Learn all about Disney Magic Kingdom Orlando, Disney’s most famous theme park! Below, we explain everything about this park and give tips about the best attractions, restaurants and more! But if you already want to go to the website where you can buy your tickets, just click here, which is a partnership we made with one of the largest tour operators in the world to guarantee the best price in the parks.
After reading this article, check out our tips about how to save a lot of money on your trip to Orlando. It is the most accessed article on our blog and will help you with all the trip planning. There are several unmissable tips that will save you A LOT of cash and set up your entire trip to Orlando.
Magic Kingdom areas
Magic Kingdom is the heart of Walt Disney World, which is why some people even confuse this park with the entire complex. It is divided into six thematic regions: Main Street USA, Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. The park is huge and has the largest number of Disney attractions, so the ideal is to explore each area at once. The basic tip, therefore, is: arrive early! And plan to see your favorite attractions.
Most tourists start their tour in a clockwise direction, contrary to what we will talk about below, so following our tips you will probably get a lot less queues than other visitors. The best order to visit the park is: Tomorrowland area, Fantasyland, Liberty Square, Frontierland and Adventureland, passing through Mainstreet USA at the end or in the middle of the script.
Main attractions of the Magic Kingdom
Here we list the must-see attractions of the park, which are those that you cannot miss during your visit. We recommend that you prioritize them during your tour:
1) Cinderella Castle – the middle of all regions
It is in Disney Magic Kingdom Park that you will find the famous Cinderella castle, which is the historic point of the park and where everyone takes the most important photo to remember the trip. The castle is located at the beginning of the park, at the end of Main Street USA, and is the link between all regions (as you saw in the map). It has a kind of roundabout around it, where each route leads to one of the areas we mentioned above. It can be a good meeting place if someone in the group gets lost. The place has become a world reference and is the most sought after tourist spot in Orlando. It is worth spending some time there and taking several photos.
Inside the castle is an incredible beauty salon called Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, which, if you have a daughter, you can not miss it. The place is a children’s beauty salon at Disney, where the girls turn into beautiful princesses. Incredible hairstyles and makeups are made, based on classic Disney movies. It is necessary to make reservations months in advance through the official Disney website to get a schedule, and the value of the experience is paid separately.
2) Space Mountain – Tomorrowland
Space Mountain is in Tomorrowland, the futuristic region of the Magic Kingdom that is most empty in the early morning. This attraction is a very famous roller coaster in the dark, simulating a trip to space. It is very radical, but children can participate as well. You can’t see where it is going, and that, added to the lights and curves. This roller coaster is not recommended for very sensitive people, who have dizziness or labyrinthitis, because it is really fast.
3) Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin – Tomorrowland
This attraction is super famous, especially among children. It is based on the classic Toy Story movie, focusing on the character Buzz Lightyear. In the attraction, each participant has a gun that fires laser, and you have to try to hit the targets that appear along the way. At the end, each person’s score appears, but all people have fun.
4) Astro Obiter – Tomorrowland
This is a toy that younger children usually like more, since it is not as developed. It’s kind of a taller merry-go-round, and you can see much of the Magic Kingdom park from up there.
5) Tomorrowland Speedway – Tomorrowland
This is the autorama of the park, and children usually like it a lot too. They are cars for two people, and children over 1.32 meters can drive, because the car follows a track, so users just need to accelerate and brake. The carts reach up to 12 kilometers per hour, and the attraction lasts about 5 minutes. For adults it can be a little dull, but little ones love the racing simulation.
6) Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – Fantasyland
This is Snow White’s 7 dwarf roller coaster. As it is an adrenaline-pumping attraction, the lines are usually quite long – sometimes the longest in the entire park -, so go as soon as you can there, as soon as you arrive at the Magic Kingdom. On the other hand, the queue is interactive, so time goes by faster. The attraction itself is well worth it!
