Your best tips for touring the Magic Kingdom

[KDawnLily]

The long line blues-
If you decide against the Fast Pass (or if the Fast pass line is even busy) have your kids tell you the best things they have done so far, what they may not like to do again and what they are anxiously waiting for.. This helps pass the time..
If you have a digital camera- review your pics in line.. "Aww, aren't we cute?" certainly helps pass the time.
Grab your guide book and see where you are headed to next - you may even discover something close by the ride that you hadn't thought of before
Meet some new people.. those lines are just full of other Disney Lovers who may be looking for something to do while waiting too.. strike up conversation and trade great experiences(they may even be familiar with the DIS).


Happy Tip Trading!!!!

 

[crazymomof4]

Bumping this great thread to attract even more helpful tips and ideas.

 

[FloridaCat]

A local’s perspective: Let me give you the single most important tip. Download the park maps, PDF version. Study them until you are families where each attraction is. As locals, we chuckle every time we hear someone say; “its this way”, “No I think it’s this way”. A lot of wasted time and steps better planning can help avoid.

A lot of good advice has been given here with one caveat. It changes throughout the year and over time, because of what you are talking about, so everyone does it and advantage lost. Example it was not so long ago the magic time was 10:00 AM. We plan our arrival around ten and work the park behind the thundering herd ahead of us. Still works on certain times of the year.

 

[Virgo10]

Can you tell my kids are all grown up??!

Get there early. Leave by 10 a.m. and take the boat over to the TTA. With any luck you'll be the only person LEAVING the park and you can wave to all those waiting to go back as the boat pulls in.

Book an 8 p.m. seating at the Crystal Palace when there's fireworks and an E-Ticket night. You'll be finishing up dinner just as the fireworks start. Then you can wait on the porch for the crowd to thin out and begin having some fun with a lot less people around. This may work better in the spring and fall as I understand even the E-Ticket nights during the summer are pretty packed.

If you haven't been to the MK a lot, get a map and bring a marking pen. Cross off the rides you've done as you go along.

Eat during off times. Lunch at 11 at Pecos Bills. Gotta love those marinated mushrooms.

Most importantly, if you get tired, go back to the hotel and rest! Trust me. You'll be glad you did.

Roberta

 

[jaccceee]

The last time I was at Magic Kingdom for early entry there was like 5 really long lines to get in the park. I know from experience that there are usually more lines, so I just asked a cm if i could start a new line. He just pointed out to me the other turnstiles that were open and there was several of them. So when the parks open you're the first in line.
jackie

 

[Elk34]

Remember everyone doesn't have to be there to get your Fastpass. You just have to have someone go with everyones tickets to get the Fastpass. It is significantly faster for me to run to a fastpass attraction to get our passes and send my wife and daughters on to another ride.

We always end up doing something like they head toward the Magic Carpet ride and I run ahead and grab a fastpass from Splash Mtn or BTMRR and then meet them at the Carpet ride. Usually I can get the passes and be back at the ride they are going to in about the same time it takes them just to get to that ride. It is just faster for one(non-stroller pushing) person to scoot around and get the Faspasses.

So, ultimately we get a fastpass, wait in a line and ride a "smaller" ride nearby and then after the "smaller" ride it is close to time to use the fastpass and then we start the process all over again. It also gives us a good balance between the big and small rides so everyone is happy.

 

[FloridaCat]

This is a plan we have used and now with the time you can get your next FP printd on the first FP, makes it even better.

 

[snuggles]

We go early and head straight to Buzz. Every time we think we will get the Buzz fast pass the line is short so we go ahead and ride. From there we head towards Splash and at least get a fast pass. At this point our family usually splits up. Dh and I go off on our own and our 2 dd's ride coasters. A walkie Talkie is great for families that split up. Once we've finished what we really want to do the park is getting crowded. Next stop... Epcot.

 

[disneefamily]

Disnee Dad Says................................Ok, One more that is less well known but works.

Watch the midday parade on the adventureland side of the path, as close to the front as you can get. The first fifty feet if possible.

When the parade ends, calmly turn around and head for Magic Carpets. This slow loader will either have no line, or a two ride wait at the very most. Then hit Pirates, it will be a walk on. Then jungle cruise, you might have to wait for a boat or two, still very short. Then Tiki Birds, will still be minimum lines!

All this in the middle of the day!

