Okay, so you have one day to spend in Magic Kingdom. Don't panic and don't rush! Even with one day, there are so many things that you and your party are going to accomplish. While everyone's day is going to be different, I want to model this on a family-based day! Our Magic Kingdom One Day Itinerary will give you a good plan on how to see everything at Magic Kindgom!
Keep reading for our full guide to attractions, dining, shows, and more in our Magic Kingdom One Day Itinerary.
In this article:
Magic Kingdom One Day Itinerary Basics
Before diving into our Magic Kingdom One Day Itinerary, you need to read through some basic information so you're prepared for your day at the Most Magical Place on Earth.
- Make sure that when you purchase your park ticket, you reserve Magic Kingdom. As of right now, park reservations (along with a valid ticket) are still required to enter any park. Reservations can be made directly after ticket purchases. As long as Magic Kingdom has availability, you can choose that park! Purchase tickets and make reservations in advance!
- You also want to download the MyDisney Experience app if you don't already have it. This app is available on any smart phone and is free to download. Here, you can link an existing account that houses all of your tickets and information. This app is very important! You can use it to order food, access wait times and park hours, mobile check out at stores, scan into the parks, change or make reservations, and access Genie+.
- While park hours can change, Magic Kingdom is open as of right now from 9am to 11pm. A lot of times, Magic Kingdom is open from 9am to 9pm. You can find the park hours on the app or on Disney's website!
- Reserve dining! If you do plan on having longer meals at sit-down spots, you are able to reserve those 60 days in advance. Make sure to be up at 5am on the 60 day mark to have your best shot!
- Get familiar with the layout of Magic Kingdom! It's great to know a general idea and plan of where everything you want to see is located.
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Magic Kingdom One Day Itinerary: Morning
Let's start with the most important part for the Magic Kingdom One Day Itinerary: purchasing Genie+! While this isn't 100% necessary, I would definitely recommend it for a singular day in Magic Kingdom. Genie+ can be purchased the morning of your park day and selections can be made starting at 7am. Purchase Genie+ early in the morning and be sure to be ready to make your selections at seven.
Rope-Drop and Don't Stop!
Magic Kingdom tends to open around 9am on average, with early entry at 8:30am for on-site guests. When staying on property, take advantage of that early entry! Although they officially let you into the lands of the park at 8:30am, try to arrive around 8/8:15am. Cast members tend to let guests line up in the hub of Magic Kingdom a bit earlier. This makes it easy to rope-drop. Rope-dropping is as it sounds; Lining up at the opening ropes and being there when the park opens!
Listed, Magic Kingdom's more popular rides are as follows:
- Tron: Lightcycle Run in Tomorrowland
- Space Mountain in Tomorrowland
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Fantasyland
- Peter Pan's Flight in Fantasyland
- Jungle Cruise in Adventureland
- Haunted Mansion in Liberty Square
- Big Thunder Mountain in Frontierland
With those being accounted for, I would pick one of them to rope-drop and one to make as your first Genie+ reservation. In my personal opinion, I would pick Seven Dwarfs Mine Train to rope-drop. This is because this attraction is an Individual Lightning Lane that can see wait times upwards of 100 minutes or more. If you are offered the option to line up in the hub a bit early, you want to line up by Cosmic Ray's restaurant in Tomorrowland and Cheshire Cafe in Fantasyland. While you still might wait 30 to 45 minutes, you will be able to get on one of the most popular attractions right around the time that they park is opening to non-resort guests!
For Genie+, my recommendation would be to try and snag a spot for Peter Pan's Flight or Jungle Cruise depending on your party's preferences. These are both attractions that very well could run out of availability to reserve on Genie+, so get them first!
TRON does not offer a standby line and can only be accessed with the virtual queue or for purchase via the Disney Genie+ Individual Lightning Lane. This means that this ride is not included in the general cost per day for Genie+ but is available at a separate cost. On the first day of operation, Disney charged $20 per person for TRON Lightcycle Run Individual Lightning Lane access. If you want to avoid purchasing access for TRON, then you will need to join the virtual queue using the Walt Disney World My Experience App at 7AM.
Magic Kingdom One Day Itinerary Breakfast
There are so many amazing breakfast spots in Magic Kingdom. Sit-down breakfasts are always great, but can definitely take up a huge chunk of your day. If you only have one singular day here, a quick service breakfast might be the better option for you.
Two spots I will always recommend are The Friar's Nook in Fantasyland and Sleepy Hollow in Liberty Square. They are both easy on your wallet with delicious offerings everyone will appreciate.
The Friar's Nook is actually located right across from the exit of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, so if you plan to get the most done in the morning, that's a great place to stop! They offer breakfast sandwiches, donut holes, sausage gravy tater tots, and various morning beverages. The price point ranges between $5 and $10 and the food is very filling.
Breakfast Sandwich Platter at The Friar's Nook. It came with a Joffrey's hot coffee as well!
