Easy Touring Plan for Magic Kingdom

[Gravydeen]

I'm trying to come up with an easy to follow touring plan that is not too rigid. It seams to me that the best MK plan, or for any park for that matter, should go something like this. Take all of the attractions and put them into two categories based on order of expected wait times. This gives you a long line list and a short line list. I would then start in Tomorrowland and go counterclockwise hitting the long line rides on you first pass. I don't want to walk a section/land more than twice in the day. This allows you to hit all of the long lines early and then hit the slow lines on your second trip through when the crowds are high. I know you are saying "Duh", that's what most people would do, but we don't really. I have found myself trying to hit the big attractions but I would go ahead and hit some of the smaller ones when we run across them so that I would not have to back track. My plan would start in Tomorrowland and follow like this:

Space Mtn
Buzz
Peter Pan
Pooh
Big Thunder
Splash Mtn
Jungle Cruise
Pirates

If you hit these first without being tempted to hit the others as you go you have gotten through most of these before lunch when the lines are low. Then you start making your second trip back through(clockwise) during the afternoon or evening, if you want to take an afternoon break, and hit all the stuff with little or no lines. I know that I did not even mention fastpass. You may well be able to get FP's for the first list and ride them a second time with little backtracking if you time it right throughout the day. This sounds simple but when you look at plans from the Touring Plans website they always mix in the short line rides through out the day. I guess they think they are trying to prevent backtracking as much as possible but I don't see anything wrong with going back through the park a second time. It makes no since to ever hit a short line ride before you have gone on all the long line rides. I would rather be walking than standing in a line. What do you think? Am I missing something?

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Here's how I do it.
Roper Drop
Head straight to Fantasyland and hit up Peter Pan's flight. Fantasyland will only get more and more crazy as the day wears on. As soon at Peter Pan is done, go to Dumbo. Until second Dumbo is in place, Dumbo is in high demand and gets quite the wait. Go to It's a Small World. Start making your way back to Tomorrowland and ride whatever you wish in Fantasyland along the way.

Tomorrowland time! Space Mountain has usually calmed a bit because the people who headed to Tomorrowland first have moved on. After Space Mountain, Buzzlight year, Astro Orbiter, and speedway (I don't do Stitch). I leave COP and TTA for later in the day as they hardly ever have much of a wait, if any, and are a great place to get off of your feet. Now, head to Adventureland!

In Adventureland, I like to ride Pirates first, but if the line is longer than you wish (and make sure you do check both lines), get a FP and head to Jungle Cruise. If you still have time, check out Aladdin's Magic Carpets and the Tiki Room. Then back to priates, if necessary. Leave the treehouse for later, as well.

Now, many think to go to Frontierland next. Well, they are WRONG! Head over to Liberty square and take in HOP and Haunted Mansion. Fair warning, though, there are no restrooms in this area so go before you leave Adventureland or hold it until Frontierland.

Once in Frontierland, I ride Thunder and then Splash. Wait for the train and take it around so as to get off your feet. At this time, you can take the train to the front of the park and head back to the resort for a break. Or, if you aren't the type to go back for your break, you can do Philharmagic, Carousel of Progress, and TTA at this time. They are much more relaxing and offer a mini-break.

 

[Happyjen27]

You are all brilliant!!

Let's say I were to break the Magic Kingdom into 2 days. I'll be at DW for 7 nights, and I'm travelling to Disney for the first time with 5 year old Boy/Girl twins.

What would the plan be?

I will plan on being there at RD and hitting Fantasyland on the first day, very first thing. From there, I have no plan, LOL.

Any suggestions for a 2 day attack would be appreciated.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

You are all brilliant!!

Let's say I were to break the Magic Kingdom into 2 days. I'll be at DW for 7 nights, and I'm travelling to Disney for the first time with 5 year old Boy/Girl twins.

What would the plan be?

I will plan on being there at RD and hitting Fantasyland on the first day, very first thing. From there, I have no plan, LOL.

Any suggestions for a 2 day attack would be appreciated.

Since you have five year old twins, they are likely to like Fantasyland the best. I would make sure to do it on the second day. I like the couple it with Adventureland, so that will also be bumped to day #2.

