Disney World is an amusement resort unlike any other. For this reason, it’s important to understand the ins and outs of the amazing Disney parks before you visit. After all, nobody wants their Disney trip to be lackluster. Fortunately, we know all about Disney World, and we are here to help you. In this article, we’re going to give you the low-down on Magic Kingdom, so you know everything you need to know before ever stepping foot in the park.
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One-Day Tickets
Let’s begin by talking about tickets. While you can enter most of the Florida Disney parks with a standard one-day ticket, Magic Kingdom is a bit different in that it requires a special, slightly-more-expensive one-day ticket of its own. That said, you really only have to worry about this if you’ll be visiting for a single day, as all multi-day tickets can be used at all four of the main parks (including Magic Kingdom).
Parking
Another odd thing about Magic Kingdom is the fact that you can’t park at the park itself. Instead, you must park your car at the Transportation and Ticket Center and take a monorail or ferry boat to the entrance. This is fun for the kids and makes arriving just a bit more magical, but it can also be frustrating as it makes getting to and from the car take much longer than it would otherwise. You can count on spending 30–60 minutes getting in and out of Magic Kingdom depending on how busy the park is that day.
Longer Hours
One of the best things about Magic Kingdom is that it tends to be open later than the other parks. Therefore, this is the perfect place to hop over to once the park you’ve visited for the afternoon closes. Be sure to check a calendar first, but you can usually count on Magic Kingdom to be open until 10pm or even midnight on weekends and during busy times of year. The slower season does see some earlier closing times.
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Themed Lands
Magic Kingdom holds 6 wondrous themed lands:
- You’ll begin on Main Street, U.S.A., where you are transported back in time to the turn of the century.
- In Tomorrowland, you’ll get a peek into the future.
- Fantasyland allows you to live out your fairytale dreams.
- Frontierland lies in the back of the park and offers tons of Wild West fun.
- Liberty Square gives you a taste of colonial times.
- Adventureland is where you’ll find jungle cruises and magic carpet rides
All 6 lands are amazing, and you’ll want to make time to fully immerse yourself in each one if possible.
FastPasses
Every Disney park offers FastPasses to all guests. These allow visitors to skip the lines for whichever rides they have FastPasses scheduled for, during their respective designated time frames. In Disney World, these passes can (and should) be scheduled in advance. It’s important to use your three pass selections wisely in order to ensure you get the most out of your time in the park, especially since Magic Kingdom has so many attractions to experience. For this reason, we recommend choosing three of the following rides, which tend to have long queues:
- Splash Mountain (during summer and/or in the afternoon)
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Space Mountain
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Enchanted Tales with Belle
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Jungle Cruise
- The Haunted Mansion
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
Of these, the roller coasters—Big Thunder, Seven Dwarfs, and Space Mountain—usually have the longest lines.
Must-See Attractions
Clearly you’re going to make time to use those FastPasses you schedule in advance, but what else should you see and do during your time in Magic Kingdom? This is a hard question to answer because this park has so many wonderful attractions. However, we did attempt to narrow them down to our top 15 picks. These are the things we feel are must-sees in this particular park:
- Meeting Mickey in Town Square Theater
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Space Mountain
- Mad Tea Party
- It’s A Small World
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Haunted Mansion
- Splash Mountain
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Jungle Cruise
- The Enchanted Tiki Room
- Festival of Fantasy Parade
- “Happily Ever After” Fireworks Show
Dining Reservations
If you plan to eat at a sit-down restaurant during your visit to Magic Kingdom (and you should), you’ll want to make reservations in advance. While this is a bit annoying because it means guessing what you’ll be in the mood for ahead of time, it’s a necessary evil. Wondering which reservations are most important to snag? Try one of the popular options below:
- Cinderella’s Royal Table
- Be Our Guest
- Crystal Palace
Classic Snacks
Of course, no trip to Disney is complete without snacks, and you’ll find many classic favorites in Magic Kingdom. Obviously, Mickey Bars, Mickey Pretzels, and that magical Disney popcorn are all available in this park along with all the others, but there are also some more unique snacks you’ll want to seek out. Be sure to try at least a few of the items below:
- Dole Whip from Aloha Isle in Adventureland
- Waffle Sandwiches from Sleepy Hollow in Liberty Square
- Citrus Swirl from Sunshine Tree Terrace in Adventureland
- LeFou’s Brew from Gaston’s Tavern in Fantasyland
- Specialty Hot Dog or Corn Dog Nuggets from Casey’s Corner on Main Street, U.S.A.
We hope this article helps provide you with the Magic Kingdom “low-down” for a memorable visit to Walt Disney World!