Final Information to Magic Kingdom, From Disney Specialists

When the Magic Kingdom opened its gates on Oct. 1, 1971, it grew to become an iconic place to not solely see favourite Disney characters however to expertise revolutionary sights and go to lands rigorously crafted to move friends to a different time or place. No journey to Walt Disney World could be full with out a go to to the Magic Kingdom. The most well-liked park on the Florida resort can also be the most-visited theme park in your entire world, with greater than 17 million guests in 2022, based on the World Sights Attendance Report.

With this reputation comes crowds, so figuring out easy methods to greatest navigate the park is significant to make sure a fantastic expertise. “Walt Disney World is difficult in a method that is completely different from nearly another trip vacation spot. There are way more individuals who wish to journey Disney’s greatest rides and eat at Disney’s greatest eating places than there’s journey and restaurant capability for them. You may 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 the whole lot you must 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 sometimes lowest when public faculties are in session. The perfect climate is usually between November and March, with daytime highs between 75 and 80 levels.” 

Tickets could 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 range relying on the day and park you’re trying to go to, ranging between $134 to $189 for 2024. Whereas park hours range all year long, at present Magic Kingdom is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. 

Company staying at Disney lodges (and choose different lodges) can reap the benefits of Early Entry to enter the park half-hour earlier than it formally opens. Company 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 

Company 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 often known 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’ – typically that’s the monorail and typically it is the ferry. Both method, it’s good to begin the day with out a wait (if doable) 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 automobile service providing choose perks), can drop guests off immediately exterior of the park. Third-party shuttles sometimes 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: Company solely have to pay one payment for a parking cross that’s good all day in any respect 4 theme parks. 

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

Greatest Rides and Sights 

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 traditional Disney, no journey is full with out a cease at The Enchanted Tiki Room, a journey on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, and a spin by means of 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 certain to be an immediate hit when it opens this summer season.

One of the simplest ways to optimize time inside 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 effective and typically, it’s greatest to spend extra cash to keep away from misplaced time in line. The price varies by park and date, typically ranging between $16 to $35 per day. 

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

Associated: 58 Disney World Rides and Sights, Ranked From Worst to Greatest

Leisure 

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

The Disney Journey Buddies Cavalcade is an abbreviated parade that runs by means of the park and options characters from “Encanto,” “Coco,” and extra. The Disney Competition of Fantasy Parade options unbelievable floats, a protracted listing of characters, and a fantastic 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 fort is vital if you wish to catch the projections, the present remains to be extraordinarily pleasant when considered from different, usually 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 trying 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 an especially standard contemporary fruit waffle sandwich. Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe is a dependable cease for burgers and hen strips. It’s additionally dwelling to Sonny Eclipse, a beloved animatronic performing lounge tunes all about his dwelling planet Zork within the eating room. Casey’s Nook provides scorching canine, corn canine nuggets, and french fries. If you happen to’re searching for non-fried selections, Columbia Harbor Home serves New England-inspired seafood dishes.

Company who wish to rise 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, due to a latest menu overhaul that makes it a unbelievable place to get pleasure from a glass of wine on the patio, particularly whereas a parade passes by.

Snack fiends, be ready: there are numerous 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 a 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 affix 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 reap the benefits of the shortest traces you’ll possible see all day. Seven Dwarfs Mine Practice, Peter Pan’s Flight, Jungle Cruise, and House Mountain develop among the highest wait occasions because the day goes on. From there, deal with the park by land, and don’t overlook to take your time and luxuriate in. Proceed to make the most of Genie+ to e book return occasions for sights — or should you’ve opted to cross on the extra buy, keep watch over wait occasions within the app to go to the shortest traces. Attempt to spot a parade alongside the best way, and finish your day with Fortunately Ever After.

Suggestions 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 in your first journey properly earlier than the park opens. This can be a great benefit over those that cannot rise up and out the door that early. You may be properly in your option to your second (or third) journey earlier than most individuals have gone by means of the turnstiles,” says Testa.
• Be ready for the climate. “It doesn’t matter what time of yr you go to Magic Kingdom, it should possible 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 method, 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 numerous time at Magic Kingdom, think about splurging to remain at a neighboring resort. Company can stroll on to the park from Disney’s Modern Resort and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. This comfort will prevent numerous time and trouble should you plan on staying till the park closes.
• For these trying to keep away from the post-fireworks crowds, think about watching them from the neighboring resorts. Diners at The California Grill situated on the highest ground 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. 
• A number of the greatest components of a day in Magic Kingdom aren’t simply the moments of hovering by means of Large Thunder Mountain or passing by hitchhiking ghosts inside The Haunted Mansion; they’re the magical moments in between, like having a spontaneous dance get together with The Nation Bears or recognizing the names of a number of key Imagineers on the home windows alongside Foremost Avenue U.S.A.