MAGIC KINGDOM Tips

The ideal age range to enjoy everything in the park is from 7-10 years. They are old enough to remember the trip, they still enjoy the kiddie rides and they are tall enough to get on the older kids rides. While many don’t outgrow Disney, 12+ years wouldn’t want to sit through “it’s a small world” or wait an hour for the 7 dwarves mine, while kids 5 and under will appreciate any amusement park that won’t break the bank. This park is for the “catch all” traveler. Someone who wants to say they visited Disney World and has rides geared for all ages, good for a family but maybe not for someone looking to hang out with friends and enjoy thrill rides.


Ride Descriptions

Is it worth a 2 hour wait? Ride it first or last? Would my kid enjoy?

Recommended Food

From a quick snack to where to get a decent meal

Entertainment

Should you catch the show? Where to wind down

Other Tips

Where to wind down, souvenirs to get and other random tidbits

Ride Descriptions

7 Dwarves Mine

Most Popular Ride In The Park

Is it worth an hour wait? Not if your kids are older than 9, but if you have young kids who wants to experience a magical roller coaster then yes. The alternative is Barnstormer nearby for the young kid roller coaster thrill.

Below you will find descriptions of what we rode on our recent trip and our opinion. We didn’t ride all of the rides and you can find most descriptions (albeit short) in the Disney Parks app. They will have better descriptions of height requirements.

Ride Name
Description
Age & Thrill Level
Recommendation
Thunder Mountain

Longer than 7 Dwarves Mine and sharper drops, the wait time is sometimes posted an hour but ends up being around 30-40 minutes.

8 Years and up. Fun but not too fast and scary like Space Mountain

If less than 30 minute wait definitely go again if your kids like thrill rides.

Buzz Lightyear Ranger Spin

Arcade type ride where you get to shoot moving targets while sitting in a moving spaceship.

Slow moving cart but can spin slightly. Great for all ages.

Go early in the day or when it’s less than 15 minutes wait. You don’t want to waste too much time here as other rides increase in time fast

Tomorrowland Speedway

Mini car driving experience. Surroundings are pretty dull and need to be updated…possibly into “Cars” theme?

Kids can drive cars alone if above height requirements or with adults in a controlled environment

Not worth more than a 15 minute wait. Ideal for kids under 7. We go to Gilroy Gardens in CA a lot and the classic cars there are more fun and the environment as well.

Haunted Mansion

Slow moving “doom buggy” ride though special effects that are more interesting than scary. The classic is the mirror at the end when you see the ghosts that hitchhike with you.

Low key ride good for all ages unless they are squeamish.

One of those nostalgic rides, good for a wind down or escape from rain but nothing missed if you need to make time for other rides.

It’s a Small World

Disney’s classic boat ride to see scenes around the world with a song that never ends.

Good for families with babies and toddlers or just need some winding down time.

Disappointed all these years they still left out Vietnam from the representation. It’s a must ride for Disneyland fanatics because it’s a classic but another ride that older kids would skip.

Under The Sea

Similar to Finding Nemo at Epcot but without the digital effects.

Slow moving clamshell in the dark with scenes from the Little Mermaid. Good for younger kids.

It’s a quick ride. When 7 Dwarves mine is a 70 minute wait, this is a welcome escape in the heat with a 5 minute wait. Catch a quick shut eye if you are tired as well.

Jungle Cruise

Entertaining boat ride. Fun for the family especially if you have a guide that loves their job.

Calming, great for whole family for a winding down type of ride.

More fore the relaxation and jokes, confusing for those who may not understand English. It’s a ride more for the jokes your guide makes more than anything.

Barnstormer

Kiddie roller coaster that is Goofy themed located behind Dumbo

Good roller coaster for young kids.

Entry level if you want to see if your kids can handle 7 Dwarves mine without the wait. Not recommended to wait more than 15 minutes though.

Aladdin Magic Carpet

Ride on Aladdins carpet. Similar to Dumbo it’s a small kid ride that goes around and up and down.

Good for all ages, not sure if babies can ride but can check the app

Kids can ride on this as you wait in line for your Dole Whip. Highly recommended to get on the ride when the fireworks are going off at night. It’s definitely magical.

