Every thing you want to know about Magic Kingdom and then some...

[alayne]

I found the thread "Best Magic Kingdom Tips, Secrets and Must Do's Please Contribute!!!" However, the last post was on 9-30-12 and one of the most recent posts states that most of the stuff posted (it was started on 4-29-2009) were out dated and no longer true.

I love threads like this one that tells you all about Magic Kingdom in one spot and provides you with little details you might miss if you just went by the map. So I was hoping this could be the start of a NEW, UPDATED and IMPROVED Magic Kingdom Best TIPS, SECRETS and MUST DO's.

For example - I had no idea there was a "Talking Trash Can" named PUSH (who by the way just had a birthday) and I can't wait to find it on our next trip in November.

Not really a Tip but something I read and found really interesting - all the money you see in the water below in "It's a Small World" goes to charities such as Give Kids the World and Kid's Miracle Network. COOL!!!

So please help me start a New Magic Kingdom thread with lots of helpful information all in one place.

 

[alayne]

So far these are the following TIPS that have been posted.

How to ride on the Train at RD:
arrive very very early
greeting all passing CMs
have a 'unique look'

Check out YouTube videos.

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom

Read Tom Sawyer while sitting on a comfy bench on Tom Sawyer Island.

La Chapeau Shop
If you enter the shop from the door nearest Tony's Town Square, where you will find a phone in a small room on the right, next to the door. Pick up the receiver and you will discover its a party line.

Jungle Cruise - there is a spider in a cage. You can make it move by putting your hand in just the right spot. It's really fun to freak others out.

EMH Late

It saves some walking if you take the Train over to Splash and BTMRR.

If it rains - put on your rain gear and head to MK because most of the rides are in doors and it's less crowded.

Harmony Barber Shop - For a very special memento, toddlers can get a My First Haircut certificate when Disney gives their locks their very first trim.

If you plan to spend all day at MK you might want to book a late breakfast at CP (10:30) then you can probably fill up well enough to get through to dinner, thus avoiding having to eat three meals in the park.

Curtain Call Collectibles
If you find the Tank of Terror notice the locks - they are hidden Mickeys.

Pirate of the Caribbean
Before you enter the line, check out those lava rocks to the left of the entry. The biggest one sure does look like a skull, doesn't it.
When you enter the gift shop, look for a key hanging on a Chinese vase, just to the left of the exit leading to the restroom (it's on a shelf near the ceiling). Then search for a medallion stuck to another vase, on another high shelf just to the left of the entry into the Pirates League. Both are original props from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series.

Tortuga Tavern
In the courtyard between Tortuga Tavern and Pecos Bill's, look for bullet holes in the wall going up the stairway.

When you reach the intersection where Adventureland becomes Frontierland, look for a signpost giving you directions to the nearby attractions. Originally it pointed to the Ghastly Mansion, but someone has crossed that word out and scribbled "Haunted" above it.

Liberty Square Riverboat
On the left side as you pass Alligator Swamp, you'll see a rustic cabin where a settler is fishing while his faithful dog helps from his perch in the boat. Watch the dog's tail each time a fish jumps.

Sir Mickey's
Inside look for the Giant from Disney's Jack and the Beanstalk - he is picking up the roof to see if Mickey Mouse is inside.

 

[AleedraS]

We love MK, I'm subbing!!

 

[lhermiston]

Can I request MK info? Because I would love to know how the families who ride in on the train at RD are selected...

 

[AleedraS]

There was a dis unplugged podcast where a listener detailed some of what it required to be chosen as the family to open the park. It included arriving very early ( like 2 hours), greeting all passing CMs, having a 'unique look' and some other things he wouldn't name. Otherwise the perks of opening the parks seem cool...just not cool enough for me to drag my family to the parks crazy early to take the chance.

