Magic Kingdom
Touring Recommendation and Park Tips
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What to know before you arrive
1) Your priorities for the day! Click here for my park worksheets to help you organize your thoughts.
2) Know which attractions are included with Multi Pass and which ride is this park’s Single Pass (aka “Fancy Ride” not included in Multi Pass purchase). I’ve listed them for you below.
3) To make the most of your day I highly recommend taking advantage of Early Entry at Magic Kingdom. There are two areas that operate during Early Entry: Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. It’s a great time to ride lots of the rides in Fantasyland before the crowds kick in!
4) 4) Tip: Your phone is going to be used A LOT today. To save battery, close out any unneeded apps and turn your phone onto Low Battery Mode.
Lightning Lane Tips:
There are two Single Pass attractions for this park: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (38”), which will cost between $12-$18 per person, and Tron Lightcycle Run (48”), which will cost between $20-$25 per person. NOTE: There is also a Virtual Queue to ride Tron that guests can join at 7am. You CAN join the Virtual Queue AND purchase a Lightning Lane, allowing you to ride twice in one day. Just be aware the Virtual Queue means a long line, while Lightning Lane means a shorter wait.
Make a choice before you arrive as to what your highest priorities are. Then, choose which ones you will get in line for during (1)Early Entry standby, (2)Purchase & select the Single Pass at 7am, 7 days prior to check-in; and (3) Purchase & select via Multi Pass at 7am, 7 days prior to check-in. If you do this, you should have a plan to ride three high-demand rides before you even step foot in the park!
For these popular attractions, getting a Multi Pass return time can be beneficial. I’ve listed them in order of high-demand to low demand (no height requirement means any one can ride, even a baby):
Space Mountain – 44”
Peter Pan’s Flight
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – 40” (Closed for refurbishment)
Jungle Cruise
Haunted Mansion
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (formally Splash Mountain) - 40’’ **Virtual Queue or Lightning Lane ONLY!
Pirates of the Caribbean
Enchanted Tales with Belle
Meet Tiana and a Visiting Princess (usually Rapunzel) at Fairytale Hall
Meet Cinderella and a Visiting Princess at Fairytale Hall
its a small world
Meet Ariel in Her Grotto
Tomorrowland Speedway
Mad Tea Party (Tea Cups)
Your day at Magic Kingdom
I like morning photos at the Magic Kingdom before the crowds get too heavy. Most people will line up behind a Disney Photographer on Main Street. However, the grassy area in front of the Crystal Palace Restaurant will have little to no people, and is perfect for quick photos before heading to your first ride. Note: A Disney Photographer is NOT stationed there!
Where Do I Start?: I highly recommend taking advantage of Early Entry! Fantasyland and Tomorrowland are the only areas that operate during Early Entry. Start in Fantasyland first. Most of the crowd will be going directly to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, which is also what I recommend unless you (1) Have purchased a Lightning Lane for later in the day or (2) Want to ride it twice - once in Standby Line and then later in the Lightning Lane (3) Have no interest in riding it. Mine Train will remain the longest wait time in the park the entire day.
After Mine Train, take advantage of shorter waits for the following rides: Peter Pan's Flight, The Barnstormer, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, or Jungle Cruise. You will not get through ALL of those with a short wait. Choose which ones are a priority and go there first. By this time you have, hopefully, grabbed Lightning Lanes for the rides you do not want to stand in line for.
The Festival of Fantasy Parade will begin at 3:00pm. **Always check the app to confirm today's showtimes! The parade begins in Frontierland and ends on Main Street. I like getting a spot in Frontierland near the Country Bear Jamboree at least 30 minutes before it begins. It isn’t as crowded as Main Street and you will be in the shade!
During lunch, take a look at the wait times in the park. This is a good time to return to your priorities: Have you been able to complete everything you wanted so far? If not - make a plan to go! You will be surprised how fast the day goes, so don’t miss your chance! After lunch, depending on wait times, I would recommend trying for the Haunted Mansion then head into Fantasyland to enjoy its a small world, Mickey's Philharmagic (now with a scene from CoCo!), Journey of the Little Mermaid, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Mad Tea Party, and Winnie the Pooh.
Remember: Disney is more than just rides! I encourage you to make a plan to meet some characters and enjoy entertainment around the park today.
Traveling with small children or someone unable/uninterested may happen on your trip. If you choose to split the group up and wait with the person(s) not riding, be sure to take advantage of the Rider Switch so everyone does not have to stand in a long line! This is great for parents taking small children.
To use Rider Switch:
First check with a Cast Member at the entrance to the ride to see if Rider Switch is an option. All of the big rides offer this.
Your whole group must check in with the Cast Member.
Choose who is riding first. Whoever is riding second will scan their Magic Band/Magic Mobile/park ticket. A Lightning Lane will be assigned to them for a return time.
The first person/group will ride the attraction - Party 1.
After Party 1 rides the attraction, Party 2 may use their Lightning Lane to ride. The Rider Switch entitlement must be validated by a Cast Member at this time.
Rider Switch
Nighttime at the Magic Kingdom
The nighttime fireworks & projection show, Happily Ever After, will run at 8pm nightly. Always check the app to confirm today's showtime! Because this is a projection show in addition to fireworks, you’ll want a spot where you can clearly see the Castle. Try not to separate the group after you have your fireworks spot. It can be tough to find everyone again in the dark, crowded space! I like spots pretty close to the Castle because the crowd up there is a lot less overwhelming for me after the show is over.
After the fireworks end the area around the castle/Main Street can feel very full and overwhelming. The best thing is to stay put and let the crowd subside. Depending on park closing time, you can get in line for another ride, shop, or just hang out and enjoy the scenes. But, I don’t recommend leaving right after the fireworks. Leaving with the sea of people can be very overwhelming. Just hang back and wait for the crowds to thin out a little.
Rides that are really fun at nighttime: Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, Dumbo, Mad Tea Party, Tomorrowland Speedway, Pirates of the Caribbean, Astro Orbiter.
My Favorite Snacks:
Hearty:
I love a good popcorn bucket! Buckets are about $12, but you can refill at any park for $2 during your vacation!
The Mickey-shaped pretzels with cheese dipping sauce cost $7.49 and are a great snack to enjoy while walking.
Sweet:
You can get the famous Dole Whip at Aloha Isle. I love the vanilla and pineapple swirl for $6.
The cinnamon roll at Gaston’s Tavern is so gooey and sweet! It costs $6.79 and you can easily split this between 2-3 people.
Storybook Treats in Fantasyland is where you will find ice cream sundaes and seasonal ice cream treats.
Sleepy Hollow at the entrance of Liberty Square from Main Street has the famous Nutella Waffle with strawberries, bananas, and blueberries for $8.50
My Favorite Quick Service:
Columbia Harbour House across from the Haunted Mansion. The grilled salmon with rice and green beans is $14.29, or get the kids portion for only $8.59.
Pecos Bill's Tall Tale Inn. The kids chicken rice bowl is delicious at $8.49! I also like the fajita platter for $15.49 plus chips & salsa for $5 - it’s a great meal to split with someone! Tip: They open Tortuga's Tavern for overflow seating - it's usually much more quiet! Just follow the dining room walkway until you reach a ramp on your left.
Casey’s Corner on Main Street. I love their corn dog nuggets which come with fries or a Cutie orange for $10.49
***Unlike the other 3 theme parks, alcohol is not served inside of Magic Kingdom unless you are eating at a full-service restaurant.
Want to try a full service restaurant but don’t have a reservation? Try joining the Walk-Up list! You can do this through the app by searching the restaurant, then tap “Join Walk-Up List.”