7) Mickey’s PhilharMagic – Fantasyland
This attraction is a 3D movie where Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck take tourists to different scenes from the most classic Disney films. They pass by Aladdin, Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, among others. It’s a really cool toy for you to get some rest and relax enjoying some of Disney’s history.
8) Peter Pan’s Flight – Fantasyland
This is the coolest attraction for Peter Pan fans. It only lasts 3 minutes, but the interactive queue is already worth it. In the attraction, you will go on a flight with the main characters of the movie Peter Pan, in a boat like Captain Hook’s.
9) Under the Sea – Fantasyland
Under the Sea is the attraction of the Little Mermaid in the Magic Kingdom, which is located in the Fantasyland area. It is a stroller that walks through different scenarios of the film, accompanied by a lot of music and all the characters. The queue is very interactive, and this attraction usually please younger children more.
10) Beauty and the Beast Region – Fantasyland
The Beauty and the Beast area at Disney Magic Kingdom theme park is among Orlando’s most famous “attractions”. It is where you will find the Castle, the village of Bela, the square with Gaston’s tavern and even a restaurant that recreates the hall of the castle of Beauty and the Beast, called Be Our Guest. Maurice’s Chalet and Enchanted Tales with Belle are the most popular attractions, where visitors can enter Bela’s house and her father’s workshop and participate in a fairy tale story told by the princess herself.
After that, visitors are transported to the gigantic library of the castle of the Beast, where there are hundreds of books and the same scenario as the film. In the end, visitors can still take pictures with the princess. Children are really delighted! There you can also find The Village Square, which is a village with a bronze statue of Gaston in one of his hero poses. The village was built entirely according to the film, it is very charming and cute!
11) It’s a Small World – Fantasyland
It’s a Small World is a super traditional attraction: one of the oldest in all of Disney and Orlando. It is a tour with a boat that passes through various scenarios with dolls dancing and singing. Each area of the toy represents a region of the world, and the dolls and sets correspond to the countries. It is not such a lively toy, but it is very traditional there, even because people of all ages can go – even babies in arms.
12) Haunted Mansion – Liberty Square
Moving on to the Liberty Square area, the Haunted Mansion is one of the coolest attractions in Orlando, and has been around since 1971. It’s a ghost train inside a haunted mansion, and it’s all really cool and very well done. The effects are super realistic. Younger children may be frightened by this toy, although it is not terrifying, but young people and adults often love it.
13) Splash Mountain – Frontierland
Going to Frontierland, the “Old West” area in the Magic Kingdom, we find Splash Mountain. It is a toy that is quite radical, and worth visiting – mainly to get wet and cool. The visitor gets on a wooden boat and goes through scenes with characters singing songs from the old west, and at the end there is a super fall that makes water fly everywhere. If you don’t want to get wet, we advise you to go in the raincoat and sit at the back of the stroller, which is the one that gets the least water.
14) Big Thunder Mountain – Frontierland
Big Thunder Mountain is a really cool roller coaster from Magic Kingdom, not so radical. There are no loopings, but the toy is fast and makes some really cool turns. The theme is the old west and the scenario is a gemstone mine. All the decor is super cool, and it’s worth it, even if the line is long.
15) Jungle Cruise – Adventureland
Arriving in the Adventureland area, the Jungle Cruise is a very different attraction in the Magic Kingdom. It is a boat that passes through a lake with several surprises, and it has a driver who is driving and making several jokes along the way. It is for tourists of all ages!
16) Pirates of Caribbean – Adventureland
This is the attraction of the famous film “Pirates of the Caribbean”, with Johnny Depp, who even appears there in the form of a wax figure. The attraction is a boat that passes through several scenarios of the film – very realistic, by the way -, all accompanied by a soundtrack. The queue is very interactive, and even those who are not fans of the film are impressed by the quality of the attraction.