 

[alayne]

Rides

FAST PASS
Big Thunder Mt. Railroad - 40in or taller, Thrill Ride (Frontierland)
Buzz Lightyear - any height, spinning (Tomorrowland) TIP: You don't have to keep pulling the trigger to shoot at the targets. You can hold the trigger in and the blaster will shoot continuously. The smaller targets and those farther away will score bigger points.
Jungle Cruise - any height, slow ride (Adventureland)
Peter Pan's Flight - any height, small drops, slow ride (Fantasyland)
Space Mountain - 40in or taller, Thrill Ride, Big Drops (Tomorrowland)
Splash Mountain - 40in or taller, Thrill Ride, Wet (Frontierland)
Under the Sea (Ariel's) - any height, slow ride (Fantasyland)
Winnie the Pooh - any height, slow ride (Fantasyland)

NO FAST PASS
Astro Orbiter - any height, slow ride, spinning (Tomorrowland)
Dumbo The Flying Elephant - any height, spinning (Fantasyland)
The Branstormer - 35in or taller, small roller coaster (Fantasyland)
Haunted Mansion - any height, Dark, Slow (Liberty Square)
It's a Small World - any height, slow (Fantasyland)
Liberty Belle Riverboat - any height, slow (Liberty Square)
Mad Tea party - any height, spinning (Fantasyland)
Magic Carpets of Aladdin - any height, spinning (Adventureland)
Pirates of the Caribbean - any height, dark, small drops (Adventureland)
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel - any height, slow (Fantasyland)
Tomorrowland Indy Speedway - 32in or taller (Tomorrowland)
Tomorrowland Transit Authority - any height, slow (Tomorrowland)
Walt Disney World Railroad -any height (Main Street USA)

COMING SOON
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (due to open in 2013 - 2014)

SHOWS
Carousel of Progress (Tomorrowland)
Country Bear Jamboree (Frontierland)
Enchanted Tales with Belle (Fantasyland)
Hall of Presidents (Liberty Square)
Mickey's PhilharMagic FASTPASS (Fantasyland)
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor (Tomorrowland)
Stitch's Great Escape - 40in or taller, LOUD, DARK (Tomorrowland)
Tiki Room (Adventureland)

OTHERS
Casey Jr. Splash 'N' Soak Station - playarea where kids can get wet
Cinderella Castle (Fantasyland)
Frontierland Shootin' Arcade (Frontierland)
Swiss Family Treehouse (Adventureland)
Tom Sawyer Island (Frontierland)
Tomorrowland Arcare (Tomorrowland)

On some of the darker rides, like Haunted Mansion or Pirates of the Caribbean, you might want to give younger kids a flashlight. It has been posted that flashlights might bother others on rides so please consider something like a glow stick, glow in the dark nail polish, etc.

 

[alayne]

Snacks

Aloha Isle (Adventureland) - DOLE WHIP, juice, floats, and all things pineapple
Sunshine Tree Terrace (Adventureland) - Cappuccino, soft-swirl ice cream, soft drinks, espresso
Cheshire Cafe (Fantasyland) - lemonade, juice, iced cappuccino, muffins
Storybook Treats (Fantasyland) - soft-serve cones and cups, sundaes, milk shakes
Sleepy Hollow (Liberty Square) - ice-cream cookie sandwiches, cookies, funnel cake, Waffle Sandwiches
Plaza Ice Cream Parlor (Main Street USA) - hand-scooped ice-cream TIP: choose your flavor and number of scoops before you get in line to keep things moving.
Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies (Tomorrowland) - smoothies, soft-serve ice cream, sundaes, floats, soft drinks
Lunching Pad at Rockettower Plaza (Tomorrowland) - cheese-stuffed pretzels, frozen soda slushes, hot dogs


Quick Service

Tortuga Tavern (Adventureland) - cheesy nachos, burritos, taco salad
The Friar's Nook (Fantasyland) - hot dogs, chicken nuggets, carrot cake, apple caramel dippers
Pinocchio Village Haus (Fantasyland) - pizza, meatball subs, chicken nuggets, fries, cakes TIP: you can watch the boats from It's a Small World while you eat.
The Golden Oak Outpost (Frontierland) - sandwiches, BLT, veggie flatbread, cakes
Pecos Bill Cafe (Frontierland) - cheeseburgers, sandwiches, PB&J, chili, salads TIP: This is a popular spot because of the fixin's bar.
Columbia Harbour House (Liberty Square) - LIGHTHOUSE SANDWICH, grilled salmon, lobster rolls, fried shrimp
Casey's Corner (Main Street USA) - hot dogs, corn dog nuggets, cotton candy, nachos, fries
Main Street Bakery (Main Street USA) - cinnamon rolls, ice-cream cookie sandwiches, yogurt, fresh fruit
Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe(Tomorrowland) - barbecue ribs, chicken sandwiches, cheeseburgers, hot dogs
Tomorrowland Terrace (Tomorrowland) - burgers, lobster rolls, salads
Gaston's Tavern (Fantasyland) -

