8 Hours in... Magic Kingdom

Walt Disney World is ridiculously big, seriously. It’s about the size of Manhattan twice over, so it is more than difficult to do everything in one trip let alone one day. However, it is expensive to say the least; so if you can only afford or have the time to go to each park for one day then below are my tips and tricks to getting the most out of 8 hours in Magic Kingdom. These are just my thoughts on how to tackle Magic Kingdom best within an 8 hour day, I will write again about the cheapest way to book a holiday, how to spend a longer holiday in the resort and more. Henceforth, below is just the key information on essential rides, food, attractions and characters for each travelling group style, plus a few of my tips and tricks along the way.

Rides are probably the thing that draws most people in to visiting the parks. That being said, Magic Kingdom is the most visited theme park in the world and offers a lot more than just thrill seeking rides and little rides for kids. It is perfectly marketed towards any age group! I have grown up visiting Walt Disney World, from the age of 4 up till now as an adult, so I believe I have a good varied knowledge on what rides suit different visitors best and what rides are essential when visiting for a short amount of time. Jungle Cruise - Adventureland, Any Height This is the perfect family ride. A river cruise, full of puns and dry wit, that sails through the world’s most dangerous bodies of water. Each boat is piloted by its very own Skipper who delivers the jokes and navigates you on a 10,000 mile journey, which luckily only takes 10 minutes! This is a popular ride all times of the day, but the queue is quick moving, as the boats hold large groups, so you should be able to get on without a fastpass. Pirates of the Caribbean - Adventureland, Any Height This classic Disney attraction is another family ride which is entertaining for all. The backdrops of seaside towns and massive pirate ships are enthralling. Just keep an eye out for Captain Jack Sparrow who will keep you amused throughout the journey. The queue can be quite long but head there towards the end of the day and you can see queues shorter than 10 minutes. The Many Adventure of Winnie the Pooh - Fantasyland, Any Height This ride is great for little ones or anyone who grew up loving A. A. Milne’s tales of Pooh and friends. Get blown away, jump up and down, and head into Pooh’s dreams with Heffalumps and Woozles. Even though this ride is simple, I think it holds a special place in many Disney lovers hearts and is great for joyous childhood nostalgia. Queues around parade time are shortest in Fantasyland, so head to this area then. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - Fantasyland, Height 97cm Go shooting through a mine shaft until you hear the songs of the Dwarfs. Be enchanted by glistening jewels and beautiful views of Fantasyland. This thrilling ride is extremely popular, so head there first thing or use one of your fastpasses so you can experience this ride.

Splash Mountain - Frontierland, Height 1.02m Gently meander through colourful scenes with cheerful animatronics on a log flume adventure. This beloved ride is great for a hot day but beware of the 5 story drop! An update is headed to this ride in the next couple of years, transforming it into Princess Tiana’s beloved Bayou, which I for one can’t wait for. Try and go on this ride early on in the day to avoid big queues. Haunted Mansion - Liberty Square, Any Height Perfect for all ages, hop aboard your ghost host guided tour and enter the spine chilling mansion. This ride may be dark and mildly frightening but it’s great for all ages, the music and friendly ghosts make it an enjoyable adventure. Definitely use another fastpass for this ride as queues are normally upwards of 45 mins. Space Mountain - Tomorrowland, Height 1.13m This thrill ride is great for big kids and adults alike. Blast off on a rocket ride around space, zooming past stars, planets and meteors. This rollercoaster is also based in the dark making the ride even more thrilling. This is another great ride to use a fastpass on or make use of the single rider line. Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover - Tomorrowland, Any Height This magnet powered, elevated tram takes all the family on a tour of Tomorrowland. This ride is perfect for a bit of a cool down on a hot day or an entertaining sit down to see behind the scenes of some of Tomorrowland’s rides and shops. Don’t worry about queues on this one, the tram is always moving therefore so is the queue. Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room - Adventureland, Any Height

This attraction is quintessentially Disney. With a cast of over 225 animatronics, this musical extravaganza is enjoyed by all ages. The entertainment is great and so is the air conditioning, so if you’re in need of a sit down but the kids want to do attractions, this is the perfect spot. There you go. Those are my opinions of essential rides to do on a 1 day trip to Magic Kingdom. This park is definitely catered more to families and classic Disney lovers than other travelling group types; however I don’t think a Walt Disney World holiday is complete without a breathtaking shot of the castle. If you have time, I’d suggest popping into Cinderella’s Castle for a little look around or a quick photo shoot. Also definitely make use of the Walt Disney World app! If you enter all the guests in your group into the app you can book up to 3 fastpasses per day, within the same park, which is a great time saver. By using the app you can easily plan your holiday in advance, whilst also making sure you get to go on the most popular attractions. In addition, when you’ve completed your 3 fastpasses you can make another 1, and when that one is done you can make another; meaning you can truly make the most out of your stay.

