Make the Most of a Day in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom

Making a daytrip to any Walt Disney theme park can be intimidating. Walt Disney World has four major theme parks, two water parks, a downtown area for upscale dining and shopping and a whole host of resorts.  With so much going on, you’re going to want to make the most of each day and each park.

Magic Kingdom is broken up into six different “lands.” From Adventureland, where guests can ride the Jungle Cruise and eat Dole Whips, to Fantasyland and New Fantasyland, to Frontierland, Liberty Square, Main Street USA and Tomorrowland, each land has something unique for guests, making fitting in a full day’s activities a herculean effort.

The first step toward fitting everything in is making sure you take advantage of Disney’s Fastpass+ program. The program is included with the price of admission and allows guests to reserve their place in line. Guests can choose three passes at first. Once all three reservations are used up, guests can reserve more park experiences. It is best to use the reservations for highly sought-after rides like Space Mountain and Splash Mountain.

When you have an idea which rides and shows you want to fast pass, break out a a current map of the park. Depending on how you want to structure your day, order your fast passes clockwise or counter clockwise around the park. If Space Mountain in the morning sounds good, hang a right after making your way down Main Street USA and make your way through the lands in the subsequent direction.

For the kids you are traveling with, make sure you keep lots of space in the schedule for bathroom stops, snack stops and anything that else might come up. There are a few places throughout the park where characters come and go. On the occasions your little one might want to meet the character, you should plan accordingly.  For an ice cream-esque treat, visit Aloha Isle in Adventureland for a tasty pineapple Dole Whip.

After you have the skeleton of your day mapped out, the rest is easy. Make sure to hit every attraction in each portion of the park to reduce the times your group needs to backtrack. Make time for the afternoon parade and to eat, as well.

Around 7:30–8 p.m., it is time to start thinking about getting a good seat for the fireworks demonstration. The fireworks and projections show project on to the castle, creating a spectacle for guests of all ages.

Keep in mind the Extra Magic Hours. If guests stay in a Walt Disney World Resort, they have access to special after hours on certain days. Check to make sure you can take advantage of the time.

By the end of the day, you might be dealing with some tired children, but the memories you create will definitely be worth it.