Disney World! "The Most Magical Place on Earth" and a dream place for many children and adults. Each year, over 20 million people visit Magic Kingdom to experience a taste of what Disney has to offer. With 5 main theme parks, a sports complex, a waterpark, a downtown, and many resorts with transportation in between, one day is not enough time to experience Disney World in its entirety. However, if you have one day, Magic Kingdom is a great place to start
WHAT IS MAGIC KINGDOM?
Magic Kingdom is the original park within The Walt Disney Company's Walt Disney World. The park opened on October 1, 1971 with 23 attractions. It is home to iconic landmarks such as Main Street USA and Cinderella's Castle. The attractions and rides tend to be geared toward the history of Disney and are heavily children-friendly.
Cinderella's Castle at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.
WHERE TO STAY
Magic Kingdom is accessible by car for the external visitors, but for those staying on property the park can be reached by boat, bus, and monorail.
At the base of Disney's Magic Kingdom lies Disney's Contemporary Resort & Bay Lake Towers. With the monorail running through the hotel lobby and only steps away from the park entrance, this is a top spot for visitors who want to visit Magic Kingdom.
A quick boat ride away from Magic Kingdom, this South Pacific-inspired delux hotel offers great amenities and has easy boat, bus, and monorail transportation.
Off Property Transportation
Not staying on property? No issue. Guests can park at the Ticket and Transportation Center, then take the monorail to Magic Kingdom. Be advised while it's a relatively easy journey from the parking lot to the front gate, it can take about 20-30 min to get to the front gate. Then, another 10min+ to get into the park gates depending on how busy it is that day. Plan accordingly so you don't miss any reservations. With Disney, it's better to be early than to rush.
PREPARING FOR YOUR TRIP
Buying Your Tickets
There are many third party sites to buy your tickets from and stores such as AAA that may offer packages with discounted pricing. Disney also offers discounted passes to Florida residents. Undercover Tourist is what my family uses to find the best priced tickets for less, but there are also other sites such as Orlando Fun Tickets and Get Away Today that provide discounted passes. That said, for my latest Disneyworld trip, buying our tickets directly through Disney ended up being the best pricing.
Genie Plus
A relatively new feature that Disney has adopted is Genie Plus. This feature allows guests to log on to their My Disney Experience app and plan out their day with the help of "Genie." When logging in you'll be able to see resources to help you organize your day such as your tickets, park maps, mobile food orders, resort information, and more. When planning your day at the park, use the My Disney Experience app's My Disney Genie Day to see what rides are up and running and book your times to visit. This is an extra cost around $18-$20 per ticket that can be added at midnight on the day of your active pass.
Tips for using Genie Plus
You can start booking rides at 7am the morning of your tickets.
Be ready, on your phone to book your first Genie Plus "fast pass" by 6:55am
Know what ride you're going to book, at 7am sharp scroll in the alphabetical list of experiences to book yours.
You won't see the time you'll receive, but book fast! The quicker you book around 7am, the quicker it will be.
Your time can change from the reservation screen to the booking. Keep clicking through to reserve - your time is not held on the initial reservation screen.
At parking opening, or after you use your pass, you are able to book your next pass.
You can book your next Genie Plus after you scan in to the ride with a reservation.
Lightning Lane
For select rides, you may need to purchase Lightning Lane in addition to your park pass with Genie Plus to avoid the line. The cost will range between $10-$12 per person per ride depending on the time of the day. When booking a time slot for the ride, you will see a LL which indicates Lightening Lane. You can do this all directly through your MyDisneyExperience app.
Key Point: The total cost is Park Pass + Genie Plus + Lightning Lane. You buy LL per ride, not per day.
Managing Your Tickets
If you're traveling in a big group, you may consider becoming friends with everyone in your party on your MyDisneyExperience account. The benefit is so when you're going to make a booking, someone in your party can select everyone's pass and then make the reservation together. If you purchase your tickets separately, have no fear, you can easily transfer your tickets into one account by navigating to your MyDisneyExperience account then click Tickets and Passes then Link Tickets & Passes.
PLANNING FOR THE DAY
Magic Kingdom is deceivingly large, the biggest piece of advice I have is to familiarize yourself with the park map in advance of your visit so that you're not running from one side of the park to the next. It may be smarter to forgo an earlier Genie Plus reservation for a later time slot if it makes more sense about where you'll be and when. For me, I prefer to walk in through Main Street, start in Tomorrowland, and then work my way counterclockwise around the park to end up back on Main Street for the mid-day parades and end of the day fireworks show.
Disneyworld's Magic Kingdom Park Map.
PACKING FOR THE DAY
My biggest tip is to pack lightly and efficiently. You'll be walking around all day and the more stuff you bring, the more stuff you need to not only carry around, but make sure you don't lose. Disneyworld allows outside food and drink so if you're looking to save money or have dietary restrictions you can bring in your own food. Also, consider the weather. Florida is generally hot and humid, you never know when a rainstorm may roll in. Be prepared for the sunshine and check the forecast for rain. That said, here's what I'm packing:
Magic Band - Purchase your magic band and link your park ticket in advance for easy entry.
Minnie Ears - Speaks for itself, have to show some Disney love!
Tee Shirt - An oversized cotton tee protects your shoulders from the sun and is ultra comfy.
