Small World Party

Travel the globe as you ring in the new year with an It’s a Small World party inspired by the iconic Disney attraction! Get a full menu with recipes, festive decor ideas, and all the details.

This party is perfect for families or an adult only gathering. We celebrated with my Disney loving sister and her family! We hope you make wonderful memories as you journey around the globe!

About It's a Small World

It’s a Small World is one of the most iconic Disney attractions. It was originally conceived as a 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair attraction in partnership with UNICEF. After two years it was shipped to Disneyland where it opened in May of 1966.

In 1971 the attraction was recreated at Walt Disney World as one of the opening day attractions. This attraction can also be found at Tokyo Disney and Disneyland Paris.

Mary Blair was the brilliant artist behind the attraction. Characterized by geometric shapes and childlike simplicity, this attraction takes guests on a boat ride around the world. The ride features audio-animatronic dolls dressed in traditional costumes from around the globe.

the Tablescape & Decor

It’s a Small World has some of the most iconic design elements of any Disney attraction. Though it isn’t possible to recreate Mary Blair’s masterpiece, we did enjoy creating decorative details inspired by the attraction.

The centerpiece of our decor was a wall hanging inspired by the It’s a Small World clock. We created it using this printable. After enlarging the file, we mounted it on foam core and added glitter details. We held this party in our midcentury modern home and loved the look of the clock mounted above our fireplace.

We created a backdrop featuring the facade of the ride but with vibrant colors. To create this backdrop, we used this file. After enlarging it we mounted it on foam core board and added some It’s a Small World inspired flowers to the top showcasing the name of the attraction. Get the clipart we used here.

We decorated our silver tinsel tree with midcentury modern decor including a multicolor pom garland, ball ornaments in white, gold, and blue, and white & gold paper onion dome picks. We added a vibrant paper flower with the name of the attraction as well. I love the way the pom garland and big flower tie into the vibrant color scheme!

The Menu

This party is perfect for an around the world theme! We selected small bites and sweets to represent nine regions around the globe. Each menu item was accompanied by a printable doll we created using this file. Get our menu and the recipes we used below.

We hosted a family friendly party for but it would be fun to feature a matching cocktail for each culture. Why not ring in the new year on each hour with an appetizer and drink from each destination around the globe?

Small World Cake

North America was represented with this 6-inch three layer cake inspired by the attraction’s design elements. We decorated this spice cake with white buttercream and adorned it with geometric shapes that mirror the design of the facade of the attraction. We used turquoise, blue, and gold fondant. Get the cake and buttercream recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction. We added some cake sparklers for a fun and festive touch.

Chip & Dip platter

Central America was represented with a simple platter of blue and yellow corn chips and a trio of dips: fresh salsa, salsa verde, and queso. This appetizer is quick and easily assembled using your favorite chips & dips from the supermarket. If you’re in the mood for queso, check out our recipe here.

Epanadas with Guacamole

South American empanadas served with guacamole are always a treat! To give these South American delights a nod to the attraction, we added a few random numbers. This set of fondant cutters worked perfectly to cut numbers out of pie crust. A little bit of egg wash will help the numbers to adhere to the empanadas before baking. Use store bought empanadas or try our recipe.

Hot Air Balloon Madelines

The European hot air balloon is one of the charming details found in It’s a Small World. We had fun creating hot air balloon cookies using French madeleine cookies. Mini creampuffs dusted in powdered sugar served as clouds. Get our easy recipe here.

Sushi and Mochi Cakes

We represented Asia with one of our favorites, fresh sushi! We used our own veggie sushi recipe to create these rolls. Our recipe is simple and straightforward for beginners. Get our recipe here. We added a few delicious mochi cakes from our favorite Asian market on the side.

Mezze platter

The Middle East is home to some of my favorite foods. We created a simple yet delicious mezze platter using elements from our local supermarket: hummus, naan, olives, falafel, and vegetables. This is a mini version of our favorite mezze platter. Get our tutorial to create a perfect mezze platter here.

Saharan Sunrise Fruit Plate

Africa is home to some absolutely delightful fruits such as watermelon, pineapple, and mango. We used African fruits to create a fruit platter in the image of the Saharan sun. It was sweet & refreshing and balanced the rich savory flavors of the other appetizers very nicely. Get the easy tutorial here.

Polynesian Pu Pu Platter

We discovered the Polynesian pu-pu platter when researching Polynesian cuisine for our Lilo & Stitch Luau. So what is a pu-pu platter? A pu-pu platter is a tray of American Chinese or Hawaiian meat appetizers. We included chicken eggrolls, chicken satay, coconut breaded shrimp, and pineapple. Each appetizer was served with a dipping sauce and garnished with green onions. Delicious!

White Chocolate Mousse

We couldn’t leave the Arctic regions out of our spread of international delights! We just love the penguins from It’s a Small World. We created fondant penguins with purple hats and nestled them on a bed of white chocolate mousse sprinkled with coconut and white candy snowflakes. Their landscape included pink meringue trees dusted with powdered sugar and pizzelle cookies dusted with powdered sugar to look like snowflakes. Delicious and so fun!

Thank you for joining us for this culinary tour around the world! Be sure to check out our other New Year’s Eve party themes below. Please visit us on Instagram or Facebook for daily Disney entertaining inspiration and be sure to pin this post for later. Happy New Year!