Table Service
Cinderella's Royal Table (Fantasyland) - located inside Cinderella Castle (ADR is a MUST and can be made 180 days in advance)
Cinderella welcomes guests and greets them in the castle lobby, while other princess friends mingle in the dinning room.
Princess Photo Package is included in the price of the meal. Expect your credit card to be charged immediately upon making the reservation, however, you can change to another dinning option at the time of the meal.

Liberty Tree Tavern (Liberty Square) - this restaurant takes you back to Early American tavern and kind of reminds you of being in the home of one of the early presidents. Lunch has a menu that includes pot roast, turkey, salad, sandwiches, and soups. Dinner is an all-you-can-eat affair and is served family style. (No Disney Characters)

Crystal Palace (Main Street USA) - Winnie the Pooh and friends mingle with guests all day long. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all buffet style and all-you-can-eat. Reservations are recommended.

Plaza Restaurant (Main Street USA) - (No Disney Characters) Hot and Cold Sandwiches, salads, and hamburgers. They also do ice-cream sundaes, milk shakes, ice cream floats and more.

Tony's Town Square (Main Street USA) - (No Disney Characters) Italian with a Lady and The Tramp theme. Reservations are also recommended. At Tony's Town Square you can give your autograph book in the restaurant and they will get Lady and Tramp's signature for you. You can also find their paw prints in a heart outside the restaurant. (You may have to move strollers to find it)

Be Our Guest (Fantasyland) - Belle and the Beast welcome you to their home. (ADRs are a MUST and can be made 180 days in advance.) After your meal you can have your picture taken with Belle and the Beast. There is no Photo Package but the photo is placed on your Photopass card.

 

[alayne]

I was going to use this Spot to post information on the Characters you can find at MK, however, it was recommended to me by some fellow DISers that Kenny the Pirate has the best and most updated list. Here is the link - (at least I hope this works) http://kennythepirate.com/
They are so right!!! I found the blog and it is wonderful! So my many, many, thanks to Kenny the Pirate for making this part of my MK planning super easy.

If you are looking for Character information related to MK my suggestion would be to visit Kenny the Pirates Blog at kennythepirate.com.

You can meet Mickey Mouse at Town Square Theater, along with Minnie. You can even get a FP at the machines to the left of Tony's Town Square.

Fairytale Garden - currently the location to meet Merida.

Captain Jack's Pirate Tutorial
Here you will find Captain Jack and his first mate Mack. They are looking for new recruits for the Black Pearl, and young swashbucklers can try their hand at sword fighting to prove their worth in this delightful street show, performed several times daily outside Pirates of the Caribbean. Your kids are given the pirate oath and a certificate that prove they're now honorary pirates.

 

[alayne]

The Pirates League
Young and Old can be outfitted as a first mate or an empress. This is located in the room off the gift shop, to the left of the attraction's exit. You get a pirate name, made-up and outfitted as a member of Jack Sparrow's crew, issued a pirate oath, and allowed to participate in a daily Adventureland Pirate Parade. There is a really cool thread all about the Pirates League. I will try to post a link to it hear.

 

[parkhopping]

Fairytale Garden is located by the castle wall, just across the bridge from Fantasyland. It's not a show - it's the location where Merida currently meets.

For character M&G info, check out kennythepirate.com

 

[Snooks23]

Oh ! I need to watch this thread! I have my pretty much first trip to Disney this summer!

