Magic Kingdom Tips & Tricks
General Tips:
Early Bird Gets the Worm: There is an opening ceremony at the Cinderella's castle, which means that main street actually opens an hour prior to the official opening time. This is useful if you have a particular attraction in mind. For example, if you were unable to get a fastpass for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, this is an opportune time to position yourself to get right back to the ride after the opening ceremony.
Get there early and play late: Wait times tend to be the longest during mid-day hours from 11 to 5 or so. In the evening things start to slow down a bit and, as you get later into the night, that is the best time for the longest lines (next best after park opening). Generally speaking, if you are not interested in the fireworks show, you can jump on lines that are usually longer and save yourself some time. Right before park closing is another great time to jump on a long line like Space Mountain. Even if it says 40 minutes, keep in mind that fastpasses end at park closing. So, while the line may still be the same length, there are generally less people being loaded onto the ride. Of course this is not ALWAYS the case, but it's a good rule of thumb.
Get away from the crowds: There are a few quiet spots around the park where you can get a few moments of peace.
Early Bird Gets the Worm: There is an opening ceremony at the Cinderella's castle, which means that main street actually opens an hour prior to the official opening time. This is useful if you have a particular attraction in mind. For example, if you were unable to get a fastpass for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, this is an opportune time to position yourself to get right back to the ride after the opening ceremony.
Get there early and play late: Wait times tend to be the longest during mid-day hours from 11 to 5 or so. In the evening things start to slow down a bit and, as you get later into the night, that is the best time for the longest lines (next best after park opening). Generally speaking, if you are not interested in the fireworks show, you can jump on lines that are usually longer and save yourself some time. Right before park closing is another great time to jump on a long line like Space Mountain. Even if it says 40 minutes, keep in mind that fastpasses end at park closing. So, while the line may still be the same length, there are generally less people being loaded onto the ride. Of course this is not ALWAYS the case, but it's a good rule of thumb.
Get away from the crowds: There are a few quiet spots around the park where you can get a few moments of peace.
- One of my favorite areas is behind Tommorrowland Speedway over by the Walt Disney World Railroad Fantasyland stop. It's generally very quiet (aside from the cars) and has some benches for sitting.
- Another great quiet spot is along the water in Frontierland. There is a deck walkway from the Liberty Square area to the Splash Mountain area. Along the deck walkway there are various corners with benches and lovely spots to stop and take in the view.
- A great ride for taking a breather is the Peoplemover! This slow-paced ride takes you through some of the tommorrowland attractions from a birdseye view. You may have to wait a few minutes to get on, but once you do, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy getting a sneak peak of Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, and more!
Good Eats:
Of course it would be fabulous to grab a meal at Be Our Guest or to give Tigger a big hug at the Crystal Palace, but in case you are looking for some good "quick" eats, here are some of our favorites.
Tommorowland
Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe: It's nothing fancy, but it's a comfortable place to get out of the rain or heat with LOTS of tables inside. The food is the general, predictable, counter-service staples such as burgers and fries, but it's pretty reasonably priced.
Fantasyland
Do yourself a favor and grab a Cinnamon Roll at Gaston's Tavern, but make sure to bring friends. It's huge but delicious snack. Personally, I wasn't crazy about the Frozen drink Le Fou's Brew, but it's not bad.
Pinnochio Village Haus is another location where you will encounter the general counter-service staples. The nice thing about this location is that there is some fun indoor seating where you can see the boarding area for It's a Small World.
Liberty Square
Sleepy Hollow primarily serves small bites like pretzel dogs and corn dogs. The claim to fame for this small stop, however, is the fabulous Fresh Fruit Waffle Sandwich. I cannot overstate how yummy it is!
Columbia Harbor House is a nice alternative to the more expensive Liberty Square table service restaurants because it serves similar items (such as fried fish and fabulous clam chowder), but at much lower prices.
Frontierland
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe is a restaurant that gets pretty crowded because it serves some yummy southwest cuisine. If Tortuga Tavern in Adventure land is closed, this location can get a bit crowded, but the food is great and there is plenty of seating. If you have a large group with you, I recommend the Nachos Rio Grande Challenge. It can only be ordered between 3 and 6PM, but it is quite a party. It has a $90 price tag, but it easily serves 6 to 8 and it's tons of fun.
Adventureland
Do NOT miss Aloha Isle or Sunshine Tree Terrace for a Dole Whip. 'Nuff said.
Of course it would be fabulous to grab a meal at Be Our Guest or to give Tigger a big hug at the Crystal Palace, but in case you are looking for some good "quick" eats, here are some of our favorites.
Tommorowland
Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe: It's nothing fancy, but it's a comfortable place to get out of the rain or heat with LOTS of tables inside. The food is the general, predictable, counter-service staples such as burgers and fries, but it's pretty reasonably priced.
Fantasyland
Do yourself a favor and grab a Cinnamon Roll at Gaston's Tavern, but make sure to bring friends. It's huge but delicious snack. Personally, I wasn't crazy about the Frozen drink Le Fou's Brew, but it's not bad.
Pinnochio Village Haus is another location where you will encounter the general counter-service staples. The nice thing about this location is that there is some fun indoor seating where you can see the boarding area for It's a Small World.
Liberty Square
Sleepy Hollow primarily serves small bites like pretzel dogs and corn dogs. The claim to fame for this small stop, however, is the fabulous Fresh Fruit Waffle Sandwich. I cannot overstate how yummy it is!
Columbia Harbor House is a nice alternative to the more expensive Liberty Square table service restaurants because it serves similar items (such as fried fish and fabulous clam chowder), but at much lower prices.
Frontierland
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe is a restaurant that gets pretty crowded because it serves some yummy southwest cuisine. If Tortuga Tavern in Adventure land is closed, this location can get a bit crowded, but the food is great and there is plenty of seating. If you have a large group with you, I recommend the Nachos Rio Grande Challenge. It can only be ordered between 3 and 6PM, but it is quite a party. It has a $90 price tag, but it easily serves 6 to 8 and it's tons of fun.
Adventureland
Do NOT miss Aloha Isle or Sunshine Tree Terrace for a Dole Whip. 'Nuff said.
More tips still being authored, more to come!