Magic Kingdom
Touring Recommendation & Park Tips
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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 Lightning Lane Multi-Pass and which ride is this park’s Individual Attraction Selection (aka “Fancy Ride” not included in Multi Pass purchase). I’ve listed them for you below.
3) I highly recommend taking advantage of Early Entry at Magic Kingdom, especially with small children. There are two areas that operate during Early Entry: Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. It’s a great time to ride lots of the smaller rides in Fantasyland before the crowds kick in!
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 the individual Single Pass selection at 7am, 7 days prior to check-in; and (3) 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!
Meet Mickey at Town Square Theater
The Barnstormer – 35” (a great little intro to coasters!)
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)
What to know before you arrive:
Your day at Magic Kingdom
There is a morning welcome show called “Let the Magic Begin.” This 5-minute show begin exactly 5 minutes before official park opening. This means if you have arrived to the park early to take advantage of shorter ride waits during Early Entry you should skip this show. However, if you characters are more important to you than rides, this is a sweet way to start your day at the Magic Kingdom.
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. Park your stroller behind the Carousel and walk to all of the nearby rides - this will be a big time saver for you. Hold on to any valuables! 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.
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!
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!
Peter Pan's Flight, Winnie the Pooh, The Barnstormer, Dumbo the Flighting Elephant, and Journey of the Little Mermaid are all great Fantasyland rides to do early in the morning. If you have someone who wants to ride Space Mountain this is also a great time to go.
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 you should have some Lightning Lanes booked through Multi Pass. Keep grabbing more and getting in the Standby for shorter waits! Some great attractions that typically have manageable wait times: Haunted Mansion, 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 Tomorrowland Transit Authority (Peoplemover).
Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire is a short production on the Castle stage. It stars Mickey and his pals and features many beloved Disney characters. The show runs multiple times throughout the day, usually starting around 10am and ending close to 4pm. Check the app for today’s showtimes if you want to see the show!
Notable Attractions at Magic Kingdom that include shorter waits, seats, and air conditioning: Monster's Inc Laugh Floor, Mickey’s Philharmagic, Carousel of Progress, Enchanted Tiki Room, and Hall of Presidents.
Rider Switch
Traveling with small children or someone unable to enjoy big rides can happen. Let’s say Mom & Dad both want to ride, but both parents don’t each want to stand a long line. Disney has something called a Rider Switch, which allows 1 person to wait in the line and then next person to use the Lightning Lane.
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.
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! Since the fireworks include a projection show on the Castle, you’ll want a spot where you can clearly see. I like spots pretty close to the Castle. Being away from the park exit walking paths makes for a more pleasant experience for me - and a lot less overwhelming when the show is over. I recommend getting a spot about an hour-45 minutes before it is scheduled to begin. 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! Tip: Grab a towel or two from your hotel and stick it at the bottom of your stroller. Sitting on a towel while you wait for the show also tells people around you the space you have claimed.
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. This happens fairly quickly. 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 overwhelming. Just hang back and wait for the crowds to thin out a little.
As long as you are in line for a ride before the park closes you will be permitted to ride.
Food Recommendations
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. The Pineapple Float is $6.99. I LOVE the coconut cup for $6.
The cinnamon roll at Gaston’s Tavern is so gooey and sweet! It costs $6.99 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 $8.49
My Favorite Quick Service:
Columbia Harbour House across from the Haunted Mansion. The grilled salmon with rice and green beans is $14.79, 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 $10.79
***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.”