Must-Do Attractions at Disney's Magic Kingdom

Even if you don't plan to visit all four of Disney's theme parks during a Disney vacation, there is no doubt that you will want to head over to the Magic Kingdom and check out all that it has to offer including Cinderella's iconic castle acting as an amazing centerpiece when you first enter through the main gates! 

Entrance to the Magic Kingdom

Disney's Magic Kingdom has an excellent mix of rides for the young and young at heart, opportunities to meet all of your favorite Disney characters and witness one of the best fireworks displays put on by Disney's Imagineers - Wishes! With all that the Magic Kingdom has to offer don't be surprised to spend an entire day and night devoted to it!

During both of our trips to Disney World we have made it a priority to get to the Magic Kingdom before rope drop in the morning for two reasons. The first reason for this is the parks popularity and the fact that it can get busy quite fast. By getting there early we can be close to the main gate when it does open and beat the crowds a little bit. Secondly, the Magic Kingdom holds a welcome show every morning inviting all the guests to enter the park. Of course being Disney, it includes great songs to get you excited to start your day! You'll also see many of your favorite Disney Characters arriving on the Casey Junior Steam engine. The show ends with a countdown and then the gates open and the magic inside begins!

Opening Show at Magic Kingdom

Once you enter the Magic Kingdom you will find yourself walking down the patriotic Main Street U.S.A where you can find great stores and souvenir shops. This is also where you might want to take your first picture with Cinderella's castle - there are a bunch of Cast Members available to take your photo. At the end of the night this may be your best location to watch the nights fireworks display or the Main Street Electrical Parade (the closer you are to the exit while watching the shows, the happier you'll be when leaving the park).

View of Castle from Main Street U.S.A.

Main Street Electrical Parade

Next you will need to decide which section of the park, or what ride you are heading for. In addition to Main Street U.S.A, other sections of the park  include Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland.

We've summarized the major attractions found within each section that we have done & love! Please note that we haven't included everything there is to do in each area.

1. Adventureland - To get to this section of the park take your first left once you have walked through Main Street U.S.A.

Major Attractions & Must Dos:

• Jungle Cruise - a slow moving outdoor boat ride with great animatronic animals and witty tour guides
• Pirates of the Caribbean - a slow moving indoor boat ride starring Captain Jack Sparrow

Secondary Attractions:

• Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room - a theater type show with animatronic singing birds and flowers
• Aladdin's Magic Carpet Ride - a slow spinning ride aboard magic carpets

TIPS: We have noticed that Adventureland is often a less crowded section of the park. Although the Jungle Cruise can get busy later in the day,we generally experience a 5-15 minute wait when planned just right. We don't think a Fastpass is absolutely necessary for this area and is better used in other, more popular, areas of the park. We also find the Pirates ride and the Enchanted Tiki room to be nice, air conditioned, options when it gets hot out!

Entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean

Outside of the Enchanted Tiki Room

2. Frontierland- To get to this section of the park you can cut through Adventureland as they are side by side or take your second left after walking through Main Street U.S.A. and stay to the left side, which will have you closer to the castle before you veer off.

Major Attractions and our Must Dos:

• Splash Mountain - a Brer Rabbitt themed flume ride into a brier patch
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - a medium/fast-paced train style roller coaster

Secondary Attractions:

• Walt Disney Railroad - this is more transport than a ride, but you can take a ride on a steam engine to shuttle you to different areas within the park
• Country Bear Jamboree - theater type country singing show with animatronic bears

TIPS: Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Railroad are great thrill rides and can get quite busy so a Fastpass selection for either may be a good/necessary choice here. Also prepare to get a little wet on Splash Mountain... or a lot wet if you are in the front. Country Bear Jamboree is like the Enchanted Tiki room and is great for getting out of the heat. However, depending on the age of people in your group it may not be a crowd favorite but it does have an appeal being a classic/traditional Disney attraction.

Locked up in Frontierland

First run down Splash Mountain in 2012

3. Liberty Square: To get to this section you take the same second left you would for Frontierland, but rather than staying to the left you are going to stay to the right side. Liberty Square is a smaller section of the park and can kind of blend in a little bit with Frontierland and Fantasyland.

