Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, located in Orlando, FL is the most magical place on earth!
That magic can take a dark turn when you have to deal with excessive crowds and heat. Here are some tips to navigate Magic Kingdom if you have little ones five and under:
Plan to NOT do everything. Magic Kingdom has SO MUCH TO DO. It is impossible to do it all in the middle of diaper changes, naps, and tantrums. Be ready, you will not be able to do it all. If you accept that, you will have a much better time. If you absolutely need to do it all on your trip, plan to spend 2 days at Magic Kingdom to get it all done!
Magic Kingdom is terrific for kids 5 and under because there are so many rides and attractions geared towards this age group! The options are endless. Be sure to download the My Disney Experience App! It will allow you to buy merchandise, book fastpasses for rides and even order food to avoid the lines.
Book your fastpass plan 30 days in advance or as far as 60 days in advance if you are staying at a Disney property. For Magic Kingdom: Dwarf Mine Train, Peter Pan, Buzz Lightyear, and Pooh are very hard fastpasses to get. For the bigger kids, Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, and Splash Mountain are also hard to get. Remember you can book three fastpasses at one time. Once you use those three, you can book one at a time.
As far as characters, the hardest fastpasses to get are Mickey, Mickey and Minnie when they are together (which is rare), Cinderella and sometimes Tinkerbell. Tip: If you want to meet Peter Pan, he stands near his ride, off to the side (to the right side if you are looking at the ride). Most people miss where he is, so there is often no line for him! This is also true of Snow White. She is located at the front of the park usually. Close to the exit, off to the side. If your little girl is set on meeting Elsa or Anna, that will not happen at MK. They are at Epcot. Remember to pack an autograph book! You can purchase one for your child in the park, but they are cheaper on Amazon. On the My Disney Experience App, you can locate characters and where they are that particular day.
Book your restaurant reservations well in advance! For character meals, you can usually book Crystal Palace easily to get the time you want. You will meet Pooh and his friends there. If you wish to book, Be Our Guest with Belle and Beast for dinner, BOOK EARLY. You need to book that as far in advance as possible. Belle and Beast only come out for dinner. If you want to book Be Our Guest without Belle and Beast, you can book lunch there. It is a beautiful restaurant. Be sure to try the grey stuff- it’s delicious 😉 If you happen to visit Magic Kingdom during a holiday like Thanksgiving, make sure to book EXTRA early! Liberty Tree Tavern often has a holiday menu that is delicious. The Plaza Restaurant is my favorite at Magic Kingdom. Beautiful views of the castle right on Main Street with yummy food and large portions. If you snag a table by the window for dinner, you can watch the fireworks as you dine! The Plaza Restaurant does not offer character dining. Disney Dining Reservations: (407) 939-3463.
If you want to avoid the food lines, order food straight off your app! We do this all the time. Several restaurants allow you to order right off the app. You order your food, check in that you are there, pick up your food in the mobile food area and you are done! So much easier than doing counter service the traditional way! Tip: You can even order famous snacks off the app! We order our Dole Whip this way to avoid the line!
Attractions like Haunted Mansion, Pirates of Caribbean, Dumbo, Small World, the Carousel, etc. are classics and can have long lines. Keep that in mind as you plan your day. Haunted Mansion and Pirates are dark. Prep your children as they may be afraid. My 4-year-old rode Haunted Mansion, Pirates and Dwarf Mine Train (coaster) without a problem, but she gets that from her Mama 😉 My 2-year-old seems to take after me as well, as she has not had a problem on Haunted Mansion. However, if you have a child that fears that dark, keep this in mind.
Pack raincoats or umbrellas. It rains in Florida. Especially in the summer, right around 3 pm. If you have to purchase rain gear there, it can be expensive. Pack your own.
If you need to change or baby or have a child with special needs, use the baby care center! It is located near Crystal Palace. It has AC. It has AC. It has AC. I can’t stress this enough, especially in the summer. You can feed and change your baby in a quiet, clean and COOL room. They have a separate breastfeeding room and if you need to purchase diapers or meds, you can!
The parade happens daily, at 3 pm. It is a fantastic parade! If your child is not into parades feel free to hit the rides during the parade, as the lines will be shorter.
Fireworks are LOUD. Warn your kiddos! They often become afraid once they start going off.
Check out my other tips and tricks post here for more Disney tips!
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