11 Tips for Tackling Disney World's Magic Kingdom

When visiting such an adored theme park, you don’t want to pass through the gates without a battle plan. With so much to experience, eat, and enjoy in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom – you’ll simply never experience it all in a day. However, we are here to help you get the most out of your visit, even if it isas short as one day! Take heed and check out the following tips to make the most of your time in the happiest spot in Orlando.

1. Get Up for Rope Drop

Countless Disney fans recommend this tactic and for good reason. Arriving before the park opens not only allows you to get through security quickly, it gives you prime access to everything! This is the time to ride Space Mountain, grab a picture with Mickey, or enjoy an iced coffee at the Main Street Bakery before the line explodes. Basically, if you’re interested in accomplishing many things with minimal wait times, you have to be an early bird and catch that worm.

2. The Most Important Meal of the Day

If you need a motivation to get up super early, book an Advance Dining Reservation for breakfast at either Cinderella’s Royal Table, The Crystal Palace, or Be Our Guest. You can even make reservationsbeforethe park officially opens! Not only will you have a head start on running to your favorite rides, but you’ll have the opportunity to take pictures in a practically empty park. Don’t miss out on this golden opportunity to stroll down a completely peaceful Main Street U.S.A. This opportunity will not come around often.

3. Know the Attractions

Again, it would be difficult to ride all the attractions in one day, but we’d recommend having a brief list of “must-dos”. If you can’t get FastPass+ reservations for all of them, just prioritize the rides that require a stand-by line. Understand the general layout of the park so you aren’t running from one end of the park to the other. And lastly, don’t forget that lines are always shorter early in the morning and during the parade/fireworks show. Take advantage of this if necessary.

4. … But Don’t Skip Low-Wait Attractions

If you’ve been dying to get on the Magic Kingdom’s most popular rides (e.g. Seven Dwarves Mine Train), it can be easy to forget about other attractions. Don’t! Many of the less-popular rides are enchanting, not-miss experiences that were designed by Walt himself. For instance, The Carousel of Progress made a splash at the 1964 New York World’s Fair before making a home in Disney parks. It’s a Small World was also a World’s Fair centerpiece and still features stunning Mary Blair artwork and the Sherman Brothers’ famous tune. Basically, just because a ride doesn’t have a long wait, that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth riding. Don’t want to skip these and miss out on some tried and true Disney history.