Final Information to Magic Kingdom, From Disney Consultants

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 modern sights and go to lands fastidiously crafted to move company to a different time or place. No journey to Walt Disney World could 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 your complete world, with greater than 17 million guests in 2022, based on the International Sights Attendance Report.

With this reputation comes crowds, so figuring out easy methods to greatest navigate the park is important to make sure an excellent expertise. “Walt Disney World is sophisticated in a method that is totally different from virtually some other trip vacation spot. There are much more individuals who need to experience Disney’s greatest rides and eat at Disney’s greatest eating places than there may be experience and restaurant capability for them. You may must make reservations for the favored rides and eating places or danger 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 you’ll want to know to plan an ideal day at Magic Kingdom.

Planning Your Go to

“The 2 issues to contemplate 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 most effective climate is usually between November and March, with daytime highs between 75 and 80 levels.” 

Tickets may be bought as both single or multi-day passes, and you’ll add the Park Hopper possibility 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 trying 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 accommodations (and choose different accommodations) 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 accommodations can take pleasure in Prolonged Night Hours after the park closes on choose nights.

Attending to Magic Kingdom 

Visitors can not 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 called the TTC. From there, company 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 method, it’s good to start out the day with no wait (if potential) since there will definitely be loads of ready to come back,” 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 popular parking varies seasonally between $45 and $55 per day, and outsized car parking is $35 per day. For those who’re park-hopping, excellent news: Visitors solely must pay one payment for a parking cross that’s good all day in any respect 4 theme parks. 

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

Greatest Rides and Sights 

Youthful company 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 experience Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad, House Mountain, and Tron Lightcycle Run. For followers of traditional Disney, no journey is full with no cease at The Enchanted Tiki Room, a experience 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 company of all ages. And Tiana’s Bayou Journey is certain to be an prompt hit when it opens this summer time.

One of the simplest 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 a further value, however time within the parks is efficacious and generally, it’s greatest to spend more money 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 reveals that run a number of instances all through the day and have Mickey and his buddies, Tiana and pals from “The Princess and the Frog,” and extra. 

The Disney Journey Mates 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 unbelievable floats, a protracted listing of characters, and an excellent 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 seen 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 trying to maximize their time within the parks ought to choose to order from quick-serve areas, ideally with cellular orders. Sleepy Hole is a superb cease for breakfast, providing an especially widespread contemporary fruit waffle sandwich. Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe is a dependable cease for burgers and hen strips. It’s additionally house to Sonny Eclipse, a beloved animatronic performing lounge tunes all about his house planet Zork within the eating room. Casey’s Nook gives scorching canine, corn canine nuggets, and french fries. For those who’re in search of non-fried selections, Columbia Harbor Home serves New England-inspired seafood dishes.

Visitors who need to rise up shut with their favourite pals 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 pals. 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 take pleasure in a glass of wine on the patio, particularly whereas a parade passes by.

Snack fiends, be ready: there are plenty 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 ebook your first Genie+ choice and be part of the digital queue for Tron Lightycle Run at 7 a.m. For those who miss the 7 a.m. window, there may be one other probability to affix the Tron digital queue at 1 p.m. from contained in the park. For those who’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 preferred rides first to benefit from the shortest traces you’ll seemingly 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 luxuriate in. Proceed to make the most of Genie+ to ebook return instances for sights — or should you’ve opted to cross on the extra buy, control wait instances within the app to move to the shortest traces. Attempt to spot a parade alongside the way in which, 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 let you line up in your first experience nicely earlier than the park opens. This can be a super benefit over those that cannot rise up and out the door that early. You may be nicely in your option to your second (or third) experience earlier than most individuals have gone by the turnstiles,” says Testa.
• Be ready for the climate. “It doesn’t matter what time of yr you go to Magic Kingdom, it would seemingly rain — and it’s at all times 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 nicely on water rides too!),” says Davis-Friedman.
• For those who plan on spending plenty of time at Magic Kingdom, contemplate splurging to remain at a neighboring resort. Visitors can stroll on to the park from Disney’s Up to date Resort and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. This comfort will prevent plenty of time and trouble should you plan on staying till the park closes.
• For these trying to keep away from the post-fireworks crowds, contemplate watching them from the neighboring resorts. Diners at The California Grill situated on the highest ground of Disney’s Up to date Resort have entry to a viewing deck that pipes within the present’s sound, as does the seaside 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 Huge Thunder Mountain or passing by hitchhiking ghosts inside The Haunted Mansion; they’re the magical moments in between, like having a spontaneous dance occasion with The Nation Bears or recognizing the names of a number of key Imagineers on the home windows alongside Most important Road U.S.A.