Other attractions in Magic Kingdom
There are dozens of other attractions in the Magic Kingdom, which we recommend that you only go if you have time. This is the case of the Hall of Presidents (a show about the presidents of the USA) and the Liberty Square Riverboat (boat ride), which are in the area of Liberty Square. In the Frontierland area, we also do not recommend the Country Bear Jamboree tour, Tom Sawyer Island (both more monotonous tours) and the Frontier Shooting Arcade (a target shot that you need to pay an extra to participate).
There is also the Walt Disney World Railroad, a small train that goes around the park with stops at Frontierland and Fantasyland, losing the main points; the Carousel of Progress and the People Mover – Tomorrowland Transit Authority, which are also monotonous train rides; the children’s roller coaster The Barnstormer and the “flying” carousel Dumbo the Flying Elephan; among other several playgrounds with toys aimed more at children.
Meeting characters in Magic Kingdom
Check out the full list of characters you’ll find at Disney’s Magic Kingdom park in Orlando, and in what area they are located:
Aladdin: Agrabah Bazaar, The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Alice: 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
Belle (Beauty and the Beast): Cinderella’s Royal Table
Eeyore (Winnie the Pooh 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
Mad Hatter (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
Madrasta (Cinderela): Fantasyland
Marie (Cat): Main Street USA
Mary Poppins: Main Street USA
Merida (Brave): Fantasyland, at Fairytale Garden
Mickey Mouse: Main Street USA, at Town Square Theater
Peter Pan: Fantasyland, near Peter Pan’s Flight.
Pluto: Main Street USA
Winnie-the-Pooh: Fantasyland, near Crystal Palace.
Rapunzel: Fantasyland, at Princess Fairytale Hall
Tinker bell: Town Square Theater
Stitch (Lilo & Stitch): Tomorrowland
Tiana princess: Liberty Square
Timon (Lion King): Adventureland
Chip ‘n’ Dale: Main Street USA, Frotierland
Tigger (Winnie the Pooh): Fantasyland, near Pooh.
Wendy (Peter Pan): Fantasyland, near Peter Pan’s Flight
Woody (Toy Story): Frontierland, near Splash Mountain
Magic Kingdom fireworks show
Disney’s fireworks shows are among the most beautiful in the world, and Magic Kingdom’s is considered number one. Called “Happily Ever After”, it is a show that mixes fireworks, lasers and projections, showing some of the main characters from Disney films, such as Moana, Brave, Operation Big Hero, Zootopia, the Princess and the Frog, Aladdin, among several others. It also have the traditional dessert party, a party in a restaurant overlooking the fireworks, where you pay a fee per person and enjoy delicious desserts.
Musical parades at the Magic Kingdom
One of the most exciting parts of the day at Disney Magic Kingdom Orlando is the music parades. There are two: “Celebrate a Dream Come True” and “Move it! Shake it! Dance and Play it!”. Both are parades with floats where all the Disney characters perform in an incredible show, with music that makes you shiver and believe that you are in fact living a dream. They usually take place at 3 pm and in the late afternoon, but confirm on the itinerary available on the day you are. And get there early if you want to watch them, because the streets gets crowded and the fight for a place to take pictures and see the characters is great.
Mickey, Minie, Pluto, Goofy, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, all the princesses and many other historical Disney characters appear here, all accompanied by a lot of music and dancing a lot. “Move it! Shake it! Dance and Play it!” also happens at night, before the fireworks.
Where to eat at Magic Kingdom: best restaurants
Magic Kingdom restaurants are great and there are several options to choose from. It is worth reading about them, as some options are fantastic, such as dinner at Beauty and the Beast Castle, where you even have a meeting with the princesses during the meal, but reservations must be made months in advance. Take advantage of this tip and book as soon as possible, as it is really hot and an incredible experience.
