“Dad needs a break!” I’ve declared to my family on every Walt Disney World vacation we’ve ever taken, especially at that most challenging of theme parks, the Magic Kingdom.  Relaxing inside Walt Disney World’s busiest, most crowded park may seem like an impossible task, but there are several rides, shows, restaurants, and generally quiet areas where you can beat the heat, escape the endless sea of strollers, and just take it easy.

Best Places to Relax in Magic Kingdom

With that in mind then, here are the top ten ways you can relax in the Magic Kingdom.

Enjoy a Chill Ride 

Thrill rides such as Seven Dwarves Mine Train, Space Mountain, and TRON Lightcycle / Run are amongst the most popular in Magic Kingdom. However, there are also some very relaxing rides in this park, all of which represent various forms of transportation.

• Liberty Square Riverboat: Board the Liberty Belle riverboat, a working reproduction of the ships that cruised the Mississippi River, and enjoy a scenic tour around the Rivers of America, with recorded narration in the voice of Mark Twain. You’ll also be treated to unique views of Tom Sawyer Island, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and the Haunted Mansion. One drawback of this ride: while there are four decks, there is limited availability of seating.
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover: Take a relaxing ten-minute tour above, around, and through Tomorrowland on this elevated, futuristic trolley. The ride affords great views of all the land’s attractions, even taking you inside some of them. You’ll also see Cinderella Castle and Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
• Walt Disney World Railroad: Hop on or off this train at one of three stations (Main Street, U.S.A., Frontierland, Fantasyland), or do the full circuit, a leisurely ride around the entire Magic Kingdom. You’ll also get a glimpse of some rarely seen sites in this park, such as woodland animals, an early American settlement, and a Native American village. 

See a Show 

There’s no better way to get out of the sun and relax than the shows at the Magic Kingdom. So give your aching feet (and knees and back) a break and enjoy some quality entertainment.

• Carousel of Progress: This attraction, which premiered at the 1964 World’s Fair, is technically a ride, since the theater rotates (like a carousel, get it?).  However, the real thrill you get is relaxing in airconditioned comfort for 20 minutes and watching a humorous audio-animatronic show about the effects of technology on an American family over four generations. We have never encountered more than a handful of people on line, and since each vignette of the show is only five minutes, that is as long as you’ll have to wait for the theater to rotate and the doors to open.
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic: This delightful 3D show, which runs continuously throughout the day, inserts Donald Duck into scenes from classic animated films, such as “Aladdin” and “Fantasia.” And don’t worry if the line extends outside of the theater; your wait is usually the length of one show, as the cavernous theater just swallows the waiting crowd.
• Hall of Presidents: Clocking in at 30 minutes, this is the longest show in the Magic Kingdom. So sit, chill (literally), and enjoy a patriotic film about the history of the presidency. Then marvel at animatronic figures of all 45 United States Presidents. (Insider tip: no show times are posted on the website or app for this show; it’s simply listed as running continuously. However, if you don’t time your visit correctly you could end up waiting 30 minutes for the next performance. The last several times we visited the show was running on the quarter hour (i.e., 5:15 PM, 5:45 PM), but of course, that can always change. Your best bet is to swing by the attraction early in the day so you can check on the schedule.)

Relax at a Restaurant 

After enduring crowds, stress, and long lines in the park, I’m not about to put up with all that again at a counter-service restaurant. Therefore the family and I always enjoy a leisurely table service meal.  As an added bonus, table service restaurants are the only places in the Magic Kingdom where you can order an alcoholic beverage.

• The Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen: If you enjoy the Jungle Cruise, with its barrage of cringe-worthy dad jokes, then you will love this restaurant. The food is the best and most unique in the Magic Kingdom, the vibe is silly but laid back, and best of all it is almost never crowded. 
• The Plaza: You can escape the constant stream of people coming and going on Main Street at this quaint little turn-of-the-century restaurant offering picture-perfect views of Cinderella Castle. The menu features classic American fare, and reservations are always easy to come by.

Photo by Thomas Stefanchik

Hang Out in a Quiet Zone

Not every corner of the Magic Kingdom is jam packed with people. Here are a few areas where you can escape both the heat and the crowds.

• Walkway between Liberty Square and Adventureland: This wide passageway is a good spot to escape the heat and the crowds. While not air-conditioned, it is covered, offering shelter from the blazing sun. And it features large restrooms which are usually not that crowded.
• Tent behind Pete’s Silly Sideshow: Recharge your batteries, and your cell phones, in this airconditioned structure with multiple charging stations. There’s also plenty of seating available to just sit, chill, and relax.