Pirates Of The Caribbean

Similar to It’s a Small World but Pirates of the Caribbean Theme

Good for all ages. Slow paced boat ride. Not scary unless you don’t like skulls

Probably a ride you would go on your first trip but wouldn’t go again on a subsequent trip. It’s interesting scenery but not a ride worth waiting over 30 minutes.

Splash Mountain

Water roller coaster ride through various scenery.

Fun for kids 7 and up. Slow moving, fun thrill ride roller coaster with 2+ large drops that will get you wet.

One of the first rides they will shut down if there is lightning. It is worth a long wait for the older kids but probably not over an hour.

Space Mountain

Super fast roller coaster in the dark, single riders, very bumpy!

Superfast but completely pitch dark. Probably Magic Kingdom’s Scariest ride because you can’t see anything you don’t know what to expect.

Probably needs to get updated. A fun thrill for the older kids not recommended if afraid of darkness. It would probably rank lowest of all the Disney’s coasters for me.

7 Dwarves Mine

Snow White Themed family rollercoaster. You walk through the pretty mines as you wait.

Average thrill ride. Good roller coasters for 5+ years (if they are tall enough)

If you can come in right as park opens it is not a bad wait. I wouldn’t wait more than an hour for it but that’s their average wait time!

People Mover

Short tour of Tomorrowland through moving carts where you can pass through some of the rides like Space Mountain.

Calm scenic type of ride good for all ages and for winding down and resting

This was the end of the day ride for us. When everyone’s tired but doesn’t want to leave yet. Kids enjoyed touring through other rides and wish there were similar rides at other parks.

Food

Dole Whip Is a Must Have

Near Aladdin’s Carpet ride, these need to be eaten right away or will melt in the hot weather. You can get the classic or vanilla swirl or float and it’s by mobile order only.

Columbia Harbor House

The Trio Platter has a decent amount for family to share. If you grab another entree you basically have a full meal for at least 3 big kids to save a few bucks.

Entertainment


Other Tips

Parking

For directions to the parking lot, search for “ Disney Transportation and Ticketing Center. ” Magic Kingdom is the farthest travel from parking lot to the monorail/ferry and then to the front gate. All parks are $25 for parking and $50 for preferred. It’s good for in an out and to use other parks on the same day. However given a there’s a lot of walking and there are no trams running, it might be a good idea to find an uber/lyft service.

Winding Down Rides

The day can be exhausting for any age with the heat, walking and waiting. Find rides and shows with a short wait time at every park where you can rest your eyes and feet and not be over stimulated. At Magic Kingdom there’s: People Mover, Little Mermaid, Hall of Presidents and a few others.

Charging Stations

There is a Rapunzel themed area between the Haunted Mansion and It’s a Small World. There’s a nice picnic area where you can bring your food to eat and charge your phone with the hidden chargers in the tree stumps.

Wait Times

Check the wait times in the apps a day or two before each park and take mental notes for the rides you want to take. There are certain times of the day when rides aren’t as long: Early morning only the hottest rides are an hour wait, go for the classic rides they are usually less than 10 minutes. Wait times are usually longest from 10 AM to 1 PM, then they decrease as people grab lunch. Use the Genie to sign up for lightning pass, which I believe is free (it wasn’t available yet when we went but Fast Pass was free) + isn’t free.

Souvenirs


We generally don’t buy souvenirs unless they are something unique to the park that can remind us of the trip. In this instance we tried to find the nicest clothes that say 50th Anniversary or “Walt Disney World”, but it was limited stock. Sometimes others parks would have something in stock when one doesn’t. Ask employees if you need a different size. Know that you can return items easily at other stores throughout the park so you can buy something and return elsewhere if you find something you like more.

Weather


The weather is unpredictable and usually raining at some point in Orlando. Check weather when there is the highest chance of thunderstorms to plan your rides for the day. You don’t want to be stuck waiting in the rain or in line for a long time to learn they will have to shut it down. If there is a high chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon, plan on riding rides in Frontierland and Adventureland first as well as 7 Dwarves Mine. Head for indoor rides like Pirates of the Caribbean, It’s a Small World, Peter Pan or Space Mountain when it rains.

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