My preference is to always allocate 2 days to Magic Kingdom since there is so much to see and do in this Disney park. It also allows you to see almost everything without having to do full days. Staying from open to close is pretty tough, especially if you have kids with you. With a 2 day itinerary, you can break up the days and get everything done with a more manageable schedule.

 
**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.

 

Day 1:

 

I highly recommend that you start your day as early as you can. If you are a Disney Resort guest, then you will have access to Fantasyland and Tomorrowland for 30 minutes before official park opening. With that in mind, aim to arrive at the park an hour before official park opening and be ready to head to your first ride of the day so you can maximize that extra 30 minutes.

 

If you are not staying on-site, then I recommend you arrive 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.

 

Lightning Lane Suggestions:

 

Genie+ comes in very handy at Magic Kingdom. Because this park has so many rides, I highly recommend purchasing Genie+ for your Magic Kingdom park days.

 

When scheduling your initial Lightning Lane selections, I would recommend trying to start them around 1 hour after park opening. That will give you a chance to ride other attractions on stand-by while they still have short lines during that first hour. After the first hour, lines start to get longer and that is when your lightning lane selections will come in handy. For your first Lightning Lane selection of the day, I would recommend:

• Big Thunder Mountain
• Jungle Cruise

 

I also highly suggest purchasing the extra Lightning Lane access for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. This ride experiences the longest lines in the park, so this Lightning Lane purchase is highly worth it!

 

**You will want to make sure you know how to use Genie+ and how to purchase those extra Lightning Lanes for the premium rides. You can take a look at my tutorial at How to Use Genie+ at Disney World.

 
Early Morning Touring:

 

Depending on what you scheduled for your first lightning lane, you may need to change the order of this itinerary. Also, as you go throughout the day, the order may change depending on when you are able to grab additional Lightning Lane rides. Make sure you read my tutorial (linked above) and know EXACTLY when you can schedule your next Lightning Lane. The more Lightning Lanes you can schedule in the day, the less time you will spend waiting in lines.

 

If you are not using Genie+ and are a Disney Resort guest with access to early entry hours, this is the order of rides I recommend:

 

• Head immediately to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (unless you have purchased the Lightning Lane access, which I highly recommend)
• Space Mountain (head immediately to this ride, if you purchased lightning lane access for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train)
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Splash Mountain
• Pirates of the Caribbean

 

 

Mid-Morning Snack/Rest:

 

One of the most popular snacks in the Magic Kingdom is the famous Dole Whip. You can pick one up right next to the Enchanted Tiki Room at the Aloha Isle. Another popular snack location in this area is Sunshine Tree Terrace where you can pick up a delicious citrus swirl. Make sure to use the mobile ordering function in the My Disney Experience app!

 

Late Morning Touring:

 

• Jungle Cruise
• Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• Haunted Mansion

 

Lunch Break:

 

For quick service options in this area, I would recommend either Columbia Harbour House or Pinocchio Village Haus. If you prefer to eat at a table service restaurant, then you will need to make advanced dining reservations. Some popular table-service selections in this area are Liberty Tree Tavern, Be Our Guest or Cinderella’s Royal Table.

 

**If you are eating quick-service, make sure to place your order in advance using the Mobile Order feature in the My Disney Experience app.

 
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 catch some shows. Some of them are indoors, which gives you a great opportunity to rest and cool off from the hot sun. When the Festival of Fantasy parade returns, you will want to check the start time of the parade. The steps in front of the Liberty Tree Tavern are a good spot in Frontierland as it will give you better viewing to see above the crowds. Before and after the parade, this is what I would recommend to continue catching some shows and resting:

 

• Country Bear Jamboree
• Hall of Presidents
• Liberty Square Riverboat
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic

 

Afternoon Snack:

 

For an afternoon snack, you could head over to Sleepy Hollow. They offer delicious waffles, funnel cakes and ice cream sandwiches. If you would like to continue on to the Hub area, there are a few popcorn carts there where you could pick up a snack as well.

 

Late Afternoon Touring:

 

This is when you may want to start making your way out of the park seeing what you can still catch on your way out. It may be time for another character cavalcade, so check the showtimes in the My Disney Experience app. You can then head down Main Street and see if you want to visit Mickey in the Town Square Theatre. 

 

My preference at this point of the day is to usually head back to our resort for dinner and relax for the evening. Kick up my feet and get ready for the next day! If you would like to see the fireworks on day 1, then make sure you return to Magic Kingdom for about 45-60 minutes prior to the start of the fireworks to find a spot to watch them.

 

Day 2:

 

For your second day, I would recommend starting at or right after lunch. The reason I recommend doing a later start on your second day is so that you can have enough energy to stay until the park closes to view the fireworks show.

 

Lightning Lanes:

 

For your first Lightning Lane selection of the day, I would recommend:

• Peter Pan’s Flight

 

Mid-Afternoon Touring:

 

I would recommend starting with some indoor attractions as this will be a very hot time of the day. This is what I would recommend you start with:

 

• It’s a Small World
• Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid
• Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
• Carousel of Progess
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover
• Astro Orbiter
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

 

Afternoon Snack:

 

For a delicious cold treat in Tomorrowland, I highly recommend Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies. There you will find some tasty ice cream, smoothies and sundaes. Perfect for a snack on a hot day!

 
Late Afternoon Touring:

 

This is where the touring will become more relaxed and you can start to repeat some of your favorite rides. I recommend trying to schedule another lightning lane after you have used your first one. Every time you use a lightning lane, you can schedule your next one. Or for a late day visit to the parks, you can “stack” lightning lane selections and arrive at the park with a few set up for you later in the day. Make sure to read about how to “stack” lightning lanes in my tutorial blog post. 

 

Dinner Break:

 

Your options are wide open since the rest of the day will really depend on which rides you want to ride again. You’ll just need to decide in advance if you want to eat at a quick-service or table service. If you prefer a table service, then make sure that you make advanced dining reservations for the restaurant you select. My two favorite table service restaurants are Liberty Tree Tavern and Be Our Guest. Both offer a great menu and the food is deliciously good!

 

Evening Touring:

 

If the sun has gone down, there are some rides that are fun to do at night, of course it will all depend on the length of the lines and if you can get a lightning lane booking. They are:

• Haunted Mansion
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Dumbo
• Astro Orbiter
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover
• 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. 

 

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 🙂