Skip to main content

Top 10 Must Do's at the Magic Kingdom


The Magic Kingdom was the first park to open at Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971.  Known as "the Most Magical Place on Earth," the Magic Kingdom has consistently had the most visitors annually than any other theme park worldwide.  The park consists of 6 wonderfully themed lands; Advenureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Main Street, U.S.A.  Standing at 189 feet tall is the park's icon, Cinderella Castle, which provides a spectacular backdrop for the nighttime fireworks show.

The Magic Kingdom has the most attractions of any of the four parks and perhaps that is why I had such a hard time narrowing down the Must Do's to only 10!  Since it was just too difficult to pick only 10 Must Do’s, there are a couple of honorable mentions that are worth noting.

10. Meet Characters
You can't go to the Magic Kingdom without meeting at least one character!  From Princesses to Mickey and pals, there is no shortage of characters throughout the park.  In addition to classic Meet and Greet locations, you can also see characters in parades and stage shows.

9. Eat Snacks 
The Magic Kingdom is home to many favorite snacks that are must eats.  You can find the Dole Whip in Adventureland, Funnel Cakes at Sleepy Hollow in Liberty Square, grab a hot dog from Casey's Corner, and get all sorts of tasty treats from the Main Street Confectionery.  There are so many wonderful snacks to choose from!  Take a moment on your next visit to enjoy the atmosphere of the Magic Kingdom with your favorite snack.

8. TRON Lightcycle / Run
The newest attraction at the Magic Kingdom is a major must-do!  Inspired by the Disney sci-fi film, TRON: Legacy, you'll enter the Grid on your very own Lightcycle for a high-speed adventure.  Hold on to your hats because TRON Lightcycle / Run is one of the fastest roller coasters at any Disney theme park in the world!  This attraction is only accessible through a virtual queue or by purchasing an individual Lightning Lane so if you want to ride, make sure you are prepared to join the virtual queue or pay to ride. 

7. Haunted Mansion
This classic attraction has been home to 999 happy haunts since opening day in 1971.  The Haunted Mansion is a slow, dark ride located in Liberty Square where guests board a Doom Buggy to tour this haunted home.  You'll pass through classic scenes like the portrait chamber and the graveyard.  It may be a little scary for young guests but the ghosts are truly harmless. 

6. Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Take flight aboard a flying elephant for a
magical flight above Storybook Circus.  This is a classic attraction that it is a favorite to this day.  During the New Fantasyland expansion, Dumbo received an upgrade and now has two sets of rotating elephants and a circus themed play area to entertain the kids while you wait for your turn to fly.  You're never too old for a ride on Dumbo.  This is a major Must Do for kids and kids at heart!

5. Pirates of the Caribbean  

"Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life for Me"  This attraction inspired the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and now the movies have inspired updates to the attraction.  Keep an eye out for Captain Jack Sparrow as you board your boat and sail on your swashbuckling voyage through Caribbean seaport towns.  This is another classic attraction that's not to be missed.   

4. "it's a small world"
It's hard not to sing along while riding this classic attraction. It's also hard to get the song out of your head! "it's a small world" combines the musical talents of the Sherman brothers with the artistic direction of Mary Blair to create "The Happiest Cruise That Ever Sailed." During this 10 minute journey, guests travel through scenes representing all seven continents and containing over 300 traditionally dressed dolls spreading the message of cultural unity and harmony. This timeless attraction is a must do and singing the song is part of the fun!

3. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

This family friendly roller coaster brings you into the mines "where a million diamonds shine" and where you can see the Seven Dwarfs hard at work singing "Heigh Ho." It's a very popular attraction that is not to be missed.

2. Peter Pan's Flight
Set sail aboard your very own flying pirate ship on this classic attraction located in Fantasyland. Begin your journey in the Darling children's nursery as you make your way to Never Land where you see classic scenes from Peter Pan like Mermaid Lagoon and Skull Rock. This is a favorite attraction among guests so it's recommended that you visit early in the day.