Shorts - Athletic shorts are comfy and will dry quickly if you get wet on a water ride.
Sneakers - With so much walking, it simply doesn't make sense to wear anything else.
Small Backpack - Keep it small and pack only the essentials.
Sunscreen - Protect yourself from the sun - wear your sunscreen!
Chapstick - Again, we don't want our lips to burn.
Band-Aids - You never know when you'll get a blister or trip and fall.
Ibuprofen - Always nice to have on hand in case of the sun-induced headache.
Snacks - Keep them light and (kind of) healthy, nice to save some money by packing snacks.
Sunglasses - No matter the time of year, the sun will be out. Bring some shades!
Water Bottle - Bring in your own water bottle and refill it at inside the park.
Rain Poncho - Go to the dollar store and pick up a cheap rain poncho in case of a quick rain.
WHERE TO EAT
Once you've made your mind to go to Disney's Magic Kingdom, you should start checking out the reservations. Reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance of your visit right on the My Disney Experience App. Although not needed, there are some great restaurants inside the park and it's always nice to secure some air conditioning to escape the Florida heat and humidity.
Located in Fantasyland, guests can experience this Beauty and the Beast inspired elegant dining. Due to its high demand, reservations should be made well in advance and head count must be accurately accounted for.
Most known for the character dining experience, this restaurant is located in the heart of Magic Kingdom and is a sit-down experience. Due to its high demand, reservations should be made well in advance and head count must be accurately accounted for.
A casual quick-dining experience located just beyond Cinderella's Castle between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, this spot offers great food, and even better - lots of seating and air conditioning. You can order from here in advance on your MyDisneyExperience account.
Located at the end of Main Street USA overlooking Cinderella's Castle, this American-style restaurant offers hot dogs, corn dogs, fries, fountain drinks and more for a quick bite to eat.
WHAT TO EAT
The Disney snack services have been stepping up their game in recent years. Now, each park has their own unique snacks for guests to try at the walk-up stands. Magic Kingdom has especially great dessert food - great for keeping small children going all day. If you're looking for a quick snack, seek out some of these stops:
Turkey Legs
Commonly found in Frontierland, turkey legs are a park staple and a hearty meal while walking around.
Pepper Jack Stuffed Pretzel
Within Frontierland there is a small snack cart that has these Pepper Jack Stuffed Pretzels. They're a unique take with gooey pepper jack cheese inside a traditional pretzel.
Cheeseburger & Pastrami Spring Rolls
When heading into Adventureland, there's a small cart of food that has cheeseburger and pastrami spring rolls. Stop here before making your way into the ride and pick these up!
Dole Whip
Classic pineapple Dole Whip can only be found at Magic Kingdom's Aloha Isle in Adventure Land. The line tends to be long, so plan accordingly and get in line for some classic Dole Whip.
I Lava You Dole Whip
A fun take on the traditional pineapple Dole Whip, this tasty treat is a sweet mixture of Orange Dole Whip, orange Fanta, strawberry and passionfruit syrups, and pop rocks. It can be found at Sunshine Tree Terrace as you enter Adventure Land.
WHAT TO DO
Below is a list of my favorite rides starting at Tomorrowland and moving through the park in counterclockwise order to Adventureland. This will help limit walking, but also prepare for the day. Most of the rides and attractions are geared to children, if you are traveling with adrenaline junkies you'll want to tailor your expectations. Hollywood Studios or EPCOT, other parks within Disney World, may be better suited for those folks.
Buzz Lightyear
An interactive, slow moving laser tag game and ride combined. So fun!
People Mover
A slow moving, train-like ride that takes you around the top of Tomorrowland.
Space Mountain
A high-speed roller coaster taking you through "space" in a dark, starry atmosphere.
TRON Lightcycle Run
The newest, high-speed roller coaster in Tomorrowland. Guests will ride on motorcycle-like carts for a new kind of experience.
Mad Tea Party
Sit inside teacups and spin as fast as you can! This ride will make you dizzy and is suitable for all ages.
Dumbo the Elephant
Sit in a Dumbo inspired cart and control if you want to fly high or low around the circle.
The Barnstormer
A child-friendly, low-impact roller coaster with subtle turns and drops.
Ariel's Grotto
A slow-paced boat ride that takes you through the story of The Little Mermaid.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
An exciting roller coaster with high-tech animatronics combining an exhilarating experience with technology.
Peter Pan's Flight
A slow-paced gondola-type of ride that takes you through the story of Peter Pan.
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
The oldest ride in Magic Kingdom, this is Disney's take on the traditional merry-go-round ride.
Jungle Cruise
A low-impact outdoor water ride that takes you through a comedic journey through the rivers of the Amazon. This is a calm, roughly 10 minute, water ride.
Pirates of the Caribbean
A low-impact indoor water ride that takes you through the Pirates of the Caribbean storyline with animatronics.
If you are thinking "okay this is great, but what should I use my Genie Plus on?"
I would recommend Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and TRON.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Magic Kingdom is Disney's staple park that all Disney enthusiasts must visit once in their lifetime. Walking into the park takes you into another world that you can experience no where else. Sure, the lines are long and it can get expensive, but heading in with the right mindset can make all of the difference. Preparing in advance, packing accordingly, and having a plan will allow for you to relax and enjoy your time experiencing the magic of Walt Disney World.
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