The familiar strains of the earworm theme song of It’s a Small World are once again playing in the beloved classic Disneyland attraction after a flood threatened to ruin the holiday tradition this year.
It’s a Small World reopened at Disneyland after all-hands effort to restore the attraction in time for the holidays following a flood that shuttered the boat ride around the world just before its November launch.
The holiday version of It’s a Small World returned on Monday, Dec. 6 — more than three weeks after it was scheduled to debut for the Christmas season.
A team of 75-plus Disneyland employees from more than 20 departments worked 24/7 to get It’s a Small World opened for the holiday season after the flood.
The Small World project team was swiftly assembled after an underground maintenance room was inundated while the water ride was being refilled in the early morning hours on Nov. 10 just before the holiday version of the attraction was set to make its 2021 Christmas debut at the Anaheim theme park.
It’s a Small World undergoes a seasonal transformation for the holidays each year that typically takes weeks of work mostly by overnight crews. The Small World sets were not damaged during the flood.
The holiday version of It’s a Small World was supposed to reopen on Thursday, Nov. 11 for the first Merriest Nites after-hours event and be ready for the kickoff of the holiday season at Disneyland on Friday, Nov. 12.
After the flood repairs, Small World returned in time for the last two Merriest Nites events of the year on Tuesday and Thursday, Dec. 7 and 9 as well as the rest of the holiday season that runs at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure through Jan. 9.
The winter festivities include the return of “A Christmas Fantasy” parade and “Believe in Holiday Magic” fireworks show at Disneyland and the Festival of Holidays food festival and Viva Navidad street party at Disney California Adventure.