For day 1, I would head to Tomorrowland. Most people head to Space Mountain first, if they are going straight to Tomorrowland. I would be one of these people. I would also grab a FP for the ride before getting in line. That way, you can use it later. After SM, go on Buzz, Astro Orbiter, and Indy Speedway. Cash FP back in and ride SM one more time before heading across the park to Frontierland.

Once in Frontierland, enjoy Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain. Take the kids over to Tom Saywer Island and remember to ask the CM if all of the paint brushes have already been found for the day. Let the kids play a bit and you get to relax before heading to Liberty Square.

Depending on how your kids are, they may or may not like Haunted Mansion. You know them better than I do, so it will be your call. HoP might be a bit boring for them at that age, as well. If so, take this time to enjoy a show or two. Country Bear Jamboree is right there. Then, take a break for the day at the hotel.

When you get back to the park, ride the railroad, take in any parades or shows that you want, but try to avoid any of the rides that have a long wait or that you have yet to go on. TTA, Carousel of Progress, and the railroad are always ride with minimal, if any, wait and can be quite entertaining. Same with the treehouse. See what kind of time you are wanting to kill before parades, shows, and/or fireworks and decide which of these rides you wish to do.


For day 2, I would still head to Fantasyland first making sure Peter Pan was at the top of my list followed by Dumbo. I would enjoy IASW and Pooh, maybe ride the carousel, as well. Since you do have 5 year olds, this is likely to be their favorite area and then head for Adventureland. Again, I look at Pirates first. If the wait is 20 minutes or less, I am going on that and taking the line on the left unless it is longer than the right - and it needs to be quite a bit longer for me to ever choose the right. IF the wait is 30 minutes or more, I get a FP, head to Jungle Cruise, take in the Tiki Toom, and enjoy Aladdin's Magic Carpets. Also, I must plug the Dole Whip while you are here! After your break, head back to the park, and decide which rides you just HAVE to do again. Go get a FP. You will have done the good ones by now and know what you are looking to do. While waiting for your FP time, enjoy Carousel of Progress, TTA, Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, or more fun at Tom Sawyer Island.

 

[miami305]

Hi! I am not a Disney pro! We've had one prior trip.

We also plan to hit Fantasyland first followed by Tomorrowland. We will enjoy simply walking around and seeing the sights after we get in a few headliner rides. I want to be able to do the looky loo and take pictures without worrying about "the plan."

2nd visit to MK will begin with some princess to please my 7yr old. We'll then hit Adventure and Frontierland. Be sure to include time to marvel at the non-ride attractions! My girls were 3 and 8 our first trip. They loved the giftshops as much as the rides. Sensory overload!

I want to return one night to see the fireworks. Depends on our energy level.

 

[Happyjen27]

And then BAM, just like that, a custom trip!!

Thank you so much JennaDeeDooDah!! You nailed it.

I like the idea to put off Fantasyland until the second trip, so we build to it rather than set the expectations super high and have the other lands not measure up. I wouldn't have thought of it, buy boy am I glad you did!

What should our plan be for HS, EP and AK?

For AK we won't be doing the safari. They are so keen on digging for Dinosaur bones (of all the things on the Disney video, they talk about that most). I want to take in the Festival of Lion King (is that hourly?) and otherwise, I'm not sure what else would appeal to them.

For HS, DS5 wants to see the car stunt show (I'm sure there's a real name for it, LOL). I want to break away with BIL and SIL (Grandma will take the kids) and do ToT and RnRC. What timing would you suggest for that? What should the kids do with Grandma while we're riding, and how long should we plan for both coasters to take assuming we're there at RD? I want to go on Toy Story Mania with them, so should we do that firsty-first? Or grab a FP and go after ToT and RnRc?

For Epcot I don't even think I want to bother with World Showcase, they don't care about Kim Possible, and the only rides that are definate yes for me are Soarin and Test Track (if open, we are arriving on 11/30 and staying through 12/7, so I'm not sure if they will be finished on time).

You're AMAZING if you have any suggestions for all of this!!

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

And then BAM, just like that, a custom trip!!

Thank you so much JennaDeeDooDah!! You nailed it.

