Like several other Disneyland attractions, "It's a Small World" originated with the 1964 New York World's Fair (it was Pepsi's pavilion.) After the fair closed, the ride was transferred to Disneyland and officially opened in 1966.

The Ride was originally titled "Children of the World". When Walt Disney demonstrated it to songwriters Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman, the ride's soundtrack featured numerous national anthems all playing at once, which resulted in a musical cacophony. Walt said, "I need one song." In response, the brothers wrote It's a Small World (After All).

It is argued that the song is the most performed and most widely translated song on earth

The façade of “it’s a small world” is an architectural masterpiece festooned with a 30 foot clock, also known as a glockenspiel that will tick each second. Every fifteen minutes, the façade will open up and audio-animatronic dolls will come out and circle the glockenspiel.

You will also see many topiary animals on the attraction grounds, including an elephant, lion, and a horse in addition to other animals.

From mid-November until early January, it iis turned into a special winter wonderland with its Holiday overlay. The façade of this attraction is covered with lights, and in the dark the outside of the building is a show itself. Inside, the music is intoned with Jingle Bells & Deck the Halls”. The audio-animatronic characters inside the ride are also transformed, with new winter scenes added.

In 2005 Disneyland also added lighted projections to the “it’s a small world” façade, and these would dance over the building to the music of Babes In Toyland, the Nutcrackerand more. This takes place every 15 minutes as the red lights of “it’s a small world” are turned off, and seconds later the projections and music begin.