Hi, everyone!
Thanks to the very helpful TouringPlans.com, I am working on my itinerary for each of the parks we will be visiting. I have completed all but Magic Kingdom. There seems to be so much to do and so little time!
I certainly would like to get most if not all the attractions in but I now know that's not likely... Any tips/ticks for touring the Magic Kingdom? What attractions would you skip, if any?
Thank you in advance!
Do you only have one MK day? If so you will want to make the most of it, though it's certainly possible. Make sure you are there for Rope Drop and use that time wisely. If Peter Pan is on your list, do that first. I would FastPass Seven Dwarfs and Space Mountain, then maybe something like Jungle Cruise, unless you want to head to it early. You could go to Peter Pan, then back to Adventureland and ride Jungle Crusie and Pirates, then over to Big Thunder and Splash Mountains, all before lines start to build Swing up to Haunted Mansion, which should still be moderate. By this point you may need to rely on the Fast Passes, so go to that area. If you have the FP for Space, the other Tomorrowland attraction likely to get a long line is Buzz Lightyear. Save the seated shows when lines get long as they usually do not have long waits and take in a lot of people. My strategy does not include Character Meets as I don't have mush experience with them. If you have smaller kids, I would recommend different things, and if they are under the height requirements for the Mountains, then that would free up some time, and some Fast Passes.
Here are some general thoughts:
Do not miss:
The Muppets Present Great Moments in History
Happily Ever After - Fireworks
Festival of Fantasy - Parade
Haunted Mansion
Pirates of the Caribbean
Space, Big Thunder, and Splash Mountains (if height is no issue)
FastPass+ Priorities:
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Space Mountain
Peter Pan (if you don't do this at Rope Drop - note that using an FP will skip the relatively neat interactive queue)
Buzz Lightyear
Rides that get long lines that move quickly (aka "people eaters"):
Haunted Mansion
Pirates of the Caribbean
it's a small world
Under the Sea
Technically Buzz Lightyear, however Fast Pass had a pretty negative impact on this one, as it does for all the old fast loaders, though Buzz seems to be a more popular choice.
Rides that get long lines that move slowly:
Peter Pan
The Many Adventures Winnie the Pooh
Jungle Cruise - This one's borderline. It may be considered fast since the boats hold so many, but it seems slow to me.
Tomorrowland Speedway
Seated shows usually with little wait (usually you will wait one show cycle which is about 15 minutes long depending on the timing of your arrival):
Enchanted Tiki Room
Country Bear Jamboree
Hall of Presidents
Mickey's Philharmagic
Carousel of Progress
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
General Walk-Ons
People Mover - even if the line as down at the bottom it goes quickly
Skip-able?
Well, I don't like to classify anything as skip-able, but know that you won't get to see everything if you only have a day. It does depend on the makeup of your party. I would say, and this is just my opinion, the lower priority items are:
Hall of Presidents
Move-it, Shake-it Street Party (again, smaller kids may love this)
Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire - Castle stage show performed many time per day
Enchanted Tiki Room - I
love it but it leaves many people scratching their heads. Same for...
Carousel of Progress - breaks my heart typing that! Again, your interest levels may vary.
Mad Tea Party
Magic Carpets of Aladdin - This is just a "spinner" and if you are going to do one, I'd do Dumbo (classic Disney) or Astro-Orbitor (great views!)
More than you asked for? Sorry about that.
Anyway, the above is just my opinion and is mostly based on a party that meets the height requirements for the bigger rides.
All that said, my one biggest piece of advice is to not stress about seeing "everything." You won't. You can't. Just go and have fun. Live in the moment and do what feels most fun. Do have a plan, but don't get discouraged when you get off schedule. It's no big deal. At Walt Disney World, magic and happiness are in the air - all you have to do is breathe it in!
Oh, and hey,
to the DIS. Happy planning!
