Magic Kingdom is my favorite park. With all the different lands and attractions you will never run out of things to do at the Magic Kingdom. Since the park is huge you need an idea of what you want to explore and do. Do lots of research into rides, characters to meet, and live entertainment so you know what you and your family want to do. The Magic Kingdom Touring Tips for a great vacation will help you experience the magic your way.
Magic Kingdom Tips
1. Don’t miss the Magic Kingdom Welcome Show
You can enter Main Street an hour before the rest of the park opens. There is a welcome show on the Castle stage 5 minutes before the park opens. While the show is short, it is cute and helps set the tone for the day. Mickey Mouse comes out and welcomes you along with a group of other Disney characters. Then with the help of the Fairy Godmother everyone helps countdown to the opening of the park.
2. Make a Magic Kingdom Bucket List
What is important to you, may not be important to me. Between characters to see, attractions to ride, snacks to eat, show to watch, and live entertainment you will have a packed day. Make sure to write down at least your top 10 attractions and experiences.
Here are some of my suggestions:
3. Have Realistic Expectations
Don’t have the expectation that you will experience all of the Magic Kingdom in one or two days. Honestly, the Magic Kingdom probably takes forever to truly find and experience everything. That is why making a list of what is important to you is crucial.
Lines will be long, sometimes even for the Genie+ Lightning Lanes and especially for dining locations. Even the bathroom will have lines.
4. Buy Genie+ and the Individual Lightning Lanes for Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom is one of the parks you will want to buy Genie+ and the offered Individual Lightning Lane(s). This par has so many great attractions that you will want to ride as much as possible and Genie+ can make that happen.
Priority Genie+ reservations for the Magic Kingdom include the Mountains, Space, Splash. and Thunder. Peter Pan’s Flight, Jungle Cruise, and Pirates of the Caribbean.
5. Download and Use the My Disney Experience App
The My Disney Experience App lets you know when the characters are out, the times for the parades, and for the shows.
6. Have an Energy-Efficient Touring Plan
Plan a touring schedule that does not have you going from one end of the park to the other. If you are a client of mine I can guide you through how to balance this with how to pick your Genie+ selections. Click here to schedule a complimentary consultation if you would like to hire me for your Disney Vacation planning needs.
7. Best Place to Watch the Parade
The Festival of Fantasy Parade is a great parade! If you sit in the front row sometimes you can get some great character interactions. My favorite places to catch the parade are:
- In front of Casey’s. During the afternoon this side of the street is shaded, you still get a view of the castle, and you are so close to the action. For this seat, you do need to arrive at least an hour early especially on a busy day.
- Where the Parade Starts. The Parade starts right next to Splash Mountain in Frontierland. Fewer people make it a less crowded area.
8. Best Place to Watch Enchantment Fireworks
With Wishes, my favorite spot was behind the castle. Enchantment is so projection-focused that you really miss a lot if you are behind the castle. I love sitting in front of the castle on the right side somewhat close to Tomorrowland so I get a great view of Tinker Bell flying from the castle.
9. Enjoy the Street Performers
The Magic Kingdom has a lot of street performers, especially on Main Street U.S.A. but they are found in other areas in the park as well.
- The Dapper Dans
- Trolly Show Performers
- Main Street Philharmonic Band
- Frontierland Band
10. Notice the Details
While other parks may have details, everything at the Magic Kingdom is filled with details. These are just a couple examples.
- The old-timey phone in the hat store, The Chapeau, is a real telephone that shares a scene from the movie Summer Magic.
- Lady’s and the Tramps Pawprints are in the pavement right outside their restaurant.
- All of the windows on Main Street USA have names of people that are important to Disney history.
- Maximus’ footprints are leading to his favorite snack in Fantasyland.
11. Utilize the Walt Disney Railroad
If you do need to get to one end of the park to the other using the train is a simple solution.
*From December 2018 the Walt Disney World Railroad is closed due to the Tron Ride construction.* During this time, make sure to go up to the Main Street Station for some neat photo opps and to ring the train bell!
12. Take a Break from the Heat
Schedule several of the longer indoor attractions such as the Hall of Presidents, Carousel of Progress, or Country Bear Jamboree during the middle of the day to escape the heat. You can also choose to go back to your resort. For even more tips to deal with the Florida hot weather, check out my Tips to Beat the Florida Heat.
13. Leave 45 Minutes to an Hour after the Enchantment Fireworks
If you are wanting to leave after the fireworks, wait a little bit. A lot of people rush out of the parks after the show. Trying to leave when everyone else does only gets you waiting in long lines for the ferry, monorail, buses, and trams.
Plus, the longer you wait the better chance of you getting photos like this!
14. Shop Late
The gift shops stay open at least one hour after the last attraction closes.
15. Stay for the Kiss Goodnight
At the very, very end of the night, there is a special goodnight saying over the loudspeakers. The park is nearly empty and you can get some gorgeous night shots of the castle without tons of people around.
Consider planning and booking your next Walt Disney World vacation with a Concierge Vacation Planner like Favorite Grampy’s Travels. I’ll take away the stress of planning a Disney vacation and help you get the best price! Let’s Start Planning Now!