1) Cinderella’s Royal Table restaurant
Disney’s Cinderella’s Royal Table restaurant is one of Orlando’s most popular restaurants. It has a charming atmosphere, inside the amazing Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom park. The restaurant has the presence of charming princesses, with emphasis on Cinderella, who is the castle’s resident. There you will see little girls dressed as princesses, with tiaras and shiny shoes, who really think they are in Cinderella’s castle. In addition to being beautiful, the restaurant has one of the best views in the park (if you can, schedule for sunset or fireworks).
2) Be Our Guest Restaurant
Be Our Guest restaurant is one of the most incredible attractions in the new area of Beauty and the Beast, being one of the most sought after in Orlando. It is a restaurant inside the castle of the Beast, which is identical to the hall where Princess Bela and the Beast dine in the film. The restaurant’s capacity is up to 550 people spread over three areas, but it is still very difficult to get a seat. For lunch, there is fast food and special tables with French buffet style dishes. Dinners at the Be Our Guest restaurant are already more refined and require reservations that must be made months in advance. A unique and super romantic experience, well worth it.
3) Tony’s Town Square Restaurant
Tony’s Town Square Restaurant is all inspired by Dama and Vagabundo, where they met in the film. The dishes are Italian and they offer several pastas, chicken with Parmesan cheese, aubergine and prawns. It has a statue of the Lady and the Tramp in the middle of the restaurant and ends up being a romantic place.
4) Crystal Palace restaurant
One of the differentials of the Crystal Palace is that the view is facing the castle symbol of the park, and you can eat enjoying the scenery. It is a good alternative to the Cinderella’s Royal Table, which is a huge competition. The restaurant is beautiful and all decorated with fine and luxurious details, so its name is Palácio de Cristal. In addition to having the characters from Winnie the Pooh’s gang, the food is really great and many people say it is one of the best restaurants in Disney and Orlando for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
5) Great sweets and treats!
Another delicious tip is to have an ice cream at the Main Street’s Ice Cream Parlor. The “sundae in Mickey’s sink” is very successful there, which comes in a super cute little pot and is a souvenir for you. And don’t leave the park without having the famous Funnel Cake With Strawberry topping and Whipped Cream at Sleepy Hollow. Without a doubt, it is one of the most talked about desserts in all of Disney.
Tips to avoid queues + FastPass and Single Riders
- Walt Disney World parks have many attractions, and a tip is to arrive early and go to the most popular toys first, because parks start to fill up after 10am.
- Use sneakers and very comfortable clothes. Drink plenty of water to resist the whole day under the sun.
- Buy souvenirs at the end of your visit, no matter how great the temptation to visit stores is!
- Use the Single Riders, which are separate lines for those who are alone or do not mind going with someone they don’t know in a attraction car. In Orlando, both in Disney parks and Universal parks, there is the normal queue and, alongside, Single Riders. You save a lot of time when using them, as these lines run much faster and fill car holes
- Another tip to get along in all Disney Parks is to use the Disney Experience App, which is amazing because it shows the entire map of the park, where the attractions are, the waiting time in lines, bathrooms and restaurants. And in it you schedule Disney FastPass +, which is the system to “skip the line” at the attractions, where you program the time when you will visit each attraction. It’s great and saves you a lot of time! You can schedule them even before your tour starts, through the Disney app.
- We always recommend that you visit the parks on weekdays, with the exception of Mondays. Usually, on weekends, tourists and locals come to them, and you will take the queues much longer than usual.
- Another tip is to walk the park counterclockwise, since most people start their journey in a clockwise direction. But, of course, remember to go to the most popular attractions first – run to them as soon as you arrive at the park!
- Remember that parking at the Magic Kingdom costs US $ 22.00, but guests at Disney hotels do not pay and can still use the free transportation, as well as enter the parks an hour early (called the “extra magic hours”).
In which attractions should I use Fast Pass?
