9 Things Disney Pros Do First In Magic Kingdom

Visiting the Walt Disney World Parks can be very overwhelming. With so much to see and do it can be hard to determine what to do and at what time to make the most out of your trip. If you plan to arrive early, you’re in luck! Here are 9 things Disney pros do first when visiting the most popular park in Orlando, the Magic Kingdom.

9. Make Early Breakfast Reservations

Did you know that you can actually enter the park before it opens to the general public? The only way to be able to do this is to make dining reservations for breakfast! You can march right on into the Magic Kingdom and dine before the large crowd bursts past the gate, leaving you more time to enjoy the parks instead of having to use that time to sit and eat! It’s great to be able to enjoy breakfast at Cinderella’s Royal Table or Be Our Guest, for example, without having to worry about wasting park time! Remember to make your breakfast reservations as soon as possible since they tend to fill up quickly.

8. Take Pictures in Front of the Castle

Speaking of early reservations, how about taking pictures in front of the beloved Cinderella castle without anyone ruining your picture perfect moment? Without the usual large crowd, it’s easy to take a family shot in front of the castle as you’re on your way to breakfast! There have been some really beautiful baby pictures, proposals, and family shots taken with just the castle in the background. Since the general crowd of guests is waiting to enter the parks at regular park opening, it is a great idea to sneak these pictures in before you dine. These peaceful mornings are perfect for special pictures!

7. Attend the Rope Drop

The rope drop may be early in the morning, but it is well worth it if you have never seen it before! Having Mickey and Minnie and all of their friends welcome guests to the park with music and a show is truly magical and should be experienced by every Disney lover! Be sure to arrive early and check it out on your next trip!

6. Head to the Left

It has been proven that most guests that enter the park head over to the right towards Tomorrowland. If you are not a fan of crowds and would like to check out some of the other attractions without a long wait time, head over to the left. There are plenty of rides and character meet-and-greets in Adventureland (on the left of the park) to enjoy! Sometimes, Jasmine and Aladdin even ride the Magic Carpets with guests early in the morning here!

5. Snag Your Fastpasses

If you didn’t previously select fastpasses on your my Disney Experience app, be sure to head to a kiosk first thing to reserve them. Fastpasses are like golden tickets around Walt Disney World. They sell out like there is no tomorrow! Grabbing your fastpasses first thing will allow you to snag what hasn’t already been taken in advance, giving you more of a chance to select something you would like.

4. Go Straight To The Most Popular Attractions

There are some attractions, like the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Peter Pan’s Flight, that are known for having extensive wait times. If your goal is to experience rides, be sure to head to these first before they are loaded with guests. Don’t know which rides typically have long wait times? Be sure to watch the wait times for a few days in a row on you’re my Disney Experience app. This will give you an idea as to what ride you will want to head over to first.

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3. Grab a Seat For the Festival of Fantasy Parade

If you didn’t make it into the parks early in the morning and are looking forward to seeing a great parade, be sure to snag seats to the Festival of Fantasy parade. This parade has 1-2 showings daily and typically is performed during the afternoon hours. This parade gets full quickly, so if you really want a great viewing spot, be sure to snag one at least an hour prior to show time!

2. Go Shopping

Taking it easy at the parks today? Are you more interested in shopping than riding? If that is the case, then head into the stores down Main Street U.S.A! Since the majority of the crowds are racing towards the rides and attractions in the park, you can check out the shops with ease and small crowds!

1. Go Meet Characters

If meeting all of the beloved characters of Disney is on the top of your priority list, be sure to head directly to them when you enter the park! Most character meet-and-greet locations are listed on the park map or on the My Disney Experience app. Others, however, are scattered in the park and not noted on the character schedule of the park map or app. Characters like Anna and Elsa always have long wait times, so if you are wanting to meet these popular ladies, be sure to head to them first!

BONUS TIP: Consider planning and booking your next Disney trip with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner you can trust like Mickey Travels. They’ll help you get the best Walt Disney World deal, share expert advice and their services are totally FREE! It’s genius!