I like the idea to put off Fantasyland until the second trip, so we build to it rather than set the expectations super high and have the other lands not measure up. I wouldn't have thought of it, buy boy am I glad you did!

What should our plan be for HS, EP and AK?

For AK we won't be doing the safari. They are so keen on digging for Dinosaur bones (of all the things on the Disney video, they talk about that most). I want to take in the Festival of Lion King (is that hourly?) and otherwise, I'm not sure what else would appeal to them.

For HS, DS5 wants to see the car stunt show (I'm sure there's a real name for it, LOL). I want to break away with BIL and SIL (Grandma will take the kids) and do ToT and RnRC. What timing would you suggest for that? What should the kids do with Grandma while we're riding, and how long should we plan for both coasters to take assuming we're there at RD? I want to go on Toy Story Mania with them, so should we do that firsty-first? Or grab a FP and go after ToT and RnRc?

For Epcot I don't even think I want to bother with World Showcase, they don't care about Kim Possible, and the only rides that are definate yes for me are Soarin and Test Track (if open, we are arriving on 11/30 and staying through 12/7, so I'm not sure if they will be finished on time).

You're AMAZING if you have any suggestions for all of this!!

Alright, HappyJen27, I will share my touring plans for the other parks! Let's start with Animal Kingdom. You say that you don't want to do the safari and that's fine, but I am wondering why. Again, you are entitled to your opinion, I just want to make sure that you aren't doing it because you have no interest and not because you think it will be too scary or anything like that. Love Festival of the Lion King, so I am glad that that is something that inetersts you. There is also a 3D show here called It's Tough To Be A Bug. It is my least favorite of the 3D shows and has been known to scare kids, so be forewarned about that. Others will swear by it, though.

So you are at Animal Kingdom. My first tip is to schedule an early morning breakfast at Tusker House. The food is good, you are doing character dining with Donald, and, the best part is, if you book this before the park opens, when it does open, you are already in Africa while everyone else is at the front of the park. Normally, I would tell you to head straight for the safari. However, since you aren't interested in the safari, head for Expedition Everest (assuming that your children meet the height requirement). If they don't, and you have another adult with you, do the single rider line and take advantage of Child Swap. You might want to grab a fast pass for this to ride it later in the day, as well.

At this point, you should be able to catch Finding Nemo the Musical for its first showing. This is in Dinoland, so after that showing, let the kids dig for bones. Bonus note: there is a great snack that you can get here at Dino Bites that is an ice cream cookie sandwich. There are many rides in this area that the kids could enjoy including Primeval Whirl (not good if you suffer from motion sickness, though) and TriceraTop Spin. If you think that your kids can handle it, Dinosaur is also worth checking out.

After Dinoland, I would head back to the Tree of Life to take in It's Tough to be a Bug. If you don't want to do the show, those trails are also pretty neat to check out. If you want to take a mid-day break, this is a great time to head back to the hotel. Otherwise, head to Yak and Yeti. Even if you aren't hungry, this is a great spot to watch the Jammin' Jungle Parade as you won't be locked in to a certain area of the park as the parade is finishing up.

The parade is over. Time to head over to Kali River Rapids to get wet. There is a very good chance that you will get soaked on this ride, so my advice is to bring a poncho and a pair or flip flops to wear on this ride (you must wear shoes!). Then, go watch Flights of Wonder. It's a pretty neat show.

At this point, much of the park will be getting pretty crowded, so go grab the train up to Rafiki's Planet watch and take in the attractions there. Then, it will be close to park closing time, so head on back to the hotel to rest up and get ready for the next day!


Epcot and Studios plans to follow.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

For HS, DS5 wants to see the car stunt show (I'm sure there's a real name for it, LOL). I want to break away with BIL and SIL (Grandma will take the kids) and do ToT and RnRC. What timing would you suggest for that? What should the kids do with Grandma while we're riding, and how long should we plan for both coasters to take assuming we're there at RD? I want to go on Toy Story Mania with them, so should we do that firsty-first? Or grab a FP and go after ToT and RnRc?

When it comes to the Studios, I am absolutely in love. I could spend all day here with no problem. In fact, I could go here every-other-day of my vacation and I would be quite content.

