What Are the Must-Dos at Magic Kingdom?
Everyone you know will eventually visit The Most Magical Place on Earth.
Roughly 20 million tourists flock to Magic Kingdom every year, which is the equivalent of the American population every 15 to 20 years.
For generations now, fans have delighted in the 50 plus attractions and experiences at the park…but which ones deserve your time every visit?
Here are the ten must-dos at Magic Kingdom.
Enter the Grid
Something to keep in mind about today’s list is that I’m choosing the universal options rather than my top ten.
For example, if I were picking, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover would be a must-do.
However, casual Disney tourists will feel differently.
They want to experience Disney’s newest and most iconic attractions.
Chief among those is TRON Lightcycle / Run.
Users get to enter the grid and experience Disney’s hottest new E-ticket attraction.
For seven years, American Disney fans coveted the Shanghai Disneyland exclusive.
Now, it’s the anchor attraction at Tomorrowland, and as of recently, available via standby queue.
So, anyone can do it and should.
Experience a Slice of Americana
Nothing at Disney makes me wax nostalgic as much as Main Street, U.S.A.
It’s the eternal part of Magic Kingdom.
You can compare pictures of what the place looked like in the 1970s versus today.
In doing so, you’ll appreciate how much it has changed, but your memory somehow adapts with the updates.
So, no matter what Disney does differently here, it feels timeless, comfortable, and warm.
This is the place where all your Disney memories coalesce, proving that time is a flat circle.
Main Street, U.S.A. is always just as you remember it, and you’re always happy the first moment you see it again on your trip.
Get an Earworm
There’s something perfect about the fact that Walt Disney World’s most iconic lyrics are “It’s a Small World.”
Sure, Disney owns tens of thousands of acres on the Disney World campus, but it feels so small and intimate when you’re on the rides.
No matter how you feel about the song – and I’m deeply conflicted – this little boat ride is a deeply personal experience.
Each scene features an almost infinite number of places to stare and admire Disney’s artistry.
The things you notice on “it’s a small world” are unlikely to be where my eyes naturally go on the ride.
That’s something I deeply appreciate about “it’s a small world.” Everyone on the boat keeps their head on a swivel the whole time.
Hug Mickey Mouse
When you enter Main Street, U.S.A., you’ll face an immediate decision.
Do you keep exploring the nostalgic elements in plain sight, or do you turn into Town Square Theater?
Both answers are good, but at some point you should stop into Town Square Theater.
A friend is waiting to welcome you.
Mickey Mouse holds an incredibly popular character meeting here.
With all due respect to his other interactions, I would argue that this is the best one, as well as the purest.
You’re at Magic Kingdom, and Mickey wants to hang out with you.
What could be better than that?
Hunt for Treasure
Whether you talk like a pirate is entirely up to you.
But let’s be clear. You’re heading to Adventureland, and you know why.
Pirates of the Caribbean is arguably the theme park attraction most closely associated with Disney.
While Disney operated for more than a decade before it opened, the Pirates ride quickly won the hearts of fans around the world.
You’ll find some version of this attraction at every park, but it feels most fitting at Magic Kingdom.
After all, the waters surrounding Florida are where many of these pirate adventures occurred.
Also, Disney has done an amazing job of keeping Pirates of the Caribbean current without losing any of its most memorable features from the 1970s.
Meet a Real Disney Princess
You’ll find characters like Mirabel from Encanto holding court throughout the park.
However, Disney has made it easy on its fans by creating a regal character greeting called Princess Fairytale Hall.
When you visit this character spot, you’ll interact with two Disney princesses.
Then, if you prefer, you can turn around, go back in, and meet two more.
So, that’s four of your favorite characters conveniently located in one spot.
Don’t forget your autograph books and smartphones!
See a G-g-g-ghost
For decades now, people have confidently sang that they ain’t afraid of no ghosts, but that’s absurd.
When you spend one minute in The Attic at Disney’s Haunted Mansion, you’ll fear for your head.
That’s partially because you’ll notice the Hatbox Ghost is sometimes missing his.
Yes, The Attic is where the bride, Constance Hatchaway lives.
She’s the angriest of the 999 Happy Haunts at the Haunted Mansion.
I like to make a game of it and count how many I spot during a given visit.
Still, my favorite part of the Haunted Mansion happens before the ride technically begins.
Nothing exemplifies Disney storytelling and Imagineering brilliance like the Stretching Room, the elevator with no windows and no doors.
Storm the Castle
Here’s another spot where you’ll definitely want to whip out your smartphone and take lots of pictures.
Since Magic Kingdom’s opening day more than 53 years ago, Cinderella Castle has anchored the park as its unforgettable landmark.
Disney’s entire theme park design is intentional.
When you enter Main Street, U.S.A., you’re staring down the street toward Cinderella Castle.
Disney wants you anticipating it long before you reach the castle courtyard.
You can, you will, and you should.
Travel from the Starport
My only quibble with Space Mountain is that few people ever understand what’s actually happening.
Generally, Disney storytelling is unmistakable, but this one works quite differently.
Disney sticks you in the dark and then spends the next couple of minutes disorienting you as you thematically hurtle through the dark void of outer space.
You’re departing Starport Seventy-Five on your voyage home.
I’ll tell you right now that it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.
Of course, if you don’t do this one, you’ll be embarrassed, because it’ll be one of the first things your friends ask you about the trip.
To many casual Disney fans, Space Mountain IS Magic Kingdom.
Visit New Orleans
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is the polar opposite of Space Mountain.
You cannot possibly miss the theming here.
You’re enjoying a reunion with your friend Tiana, whom you met and fell in love with in The Princess and the Frog.
You’ll notice Tiana’s Food signs as you approach the Frontierland attraction.
Then, when you enter the attraction queue, you’ll see where Tiana works, including her office where attentive viewers will notice recipe ingredients.
Alas, the conceit of the ride is that Tiana is missing one ingredient she needs for a magical dinner.
So, you join her as she heads to the bayou to retrieve this ingredient.
Along the way, she meets countless friends, creatures, and fireflies.
A few years ago, I would have listed Splash Mountain as a must-do at Magic Kingdom.
I’m happy to report that the urgency is even greater for you to experience the new Tiana ride.
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