The parades and fireworks at Magic Kingdom are also attractions in their own right and are certainly not to be missed! The Festival of Fantasy Parade is full of beautifully constructed floats, amazing dancers, catchy music and all your favourite characters. If you don’t have time to meet with characters then I always say to watch the parade to see them there. My top tip for the parade is never to sit and wait in the Florida heat for a good patch, go through the Christmas shop in Liberty Square to get a great view that is never too crowded. This waiting tip also applies to the fireworks. The evening spectaculars are a stunning mix of projections, characters, fireworks and music. I’d suggest standing on the outskirts in front of the castle if you don’t want it to be too crowded, but definitely end your magical day with the fireworks or you’ll be missing out! Now it is well known how expensive it is to eat and drink in Disney parks; however when you are limited on time it is easy to limit the money spent. In Disney you have 4 types of food outlets: Kiosk: These places are mainly for quick drinks or sweet treats and can be more difficult when it comes to no seating and the beating down sun, or a Florida storm. Quick Service: This is my choice for a quick inexpensive bite that will fill you for the day. I will explain my favourite quick services below. Buffet: These are great when you want a lot of food to fill you for the day but they can be quite expensive, I would only suggest the buffet restaurants when using a dining plan or wanting to take part in character dining. Table Service: Disney table service restaurants can be fantastic but also very expensive. I would suggest to not bother dining in a table service when on a quick visit, as it can easily take an hour or more out of your park time. My advice would definitely be to take advantage of the quick service dining options when only in the park for 8 hours. I will suggest my favourite quick services which I believe are good value for money and what cuisine is provided there. Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe - Frontierland This quick service is great when wanting to fill up for the whole day, serving Mexican inspired cuisine such as tacos, fajitas, southwest salads and nachos. The great thing about Pecos Bill, however, is the fixings bar; this is where you can add any salad and sauces you want to your meal so that it is as filling as you would like. There’s a lot of seating inside and out making it a perfect place for all the family to go.

Columbia Harbour House - Liberty Square This quick service can get quite busy, but that’s due to the popular menu items. The menu consists of fried shrimp and chicken, lobster roll, chicken pot pie and macaroni cheese to name a few. It’s perfect fill you up food that’s not too expensive and good for picky eaters. My tip is to go upstairs to eat as lots of guests don’t notice the extra upstairs seating. Casey’s Corner - Main Street U.S.A Casey’s Corner is a staple quick service within Disney parks and is great for filling everyone up. The menu is quite small, consisting mainly of hot dogs, corn dog nuggets and fries; however there is normally a speciality hot dog on offer which is always delicious. It’s classic American fast food which isn’t too expensive but is good for sharing. Beware the lack of seating, so go picnic style as there’s always room outside on the grass with great views of the castle. Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe - Tomorrowland This quick service has a lot of inside and outside seating and is not usually too busy outside of the lunch rush. Serving burgers, nuggets, salads and vegan sloppy joes; it’s not the most varied menu but it is inexpensive and filling. There’s normally a seasonal offering on the menu which is usually the best item available. There’s also an animatronic host, Sonny Eclipse, who sings to you whilst you enjoy your meal. The restaurant options across Walt Disney World are vast, so it can be difficult to know where to choose. In my opinion, Disney chefs produce some of the best food in the world which can be reflected in the high prices; however if only going on short visits there’s no point spending over an hour at a table service restaurant if you just need a quick bite. Another time I will explain the best restaurants across the Walt Disney World Resort, which there are many.

The last thing you’d need to consider is character interactions. This can be difficult when only visiting the park for 8 hours, but can be possible if that is a want of yours. Fastpasses can be made for certain characters such as Mickey Mouse, Tinkerbell, Donald Duck, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Daisy Duck and some princesses. If you luck out and see the queue is under 15 minutes then I’d suggest going for it, but be aware that each guest could have a different length meet and greet than the next which can certainly hold up a queue. And there you have it, my tips and tricks to completing Magic Kingdom in 8 hours. I hope something up there has been of help to you and that you have a magical time!