Final Information to Magic Kingdom, From Disney Specialists

When the Magic Kingdom opened its gates on Oct. 1, 1971, it turned an iconic place to not solely see favourite Disney characters however to expertise revolutionary points of interest and go to lands rigorously crafted to move friends to a different time or place. No journey to Walt Disney World can be full with no go to to the Magic Kingdom. The preferred park on the Florida resort can also be the most-visited theme park in the whole world, with greater than 17 million guests in 2022, in keeping with the International Points of interest Attendance Report.

With this recognition comes crowds, so figuring out the right way to finest navigate the park is significant to make sure an ideal expertise. “Walt Disney World is difficult in a manner that is completely different from virtually some other trip vacation spot. There are way more individuals who need to journey Disney’s finest rides and eat at Disney’s finest eating places than there’s journey and restaurant capability for them. You will have to make reservations for the favored rides and eating places or threat not attending to them,” says Len Testa, co-author of “The Unofficial Information to Walt Disney World.”

Able to plan your journey? Here is all the pieces it’s good to know to plan an ideal day at Magic Kingdom.

Planning Your Go to

“The 2 issues to think about when visiting Walt Disney World are crowds and climate,” says Testa. “Walt Disney World’s crowds are usually lowest when public faculties are in session. The most effective climate is mostly between November and March, with daytime highs between 75 and 80 levels.” 

Tickets will be bought as both single or multi-day passes, and you’ll add the Park Hopper choice to go to a number of parks a day. Single-day ticket costs are dynamic and differ relying on the day and park you’re seeking to go to, ranging between $134 to $189 for 2024. Whereas park hours differ all year long, at present Magic Kingdom is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. 

Visitors staying at Disney lodges (and choose different lodges) can benefit from Early Entry to enter the park half-hour earlier than it formally opens. Visitors staying at a Disney Deluxe Resort or different choose lodges can get pleasure from Prolonged Night Hours after the park closes on choose nights.

Attending to Magic Kingdom 

Visitors can’t park exterior of the gates of the Magic Kingdom and should park throughout the Seven Seas Lagoon at The Transportation and Ticket Heart, in any other case referred to as the TTC. From there, friends can take a ferry or monorail to reach on the park gates. “My motto is ‘take the one which’s there’ – generally that’s the monorail and generally it is the ferry. Both manner, it’s good to start out the day with no wait (if attainable) since there will definitely be loads of ready to return,” says Samantha Davis-Friedman, theme park journalist and contributing author of “Walt Disney World Hacks, Second Version”.

Solely Walt Disney World Resort buses and “Minnie Vans” (Lyft’s unique Walt Disney World automotive service providing choose perks), can drop guests off immediately exterior of the park. Third-party shuttles usually drop riders on the TTC. 

Normal parking is $30 per day, most well-liked parking varies seasonally between $45 and $55 per day, and outsized car parking is $35 per day. If you happen to’re park-hopping, excellent news: Visitors solely have to pay one charge for a parking go that’s good all day in any respect 4 theme parks. 

Visitors staying at choose Magic Kingdom space resorts also can take the monorail or a ship from their resort.

Greatest Rides and Points of interest 

Youthful friends shouldn’t miss out on the rides in Fantasyland, like The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Peter Pan’s Flight. Thrill-seeking guests ought to make some extent to journey Large Thunder Mountain Railroad, House Mountain, and Tron Lightcycle Run. For followers of basic Disney, no journey is full with no cease at The Enchanted Tiki Room, a journey on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, and a spin by Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, which initially debuted on the 1964 New York World’s Honest. Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion are perennial favorites amongst friends of all ages. And Tiana’s Bayou Journey is sure to be an immediate hit when it opens this summer season.

One of the best ways to optimize time throughout the parks is to make the most of Genie+ and Particular person Lightning Lanes, an replace on the beforehand complimentary FastPass system. These advantages come at an extra value, however time within the parks is efficacious and generally, it’s finest to spend extra cash to keep away from misplaced time in line. The associated fee varies by park and date, usually ranging between $16 to $35 per day. 

Testa recommends buying Particular person Lightning Lanes (ILL) for sought-after points of interest like Seven Dwarfs Mine Practice.

Associated: 58 Disney World Rides and Points of interest, Ranked From Worst to Greatest

Leisure 

Let the Magic Start and Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire are stage exhibits that run a number of instances all through the day and have Mickey and his buddies, Tiana and buddies from “The Princess and the Frog,” and extra. 

The Disney Journey Pals Cavalcade is an abbreviated parade that runs by the park and options characters from “Encanto,” “Coco,” and extra. The Disney Pageant of Fantasy Parade options unimaginable floats, a protracted listing of characters, and an ideal soundtrack. 

