Magic Kingdom is the heart of Walt Disney World—and if you ask me, the heart of DISNEY itself. No WDW vacation is complete without seeing Cinderella Castle, riding The Haunted Mansion, and smelling the sweet aroma of The Main Street Confectionery!
As we walk through all Magic Kingdom attractions, restaurants, entertainment, and gift shops together, you can determine which experiences should be on your must-do list!
To help you perfect your planning process, I highly recommend using the Get Down to Disness Daily Agenda Book. There, you can keep track of all your must-dos, build your vacation’s day-by-day plan, and acquire useful tips ahead of your next visit.
Main Street U.S.A.
As you “walk right down the middle of Main Street U.S.A.,” it feels as if you’ve stepped into Marceline, Missouri, Walt Disney’s hometown, from the early 20th century. Main Street U.S.A. is the best place to watch parades (or cavalcades), Happily Ever After, and to appreciate the beauty of Cinderella Castle.
Be sure to look up at the windows above each of the storefronts on Main Street U.S.A. On the windows, you can find unique tributes to many Imagineers and key contributors to Walt Disney World.
As you browse all Main Street U.S.A. experiences below, please note that 🐭 indicates Danny’s top choices.
Main Street U.S.A. Attractions
Main Street U.S.A. Dining
- Casey’s Corner 🐭
- The Crystal Palace
- Main Street Bakery
- Plaza Ice Cream Parlor
- Tony’s Town Square Restaurant
Main Street U.S.A. Entertainment
- Dapper Dans 🐭
- Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade 🐭
- Town Square Theater
Main Street U.S.A. Shopping
- Box Office Gifts
- The Chapeau 🐭
- Crystal Arts
- Curtain Call Collectibles
- Disney Clothiers
- The Emporium 🐭
- Harmony Barber Shop
- Main Street Confectionery 🐭
- Newsstand
- Uptown Jewelers
See more about Main Street, U.S.A. here.
Fantasyland
Fantasyland, home to WDW’s premier icon, Cinderella Castle, is the go-to spot for family-friendly attractions. If your little ones love Disney Princesses, classic Disney films, or simply aren’t (yet) a fan of thrills (aside from Seven Dwarfs Mine Train), Fantasyland should be at the top of your family’s must-do list.
Behind Cinderella Castle, at the Cinderella fountain, your little ones might be the first in your group to notice something special! For us adults, we’ll have to crouch a bit lower to the ground to see this… But your children just might be at the perfect height to notice that a crown on the mural behind the fountain is perfectly lined up with Cinderella’s head, as if she were wearing the crown.
As you browse all Fantasyland experiences below, please note that 🐭 indicates Danny’s top choices.
Fantasyland Attractions
- it’s a small world 🐭
- Peter Pan’s Flight 🐭
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Mad Tea Party
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh 🐭
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- The Barnstormer Starring the Great Goofini
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
- WDW Railroad: Fantasyland Station
- Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train 🐭
Fantasyland Dining
- Be Our Guest Restaurant
- Cheshire Café
- Cinderella’s Royal Table 🐭
- The Friar’s Nook
- Gaston’s Tavern 🐭
- Pinocchio Village Haus
- Prince Eric’s Village Market
- Storybook Treats
Fantasyland Entertainment
- Happily Ever After 🐭
- Let The Magic Begin
- Once Upon a Time
- Ariel’s Grotto
- Princess Fairytale Hall
- Enchanted Tales with Belle
Fantasyland Shopping
- Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
- Big Top Souvenirs 🐭
- Bonjour! Village Gifts 🐭
- Casey Jr. RailRoad Mercantile
- Fantasy Faire
- Hundred Acre Goods
- Sir Mickey’s 🐭
See more about Fantasyland here.
Liberty Square
Hear ye, hear ye! Liberty Square is a one-of-a-kind land—literally! In all Disney Parks around the world, Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World is the only one to have a “Liberty Square.” And with its colonial theming, teaching of American history, and a fan-favorite attraction I’m always dying to ride, boy am I glad it’s “ours.”
Near the Liberty Bell replica, you’ll notice a giant tree with several lanterns hanging off of its branches… The number of lanterns is a special tribute to colonial times—when you’re there, and can count the lanterns for yourself, it will all make sense (trust me)!
As you browse all Liberty Square experiences below, please note that 🐭 indicates Danny’s top choices.
Liberty Square Attractions
Liberty Square Dining
- Columbia Harbour House 🐭
- The Diamond Horseshoe
- Liberty Square Market
- Liberty Tree Tavern
- Sleepy Hollow 🐭
Liberty Square Entertainment
Liberty Square Shopping
- Liberty Square Parasol Cart
- Liberty Square Portrait Gallery
- Memento Mori 🐭
- Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe 🐭
See more about Liberty Square here.
Frontierland
Howdy, partners! Whether you’re looking for a laughing place or stepping aboard the wildest ride in the wilderness, there’s always something exciting to explore at Frontierland.
Splash Mountain is home to (arguably) my personal favorite Hidden Mickey in all of WDW. Just as you’re about to make your final descent into briar patch—right before you ascend to the top of the climb—look to the left-hand side of the rock formation and you’ll notice a very familiar side profile!
As you browse all Frontierland experiences below, please note that 🐭 indicates Danny’s top choices.
