Read the whole article and see this wonderful complete guide to the Disney Magic Kingdom in Orlando that we’ve prepared. Here you’ll find all the information you need to enjoy everything the park has to offer.
Magic Kingdom park areas
The Magic Kingdom is one of Walt Disney World’s four parks, along with Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Plus, it’s Orlando’s main tourist attraction and home to the famous Cinderella Castle with its fireworks display, which is the subject of many tourist photos.
The park is divided into six regions: Main Street USA, Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. And although Animal Kingdom is the largest park, Magic Kingdom has the most attractions.
Therefore, to make the most of it, you should arrive early and visit each area in turn. The best order to visit the park is: Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Liberty Square, Frontierland, Adventureland and Mainstreet USA.
Magic Kingdom’s main attractions
1. Cinderella’s Castle: the castle is located at the beginning of the park, right at the end of MainStreet USA. It’s the main attraction you can’t miss during your trip.
Inside the castle, there is a charming beauty salon that makes children look like Disney princesses. Beautiful hairstyles and make-up based on classic Disney tales are done. To access this area, you need to book in advance for your day at the park. You also have to pay separately.
2. Space Mountain – Tomorrowland: is a creative attraction in Tomorrowland, a more futuristic area of the Magic Kingdom park. It’s a roller coaster in the dark that simulates going into space. As you can’t see around you, it’s totally unpredictable. The attraction is quite extreme, but children are allowed on it. It’s just not recommended for people with labyrinthitis or dizziness.
Other than that, the Tomorrowland area is the perfect place to start your day at the park, as it’s pretty empty in the morning.
3. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin – Tomorrowland: this attraction is based on the beloved Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story. Here, you have to hit the targets that appear with your toy’s laser gun. As you hit them, your score increases. It’s a great toy to play with friends and compete for the highest score. But it’s not worth anything, it’s just for fun.
4. Astro Orbiter – Tomorrowland: one of the children’s favorites is the Astro Orbiter, a fun flying carousel. There, they can get a great view of much of the Magic Kingdom.
5. Tomorrowland Speedway – Tomorrowland: is a race track in the park that children love. There are two-seater cars that can be driven by children over 1.32 meters tall. The cars reach speeds of 12 kilometers per hour and the ride takes about 5 minutes. It may be a bit boring for adults, but children love racing simulations.
6. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – Fantasyland: this attraction is Snow White’s seven dwarfs roller coaster. As it’s an adrenaline-pumping ride, the queues are often very long, sometimes the longest in the whole park. However, the queues are interactive, so the time passes quickly. When you get to the Magic Kingdom, get there as soon as possible. It’s a must-see attraction.
7. Mickey’s PhilharMagic – Fantasyland: this attraction is a 3D movie with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck showing different scenes from some of Disney’s most classic films. They show Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and much more. A very cool toy to rest and relax while enjoying Disney history
8. Peter Pan’s Flight – Fantasyland: the favorite ride for Peter Pan fans. It only takes 3 minutes, but the interactive queue is worth it. There, you take a flight with the main characters from the movie in a boat like Captain Hook’s, along with an incredible soundtrack. You feel like a child in Neverland.
9. Under the Sea – Fantasyland: is the Little Mermaid attraction at the Magic Kingdom, inside Fantasyland. You get on a trolley and ride through various scenes from the movie, with lots of music from all the characters. Children love this attraction.
10. Beauty and the Beast area – Fantasyland: in Fantasyland, there is a special themed area for Beauty and the Beast. The Beast’s castle, Beauty’s village and the square with Gaston’s tavern have been recreated. In addition, there is Be Our Guest, a restaurant themed on the ballroom in the castle of Beauty and the Beast.
Visitors’ favorite attractions are Maurice’s Cottage and Enchanted Tales with Belle, where everyone can enter Bela’s house and her father’s workshop and take part in a story, told by the princess herself.
11. It’s a Small World – Fantasyland: one of the park’s most traditional rides is It’s a Small World. Here, you’ll take a cozy boat ride while watching a performance by dancing and singing dolls. Each part of the attraction represents a region of the planet, with the dolls corresponding to the countries.
12. Haunted Mansion – Liberty Square: one of the coolest attractions in the Liberty Square area (if not the whole park) is the Haunted Mansion. It’s a ghost train that runs through a huge haunted mansion.
All the effects are very realistic, making it a favorite among youngsters. Younger children, on the other hand, may be frightened by the toy.