I highly recommend getting here at rope drop, which you said you were planning. Pick up a Times Guide at the front of the park to find out when Lights Motor Action, Indiana Jones, and Beauty and the Beat will be going on. You will want to plan around those. Toy Story Mania will (not might - will) get absolutely nuts by mid-morning, so definitely head here first. Make sure you grab yourself a fast pass so you can ride it a second time before things get really busy. From here, I usually head back to Sunset Blvd. to take on Tower of Terror and Rock N Roller Coaster. Since your little ones will be with grandma while you ride, you could have her head off to the Honey I Shrunk The Kids playset. There are lots of cute things there for the kids. They can ride on an ant or a bumblebee, the dog's nose will sneeze spraying the kids with a light mist of water, there is a giant spiderweb to climb on. It's just fun and will give you a chance to ride on the thrill rides. Since you are doing these early in the morning, I wouldn't think it would take you too long, at all, but will be enough time for the kids to get to play on their own and not feel like they only got to play for 5 minutes. Ride Tower of Terror and Rock N Roller Coaster. Coaster usually is a bit longer of a wait, but you can also do the single rider line here to get you through faster, if you and your BIL and SIL don't care about riding next to each other.

At this point, I would head straight to Star Tours and ride it. Then, back across the park (it's a small park, so not too bad, to watch Voyage of the Little Mermaid and Disney Junior. It is at this point that you will be glad you got your Times Guide. Start heading to those shows. Lights Motors Action, Indiana Jones, and Beauty and the Beast are all fun shows and you should try to do each of them, if possible. Great Movie Ride and Muppet Vision 3D are also good choices during this time as they are inside air conditioned buildings and it will be getting hot. They are great fillers between the other shows.

At this time, you can choose to take a break or watch the parade. If you choose to watch the parade, I like to get some seats on the stairs of the ABC Theater. Sometimes they are reserving that section, but if they aren't those are good seats. Otherwise, go take a break at the hotel, go have a late lunch, or continue watching shows that you have yet to see.

For dinner, consider making reservations at Sci Fi. It is likely my favorite restaurant in all of Disney as the theme is superb. Otherwise, look into the Fantasmic Dining Package. Do make sure you check out Fantasmic while in this park. I think it leaves all other closing shows in the dust.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

For Epcot I don't even think I want to bother with World Showcase, they don't care about Kim Possible, and the only rides that are definate yes for me are Soarin and Test Track (if open, we are arriving on 11/30 and staying through 12/7, so I'm not sure if they will be finished on time).

I will be arriving the day after you leave! That's interesting. Is there any possible way to split Epcot into 2 days? I really am a big believer in this as there is just so much to do. As far as the World Showcase goes, I do understand what you are saying, but could I suggest visiting at least 2 countries? Both Epcot and Norway have rides there. Maelstrom in Norway was a favorite of both mine and my sister's since our first visit when we were 7 and 9 respectively. Plus, these are the first two countries you will come to if you are moving clockwise through The World Showcase (which works since my plan has you in Future World East second, anyway).

Here's what I would do if I could split it into 2 days. Get there at rope drop (obviously) and head straight for the Land Pavilion. Get on Soarin' and get a fast pass, as well. As long as you are in this pavilion, take a ride on Living With The Land. There is also a show in this pavilion called Circle of Life. I do not waste my time on this, but if you want to see it, go for it. Then, head to the Seas with Nemo and Friends and make sure to do Turtle Talk with Crush. I am certain your kids will love it. From here, go to Journey Into Imagination and Captain EO, though.

Now it is time to head to Innoventions with a brief stop at Club Cool for cokes around the world. Beverly is nasty. Make your family try it. Enjoy Innoventions before heading back to the resort to rest.

Day 2 starts out at Future World East. You wanted to do Test Track and I am pretty sure it will be open at that time, so head there first! Get a fast pass (you know the drill by now) as well. I am betting the kids are too short for Mission Space. If you enjoy this kind of ride, take advantage of child swap and ride this next. From here, you can do Ellen's Energy Adventure, if you think your kids won't be bored for 45 minutes of this. Otherwise, Spaceship Earth is the place to go. From here, I would head to Mexico and Norway and ride those rides.


