Beyond the Rides: Magic Kingdom
Our “Beyond the Rides” series offers tips and activities for each park that don’t involve ride attractions. Don’t shy away from planning a trip if you or yours aren’t big riders. I am a notorious nervous rider. While I try to push myself to try one or two “scary” rides each trip to Disney World, I’m still not a thrill seeker. If you have someone in your group that gets anxious about “thrill” rides, there is still PLENTY to do in every one of the parks at Disney World.
After my first Disney trip as an adult, I thought that I would NEVER go back to Magic Kingdom again.
Before all of you die hard fans get out your Mickey shaped torches and pitchforks, let me explain. I was in the tween stage of parenting and the stroller derby and parent/child meltdowns were just not my scene anymore. The smallest of the parks with the largest of crowds had me feeling a little claustrophobic. My sister and my son were in agreement. I was moving that magical kingdom to our one and done list. Lots to do at the three other parks, right?
While planning our next Disney World trip, something became very clear to me. Most of our favorite classic rides are in Magic Kingdom. Dilemma! How could we skip the Haunted Mansion or Pirates of the Caribbean? Blasphemy! That is what got us coming back to this park in the end. Too many great attractions and fun things to do!
Easily the best park for folks who aren’t thrill ride seekers, Magic Kingdom has a lot to offer beyond the rides.
Enjoy a coffee and quick breakfast treat before rope drop
My group always gets to the park as early as possible. While sleep is important, spending time at the parks before they get too crowded wins out every time. Now that Magic Kingdom begins letting guests into the Main Street and hub area and hour or so before official park opening, it’s easier to take advantage of a more leisurely start to the park day.
If you get through security, bag check, and in line around one hour and 15 minutes before official park opening, you can be among the first guests to stroll onto Main Street. The best way to start the day is to grab a coffee and a breakfast treat at Main Street Bakery. Find a seat at one of the outside umbrella tables between the hub and The Plaza restaurant. It’s a great place to people watch and get ready for the park day. As long as you are inside the park early, there will be plenty of time to pick up your breakfast and enjoy it before you strategically place yourself at the rope drop area of whichever hub location gets you on to 7 Dwarves Mine Train or Peter Pan’s Flight faster.
Shop at Memento Mori
Haunted Mansion themed gift shop anyone? This retail shop is housed in Madame Leota’s home (the medium in the crystal ball scene of Haunted Mansion) over in Liberty Square near the aforementioned ride. It is full of hitchhiking ghosts and murderous bride paraphernalia. Head on over after you get off the Haunted Mansion ride and you won’t be disappointed.
Spirit Photography is also located inside the shop. Here, you can have your picture taken and purchase a lenticular 8 x 10 of your likeness that changes from “normal” to a creepy skeleton version of you, depending on the angle that you look at it.
Now, if Disney World could just open up a Haunted Mansion themed restaurant. That is something that I would definitely hurry back to. Hint, HINT.
Pirate’s Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas
This is a great way to explore Adventureland for both kids and adults. It is, basically, an interactive scavenger hunt. Treasure maps can be picked up at the Crow’s Nest. There are four different adventures that can be completed by following the map and clues given at interactive Magic Band touch point stations. The stations each have some sort of special effect that kids get a kick out of. At the completion of each adventure, a souvenir card is handed out at the Crow’s Nest as well as a FastPass (sometimes) for the Pirates of the Caribbean boat ride.
Since these adventure stations blend in with the theming of Adventureland, it’s easy to miss them entirely unless the game is played. Taking some time out to even complete one of the adventures slowed us down enough to really get into the spirit of Adventureland. If you have a Pirates of the Caribbean movie fan in your group, carve out some time to make this happen.
For more information, check out the official Disney site.
Listen to the Main Street Philharmonic or the Dapper Dans
While waiting for my sister and son to ride the Barnstormer on our last trip, I sat down along the wall near stroller parking just outside of the Storybook Circus meet and greet. Happily people watching and trying to modify some FastPasses on my phone, I looked up when the Main Street Philharmonic marched in and played a few songs. I think that I had always been making my way from point A to point B when the band was marching around. I had heard them before, but I don’t think that I had really ever listened to them. Since I was sitting there, just taking a break, I had a moment to really pay attention to their renditions of classic and contemporary Disney songs. They are fantastic.
The same applies for the Dapper Dans barbershop quartet. I do have to admit that I have only stopped and listened to a song or two if they happen to be performing on my way out of the park. Taking more time to really sit and listen to them is on my own “slow down your park plan march, Lady!” bucket list.
Have a chat with the Citizens of Main Street
Here is another recommendation that is actually a note to myself as well. I have watched countless interactions between guests and the Citizens of Main Street on Instagram stories and YouTube vlogs. Surprisingly, I have repeatedly seen the same Cast Members acting as the Citizens over the years. There is something truly endearing about the fact that folks who regularly or semi-regularly visit Magic Kingdom will see not just see a friendly face, but the SAME friendly face on their visits. It also says something about the depth of the commitment of Cast Members who have played the same Main Street character for many years.
These Cast Members most likely become an integral part of Disney World trips for return guests and that’s kind of what it’s all about, right? Next time, I need to take my own advice, slow down a bit and interact a little with these fine Citizens.
Stop for a PhotoPass picture in front of the Cinderella’s castle
Everyone should have at least one picture taken of their group in front of Cinderella’s castle during their visit. It’s tradition! This is one location where you are SURE to see a bunch of PhotoPass Cast Members, so take advantage. But first, take a moment after you walk under the train station and enter the park to stand near the end of Main Street and take it all in.
As sappy as it sounds, the castle is something to behold. I think that everyone is often too busy speed walking to the hub to position themselves for rope drop in the morning, or stomping by to get to their first FastPass that they don’t take the time to appreciate the main thoroughfare. Sure, a lot of it consists of gift and sweet shops that will be more than happy to have you spend, spend, spend, but it is where you find the Walt in Walt Disney.
There are lots of articles and vlogs out there about how forced perspective is used to make the street seem longer and the castle seem taller. While that is interesting, it’s the feeling that you get looking down Main Street toward the castle that matters.
Enjoy a show or a meet and greet
Magic Kingdom also has shows like Country Bear Jamboree & Mickey’s PhilharMagic. There are quite a few character meet and greets and many slow moving rides.
It’s not all about Space Mountain. To do all of the things that aren’t “thrill” rides at Magic Kingdom would take more than one day.
I didn’t grow up going to Disney World, but I still feel the pull of nostalgia at Magic Kingdom. I know it’s going to feel more crowded than the other parks. We will absolutely have to dodge streams of kamikazi stroller drivers. There will be both frustrated and tired children AND parents.
That’s the price to pay for watching kids smiling in wonder at Princesses or practicing their most menacing “Arrggghhh!” as their new pirate hats slide down their foreheads. I get it, people. I get it. Magic Kingdom won us over.
I’ll admit that I appreciate it more in the early morning or late evening, but it’s not a park that I could ever skip. While our favorite rides have us coming back, it’s the park and it’s full on Disney heart that got to us.
And I’m not giving up my Haunted Mansion Doom Buggy ride. Period.
For more information on what Magic Kingdom has to offer, check out our Everything You Need to know about Magic Kingdom .
