If you only have 1 day to spend at Magic Kingdom, then you need to know that you will not be able to see everything that it has to offer. There is a lot to see and do in the Magic Kingdom, but with 1 day you can still hit up all of the attractions that are the most worthy of your time. This itinerary is for a full day at the park, however you can take a break in the middle or cut the day short if you feel it is too long for your family. Just note that if you do not plan to spend the full day in the park, you will have to cut out some of the attractions on the itinerary.

 

If you plan to only spend 1 day in the Magic Kingdom, I highly recommend that you start your day approximately half an hour before rope drop. Rope drop refers to the time that they officially open the park. For example, if the park is scheduled to open at 9 am, then it is recommended that you arrive at the Magic Kingdom gates for no later than 8:30 am. You will want to make your way down Main Street to the Castle Hub in time for the 8:55 am opening show in front of the castle.

 

**Make sure to check out my Magic Kingdom Rides Guide to help you pick out which rides you want to plan for at the park.

 

Fastpasses:

 

When scheduling your fastpasses, I would recommend trying to start them around 1 hour after park opening and getting them all in early in the day. That will then allow you to schedule more throughout the day after you have used your 3rd scheduled fastpass. For example, my preference for a 9 am park opening is to schedule them at 10-11, 11-12, and 12-1. You can only select 3 to begin with and these are the ones we would recommend choosing from:

 

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (this is a definite must-get fastpass)
• Space Mountain
• Splash Mountain
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Peter Pan’s Flight (slower ride, but fastpass is required if you want to ride without a long line)

 

Early Morning Touring:

 

Depending on what fastpasses you have scheduled, you may need to change the order of this itinerary. If you were not able to get a fastpass for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, then you will want to head there as your very first ride. Here is our recommendation of how to tour in the first hour and a half:

 

• Head immediately to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. The line will appear long, but it should be no longer than a 15 minute actual wait as soon as the park opens. If you have a fastpass for this ride at a later time, then start with the next ride.
• Space Mountain
• Splash Mountain
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• If the lines are still short, I would recommend trying to get some extra rides on either Splash Mountain or Big Thunder before the afternoon crowds start to get long.
• Pirates of the Caribbean

 
Mid-Morning Snack/Rest:

 

Aloha Isle is in the area and it serves the famous Dole Whip. It is a delicious cold treat and a must-try for every Disney World guest. You can also take some time to cool off at the misting stations right next to the Magic Carpets of Aladdin.

 

 

Late Morning Touring:

 

• Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• Haunted Mansion
• Liberty Square Riverboat
• Peter Pan’s Flight (only do this if you were able to get a fastpass)

 

Lunch Break:

 

There are some great quick-service options in this area of the park that you can choose from for lunch. We would recommend either Pinocchio Village Haus or Columbia Harbour House. Be Our Guest is an excellent quick-service option as well (very popular), but you will require advanced dining reservations for this restaurant.

 

If at this point you have used all of your fastpasses, I would highly recommend that you book another one through the My Disney Experience app. That will allow you to try and secure more rides on some of the popular coaster rides that you enjoyed earlier in the day. Every time you use a fastpass after your original three, you will be able to log on and select another one. This is how guests are able to get 4, 5 or even 6 fastpasses in a day.
 

Mid-Afternoon Touring:

 

This is usually the hottest time of the day, so this is the best time to slow it down a bit and try to stick to some indoor attractions. It gives you a great opportunity to rest and cool off from the hot sun. The Festival of Fantasy parade starts at 3 pm, and if you want to catch it, it is best to start by choosing a spot to enjoy the parade. I find that spots in Frontierland and Liberty Square offer more opportunities for shaded spots. If you want to get a front seat view, then plan to get your spot at least 45 minutes before the start of the parade. Before and after the parade, this is what I would recommend to continue catching some shows and resting:

 

• Country Bear Jamboree
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
• Carousel of Progress
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover

 

 

Afternoon Snack:

 

For an afternoon snack, you can hit up Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies if you are in the mood for some ice cream, smoothies or sundaes. If you want something a bit more filling, you may want to head over to the Cheshire Cafe and give the Cheshire Cat Tail a try. It is a delicious pastry filler with yummy chocolate.

 

Late Afternoon Touring:

 

• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Tomorrowland Speedway

 

This is also a good time to catch some of the last live shows of the day. Check your Times Guide to see if you can catch “Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire” in front of the castle followed by the “Move It! Shake It! Dance & Play It! Street Party” parade.

 

 

Dinner Break:

 

If you are looking for a quick-service option, then Cosmic Ray’s is one that I recommend. Cosmic Ray’s has a good selection of food and is probably the most popular quick-service option in the Magic Kingdom.

 

If you prefer a table service option, then you will need to make reservations in advance. One of my favourite table service restaurants in the Magic Kingdom is Liberty Tree Tavern. It’s not that difficult to get a reservation here and I’ve even had luck sometimes just walking up and asking for a table without a reservation.

 

Evening Touring:

 

The end of the day is a good time to get in any rides that may offer a different experience once the sun goes down. Here is what I would recommend trying once it gets dark out:

 

• Dumbo
• Astro Orbiter
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Splash Mountain
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

 

End of Day:

 

As the end of day nears, you will want to start to stake out a spot for the castle/fireworks show. Once you are 45 minutes out from the fireworks, you will want to grab your spot. The best views are immediately in front of the castle, in the hub. You’ll want to try and stop in a spot that has an unobstructed view of the castle as most of the show is projected on to the front of the castle. Stick around after Happily Ever After to catch the second castle projection show called “Once Upon a Time”.

 

Once the park is closed, we recommend sticking around a bit to let the rush of people exit the park. Trying to exit right away will get you caught in large crowds. The shops on Main Street stay open for an hour after closing, so you can take the opportunity to peruse the shops while you wait to leave. Or you could just grab a seat on a bench and people watch as you reflect on the magical day you just had 🙂