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If you are heading to Florida and want to go to Disney World, going to Magic Kingdom is a must-do!
Magic Kingdom has everything a Disney fan may want to see! You will find the castle, all Disney characters, the parade and amazing rides!
Disney Parks are the most popular theme parks in the world. No need to explain why!
They are the perfect place for kids and adults. Everybody has fun at Disney!
Because Magic Kingdom is so popular, you need to plan your visit in advance.
Don’t worry, there is nothing complicated about it but if you want to make the best of your day at Magic Kingdom, you need to know what to do!
In this article, you will discover the best Magic Kingdom one day itinerary!
How to book tickets for Disney World Orlando
You can book your tickets for any of the Disney World parks on their official website.
You will need to choose the date, the number of days and how many parks you want to have access to.
Disney never offers discounts so there is no need to wait for a special offer, it will never come.
The only kind of discount they have is the Florida Resident pass. It’s way cheaper than any other passes but they will ask for proof of residency! If you do not live in Florida, don’t even think about it! It just won’t work!
Single-day tickets cost $115 for adults. You can get tickets for as long as $25 per day if you take a 21-day pass.
Another option is to go through an agency. If you are planning on going to several theme parks in Orlando or stay in one of the resort, you can get a good deal for the package.
How to get to Magic Kingdom
Orlando is the theme-park capital of the world.
They are all gathered near the airport and very easily accessible by car.
From Downtown Orlando, go on the interstate 4 and take exit 67.
If you don’t have a car, you can take a uber or a shuttle from Orlando.
Parking at Disney World Orlando
The car park costs $30 for a day and is free for annual pass holders.
If one person in the car has an annual pass, it will be enough to get it for free.
Don’t forget to keep your receipt in case you choose to go to another Disney Park on the same day.
Once you parked, you can either walk to the entrance or jump on the trolley.
Security checks at the entrance of Magic Kingdom
At the entrance of the park, they will check your bags and scan your ticket.
You are allowed to bring food and water in Magic Kingdom so do not worry about that.
These checks are only for safety purposes and not to forbid food.
That having been said, Magic Kingdom is dry so you are not allowed to take alcohol in.
The other Disney parks allow alcohol. You will have to buy it in a bar though, you can’t bring your own.
From the entrance to the park
There are two ways to reach the park: train or ferry.
The train is faster but the ride is not particularly nice and it gets very busy.
I recommend taking it in the morning so you get to Magic Kingdom as early as possible.
The ferry is a slower option but is a really nice ride.
I recommend taking it on the way back.
It’s very pleasant and will be the perfect ending to your magical day! It’s also a good way to avoid the crowds.
Once you get to the entrance, you will have to scan your ticket one last time and then the adventure begins!
Quick information about Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom was the first Disney Park ever.
It was opened in 1971 and is described as the princess park. Cinderella castle sits in the middle.
Although it is a very old park, it’s been extremely well looked after and a lot of new attractions were added. It’s pretty similar to Disneyland Paris.
Magic Kingdom is made up of 6 lands:
- Main Street, USA
- Adventureland
- Tomorrowland
- Frontierland
- Fantasyland
What rides are in Magic Kingdom?
Magic Kingdom is not particularly known for its roller coasters, yet you’ve got some really good rides.
It’s also the best place for children as you have some very smooth attractions.
Here is a list of the main attractions in Magic Kingdom at Disney World Orlando.
In Adventureland:
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- The Jungle Cruise
- Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
- The Swiss Family Treehouse
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
In Frontierland:
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Splash Mountain
- Country Bear Jamboree
In Fantasyland:
- It’s a Small World, Peter Pan’s Flight,
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
- Mad Tea Party.
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (New attraction)
- Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid (New attraction)
In Tomorrowland:
- Space Mountain
- Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress
- Astro Orbiter
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
How to use Lightning Lanes to make the best of your day at Magic Kingdom
Now starts the interesting part. If you want to make the best of your Disney experience and go on as many rides as possible, you need to be organised.
The place is very crowded and you need to understand how things work! Otherwise, you will spend most of your time waiting in line and end up going on 2 or 3 rides maximum.
Disney is all about using Lightning Lanes in the best way.
For each attraction, there is a normal waiting line and a Lightning Lanes line. You need to be organised to get the best Lightning Lane Entrances in Magic Kingdom!
To get the Lightning Lanes, you will need to buy them on the app (or when you book your ticket).
