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Magic Kingdom - Magical Day or Meltdown
The Magic Kingdom is easily the most magical park in Walt Disney World. When people think of Walt Disney World they usually think of the Magic Kingdom and its enchanting castle, which serves as a central point in the Magic Kingdom. With all this magic and enchantment it is still a common site to see families with crying children, angry parents and unhappiness in the air. A day at the Magic Kingdom can be the highlight of any Disney trip, but it also can be very stressful. A typical day at this park involves waiting on lines, standing in the hot Florida sun and a lot of walking. This will lead even the calmest families into a high stress zone, as children start to complain, and parents find that they are not experiencing their “perfect Disney vacation”.
It is possible to have a magical day at the Magic Kingdom if you are prepared before you enter the park and are realistic with what can be seen in one day. Families that try to squeeze in every single attraction and show find themselves burnt out quite quickly. Being informed about the parks allows you to maximize your time there. This does not mean you have to plan your day down to every bathroom break, but knowing the layout of the park and a few tips and tricks can make your time at the Magic Kingdom more enjoyable.
Getting to the Kingdom - Starting Your Magical Day Off Right
In terms of size, the Magic Kingdom is the smallest of all four Disney parks, but can be the most crowded, even at off-peak times of year. Mondays are usually the most crowded day at the Magic Kingdom - consider this when planning your trip.
Most guests traveling to Walt Disney World will be arriving using cars and buses. If you are staying onsite, certain Walt Disney World hotels offer additional transportation to the Magic Kingdom, including the monorail system or small boats. When you are driving, once you are on Walt Disney World property it is very easy to follow the marked signs to the various Disney Parks.
TIP: If you have small children or wish to ease your travel into the Magic Kingdom consider staying at a Magic Kingdom resort that is on the monorail system or one that utilizes watercraft transportation into the Magic Kingdom. These travel systems bypass the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) and bring you directly to the Magic Kingdom park entrance.
If you are driving your own or a rental car, follow the signs into the Magic Kingdom parking lot, where you will be required to pay a daily parking fee (currently set at $7.00). If you are staying at a Disney property or are an Annual Passholder, you will not be required to pay this fee. Simply show your Resort parking pass, your room key or your annual pass when passing the parking attendants booth.
When you enter the parking lot you will be directed by cast members to park in lots that are named for various Disney characters such as Minnie, Dopey, Chip, Goofy, etc., with aisle numbers added - such as Goofy 53. Use whatever means you have to commit this parking section into your memory (or write it down) so that when you exit the park hours later you know where your car is actually parked. Finding your rented white mini-van at the end of a long day, will be quite a task in a lot filled with other rented white mini-vans. From the parking lot, you are still quite a distance from the Magic Kingdom. You can either walk or take a tram to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC).
TIP - Strollers must be folded up before you get onto the tram, be prepared for this. Take this into consideration as you will be exiting your car, loading up the stroller and then emptying the bags from the stroller in order to fold it up in a matter of a few minutes. If you are close enough to the tram stop, don’t waste time organizing the stroller and its contents, you will be unloading it before you fold it up to board. If you park close enough to the TTC and have a stroller, consider walking over taking the tram.
Once you arrive at the TTC, you can purchase your park tickets (if not already purchased). From the TTC you must choose a mode of transportation to the Magic Kingdom, either the monorail or the ferryboat. The ferryboat is a seven minute ride, and the monorail is a little over 5 minutes.
TIP - Ferry vs. Monorail - if you arrive at the TTC and see a line for the monorail and a ferry boat is at the dock of the TTC (or close to arriving at the TTC dock), it will probably work out to be a faster trip on the ferry.
TIP - If you decide to take the monorail, you will get a good view of the entrance lines as the monorail passes the front of the Magic Kingdom. Use this information to let you know which line to move toward when you enter the park.
Security - Since 9/11, Disney as adopted a security check that requires that all bags are checked before you enter the parks. This tends to slow down entry, as people are not prepared to open their bags at these checkpoints. When approaching the security checkpoint, you can expedite your time if you are ready with all bags unzipped for security personnel This does mean ALL BAGS - pocketbooks, camera bags, baby bags, fanny packs. If you are able to approach security ready to reveal the contents of your bags your time here will be quick.
After security you will then pass through a ticket turnstile to enter the Magic Kingdom. This can also cause a delay if people are not prepared with their tickets. You should be ready to insert your ticket in the machine and enter using a turnstile. If you are traveling with a stroller or wheelchair, watch for the entrances that have gates that can be opened as your ticket is read in the machine. A cast member will assist you with opening the gates and can help if you are having difficulty getting your ticket into the machine. Once in the Magic Kingdom, take a park map/guide and a show schedule. They are usually at the turnstiles and also can be found as you pass under the Main Street Railroad Station. Check the show schedule to decide what you would like to see that day. During peak times of year the shows are presented several times during the day. Whereas during off-peak times of year, not all shows are running and available shows usually run on a reduced schedule. Some parades and fireworks are not run everyday during off peak (value) seasons.
The park guides/maps provide invaluable information about the location of all attractions, details about the attractions (including height requirements), the parade routes, the location of the restrooms and all retail shops in the park. Don’t worry if you lose or misplace your map - they can be found in nearly all shops throughout the park.
THINGS TO KNOW
Fastpass - Disney’s Fastpass system is a way to cut down on your wait time allowing you to maximize your day at the Magic Kingdom. Attractions that offer Fastpass will have a marked area with distribution machines. Each member of your party will need to insert their park ticket into the machine in order to receive your Fastpass tickets. Each ticket will show the return time so you will know when to return to the attraction. Return anytime during the return time range (example 1:00-2:00) and use the Fastpass return entrance. You will have little or no waiting time.