 

[>Ash<]

hey guys, for some good tips on must do disney at the magic kingdom why not head over to youtube and search for must do disney, im sure Stacey will be glad to show you around MK its cute the first time.... then she gets annoying lmao


im still sad that all the hidden magic items kind of left... or arent used anymore... i hope disney start some new ones that would be cool.


dont forget my new must do for MK is Sorcerers Of The Magic Kingdom. i love this game, many people mentioned that trading with people with big binders normally dont wanna trade, that wasnt true on my last trip i had been to several halloween parties over the trip and really only needed 1 of the special cards so i traded the other 4 and got some cards i couldnt find to finish my collection!!. plus we had a blast trading with kids and some adults too.

and me and my wife had our honeymoon in october and the best part of our vacation was grabbing a ice drink, hopping over to tom sawyer island with our kindles and i sat on a comfey bench in the shade and red the entire tom sawyer book. that was seriously a nice feeling looking around the island and reading the book, was fun.

 

[alayne]

and me and my wife had our honeymoon in october and the best part of our vacation was grabbing a ice drink, hopping over to tom sawyer island with our kindles and i sat on a comfey bench in the shade and red the entire tom sawyer book. that was seriously a nice feeling looking around the island and reading the book, was fun.

I love this tip. I wish I could do this but my kids would never give me that kind of time. I will save this for when I retire. LOL

 

[alayne]

Ok I just read this in a book and I am hoping it's still true - can someone confirm and if it is still at MK I'll add it to the extra part above.

Le Chapeau Shop
If you enter the shop from the door nearest Tony's Town Square, where you will find a phone in a small room on the right, next to the door. Pick up the receiver and you will discover its a party line.

 

[zhazhazsu]

Add waffle sandwiches to Sleepy Hollow. Mmmm.. Yum.

Also in the que for Jungle Cruise, there is a spider in a cage. You can make it move by putting your hand in just the right spot. Really fun to freak others out.

 

[alayne]

Add waffle sandwiches to Sleepy Hollow. Mmmm.. Yum.

Also in the que for Jungle Cruise, there is a spider in a cage. You can make it move by putting your hand in just the right spot. Really fun to freak others out.

Tell me more about waffle sandwiches!!!??? That sounds good and very interesting.

I have seen the spider but my daughter hasn't. I'll add that one to the list above.

 

[alayne]

Here is another thing I'm hoping someone can confirm for me - we got to eat at BOG the first week of December 2012 and we were not greeted by Mrs. Potts and Chip nor did we see an interactive Lumiere doing rounds (like Remy does at Chefs de France in Epcot).

We did dinner in the West Wing and saw The Beast make an appearance during our meal and announce he would greet guest in the library after dinner with Belle. This is when we had the kids picture made.

Has this been added to the BOG experience since I was there in early December or is this just a rumor?

 

[parkhopping]

Here is another thing I'm hoping someone can confirm for me - we got to eat at BOG the first week of December 2012 and we were not greeted by Mrs. Potts and Chip nor did we see an interactive Lumiere doing rounds (like Remy does at Chefs de France in Epcot).

We did dinner in the West Wing and saw The Beast make an appearance during our meal and announce he would greet guest in the library after dinner with Belle. This is when we had the kids picture made.

Has this been added to the BOG experience since I was there in early December or is this just a rumor?

Where did you hear this rumor? That definitely does not happen at BOG, lol. An AA Lumiere is featured at ETWB, but that's it. Beast is the only character at BOG, and as you mentioned, he makes an appearance a few times during the meal, then meets for photos afterwards in his study.

 

[alayne]

Where did you hear this rumor? That definitely does not happen at BOG, lol. An AA Lumiere is featured at ETWB, but that's it. Beast is the only character at BOG, and as you mentioned, he makes an appearance a few times during the meal, then meets for photos afterwards in his study.

I read it in "The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World" Planner by Susan Veness and Simon Veness. It's suppose to be the 2013 edition and it says it includes more than 100 New Secrets of the 4 Parks. It's on page 140.

If this is not a good book can someone recommend some good ones that have true information.

 

[angbuz]

Always looking for some great tips and secrets for MK......thanks for starting this thread!