Major Attractions and our Must Dos:

• Haunted Mansion - a slow moving roller coaster through a Haunted Mansion; this is Ryan's favorite ride!

Secondary Attractions:

• Hall of Presidents - a theater style show of animatronic Presidents from George Washington to Barack Obama

TIPS: The Haunted Mansion is an amazing ride for all those who love Halloween! This is a family friendly ride that plays to all your senses and is an absolute must do (or in Ryan's case a must do at least 4 times each time were there). If you are a little scared of enclosed, dark spaces there is a portion of this attraction in which riders are closed off into a small room prior to getting on the slow moving coaster that may make you feel a little claustrophobic. The Hall of Presidents is a very patriotic show and the animatronics are pretty impressive, but it is a 25 minute show and you may find that too long to take out of your day if your strapped for time, especially if you end up adding the additional wait time that you may have for a show to start if one is already in progress and needs to clear out.

Some headstones outside of The Haunted Mansion

More outside the Haunted Mansion

4. Fantasyland: This section is found directly behind Cinderella's castle and is most often the busiest section of the park due to the New Fantasyland expansion that has recently opened .

Major Attractions and our Must Dos:

• It's a Small World - a classic slow moving boat ride through a culturally diverse world of animatronic singing kids
• Prince Charming Regal Carousel - a carousel ride full of fairy tale style horses - can you find Cinderella's horse??
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train- the newest ride added, this is a Snow White & the Seven Dwarf inspired roller coaster
• Mad Tea Party - colourful spinning tea cups

Secondary Attractions:

• Goofy's Barnstormer - a smaller wooden style roller coaster
• Peter Pan's Flight - a slow moving story ride of Peter Pan and Captain Hook
• Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh - a slow moving story ride featuring Winnie the Pooh & friends

TIPS: It's a Small World, Mad Tea Party and Price Charming's Carousel rides often have short lines and are great for resting your feet or to try out when other lines are too long. Seven Dwarfs Mine train is the newest roller coaster at Magic Kingdom so don't be surprised to see a 90 minute or more wait for this. A Fastpass is a must but may be hard to get due to its popularity right now. In our opinion it didn't necessarily live up to the hype that surrounded it when we were there. Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh also tend to have long lines because it is a good ride for younger kids, so if you really want to do these rides it may mean you want to pick up a Fastpass for them to optimize your time.

Prince Charming's Carousel Ride upon Cinderella's Horse

Outside Gaston's Tavern

Inside It's a Small World

5. Tomorrowland: To get to this section of the park take your first or second right coming off of Main Street U.S.A.

Major Attractions and our Must Dos: 

• Space Mountain - an indoor roller coaster in the dark; One of Ellen's favorite rides at the Magic Kindom!
• Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin - an interactive slow moving ride where you shoot at targets; Ellen's perfect high score has earned her the title "Galactic Hero"

Secondary Attractions: 

• Carousel of Progress - a slow moving ride demonstrating various inventions over time
• Stitch's Great Escape - a theater style show where an alien (Stitch) tries to escape capture
• Astro Orbiter - an outdoor slow spinning rocket ride
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover - a slow moving transportation ride where you can get a birds eye view of Tomorrowland
• Tomorrowland Speedway - a go-kart ride

TIPS: Space Mountain is a very popular ride so if you want to avoid long lines, you should go to it first thing in the morning. Alternatively, it is defiantly worth the use of a Fastpass. Buzz Lightyear can be be busy at times but we have never used a Fastpass for it and, at most, have only experienced 30 minute wait times - which is pretty good.

Outside Space Mountain

Riding Space Mountain

Inside Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin

There is no doubt that the Magic Kingdom is a truly magical place to be both during the day and at night. There is so much to do and see throughout the park you will not leave disappointed. We hope that our overview, comments and tips are helpful for you in your planning and preparing for your next trip to the Magic Kingdom and gave you a peek into how amazing this park is from our point of view! 

Be sure to check back regularly for additional reviews of the Magic Kingdom & all of the other Disney Parks - we'll be looking at dining options, shows, shopping & more!

Rapunzel's Tower

Cinderella's Castle at Night