Magic Kingdom in One Day – What You Must Experience

Being the most popular theme park in the world, the Magic Kingdom is stuffed to the brim with things to see and do, characters to meet, as well as food to try.  Normally, we would recommend taking at least two days (if not more) to experience the Magic Kingdom, but we understand that sometimes vacations and budgets don’t allow for that.  Here are the things you need to see and do when you only have one day to visit the Magic Kingdom!

All Day Experience

If your trip to the Magic Kingdom is going to be restricted to only one day, you should try and go for the entire day so you can get in as much fun as possible.  Disney publishes their park hours calendars in advance, so you can plan ahead and know what time you need to get to the park (as well as know when you can schedule your FastPass+ selections)!  Additionally, getting to the park early is going to help get you on some extra attractions before lines can start to build!

Ride One of the Mountains

A lot of guests try and conquer the entire mountain range, but if you’re strapped for time (or FastPasses), ride at least one of the mountains — Splash Mountain or Thunder Mountain in Frontierland or Space Mountain in Tomorrowland.  If you are traveling with thrill ride adverse people or have a small child in your party, climbing aboard one of the swinging cars at Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is a great replacement with some pretty amazing views!

Classic Disney Show

We always like feeling a connection to Walt Disney when we visit the parks, especially the Magic Kingdom.  After you’ve ridden a couple of attractions and need a break and want to relax, you’ll want to experience one of the classic Disney shows throughout the park.  In Adventureland, you can grab a Dole Whip or Citrus Swirl and enjoy the Enchanted Tiki Room.  If birds aren’t your animal of choice, you may like the nearby Country Bear Jamboree in Frontierland or travel over to Tomorrowland, where guests can take a trip through time aboard the Carousel of Progress.  And finally, in Liberty Square, guests can celebrate American democracy with a trip to the Hall of Presidents.  The shows are offered continuously throughout the day, so you won’t have any problem finding a time to enjoy one of these shows!

Time to Relax

Even though it is the busiest theme park in the world, there are still places where guests can get away from the crowds and enjoy some quiet time without having to battle hordes of people.  One of our favorites is the Walt Disney World Railroad — with stops on Main Street, in Frontierland, and Storybook Circus, guests are never too far from a station.  Guests liking the sit and rest may also like the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover that takes guests on an elevated tour of Tomorrowland.  Over in Liberty Square and Frontierland, guests can also experience and enjoy either Tom Sawyer’s Island (relaxing rocking chairs on the dock) or a cruise around the Rivers of America aboard the Liberty Belle.