 

[MinniMama]

Ok I am the one who said don't wait more than 10 minutes and I truly do not- we either walk on or get fastpass but remember we leave the parks by 1:00 and return in evening or tour during parades - now I just read the book Hidden Mickeys and they said don't wait more than 15 minutes in line so I could adapt and say 15 minutes but NO more you really can walk on at another time you just need to plan a bit. I do agree I have spent a bit more in the race track line omly because that line is so deceiving this time my goal is to have a stop and smell the roses tour plan.

 

[meeko_33785]

Think of the Magic Kingdom as a classic Disney movie. As strange as this sounds, I've found it to be true. All good Disney movies start out happy, as do the parks. The early morning is one of the happiest and most magical times in the Kingdom. The park is not as crowded and at times, it feels like you have the whole park to yourself- especially during the off-season. Later in the day, the Vilian arrives on the scene and tries to ruin everything. This villain is crankiness. It's hot, the kids are tired, adults are lathargic from the heat, and if you're not careful, it could defeat you. Like Snow White escaping the evil Queen, you must flee from crankiness. Go find someplace relaxing like Tom Saywer's Island in Frontierland, the TTA in Tomorrowland, or the Expo Hall on Main Street, or back to your hotel. Rest up and avoid the crankiness in the Kingdom as much as possible. Later in the evening, return to the parks. Crankiness should be subdued at that point, but not defeated. Continue the fun and frolicing in the parks, but always beware. Crankiness usually tries to make one more attempt to defeat you- usually after the SpectroMagic Parade or the fireworks. Main Street is a madhouse at these times and cranky people seem to abound. You can avoid this, though. See the parade in the much less crazed Liberty Square or Main Street and, when the fireworks end, don't join the hoards exiting the park. All you will do is stand at the bus stops or monorail station in a long, cranky line. Either watch the foreworks from the top of the train station and be the first person out of the park to avoid the masses, or stay in the park as everyone else exits. Relax, watch the Castle change colors, and smile- You're at Disney World! Proceed to the bus or monorail stop when they are less crowded, and end the day like any Disney movie should- happily.

 

[cruzindon]

Get there 30 min before closing.

Take the train to Splash.

Avoid early entry days.

Read 'The Unofficial WDW Book" for touring tips.

Take the train to Adventureland first thing and ride the two mtns. and Pirates & Jungle before crossing park to ride Spaace.

Use FP whenever you can.

 

[crazymomof4]

Originally posted by cruzindon
Get there 30 min before closing.

Don't you mean before opening?

 

[MinniMama]

Meeko I loved your explaination- I even printed it out for my family often on our trips the evil villian almost wins and ruins our trip but happiness always takes over in the end!

 

[w8ting4pooh]

We went July 3rd-July 12th and we DID NOT wait in line for anything longer than 10-15 minutes (except for Mission Space and one other ride that escapes my memory). Seriously! Character cues were our longest wait.

We avoided EE days. We just got there 30 minutes before opening.

We knew where we were going and had a plan. I had the Unofficial Guide touring guide maps in hand at the gate so we knew which way we were running.

We FP every FP attraction. We would get a FP and do everything around the area of the FP attraction then go back when our time was up. When we ran into any rides with a line, we skipped and came back later when the line was short.

We ate our sit down meals at odd times. We had character breakfasts at 10 and 10:30 and sit down lunches at 2:45. We only waited to be seated once and that was when we arrived 30 minutes early.

 

[cruzindon]

I did mean opening.

 

[Beanie]

These are all wonderful tips!! Thanks everyone!

 

[TINK61]

Someone mentioned earlier "comfy shoes". Better make that at least TWO pair of comfy shoes. I made the mistake of only bringing one pair of walking shoes (in an effort to keep the luggage volume down). Big mistake! To this day I can't stand to look at those shoes.

What I'm trying to get at is (and maybe you already know this, but I didn't), you should alternate so as to change the pressure points on your feet.

You live and you learn.

 

[walt's assistant]

1) Plan, plan, plan. (see #2 below)

2) Start in Adventureland and go clockwise through the lands, or start in Tomorrowland and go counterclockwise. (see #3 below)

3) Minimize re-tracing of steps. Don't take a FP for an attraction in Tomorrowland and go off to Frontierland and then double back.

4) Take your time to ENJOY the park. Don't race through...you'll miss too much magic!



Hope this helps!


WA

 

[sters]

We try to hit Tomorrowland Speedway right away, so the boys can do it twice. It's a slow moving line and you could pass out from the gas fumes in the heat of the day. Do that one EARLY!