Magic Kingdom Guide- What to Know About Your Visit

Magic Kingdom is not only the most magical place on Earth, it is the most visited theme park. In this Magic Kingdom guide I share everything you need to know to plan your visit to this Disney World park.

Magic Kingdom is the park most people think about when planning a visit to Walt Disney World. It has Cinderella’s castle and Main Street U.S.A. as well as the classic attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean and Space Mountain.

This park is the best park for guests of all ages and it has a nostalgia that makes guests return year after year. There are so many rides families can ride together across generations.

Magic Kingdom is the busiest park and has the most attractions at any of the parks at Disney World. You definitely want to have a solid Magic Kingdom itinerary before you arrive at the park.

This guide to Magic Kingdom will help you discover what there is to do at the park and what you want on your must-do list.

Magic Kingdom Guide- The Basics

Before you arrive at Magic Kingdom you want to be familiar with a few things about the park like hours, cost, and how to get there during your vacation.

Cost of Magic Kingdom

A one day ticket to Magic Kingdom starts at $119.00 a day but that is only for select dates in August and September. Most one day tickets start at $150.00+. The daily cost is dependent on time of visit and fluctuates. Standard parking starts at $35.00 a day.

When I look for tickets for Magic Kingdom I always compare prices. I start with the Walt Disney World website to see what special offers are available. Then I compare to other Disney ticket deals and Undercover Tourist deals. If you want someone to do the planning for you reach out to our friend Nikki at Royal Treatment Travel for great deals.

Magic Kingdom Hours

Magic Kingdom hours change depending on the season. It usually opens at 8:00am and closes between 9:00pm and 11:00pm. If it is a party date like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party, Magic Kingdom would close at 6:00pm. Hours can change and I highly recommend confirming your travel dates on the website.

Guests staying at a Disney World resort can take advantage of extra hour perks. Guests staying at a all Disney resorts enter the park 30 minutes before park opening by taking advantage of Early Entry.

Guests staying at a Deluxe resort can take advantage of Extended Evening Hours that are usually the 2 hours after official park closing time.

If you are planning on arriving at park open be sure to arrive at least 30 minutes before the park opens.

How to Get to Magic Kingdom

There are a few different ways to get to Magic Kingdom. If you are staying at a monorail hotel you can take the monorail or walk to the park (Contemporary & Grand Floridian).

A water taxi will take guests staying at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Lodge & Campground, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.

All other resort guests can use the bus transportation to get to the Magic Kingdom from their resort.

Magic Kingdom Layout

Magic Kingdom has a spoke and wheel model to its layout. Cinderella’s castle is at the center and the lands go off. Each land has a pathway back to the middle of the park. At any given place in the park you can look for the castle to help you get around.

Lightning Lane at Magic Kingdom

Lighting Lane is the ride reservations system at Magic Kingdom. It is an additional cost to your daily admission ticket.

Guests that purchase can reserve times to ride each attraction 7 days before check-in date if staying on-site or 3 days before park visit. Both are available at 7:00am on the My Disney Experience App.

There are three types of Lightning Lane Experiences available for purchase:

• Lightning Lane Multi-Pass: Allows guests to book 3 rides before you arrive. After you use 1 you can then book another. 1 reservation per ride per day and cost $29.00-$37.00 a day/per person.
• Lightning Lane Single Pass: A one time purchase for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ($14.00/person) or Tron Lightcyle/Run ($22.00/person). Prices fluctuate depending on day of visit.
• Lightning Lane Premier Pass: Entry to each attraction one time without having to make reservations. Cost is $159.00 a day/per person.

Lighting Lane Attractions at Magic Kingdom

Choose up to one experience from this group:

• Jungle Cruise
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Space Mountain
• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Choose your other 2 experiences—or all 3—from this group:

• The Barnstormer
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Haunted Mansion
• “it’s a small world”
• Mad Tea Party
• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Tomorrowland Speedway
• Under the Sea- Journey of The Little Mermaid

I highly recommend purchasing Lightning Lane Multi-Pass for your Magic Kingdom day. It will save you time and maximize the amount of attractions you can do at the park.