1. Double Mountain Whammy
Ok, this is technically 2 Must Do's but I needed to include both of them and I didn't have enough remaining spots in my Must Do list! The Double Mountain Whammy consists of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Space Mountain.  There is nothing more exciting than when you are first tall enough to ride these attractions. These mountains are major Must Do's!

Honorable Mentions
Happily Ever After
There is no better way to end a night at the Magic Kingdom than by viewing fireworks!  This 18 minute nighttime spectacular is just that; Spectacular!  The show features lights, lasers and special effects in addition to projections down Main Street, U.S.A.  Grab a spot early where you can see the castle and the sky for best viewing.  It's one of those Disney experiences that bring tears to my eyes every time.

Festival of Fantasy Parade
It is a truly magical and fantastical display of characters from Fantasyland.  The parade includes a mix of innovative floats, brightly colored costumes and original music full of whimsy and imagination.  Floats include Flynn Rider and Rapunzel on a Tangled inspired float, Peter Pan and Wendy aboard a flying pirate ship, and Maleficent as a fire breathing dragon.  It's a truly spectacular parade!

It's no surprise that the Magic Kingdom is one truly magical park. It has so many classic attractions, many of which Walt Disney helped design when they opened at Disneyland Park. It was truly difficult to narrow down this Must Do list because there are just so many wonderful attractions at the Magic Kingdom.

What are your family's Must Do's?



Ashley has been a Disney Parks fan from an early age and loves anything vintage Disney. You can email Ashley at ashley@kingdomkonsultant.com.

Comments

  1. I LOVE Celebrate the Magic. Not enough people realize just how great it is!! You're right, it's one of the most magical things I've ever seen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That show brings tears to my eyes every time I see it. The technology is just so amazing! And I love the song that goes along with it.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Chronos Club Review at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort

I recently stayed at the Chronos Club at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort. I've been a fan of Disney's Coronado Springs Resort since my first visit as it reminds me of my hometown, San Antonio. I've stayed in rooms ranging from preferred, Casita Suite, Tower King, and now Club Level access. The Chronos Club is located on the 15th floor of the Gran Destino Tower and can only be accessed with a key card or MagicBand to a corresponding Club Level reservation. I've previously stayed Club Level at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort, Disney's BoardWalk Inn, and Disney's Grand Californian Resort. These are all considered Deluxe Resorts. Something that makes the Chronos Club stand out is that it is located in what Disney considers a Moderate Resort. I was really excited to check out the difference in experience, since there can be a notable difference in price tag for Moderate vs. Deluxe Res

Universal's Volcano Bay Private Cabana Review

On a recent training in Universal Orlando Resort, agents Maci, Ashley, Aubrey and Yaritza and I rented a private cabana for the day at Universal's Volcano Bay. There are multiple locations around the park along with the option to have an upper or lower level, all of which reflect in various pricing. Agent Ashley received an email the day before informing her of where to check-in the next morning. While we were personally escorted to the cabana shortly after check in, the line at the check in location is the same as those getting towels, meaning it was not short. As expressed by an additional guest checking into a different cabana, we would have greatly appreciated a separate line, since this caused our group about a half hour wait. We're all adults and made great use of our time getting some fun pictures before the park was filled with guests, but this is important to be aware of if you are traveling with children.  We had an upper level Cabana which came with a splendid view!

Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes

Black Tap Burgers & Shakes is located at the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort.  It is a fast-casual restaurant, meaning you order your items at the counter, but then they bring it to the table for you.  They have a selection of burgers, wings, salads and chicken and a fun milkshake menu.  If you just want a shake, there's also a walkup window outside, but some special creations can only be ordered for dine-in. We placed our order at the counter and noticed all the tables inside were full. We found a table outside and hung out while we waited for our food to come. They have a full bar and craft beers on tap, but I was surprised to get wine in a can. Strawberry Shortcake Shake We had hoped to have this Crazy Shake for dessert, but it actually came before any of our food. The Strawberry Shortcake is described as a vanilla frosted rim with crumbled cake topped with a strawberry shortcake ice cream bar, pink & white twisty pop, whipped cream, strawberry drizzle