | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |||||||
| Sun | 10 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
Tips for Riding "it's a small world" with Minimal Wait
"it's a small world" at Disneyland Park averages a 7-minute wait, but timing makes a huge difference. The data shows waits are shortest around 8AM (5min) and longest around 8PM (14min) — a 9-minute difference just by choosing the right time.
Thursday is typically the lightest day of the week with an average wait of 6 minutes. Avoid Monday if possible — waits average 9 minutes.
Pro tip: Arrive at Disneyland Park before opening and head to "it's a small world" first. Early-morning waits are consistently the shortest across all days of the week.
Predicted wait for "it's a small world" — next 7 days
Our forecast of the average standby wait, built from this ride's historical patterns, day-of-week trends, and the seasonal calendar.
Forecasts are estimates of the daily average and update as new data arrives — actual waits swing by hour, so use the hour-by-hour chart above to pick your window.
"it's a small world" — ride facts
- Type
- Gentle ride
- Ride length
- ~11 min
- Setting
- Indoor (climate-controlled)
One of the most iconic attractions in Disney history, "it's a small world" takes guests on a gentle boat ride through colorful scenes featuring audio-animatronic children from cultures around the globe singing the famous Sherman Brothers theme song. Originally created for the 1964 World's Fair, this Fantasyland classic is perfect for all ages and offers a cool break from the Florida heat. The queue features a whimsical clock tower facade that puts on a show every 15 minutes.
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