What to Expect at the Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom has 6 different themed lands starting with the entrance to park. Guests will walk down Main Street U.S.A. to see Cinderella’s Castle. It is a wow moment and always an exciting part of our day.

Then there is Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. New areas are under construction at Magic Kingdom that I will go into detail on later in this post.

There are many characters and shows at Magic Kingdom. If you plan to meet or see them check the My Disney Experience app before your visit to take note of times they are available. Some meet and greets end earlier than park hours and popular shows and parades get crowded fast.

A few unique characters at Magic Kingdom are Ariel at her Grotto (as a mermaid), Gaston, Tiana, Rapunzel, and Stitch.

Main Street U.S.A.

Main Street U.S.A. is the street you walk down to enter the park. It looks like a Main Street with shops and dining options. (Table service/Reservations Recommended = TS)

Adventureland

As you walk across the bridge to enter Adventureland you are greeted with a lush atmosphere and jungle like surroundings. Here you can buy a Dole Whip at Aloha Isle and ride Pirates of the Caribbean.

Frontierland

Frontierland has a theme of the old Wild West movies. Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe is one of our go-to spots for a quick service meal.

Liberty Square

Liberty Square is a smaller land and most people stop in for the Haunted Mansion or as a cut through to Fantasyland. The Columbia Harbour House is another one of our favorite quick service spots.

Fantasyland

Fantasyland is home to the classic dark rides as well as new attractions based on beloved characters. This are has the most amount of rides and will be busy all day.

Tomorrowland

Tomorrowland is what was thought to be a look at the future. It has become a bit dated as technology has moved at a expedited pace but the attractions are still great. Buzz Lightyear recently got updated and TRON is a brand new roller coaster. For the super Disney fans a ride on the PeopleMover and Carousel of Progress is a must.

Coming Soon to Magic Kingdom

There are some really exciting things coming to Magic Kingdom over the next 5 years! This will be updated as new information is announced.

• Piston Peak- Brand new addition to Frontierland based on Cars. Guests will be able to explore trails and experience attractions with waterfalls, geysers, and rivers around the new land. There will also be two new attractions. Construction has started but no opening date has been revealed. Expect after 2028.
• Villains Land- We know a Villains Land will be built behind Big Thunder Mountain but we do not have any details. Expect this to open after 2030.

My Final Thoughts

Magic Kingdom is Disney World but when we are visiting it can often feel like a stressful park. I am not saying this to discourage a visit but to give fair warning that it can feel like a chaotic day.

It is the busiest and has the most attractions making it very difficult to tour in one day. If we are doing a week long Disney trip we will try to spend 2 days at Magic Kingdom so we can go at a slower pace each day.

The best days at the theme parks are days where you do not feel pulled in all directions and can take your time, enjoy the ambiance of the park, try some snacks and ride your favorites.

There are days where Magic Kingdom just isn’t that. I try to keep that in mind when we spend the day there. On our first visit to Magic Kingdom I almost had a full meltdown by 11:00am and then refueled with lunch and decided to let go of our plans and be flexible.

This meant the kids running around at the play areas and I enjoyed an iced coffee. Yes we missed a few things but it doesn’t really matter what you skip if you are enjoying the things you are actually experiencing.

Ever since that visit, in 2013, I have approached Magic Kingdom with a plan-but a flexible one. This has made our trips so much better and we look forward to including Magic Kingdom in our Disney trips.

I hope this Magic Kingdom guide gives you a place to start to have a great Disney World vacation.

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If you are overwhelmed with planning or just want someone to make all the reservations for you consider using a travel agent. Our friend Nikki at Royal Treatment Travel is amazing and has helped us plan and book many of our trips. She finds the best deals and her service is complimentary for most theme park vacations! It is a win-win. Learn more here.

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