Magic Kingdom

This is an overview of Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, and it’s main attractions.  This is not a comprehensive list, however.  A much more thorough guide is available to those who use Magic On a Dollar Travel Planning for their trip!

 

THE PARK AREAS

The Magic Kingdom is made up of six lands:  Tomorrowland, Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland (with New Fantasyland & Storybook Circus), Liberty Square and Main Street USA.

MAIN STREET USA

Whereas the train station is considered the opening curtain, Main Street is considered the “opening credits.”  This is where you’ll find most of the shops, including my favorite shop in The World, The Main Street Emporium on the left side as you start up Main Street.  As you enter the park, you’ll have guest relations on the left, as well as City Hall.  On the right is the Town Square Theatre, where they have Mickey & Minnie’s Meet & Greet and Tinkerbell’s Pixie Hollow.

You’ll find the Harmony Barber Shop, which is a great place for a first haircut or just some pizzazz…. meet n greets with Tinkerbell and a Talking Mickey Mouse… the Main Street Train Station, where you can catch a ride to Frontierland or Storybook Circus… and Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom!

CINDERELLAS CASTLE

Yes, there is a fantasy suite at the top, which is impossible to visit. On the ground floor, you’ll find the entrance to Cinderella’s Royal Table, available for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

FANTASYLAND

  • Peter Pan’s Flight… Soar over London into Neverland, flying high above familiar scenes from the movie
  • “it’s a small world”… Come on, you know the words, sing along!
  • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh…  Board a honey pot as you visit scenes from Winnie the Pooh’s movie adventures
  • Mickey’s PhilharMagic… A 3D attraction not to be overlooked!  Join Donald as he uses a magical hat to journey through some of your favorite Disney moments!
  • Prince Charming’s Regal Carrousel… One of the oldest carrousels in the world!
  • The Mad Tea Party… Who doesn’t love the Teacups!  It’s a fast-spinning ride where you pile into a teacup of your color choice, then use the metal wheel in the middle to spin.
  • Princess Fairytale Hall… Anna & Elsa have moved over to Norway in Epcot, so Rapunzel is on one side with a Princess Friend, and Sleeping Beauty is on the other with a princess friend.

NEW FANTASYLAND

  • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train… Board a mining car as the ride takes you the through the mountains, first at a zippy pace, then at a slower pace as you see the dwarfs doing their mining and singing a familiar song.   Height restriction of 38”
  • Enchanted Tales with Belle… Enter into Maurice’s cottage for a 20 minute tale as old as time… the cottage itself is a detailed wonder, with over 12,000 book spines seen within the entire attraction.
  • Under the Sea with the Little Mermaid… Ride in a seashell as you plunge “under the sea” to watch the story of the Little Mermaid.
  • Gaston’s Tavern… Here is a little counter service and snack area where you can get some meat, try LaFou’s Brew (a cold apple spice drink) and many times around the area, you can meet Gaston.  And they have huge cinnamon rolls here, which are delicious.

STORYBOOK CIRCUS

  • Dumbo’s Flying Circus… There are not one, but TWO Dumbos now to service your flying elephant needs!  As much fun as the ride is, the queue is also just as wonderful!
  • The Barnstormer ft. The Great Goofini… This is the only roller coaster built specifically for children, and it’s quite a blast.  The ride is less than a 90 seconds long, and to an adult, it’s amusing and cutesy fun.  Height restriction of 35”.
  • Casey Jr’s Splash’n Soak Station… Casey Jr, a large train, sits in Storybook Circus and shoots water everywhere.  Made more for smaller children, it’s a fun little area.
  • Pete’s Silly Sideshow… You can pick either side, one taking you to meet The Astounding Donaldo Duck and The Great Goofini, and the other where you can meet Madame Daisy Fortuna and Minnie Magnifique.
  • Big Top Souvenirs… That’s this area’s shopping place, and it’s a rather large store where you can get lots of Dumbo merchandise, Storybook Circus gear and watch sweets and desserts behind made behind the center counter area.
  • Fantasyland Train Station… Board the train here, travel past Tomorrowland and next stop, Main Street Train Station at the front of the park, followed by Frontierland, then back to this station.

LIBERTY SQUARE

  • The Haunted Mansion… Just know it’s full of ghosts and creepy voices and things that go bump in the night; all presented in a comical, non-threatening manner.
  • The Hall of Presidents… A show presenting the presidential history of our country, with lifelike animatronics of every president, introducing themselves.
  • The Liberty Belle Riverboat… It’s the big boat that ferries around Tom Sawyer Island (the island in the middle). 
  • The Columbia Harbor House Restaurant… A great place to get chicken and shrimp, as well as sandwiches and salads
  • The Muppets Present Great Moments in History (but only the American parts)… Several times per day, Kermit, Miss Piggy & the gang come out to tell the audience all about the Declaration of Independence, among other things.