Now, if you are going to do it all in one day, I would still head to Soarin' first, but would actually NOT get a fast pass. From here, I would head across the park to do Test Track before it gets too busy. The reason for no Fast Pass at Soarin' is in case you need to pull one for Test Track. Then, I would go back to the West side and do everything in the order that I told you before (but hold off on Captain EO). After Imagination, I would head to Spaceship Earth, then Mexico and Norway, and finally back for EO.

 

[sazzlynn]

Here's how I do it.
Roper Drop
Head straight to Fantasyland and hit up Peter Pan's flight. Fantasyland will only get more and more crazy as the day wears on. As soon at Peter Pan is done, go to Dumbo. Until second Dumbo is in place, Dumbo is in high demand and gets quite the wait. Go to It's a Small World. Start making your way back to Tomorrowland and ride whatever you wish in Fantasyland along the way.

Tomorrowland time! Space Mountain has usually calmed a bit because the people who headed to Tomorrowland first have moved on. After Space Mountain, Buzzlight year, Astro Orbiter, and speedway (I don't do Stitch). I leave COP and TTA for later in the day as they hardly ever have much of a wait, if any, and are a great place to get off of your feet. Now, head to Adventureland!

In Adventureland, I like to ride Pirates first, but if the line is longer than you wish (and make sure you do check both lines), get a FP and head to Jungle Cruise. If you still have time, check out Aladdin's Magic Carpets and the Tiki Room. Then back to priates, if necessary. Leave the treehouse for later, as well.

Now, many think to go to Frontierland next. Well, they are WRONG! Head over to Liberty square and take in HOP and Haunted Mansion. Fair warning, though, there are no restrooms in this area so go before you leave Adventureland or hold it until Frontierland.

Once in Frontierland, I ride Thunder and then Splash. Wait for the train and take it around so as to get off your feet. At this time, you can take the train to the front of the park and head back to the resort for a break. Or, if you aren't the type to go back for your break, you can do Philharmagic, Carousel of Progress, and TTA at this time. They are much more relaxing and offer a mini-break.

I like your train of thought and the only change I would add would be to send a runner to FP one of the mountains in Frontierland while you do HOP and Haunted Mansion. I also think HOP is one of those that can be save until later as well.

 

[twinmommyks]

I am working on our plan too so this is helpful info to me.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

I like your train of thought and the only change I would add would be to send a runner to FP one of the mountains in Frontierland while you do HOP and Haunted Mansion. I also think HOP is one of those that can be save until later as well.

Both are not bad thoughts at all. I'm always with people who want to ride all of the rides, so no one is really eager to go get fast passes while everyone else rides Haunted Mansion. I need to remember that other people could be more likely to skip it and go get FPs.

Something that I am interested in is how the HOP line will be in December if Obama is not reelected. It seems that if someone else is elected president, there might be a rush to see HOP before it is changed to have the new president doing the speech. I've never been at the end of an election year, so I don't know if it makes a difference one way or another. Any clues?

 

[Happyjen27]

I don't see a smilie for "frantically taking notes" or "skipping around cubicle with glee" or "stopped notes and just cut and paste into calendar" but that's pretty much what I did with all this info Jenna!!

These are great plans, and right on point. And you made me laugh so hard with the Beverly Soda, because yes, I will make everyone try it. Cuz I'm like that too. Your response is so appreciated and thank you for your thoughtful answers. When we have an amazing Disney vacation, I will have to give you much of the credit, because I'm pretty sure we're going to what you've outlined for us.

You've talked me into Fantasmic! I wasn't quite sure we would bother. That will be the thing we do on the last night. You've also convinced me that HS needs 2 days. (I'm still keeping Epcot at 1). The first day we arrive they are taping the Parade in the MK, so instead of dealing with that mess, we will go to HS. Because it will be around 10-11AM, we will probably just do the shows (Lights, Motors, Action, Indiana Jones, BandtheB) and save the rides for the second visit when we have ILs there. I requested 3 days in WDW with just me, DH and kids before anyone else arrived. Selfish? Probably, but they only have their first WDW trip once.

