Magic Kingdom: Tips and Tricks

Magic Kingdom truly can be The Most Magical Place on Earth. 

If you know what you are getting into and how to plan accordingly. So, I wrote this handy dandy guide for you! 

I love Magic Kingdom and  it really does feel magical to step onto Main Street with your favorite Mickey ears on and to see Cinderella Castle for the first time. 

In this guide I will go over my favorite things and some tips and tricks for a day at Magic Kingdom. Also at the end of this post, I will provide a one day itinerary idea for you!

GETTING THERE

How do you even get to Magic Kingdom?

There are two main ways. You can drive and park in the parking lot (or you can take an uber/Lyft). Then from the parking lot you will ride a tram that takes you to an area where you will go through security and then, you will hop on either the monorail or the ferry. These will take you to the Magic Kingdom entrance. You get such pretty views of the castle from both of these transportations, on your way in or out. So you can take either one to get to the Magic Kingdom entrance. I personally like to do both. You can plan to do one in the morning on your way in and the other at night on your way out. It’s a cool experience to get to see the views from both. 

The other main way to get to the park is to ride one of the Disney buses which will take you directly to the park entrance.

Now, once at the entrance, you scan your ticket or Magicband and enter the park! Once you’re inside, the choice is all yours! You can guide your day however works best for you.

The park is divided into several different lands, 

Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Liberty Square, Frontierland, Adventureland, and there is also Main Street. 

You truly can start your day anywhere. I personally don’t think there is a specific way that is better than another. Because what matters is your priorities, your schedule, and what works best for you.

 But there are a few things you can do that will make the day extra special.

TIPS AND TRICKS

Arrive early and get a nice spot in front of the castle stage to watch the opening ceremonies

Take advantage of the earlier hours before most people come, and ride the rides that are your number one priorities, or the ones you know will have long lines later in the day. Also during this morning time, I suggest riding anything you think you will want to do more than once. It makes waiting in a long line for it later in the day not as bad, cause at least you already got to ride it once with a short wait.

Enjoy the air conditioning and let yourself rest

Orlando, Florida is hot, humid and overall not a great place to spend 8 hours non stop outside. So don’t just suffer through. Drink LOTS of water and go indoors when you need to. Those little shows and indoor activities can be a real lifesaver when you feel like you are  sweating to death and have been standing in lines for hours. My favorites for a little cool down break, (or just a good resting break) are, Carousel of Progress, PeopleMover, Tiki Room, or Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor.

Try to plan your meals either before or after the “normal” times

If you eat lunch at 2 pm instead of around 12pm or 1pm like most everyone else, you can take advantage of some shorter lines in the restaurants. And shorter lines for rides while most everyone else is eating! This is one of my favorite tips! I do this every time I go to any of the parks. Go fit in a ride and a show at 12pm while everyone else eats, and then enjoy a no wait, no fighting to find a table meal. Of course some places will just be busy, because they are always busy…I mean it is Disney World. And honestly it’s usually busy, especially in Magic Kingdom. But even still the lines will be slightly shorter if you eat a little later or earlier.

Enjoy the magic!

Let yourself be a kid, or take the moments to watch your kids get to be kids. Watch a stage show, watch the fireworks, or stand and wave at characters during the parade!

Or if that really isn’t  your vibe, go ride Thunder Mountain during the fireworks to get a super short line, and a dang cool view. While parents and little kids watch Cinderella go by on her float, go ride the rides with shorter lines. You can enjoy the magic of Disney in whatever way you like!

Eat some Treats

One of the best things at the parks is the treats! It’s just a fact. And  A Dole Whip from Aloha Isle is kind of a must when spending a day at the Magic Kingdom.

As someone who has been to Magic Kingdom many times, I do have some favorite things to do, see and eat! 

MY FAVORITES

*Places to Eat: Casey’s Corner on Main Street. Their plant based slaw dog is amazing! (You can thank me later for this one) and another favorite from there is the corn dog nuggets. I also love Skipper Canteen. It’s a table service restaurant in Adventureland. It’s themed after the Jungle Cruise ride and the food is delicious!

*Snacks and Treats: I love the coconut pineapple swirl from Aloha Isle. Popcorn from the carts is a Johnson family classic, (and if you buy the refillable bucket you can use it at every single park). The candied almonds, Plaza Ice Cream Parlor, and the dumplings from Sunshine Terrace are all so yummy!

*Rides: My favorites are Pirates of the Caribbean, Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Under the Sea (The Little Mermaid), and Space Mountain. And although Splash Mountain isn’t one of my top favorites, I do love riding it at the end of the night after the fireworks. I don’t know why, but there’s something magical about riding it in the dark, at the end of a long day, perfecting silly poses for the picture with your friends and family. 

* And lastly, I am a show girlie. I love the parade, it’s amazing. The show on the stage in front of the castle, Friendship Faire, is so cute.  Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor in Tomorrowland is a must in my opinion (and also, air conditioning is a plus). And the fireworks make me cry, I love them. 

AND NOW with all that info–

My One Day Itinerary for Magic Kingdom

I truly hope this guide helps you to plan your next trip to Magic Kingdom and to have the most magical time! 

Thanks for reading!