After that, you will need to book your Lightning Lane for specific attractions. It gives you the right to jump the line at a certain time. It’s a bit like booking an appointment for a ride.
The amazing thing about Magic Kingdom Lightning Lanes is that obviously, you don’t have to wait but also as you know when you’ll have to go to the attraction.
It will help you organise your day better and choose what to do meanwhile.
A Lightning Lanes is available on a 1-hour slot (so, pretty flexible!).
They are released 60 days in advance for people staying in Disney resorts and 30 days in advance for the others.
You don’t need to book them that much in advance, it should be fine even if you wait to actually be there but if you want to ride the most popular one like the 7-dwarfs Mine Train or Space Mountain, you might want to try to get them in advance.
đź’ˇPRO TIP: Mornings are not as busy so it’s better to use your Lightning Lanes in the afternoon.
Now, let’s talk about the rides. You need to choose your Lightning Lanes wisely. There is no need to get one for the flying carpet of Aladdin as it never gets that busy.
Here are the rides you need a Lightning Lanes for (it’s important to keep an eye out for them all day long!):
- Seven Dwarfs Mine
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Space Mountain
- Splash Mountain
- Peter Pan Flight
Morning: Frontierland & Adventureland
As you enter the park, you will walk up Main Street USA.
Take a quick photo with the castle (as long as it’s not too busy) and head towards Adventureland.
If you managed to get a Lightning Lane for Seven-Dwarf Mine or if the line is under 50 min, do it now! This ride is super busy and it can be very hard to get on it.
If you don’t have a Lightning Lane and the line is already more than 1 hour, pass your way (I have another trick up my sleeve, you’ll see later!)
Head to Frontierland and go on Big Thunder and Splash Mountain. These get very busy during the day but should be alright in the morning.
They are very close by so you should be able to go on both without having to wait much. If that’s not the case, get a Lightning Lanes.
After that, make your way back to Adventureland and go on: Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise.
Lunch: Liberty Tree Tavern
Now it’s time for lunch!
As you will be going on rides in Liberty Square, I recommend eating at Liberty Tree Tavern. They have amazing burgers! The decor is very interesting too.
While you are eating, try to score a Lightning Lane for the Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan’s Flight and Space Mountain.
Afternoon: Liberty Square, Tomorrowland & Fantasyland
Head to Liberty Square to go on the Haunted Mansion. It’s quite a cool one and there a few great photo opportunities there.
If you can get a Lightning Lanes, it would be worth using (don’t give up the Space Mountain one for this though).
You can then go to Peter Pan’s Flight. Only go on this one if the line is not too long otherwise come back later.
After that, walk across to Tomorrowland. If you have a Space Mountain Lightning Lane, head there first. Otherwise, you can go to Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and Monster Inc. Laugh Floor.
If you still have some time to kill, go to People Mover (the line rarely gets longer than 20 min) and go to Space Mountain.
Once you are done with Tomorrowland, you can make your way back to Fantasyland and Adventure land. At this time, you should be able to see the parade and some shows.
After that, head to Peter Pan’s flight if you haven’t done it before.
Dinner: Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe
Located in Frontierland, Pecos Bill Tall is a great place to grab a quick dinner. I particularly recommend their tacos! They are very good and very reasonably priced (for Disney!).
You can sit at a table and take your time to eat if you want to. As the service is fast, you can be out very quickly too.
Before heading back to Fantasyland to go see the fireworks, head to the Seven-Dwarf mine. That’s the best time of the day to go on it!
About 1 hour before the fireworks, everybody stops going to rides and that’s when you will get to do this one!
The line might even be shorter that it says. At this time of the day, you can go through with no Lightning Lane in 40 minutes (and yes, even in peak season!). That’s my favourite Magic Kingdom tip!
Evening: Fireworks
Head back to Fantasyland to enjoy the fireworks.
Disney is famous for its daily fireworks and that’s something you need to see! They are so pretty and they put on a great show!
The fireworks are at 8 pm and last for about 20 mins.
If you haven’t done one of the rides that required a Lightning Lane, I recommend staying near this land.
For example, if you haven’t done Big Thunder (or want to do it again), make sure you stand near the street to Frontierland.
When the fireworks end, most people head straight back out but some rides are still running! It’s a great time to catch a last-minute ride!
Going to Magic Kingdom is a magical experience. Of course, you can take things easy but if you want to go on as many rides as possible, this Magic Kingdom one day itinerary should come in very handy!
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