13. Splash Mountain – Frontierland: in Frontierland, the “Wild West” area of the Magic Kingdom, there’s Splash Mountain. It’s a fun rollercoaster that’s well worth going on. Visitors board a wooden boat and pass through scenes of characters singing songs from the Wild West. Finally, there’s a big drop where the water splashes everywhere.
If you don’t want to get wet, we recommend bringing a raincoat and sitting behind a trolley that won’t get wet.
14. Big Thunder Mountain – Frontierland: is a great roller coaster in the park that isn’t too extreme. There are no loops, but the ride is fast, which is a lot of fun. Like the previous one, it is decorated with a Wild West theme and its path simulates a gem mine.
15. Jungle Cruise – Adventureland: in Adventureland, there’s Jungle Cruise, a completely different attraction from the Magic Kingdom. On the ride, you cross a lake in a boat full of surprises with a driver who interacts along the way. The ride is loved by visitors of all ages.
16. Pirates of Caribbean – Adventureland: finally, Pirates of Caribbean is the big attraction based on the famous movie Pirates of the Caribbean, starring Johnny Depp. He even takes part in the attraction as a life-size wax figure on the set.
The attraction is a boat that passes through many extremely realistic scenes from the franchise, to the sound of an electrifying soundtrack.
Other fantastic Magic Kingdom attractions
As we said at the beginning of this article with the complete guide to the Disney Magic Kingdom in Orlando, this is the Disney park with the most attractions. But there are several others that you should also visit, although the attractions listed are the priority of the tour.
In the park there is the Hall of Presidents, a show about the US presidents, and the Liberty Square Riverboat, a relaxing boat ride. In the Frontierland area, there are more monotonous rides such as the Country Bear Jamboree and Tom Sawyer Island.
As well as the Walt Disney World Railroad, a train that runs through the park with stops at Frontierland and Fantasyland. And also the children’s roller coaster The Barnstormer and the “flying” carousel Dumbo the Flying Elephan, which are attractions aimed at children.
Where to find the characters in the Magic Kingdom?
- Aladdin: Agrabah Bazaar, The Magic Carpets of Aladdin;
- Alice (Wonderland): Mad Tea Party;
- Anna and Elsa (Frozen): Princess Fairytale Hall;
- Ariel (Little Mermaid): Ariel’s Grotto, Cinderella’s Royal Table;
- Aurora (Sleeping Beauty): Cinderella’s Royal Table;
- Bela (Beauty and the Beast): Cinderella’s Royal Table;
- Bison (Pooh Bear’s donkey): Crystal Palace Restaurant;
- Snow White: Main Street USA, Princess Fairytale Hall, Cinderella’s Royal Table restaurant;
- Buzz Lightyear (Toy Story): Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin;
- MadHatter (Alice in Wonderland): Mad Tea Party;
- Cinderella: Princess Fairytale Hall, Cinderella’s Royal Table restaurant;
- Beast (Beauty and the Beast): Be Our Guest Restaurant;
- Fairy Godmother (Cinderella): Fantasyland;
- Ferb (Phineas and Ferb): Fantasyland, near Gaston’s Tavern;
- Jasmine: Adventureland, Cinderella’s Royal Table restaurant;
- Jessie (Toy Story): Frotierland, near Splash Mountain;
- Piglet (Winnie the Pooh): Crystal Palace;
- Stepmother (Cinderella): Fantasyland;
- Marie (Cat): Main Street USA;
- Mary Poppins: Main Street USA;
- Merida (Braveheart): Fantasyland, in the Fairytale Garden;
- Mickey Mouse: Main Street USA, in the Town Square Theater;
- Peter Pan: Fantasyland, next to Peter Pan’s Flight;
- Pluto: Main Street USA;
- Winnie the Pooh: Fantasyland, near its Crystal Palace attraction;
- Rapunzel: Fantasyland, in the Princess Fairytale Hall;
- Tinker Bell: Town Square Theater;
- Stitch (Lilo & Stitch): Tomorrowland;
- Princess Tiana: Liberty Square;
- Timon (Lion King): Adventureland;
- Tico and Teco (squirrels): Main Street USA, Frotierland;
- Tigger (Pooh Bear): Fantasyland, near the Pooh attraction;
- Wendy (Peter Pan): Fantasyland, next to Peter Pan’s Flight;
- Woody (Toy Story): Frontierland, next to Splash Mountain.
How does the Magic Kingdom fireworks show go?
Between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m., Cinderella’s Castle hosts an enchanting fireworks display every night.
Happily Ever After is a show that mixes fireworks and projections, featuring some of the characters from Disney films such as Aladdin, Moana, Valente, the Princess and the Frog, Operation Big Hero and Zootopia.
