Game Plan: Magic Kingdom

What you do at any of the Disney parks depends on the ages of you and your kids. This game plan outlines how we visit the park, and some of the rides/attractions we visit each time we visit the park.

You can take the monorail or a boat ride to Magic Kingdom. The monorail will get you to the park faster. The boat ride is a nice alternative for relaxing and soaking in the sites.

When you enter the park, walk up Main Street to the castle, and then through the park areas in a counter-clockwise circle to get to rides that often have long lines first. By going to the right first, you will start in Tomorrowland.

Notes:

• The busiest rides in the park are Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and Splash Mountain. Peter Pan also gets a long line. Buzz Lightyear can get a long line, but the line moves fairly fast. Check out FastPass+ options for these rides.
• Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom is a great scavenger hunt through the park and gives you a fun activity to do off and on during the day. Stop at the Firehouse next to City Hall at the front of the park to get started.
• The Pirates Adventure scavenger hunt through Adventureland is a fun activity that you can quickly do as a break during busy times of the day.
• At the front of the park is the Walt Disney World Railroad, which is a 20 minute train ride around whole park, with stops in Frontierland & at the front of the park. This can be a nice way to get from Frontierland back to the front of the park at the end of the day when your feet hurt.

** – Try not to miss

Tomorrowland

• **Space Mountain – Indoor roller-coaster, usually has a line. Good for all ages.
• **Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin – Great game ride. Don’t miss it.
• Astro Orbiter – Up/down “Dumbo-type” ride above Tomorrowland. Take elevator up.
• Tomorrowland Speedway – Drive your own car on a track.
• Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor – Funny show usually without a line.
• Carousel of Progress – Indoor show worth seeing once while waiting for fast-pass ride.
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover – Slow ride around Tomorrowland while waiting for fast-pass ride.

Cosmic Rays is a good place to grab a bite to eat in Tomorrowland. It has four different walk-up counters with different options so everyone can usually find something they like.

Fantasyland – For our younger family members

• **Mickey’s PhilharMagic – An indoor 3D movie show.
• **Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride – Roller coaster to open in March/April 2014.
• Enchanted Tales with Belle – Interactive story-time show with Belle.
• Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid – Little Mermaid story ride with animatronic characters.
• Ariel’s Grotto – Meet Ariel and get a photo.
• Barnstormer – Outdoor roller coaster for younger visitors.
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant – Two minute circular up/down carnival ride (long lines).
• Carousel – Standard ride behind castle to use while waiting for fast-pass ride.
• Mad Tea Party – Two minute spinning teacups.
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – Bouncy car ride through the story.
• Peter Pan’s Flight – Indoor flight above town (line can get long).
• It’s a Small World – Animatronic dolls viewed from indoor boat ride. You need to like the song, because you will hear it often!

Pinnochio’s Place near the Carousel offers a good place to grab a hot dog or other quick bite and sit for a bit.

Liberty Square

• **The Haunted Mansion – Fun haunted-house ride (can be scary for smaller kids).
• The Hall of Presidents – 20 minutes animatronic show of our presidents.
• Liberty Square Riverboat – Relaxing paddleboat ride around Tom Sawyer Island.

Frontierland

• **Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – Roller coaster outdoors, can have a long line.
• **Splash Mountain – Fun log flume ride, can have a long line.
• **Tom Sawyer Island – Take short raft ride to island so kids can explore caves, tunnels, & trails.
• Country Bear Jamboree – Animatronic bears hoedown show.
• Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade – Additional cost shooting gallery.

Frontierland also has a restaurant similar to Pinnochio’s Place for a fairly quick bite, with areas to sit and eat.

Adventureland

• Pirates of the Caribbean – Ride through story in a boat.
• A Pirates Adventure – Five short scavenger hunts through Adventureland (do one or more).
• Jungle Cruise – Outdoor boat ride (funny boat drivers) through animatronic adventure.
• Magic Carpets of Aladdin – Flying carpet up/down “Dumbo-type” ride.
• Enchanted Tiki Room – Indoor animatronic bird musical show, like Country Bear Jamboree.
• Swiss Family Treehouse – Walk and climb through tree.

Note:
This article was originally published in 2011, and updated in 2015 and 2020.