Fortunately Ever After is the park’s present nighttime spectacular that includes projections, lasers, particular results, and naturally, fireworks. Whereas discovering a spot in entrance of the fortress is vital if you wish to catch the projections, the present remains to be extraordinarily gratifying when considered from different, typically much less crowded, spots. My favorites are Tomorrowland and Fantasyland (and it is a bonus in case you are onboard the PeopleMover or Seven Dwarfs Mine Practice whereas fireworks are exploding within the sky above you).

Greatest Eating places

Guests seeking to maximize their time within the parks ought to choose to order from quick-serve places, ideally with cell orders. Sleepy Hole is a superb cease for breakfast, providing a particularly standard recent fruit waffle sandwich. Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe is a dependable cease for burgers and rooster strips. It’s additionally residence to Sonny Eclipse, a beloved animatronic performing lounge tunes all about his residence planet Zork within the eating room. Casey’s Nook presents scorching canines, corn canine nuggets, and french fries. If you happen to’re on the lookout for non-fried selections, Columbia Harbor Home serves New England-inspired seafood dishes.

Visitors who need to stand up shut with their favourite buddies could make a reservation for a personality meal at Cinderella’s Royal Desk to dine with princesses or The Crystal Palace for a meal with Pooh and buddies. Different standout table-service eating places are Be Our Visitor, Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen, and Tony’s City Sq. Restaurant, because of a current menu overhaul that makes it a incredible place to get pleasure from a glass of wine on the patio, particularly whereas a parade passes by.

Snack fiends, be ready: there are a whole lot of can’t-miss Disney World meals, together with pineapple upside-down cake topped with Dole Whip from Aloha Isle, cheeseburger spring rolls at The Spring Roll Cart, and the pepper jack pretzel from Cheshire Cafe.

Associated: 30 Greatest Disney World Eating places

Magic Kingdom Itinerary 

Be able to e book your first Genie+ choice and be part of the digital queue for Tron Lightycle Run at 7 a.m. If you happen to miss the 7 a.m. window, there’s one other probability to hitch the Tron digital queue at 1 p.m. from contained in the park. If you happen to’re staying on property, be able to enter the park when Early Entry begins. In any other case, be ready to rope drop as quickly because the park opens. Head to the most well-liked rides first to benefit from the shortest strains you’ll doubtless see all day. Seven Dwarfs Mine Practice, Peter Pan’s Flight, Jungle Cruise, and House Mountain develop a number of the highest wait instances because the day goes on. From there, deal with the park by land, and don’t neglect to take your time and revel in. Proceed to make the most of Genie+ to e book return instances for points of interest — or should you’ve opted to go on the extra buy, regulate wait instances within the app to go to the shortest strains. Attempt to spot a parade alongside the best way, and finish your day with Fortunately Ever After.

Ideas for a Magical Day at Magic Kingdom

• “Be on the park, admission in hand, 60 minutes earlier than the official opening. On most days, Disney will allow you to into the park and permit you to line up to your first journey properly earlier than the park opens. It is a great benefit over those that cannot stand up and out the door that early. You will be properly in your method to your second (or third) journey earlier than most individuals have gone by the turnstiles,” says Testa.
• Be ready for the climate. “It doesn’t matter what time of 12 months you go to Magic Kingdom, it can doubtless rain — and it’s all the time A LOT of rain. As a result of I’ve been caught unprepared for rain at Walt Disney World (greater than as soon as), I now carry a pair of cheap, light-weight flip-flops in my backpack. That manner, I can shortly swap out my sneakers and socks to maintain them dry (this works properly on water rides too!),” says Davis-Friedman.
• If you happen to plan on spending a whole lot of time at Magic Kingdom, think about splurging to remain at a neighboring resort. Visitors can stroll on to the park from Disney’s Modern Resort and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. This comfort will prevent a whole lot of time and problem should you plan on staying till the park closes.
• For these seeking to keep away from the post-fireworks crowds, think about watching them from the neighboring resorts. Diners at The California Grill positioned on the highest flooring of Disney’s Modern Resort have entry to a viewing deck that pipes within the present’s sound, as does the seashore at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. 
• Among the finest elements of a day in Magic Kingdom aren’t simply the moments of hovering by Large Thunder Mountain or passing by hitchhiking ghosts inside The Haunted Mansion; they’re the magical moments in between, like having a spontaneous dance celebration with The Nation Bears or recognizing the names of a number of key Imagineers on the home windows alongside Principal Road U.S.A.