The most popular attractions in this park are Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain (especially in the summer). Therefore, they are attractions that deserve the use of Disney’s FastPass. Other attractions, like Peter Pan’s Flight, Buzz Lightyear and 7 Dwarfs Mine Train, are also very popular – so if you can get FastPass, you’ll save more time. Finally, another attraction worth using FastPass are the photos: photos with Anna and Elsa, from Frozen, and photos with princesses (Princess Fairytale Hall) always have huge queues. So, if you want to take those pictures, pick up your FastPass at the Magic Kingdom park in Orlando.
Special events at Magic Kingdom: Halloween, Christmas and New Year
Magic Kindom park is always celebrating holidays and thematic dates. On Valentine’s Day, for example, which is celebrated in the USA on February 14, the park is filled with little hearts. But some dates receive even more special attention. This is the case of Disney’s Halloween, which takes place on some days of the months of September, October and November, promoting Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, a special party and paid separately. It is perfect for taking children because, as the name of the party says, there is nothing scary.
During the party, the main attractions in the park are open and with fewer lines than during the day. There is an opening show with all the villains gathered, a themed musical parade and a fireworks display full of “ghosts” and villains throwing their powers to the skies.
In addition to Haloween, Magic Kingdom Christmas and New Years are magical: on select nights at the end of the year, the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, paid separately, takes place after the park closes. These nights bring all the characters dressed up in character, with dancers, thematic fireworks show, special parades with Santa Claus, classic songs and much more.
Some restaurants offer special Christmas meals on holiday days, with unique and special dishes – such as Cinderella’s Royal Table and Crystal Palace. In addition, you can purchase a ticket to the Fireworks Holiday Dessert Party event, which offers sweets to taste during the Holiday Wishes fireworks show.
Tips to make the most of your trip to Orlando
Now that you’ve seen everything about Disney Magic Kingdom theme park in Orlando, a great tip that makes the difference on your trip is to choose the location of your hotel. Orlando is a big city, and it’s so much better to stay in a region close to the main tourist spots. See our article best areas to stay in your trip to Orlando to learn about the best regions to stay there and how to get a great hotel for an excellent price (and find good deals). You will stay in the best region, close to the parks and outlets, and enjoy even more your trip!
Orlando’s parks, outlets and tourist spots are very far apart, which is why the tourists always choose to rent a car in the city. With a car, you will be able to enjoy your trip even more, visiting everywhere and shopping with peace of mind. If you want, see our article how to rent a great and cheap car in Orlando, where we give you every information that you need to know about this subject, with tips about how to find unique prices using comparators. It ‘s much cheaper than people think, and it is worth it because Orlando is definitively a city to explore by car.
How can I use my phone in Orlando?
Being able to use your cell phone on your trip is something extremely useful. With it working, you can search about all the spots, access the discount coupons and park apps, check the weather and even use the GPS, saving the rent of this equipment for the car. Besides, of course, being connected to the various social networks!
We have selected the best tips about how to use your phone in Orlando, in which we indicate the cheapest way to use it all day long and anywhere in the entire country. With the mobile internet, you can search everything about Disney Magic Kingdom theme park in Orlando!
Where is the cheapest place to buy Orlando tickets?
Many people don’t know where (and even when) to buy Disney and Orlando tickets. We’ve done a lot of research and find out where is the cheapest place to buy Orlando parks tickets. We always buy our tickets there! It’s where you’ll find the best prices and where you can buy all the tickets, for all the parks and attractions at once, in the same place.
Don’t forget about the Travel Insurance for Orlando!
A very important tip is to have an International Travel Insurance before traveling to Orlando. No one should travel without it, so you can avoid major problems abroad! It ends up being cheaper than people think, and in our article of International Travel Insurance for Orlando you check everything you need to know about it: which are the best insurance companies, and tips for hiring excellent coverage for a lower price, saving a lot.
Must-see articles from Orlando:
- Best things to do in Orlando: must-see places and sights in Orlando.
- Best places to go shopping in Orlando: a complete guide to shopping in Orlando.
- Orlando’s Best Parks: all the main parks in Orlando.
- Walt Disney World Parks in Orlando: the incredible parks of Disney World.
