Ryan M
There are so many things to see and explore at the Magic Kingdom, so most guests expect that they won’t be able to do everything in one day. For returning guests, there may be things you have never experienced before or you might stumble upon something you didn’t know existed. While there’s always something new to find each time you visit, somewhere in between first-time guests and annual passholders, the best kept secrets in the park are discovered. To help you along, we have put together a list of 8 of the best kept secrets at the Magic Kingdom.
8. Be Our Guest Quick Service
Dinner reservations at the Be Our Guest Restaurant are highly sought after. 180 days prior to your trip, the reservations open up at 6am (eastern standard time) and prime time slots for dinner reservations are frequently gone within the first couple of hours (or minutes depending on the time of year).
But for guests who don’t want to miss out on the magic, fear not, the restaurant operates as a quick service restaurant during breakfast and lunch, giving you more opportunities to experience the beautiful décor inside the Beast’s Castle. At breakfast and lunch, guests order from a kiosk and then your food will be delivered to your table. The atmosphere remains the same and the experience is just as wonderful.
7. Mickey’s PhilharMagic
In Fantasyland, there’s almost never a long wait for Mickey’s PhilharMagic and the building is perfectly air conditioned, making it a great escape from the summer heat. Inside, the posters of Disney musical acts usher you into the Fantasyland Concert Hall where Mickey has put Donald in charge of setting up the orchestra. Donald’s curiosity gets him into trouble and the audience joins him on a journey through the hijinks that follow. It’s fun, incredibly whimsical and a perfect attraction to visit during the early to late afternoon.
6. Buzz Lightyear High Score
Aboard your XP-37 Star Cruiser, firing your laser at Emperor Zurg’s thugs, you get points that will determine your level from Star Cadet all the way up to Galactic Hero. While achieving the top score takes incredible precision, there are a few secret big-scoring targets to keep an eye out for. For a cool 100,000 points, look for the targets located inside the left hand of the giant red robot in the first room, on the underside of the claw heading into room two and the target on the bottom of Zurg’s ship.
5. Enchanted Tales With Belle
While visiting the Beast’s Castle draws a big crowd, visiting Maurice’s Cottage to the left of the Castles entrance will open up a different world of magic, where you will be transported into the Beast’s library to play a part in a story. Coming face to face with the Wardrobe, Lumiere and Belle herself, the entire experience is full of fun and wonder. This is an incredible event for kids, but everyone in your family will be swept up in the magic.
4. Dumbo Pagers
In Storybook Circus, Dumbo the Flying Elephant was such a fan-favorite, that Disney decided to create two sets of flying elephants, moving in opposite directions. Guests control how high or low Dumbo flies as they swirl around, giving them a great view of the rest of Storybook Circus. In order to keep the wait times from being monotonous, when guests arrive, they will be given a pager that “virtually” holds their place in line. Kids can then play under the big-top tent, which is a large playground to explore and keep active. Once the pager goes off, it’s your party’s turn to ride.
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3. Short Wait Times
While the crowd size depends on factors like the time of year, weather and extra magic hours, in general, there are a few times during the day that guests can expect the wait times for attractions to be a little shorter. One of the obvious time windows is the first 1 or 2 hours that the park is open. It can be difficult while on vacation to get up early, but heading to the park for opening gives you an opportunity to walk onto any ride and even though guests continue to arrive, the wait times remain shorter for the first hour or so. After that, the wait times can become shorter during meal times (12-1pm in the afternoon and 5-7pm in the evening) and also during the Festival of Fantasy parade and Happily Ever After.
2. Cinnamon Rolls
Many guests are already aware that the Dole Whip from Aloha Isle is an iconic snack at the Magic Kingdom. However, there are other snacks throughout the park that deserve the same fan-following. One of the other snacks is the Cinnamon Roll at Gaston’s Tavern. This warm and delicious treat is flaky and moist with a sweet icing drizzled on top. If you’re wandering through Fantasyland, this can be the perfect snack to stop and try.
1. Peoplemover
The Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover is an unsung hero in Tomorrowland. It doesn’t have the thrill of some of the other attractions, but it makes up for it by taking you on a 10-minute tour, giving you insight into each attraction and a great view of Tomorrowland. When the park is crowded, this is a great attraction to visit. It gives you a restful and relaxing ride without being dull since you get to see into some of the attractions and even takes you into the dark of Space Mountain. At night, this ride becomes even more enjoyable as the colors throughout the park seem to glow under the lights. Regardless of when you choose to ride, the Peoplemover should be on every guests must-do list.