Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom has been the world’s most popular theme park pretty much since the day it opened in 1971, becoming a cultural touchstone for millions.
However, that popularity can often lead to large crowds and sometimes hectic days, making it hard to fully experience all of the park’s attractions in the best way possible. Don’t fret, though. We’ve got some of our best ride tips ready for your next Magic Kingdom day, all broken down by land.
Tomorrowland
Let’s begin with the bastion of futurism that is Tomorrowland. And of course, there’s no mentioning Tomorrowland without mentioning Space Mountain, arguably Disney’s most legendary E-Ticket.
- TIP #1: If you’re nervous about your bag flying around on roller coasters, use the bag trick! Loop the bag through your leg as you sit down. Be warned! Don’t let it trip you up when you get up from the ride! Especially on Space Mountain.
- TIP #2: Pose for your ride photo after the warpy tunnel at the beginning of Space Mountain (look the opposite way you turn!).
- TIP #3: The front is extra thrilling on Space Mountain because you feel alone in space.
Moving on to some other attractions in the land:
- Tip #5: The Astro Orbiter’s ride vehicles can be a tight squeeze for two people. If that’s a concern, get your own rocket.
- Tip #6: If you want to be chosen for audience participation on Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, go right before, during, or right after the fireworks.
- Tip #7: Ride Tomorrowland Speedway at night so you’re not baking in the sun.
Frontierland
Moving from the far-flung future to the distant past, let’s get to Frontierland.
- Tip #8: You can sit on the left and to the back on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure to stay drier. You’ll still get a face full of water on the drop, but not as much as the front seat. As for the side of the vehicle, sometimes water cannons fire as you pass the drop, and there’s a waterfall at the end that could leave you SOAKED on the right side.
- Tip #9: Pose for your ride photo when going down the drop on Splash Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
- Tip #10: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad could help you pass a kidney stone. Yes, seriously. A study was conducted at Big Thunder and later published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association that showed that riding a roller coaster could help ease the passage of small kidney stones.
Liberty Square
Moving through history to colonial America, let’s stop in Liberty Square, home of the Haunted Mansion.
- Tip #11: When riding the mansion, pose for your ride photo at the end of the portrait gallery.
Adventureland
Let’s begin our tip-tour of Adventureland with a flight on the Magic Carpets of Aladdin.
- Tip #12: If you don’t want to be spit on by a camel on Magic Carpets of Aladdin, fly as high as you can. If you DO want to get spit on, fly at mid-level.
- Tip #13: Pose for your ride photo at the “Dead Men Tell No Tales” skeleton on Pirates of the Caribbean. If you don’t care about the ride photo on Pirates, close your eyes or look away! The flash will make it hard to see in the next scene.
- Tip #14: On Jungle Cruise, make sure to sit down comfortably so that you can turn to see off both sides of the boat.
Fantasyland
Finally, there’s Fantasyland, arguably the definitive Disney land for many guests.
- Tip #15: Hold onto your hats and ears – even when you don’t think you need to! Barnstormer is notorious for blowing ear headbands onto the ground below! RIDE
- Tip #16: Taller folks might want to sit on the right on Peter Pan’s Flight. The sail sticks out uncomfortably on the left.
- Tip #17: Pose for your ride photo when going down the hill after the mine on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
- Tip #18: Apparently, one teacup spins faster on Mad Tea Party. #11!
- Tip #19: Sit in the front seven rows of Mickey’s PhilharMagic for a more immersive 3D experience.
- Tip #20: There’s a Hidden Mickey that only appears once a year in the queue for Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid.
- It appears at noon on Mickey’s birthday, November 18th.
If all that wasn’t enough for you, there are also some general tips that apply across the Magic Kingdom:
- Tip #21: Ask a Cast Member before you load if you want a certain seat on the ride. Most of the time, they’ll accommodate – even on things like “it’s a small world!” You might just have to wait for the next loading rotation.
- Tip #22: The shortest waits of the day happen during fireworks and for the first hour of the park day.
- Tip #23: If you’re in line before the park closes, you can still wait and ride, no matter how long the wait is.
- Tip #24: That means being in line for an attraction by 10:59PM if the park closes at 11PM.
- Tip #25: When it comes to nighttime spectaculars, the best rides during the fireworks are Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Astro Orbiter, Peoplemover, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. These get you stellar views and shorter waits during the spectacular. Big Thunder and Seven Dwarfs get you SUPER close to the fireworks themselves!
Next time you’re trying to make the most of your Magic Kingdom, keep these ride tips in mind, and stay tuned to AllEars for more advice on visiting the “Most Magical Place on Earth.”
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What are your Magic Kingdom tips? Let us know in the comments below.
My tip would be that if Space Mountain goes down, hop on the People Mover. There’s a good chance that as you pass through Space Mountain on it that the lights will be on. It doesn’t spoil the magic, it’s really interesting to see the roller coaster’s frame.
This is probably the BEST list like this I’ve seen. GREAT JOB!
However, while #10 about Big Thunder and Kidney stones is 100% true, when it reopens from its lengthy refurbishment, it will no longer be true. They have replaced the entire track to make it smoother.
Also, two huge tricks I want to add is for short lines on quick service, plan to go at non typical times. From 2pm-5Pm the lines are always a lot shorter, and this includes using mobile apps as you will get your food a lot quicker.