ADVENTURELAND

  • The Magic Carpets of Aladdin… You get into a carpet car, you fly in a big circle, and kids love it.  And the camel spits!
  • The Enchanted Tiki Room… A classic attraction with lots of animatronic birds singing lots of Polynesian songs, with Tiki Gods jumping in… it’s catchy and fun.
  • The Pirates of the Caribbean… Journey through the seas and villages where the pirates have taken over… you’ll see Barbossa, Davy Jones and Jack Sparrow along the way.
  • The Pirate Tutorial/Pirate League… Jack Sparrow, or someone like him, comes out, picks some kids out of the audience and gives them pirate lessons, and this is a free show.   There is also a Pirate League for the kids, boys and girls alike, that for a nominal fee based on what you want to do, you can have your kids become pirates.
  • The Jungle Cruise… Hop on a boat and take a tour of the world’s biggest rivers, with a Cast Member giving you the world’s corniest jokes!
  • The Swiss Family Treehouse… This is a walking tour through a replica of the treehouse used in Swiss Family Robinson.  It’s a lot of steps!
  • Skipper’s Canteen… This is the newest eatery in Magic Kingdom, as it’s the “Jungle Cruise Restaurant”!  The menus are online now, and it’s a table service for lunch and dinner – no breakfast offered.

FRONTIERLAND

  • Tom Sawyer Island… Ride a barge over to the island, where you’ll find lots of hiding places, trails, places to relax, and even a fort! Closes in early evening.
  • Splash Mountain… Enjoy the story of Brer Rabbit & the Tar Baby, as you ride a log through one of Disney’s most famous mountains. Caution… you may get wet! .  Height restriction 40”
  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad… This here is the wildest ride in the wilderness.  Loads of fun, it’s a crazy, rattley coaster that takes you through Big Thunder Mountain and back again with lots of dips and turns.  Height restriction 40”
  • The Country Bear Jamboree… It’s completely cheesy, completely goofy and a complete pile of nonsense, which makes this stage show so much fun!
  • Frontierland Train Station… Hop on the train here, just behind Splash Mountain, and be on your way to Storybook Circus!  Or you can stay onboard to continue to Main Street USA and the front of the park, or just return back to Frontierland.
  • Diamond Horseshoe… This has been a restaurant and gathering place for many years, but opened only seasonally, but now it’s a lunch and dinner restaurant (for a limited time)

TOMORROWLAND

  • Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin… Here, you are fighting the evil Zurg, using your laser pointer gun to shoot at little targets all through the ride. There are some targets worth up to 100K points if you can find them!
  • Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor… Enter Monstropolis as you join the Monster of Ceremonies, Mike Wazowski, in to gathering your laughter to fill up the energy canister.  Very interactive show.
  • Stitch’s Great Escape… Formerly Alien Encounter, you’ll be part of a team trying to hold on to the just captured little alien, Stitch. Harnesses come down on your shoulders and you spend a little time in pitch black, so decide accordingly as to whether your kids should ride. Open seasonally.  Height restriction 40”
  • Space Mountain… It’s a legendary roller coaster hidden inside the big white dome.  You’ll race through space with hairpin turns, steep drops and music in the dark.. it’s a little shaky, but very popular.  Height restriction 44”
  • The Astro Orbiter…  The ride itself is fun, as it’s positioned high up, and as you fly in your little rocket ships, you can see a great distance over Magic Kingdom. Beware of the queue, though, as it’s not FastPassable and the line can be crazy long.
  • Tomorrowland Speedway… This is simply a car track, with motorized cars on runners, with a small brake and gas pedal.  Height restriction 32”
  • Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover… You’ll crest the top of the escalator to Rockettower Plaza, where you’ll take an elevated ride through Tomorrowland.   With no engine, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover uses emission-free linear induction motors (whatever that means)… so it travels magnetically!
  • The Carousel of Progress… It’s a revolving theater that takes the audience through four different eras of the 20th century, each with more progress than the last, and each with great animatronic characters.
  • Cosmic Ray’s… It’s pretty good food, there are three “bays” that serve various incarnations of burgers and chicken and so on.  You can also see Sonny Eclipse performing in the stage/dance area.

FESTIVAL OF FANTASY PARADE

This is being considered one of the greatest Disney parades to ever parade down a parade route, and with good reason.  It’s a brilliant cavalcade of music and color, with floats that have things happening on both sides of the float.  Princesses wave, Princes cheer, warriors swing from rafters, characters walk and dance and so much more.  And, of course, a 50 foot long fire-breathing steampunk dragon!  I mean, it breaths fire!  It’s pretty awesome.

 

ready to go?