So, about the safari. Right before we had the kids, my hub and I went to Africa and spent a week on safari. That was the best vacation of my life. I don't have the words to describe how amazing it is to be 4 feet from a sleeping lioness and not even have the barrier of windows in our land rover for protection. So for us, I'd like to keep that fresh in my mind. For the kids, I don't think they would get the *wow* factor out of it just yet. Although we grown-upsl know it's different from a zoo, they probably won't. Our next trip in 2013 or 2014 we will go on it, but this time, at this age, I don't think they'd get it. Considering they have to be at least 12 years of age for a real safari, this is the closest they will get for a while.

If you can ever tear yourself away from Disney, go to Africa. We spent 3 and a half weeks there, one of them on safari, and it was amazing.

Thank you for sharing your Disney Magic with me!!

 

[Happyjen27]

Oh, I forgot to ask:

When you consider the Tusker House early breakfast or having a quick bite in our room and then having a late (10:45AM) breakfast at Tusker House instead, which would you advise?

If we do the early breakfast, we're there before rope drop, which I like. And, the kids will be hungry for those Dinobites Ice Cream Sandwiches at snack.

If we do the late breakfast, we can do EE and then Dinoland (for those yummy Dinobites Ice Cream Sandwiches) and then eat. The full belly would probably last us through the rest of the day until after nap.

I'm really torn about this, so I value your (and everyone else's) input.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Oh, I forgot to ask:

When you consider the Tusker House early breakfast or having a quick bite in our room and then having a late (10:45AM) breakfast at Tusker House instead, which would you advise?

If we do the early breakfast, we're there before rope drop, which I like. And, the kids will be hungry for those Dinobites Ice Cream Sandwiches at snack.

If we do the late breakfast, we can do EE and then Dinoland (for those yummy Dinobites Ice Cream Sandwiches) and then eat. The full belly would probably last us through the rest of the day until after nap.

I'm really torn about this, so I value your (and everyone else's) input.

I am so glad that you like the advice that I have given you! It makes my heart smile to hear all the good things you are saying.

As far as breakfast at Tusker House goes, I love breakfast before the park. Those reasons are three-fold:

1. It makes sure you and your family get up and get moving to take supreme advantage of mornings in the parks- when they are least crowded.

2. Getting there before the parks open means great photo opportunities for your family in front to the Tree of Life with no other guests in the shot.

3. When that rope drops, everyone else is at the front of the park. You, on the other hand, are in Africa - home to two of the most popular rides in the park. Everyone is making a mad dash across the park and you simply walk a few short steps to get in line or to get a fast pass.


Your reasoning behind doing the late lunch makes sense and only you can decide which situation is best for your family. We are early risers who love pictures with no other guests in them. The fact that we have early access to the big rides is also a big bonus for us.

 

[rwdavis2]

Space Mtn
Buzz
Peter Pan
Pooh
Big Thunder
Splash Mtn
Jungle Cruise
Pirates

That looks like what we did on our last trip. Got there at rope drop, did all those except Jungle Cruise but toss in It's Small World and Tes Cups by 11:30 or so. In January the Friday before MLK.

 

[Gravydeen]

That looks like what we did on our last trip. Got there at rope drop, did all those except Jungle Cruise but toss in It's Small World and Tes Cups by 11:30 or so. In January the Friday before MLK.

I assume that's a busy day to go. Right? If you are able to get those done by noon then everything else is a cake walk. The biggest drawback is the second half of the day is boring.

 

[rwdavis2]

I assume that's a busy day to go. Right? If you are able to get those done by noon then everything else is a cake walk. The biggest drawback is the second half of the day is boring.

Not real busy until after 1pm or so. Jungle Cruise had a 30 minute wait by 7:30 that evening. AK and HS were very crowded that Sunday.

 

[LAMountJoy]

Thanks, everyone! These are great ideas and will come in handy on our first trip next month.... I am NOT a planner when it comes to these kinds of parks. I'd rather "play it by ear" but I can see that planning helps get everything in!

 

[ttintagel]

This is the backup plan I used when my plan had to be thrown out the window:

Arrive at rope drop
Start at Space Mountain and work counterclockwise
Get a Fastpass for anything that has one
Don't get in any queue over 30 minutes; ride something else and try to catch it on the way back