Frontierland Attractions
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad 🐭
- Country Bear Jamboree
- Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade
- Splash Mountain 🐭
- Tom Sawyer Island
- WDW Railroad: Frontierland Station
Frontierland Dining
- Golden Oak Outpost
- Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café
- Westward Ho
Frontierland Entertainment
Frontierland Shopping
- Big Al’s
- Briar Patch 🐭
- Frontier Trading Post 🐭
- Prairie Outpost & Supply
- Splashdown Photos
See more about Frontierland here.
Adventureland
Given Adventureland’s 3 classic attractions, 3 iconic snacks, 1 stellar swashbucklin’ shop, 1 table service restaurant that I consider to be the best (by far) in the park, and top notch theming, one must ask… Is this the best land at Magic Kingdom? Let’s keep that thought in mind as we review what Adventureland has to offer.
When you’re riding the Jungle Cruise, you might notice a crashed plane—only half of which is actually used here. The front half of this plane was formerly used in the Casablanca scene of The Great Movie Ride.
As you browse all Adventureland experiences below, please note that 🐭 indicates Danny’s top choices.
Adventureland Attractions
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- The Enchanted Tiki Room 🐭
- Jungle Cruise 🐭
- Pirates of the Caribbean 🐭
- Swiss Family Treehouse
Adventureland Dining
- Adventureland Spring Roll Cart 🐭
- Aloha Isle 🐭
- Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen 🐭
- Sunshine Tree Terrace 🐭
- Tortuga Tavern
Adventureland Shopping
- Agrabah Bazaar
- Island Supply by Sunglass Hut
- La Princesa de Cristal – Caribbean Plaza
- Plaza del Sol Caribe Bazaar 🐭
See more about Adventureland here.
Tomorrowland
When speaking about Tomorrowland at Disneyland, Walt Disney once said, “The Tomorrowland attractions have been designed to give you an opportunity to participate in adventures that are a living blueprint of our future.” Here at Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom, that vision still holds true today.
On your next visit to this part of the park, take special notice of the Cool Ship Coca-Cola stand—in particular, the red ship sitting on the roof. That ship was originally a prop used in a 1986 Disney sci-fi film, “Flight of the Navigator.” (The movie’s available on Disney+ and it’s so entertaining—I strongly recommend it!)
As you browse all Tomorrowland experiences below, please note that 🐭 indicates Danny’s top choices.
Tomorrowland Attractions
- Astro Orbiter
- Buzz Lightyear’s Ranger Spin 🐭
- Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
- Space Mountain 🐭
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover 🐭
- Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress 🐭
Tomorrowland Dining
- Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies
- Cool Ship
- Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café 🐭
- Joffrey’s Revive 🐭
- The Lunching Pad 🐭
- Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant
Tomorrowland Shopping
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin Photos 🐭
- Merchant of Venus
- Star Traders 🐭
- Tomorrowland Light & Power Supply Co. 🐭
- Ursa’s Major Minor Mart
See more about Tomorrowland here.
Happily Ever After
There is no better way to end a day at the Magic Kingdom than by watching Happily Ever After!
Utilizing imagery and music from our favorite Disney and Pixar stories, combined with stunning fireworks, this show is Disney magic at its best. Complete with its own original song, Happily Ever After pulls on your heartstrings just as much, if not more than any other nighttime spectacular at a Disney park. It’s too bad Happily Ever After takes place at night, or else I’d love to use my sunglasses to shield away the noticeable happy tears that this show causes!
See more about Happily Ever After here.
Events
Halloween at Magic Kingdom
Once August rolls around, we enter the most spooktacular time of year to visit the Magic Kingdom. Mickey pumpkin wreaths, orange bunting flags, and adorable pumpkin-headed scarecrows are used to decorate the entire Main Street U.S.A. area, perfectly setting the stage for a festive day at the most magical place on earth.
But, there’s no better Halloween-themed activity in all of WDW than Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party! From Mickey’s Boo to You Halloween Parade to Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Fireworks Spectacular—and from trick-or-treating to special character meet-and-greet opportunities—this party is simply mind-blowing. Oh—and if you’re a fan of Hocus Pocus, you’ll be watching Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular in awe… almost as if someone put a spell on you.
Check out all of the happenings at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party here.
Christmas at WDW
Snowfall on Main Street U.S.A. “Dream lights” covering Cinderella Castle. The Jungle Cruise turns into the Jingle Cruise.
These are just a few of the many reasons why the Christmas season really is the most wonderful time of the year at Walt Disney World, but especially at Magic Kingdom. What puts it over the top, you ask? Well, that’s very simple… It would be Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party!
Consisting of Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Spectacular, Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, special festive character meet-and-greets, cookie/hot chocolate treat locations dispersed around the park, and so much more, this party truly is the best way to celebrate Christmas at WDW!
See more about Christmas at WDW here.
Crowds
The Magic Kingdom is the busiest theme park in the world, which means it’s extraordinarily important to ensure you know tips for avoiding crowds before visiting.
I’m here to help you navigate through the Disney World Crowds on your visit! There are times (quite often, in fact) where every attraction at the Magic Kingdom can have over a 30-minute standby wait time. It could feel like anything you want to do in the park will take a very long time.
But, if you choose the right time to visit, know which times of the day are the best to arrive, and remember some key strategies to help you get the most out of your time there, you can have a perfect time at the Magic Kingdom.