Show times often vary, so our recommendation is to download the official Disney app, My Disney Experience, to find out the exact time of the show on the day of your visit. Don’t forget to take lots of souvenir photos.
How does the Magic Kingdom musical parades go?
One of the most fun and exciting moments in the park is during the musical parades. There are two: Celebrate a Dream Come True and Move it! Shake it! Dance and Play it! in the Magic Kingdom.
Both are float parades with all the Disney characters performing in unforgettable shows. The music makes you feel and believe that you are really living a dream. Participants include Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and many more.
Generally, the show stops at 3 p.m. and sometime in the late afternoon. However, check what’s available for the day. A tip: arrive early if you want to see it, as the streets can get busy and competition is fierce for places to take photos and see the characters.
How to avoid queues and use Single Riders?
There’s a great way to skip the queues at Disney parks using Genie. This is a paid service in which you book times on the rides without queuing, optimizing your time in the park. In the My Disney Experience app, you can track how long you have to wait in line for each attraction. This way, you can personalize your visit, saving time that would otherwise be wasted in huge queues.
In addition, you can save a lot of waiting time by using Single Riders, which are queues for those who are going to an attraction alone. They usually move much faster than normal queues. This way, if you’re going on a roller coaster and don’t mind going with a stranger next to you, you can get there much faster.
Plus, the park’s most popular attractions are Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain. As such, these are the rides we recommend you go on first or use the ticket machine to save time. Other attractions such as Buzz Lightyear, Peter Pan’s Flight and 7 Dwarfs Mine Train are also always crowded, so using the Genie on them will be time well spent.
How to save money at parks and attractions?
First of all, the first tip is to look for tickets in advance, not to buy them on the spot. That way, you can calmly research the best prices that are within your budget. In addition, there are many ticket combos that are much better value.
At the Disney complex, the ideal is to buy a ticket for all 4 parks, which is cheaper than excluding any of them (plus you can have the full experience of seeing the whole place). Another way to save money is to buy tickets to visit the parks for more days. In the end, the cost of the ticket per day is cheaper if you buy more days to go.
At Universal parks, you can experience a 2-week visit with the 3 Park Explore Ticket, which also allows access to the Volcano Bay water park. However, the best-selling ticket is the 2-day Park to Park ticket, which allows you to visit both Universal parks (Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure).
And to enjoy the famous Busch Gardens rollercoaster park or SeaWorld Park, the best way is to buy the combo that includes the 2 parks along with Aquatica. The price of the combo is only 30 dollars more expensive than a single ticket for just one of the parks.
Where can I buy the tickets for the lowest price?
We always use this website that sells all the tickets and tours. There is everything there and the price is always the cheapest. The only ticket that isn’t sold there is the Disney ticket, which for the time being is the cheapest place to buy it. But for all the other parks like Legoland, Busch Gardens, Sea World and Universal Orlando, this is the best site.
They also have a really cool free tour of all the cities. And it’s where we book the transfer to take us from the airport to the hotel. It’s cheaper and safer than taxis and Uber.
Saving money on NBA and NFL games
For sports lovers, you can’t miss a trip to the NBA and NFL games. It’s a unique experience to be able to enjoy the best of basketball and American soccer in the USA. As I said before, it’s a great idea to check out the ticket offers with our coupon and enjoy the best of American culture.
Ticket prices vary depending on the location you choose to watch the match. We always use this website, which offers great prices for all sports matches. We always use it and have had great experiences, as well as saving a lot.
Save money on your trip to Orlando:
Saving money: do you want to plan your trip while making the most of your budget? Be sure to read our article on how to travel to Orlando cheap, with all the tips to save the most, while still enjoying it!
Tickets: find out where to buy your Orlando tickets in the cheapest and safest way – for theme parks, museums and ticket combos. You can save up to 40%!
Car: if you are thinking about renting one this is the best website. It compares the price at all rental companies and finds unbeatable prices. You can save up to 30%!
Mobile chip: We always use this chip. It’s electronic (eSIM), you install it instantly and you can use your cell phone’s internet anywhere in the world.
Hotels: our article on where to stay in Orlando. You will find out the best area, the hotels that we have stayed there and how to save a lot on the hotel.
Travel insurance: medical care in another country is very expensive and it is extremely important to take out travel insurance for any trip abroad. This is the website we always take out our insurance on. Reliable and at a good price.
Transfer: do you need one, from the airport to the hotel? Find out here how to book and for the lowest price!