Sleepy Hollow is located behind the castle at the entrance of Liberty Square. This quaint little quick service spot is incredibly popular! They offer a few different waffle dishes including their most famous; The fresh fruit and Nutella waffle. They also offer morning beverages, even a cold brew coffee! Prices range from $6 to $10.
Fresh Fruit and Nutella Waffle and a Vanilla Joffrey's Cold Brew from Sleepy Hollow.
Honorable mention breakfast offerings include The Crystal Palace in the main hub, and Westward Ho in Frontierland.
Magic Kingdom One Day Itinerary Mid-Morning
Now that your party is fed and ready, let's move on! Keep in mind that Genie+ is definitely going to be super useful in the flow of your day. After you book your first attraction at 7am, you must wait until 120 minutes after that to book another, even if your first one is for a later time of day. After that, you can book another, scan into the ride, and then look for another! Make use of this as much as possible to see the most attractions that you can! I like to try and find Genie+ reservations for attractions that are in the same land or lands close-by. This will eliminate the zooming back and forth around the park that can occur when using the service.
Try to work around Fantasyland in the early to mid-morning. As the day goes on, this land tends to pick up in crowd level and will have longer lines. There are so many great things to see in Fantasyland! Spend your time from around park opening to early afternoon strolling along catching the sights of this beautifully constructed land.
Disney World Characters
If you are a family that loves meeting characters, you are in luck! You can find several characters around Fantasyland. Princes Fairytale Hall is a super popular meet and greet spot. Here, you can see Tiana, Cinderella, Elena, and Rapunzel. You can get a Genie+ reservation for these princesses and they are super fun to meet! Because this counts as an ‘attraction', there are not different times to see these characters.
Another top meet and greet in Fantasyland is Ariel at her Grotto. This is right by the Under the Sea attraction! This meet and greet is so whimsical and pretty. This is another character that you are able to meet for a majority of the day.
One rare meet and greet that is too hilarious not to mention is Drizella and Anastasia from Cinderella. They are not always out, but when they are, it's sure to be a hoot! They meet at the back of the castle, usually near Cinderella's fountain. This M&G is not usually listed on the app, so if you happen to notice that they are out, be sure to go up and greet them!
Walt Disney World Shows
Fantasyland has two great shows that really should not be missed! Mickey's Philharmagic is a 3D show featuring beloved characters and music. This goes between a stage show and an attraction category-wise and can be seen at any time from park open to park close. The showings run every 15 minutes!
Enchanted Tales with Belle is an adorable retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast story with audience participation and a Belle meet and greet at the end! The show can run around 20 to 30 minutes and is open for most of the day! This show is greatly aimed toward children and is so immersive that it will keep them entertained.
Walt Disney World Attractions
There are so many attractions in Magic Kingdom as a whole, let alone Fantasyland. While all of the attractions are fun and entertaining, try to focus on only the best must-sees, that way you can knock those off of your list first.
Assuming that you've gotten your early morning ride on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, let's move on to Peter Pan's Flight! This is a slow-moving dark ride where you fly above the story of Peter Pan! This ride is a classic and always a must see.
Another fun family attraction is The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. This ride takes you through a day with the characters from the Hundred Acre Woods. Beware, as fun as this ride is, it tends to go down a lot throughout the day. I would definitely make this one of the first few rides after you finish your rope-drop attraction.
“it's a small world” is fun for everyone and is really just a staple of your Magic Kingdom day. My warning for this one is simple: the song from this attraction will get stuck in your head for a very long time.
While not a necessary attraction, I couldn't leave Dumbo off of the must-see list. There are many attractions with a similar ride layout to this one. However, there is nothing like the classic Dumbo overlay and seeing the kids smile on this ride!
Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid is so much fun, colorful, and music-filled.
Some attractions I would hold off on for if/when you have extra time would include Prince Charming's Regal Carousel, The Barnstormer, and Mad Tea Party. These attractions are fun, but the other attractions are a bit more appealing!
Magic Kingdom One Day Itinerary- Break Time!
That's right, take a break. The kids are bound to get tired and to be honest…So are the adults! You don't have to take a break. If you and your party choose not to, you can spend this time riding secondary rides and getting a bite to eat!
If you plan on spending the whole day in the park, there are great places to stop for lunch. My personal recommendations would be Casey's Corner on Main Street or Cosmic Ray's in Tomorrowland. If you want a sit-down meal, I would recommend Skipper Canteen or The Crystal Palace! Securing a reservation for these will eliminate having to work through the lunchtime crowds to find a bite to eat.
For the families who do need a break, this is a perfect time to recharge. The kids can take a nap at the hotel, go for a swim, or just rest their feet for a little while. Adults can enjoy a drink at the pool bar or charge up their phones for the rest of the day! Ideally, eating lunch back at your resort is a great idea too. Lunchtime tends to get crowded in the park and it can take a while to receive your meals and find a spot to sit. At your hotel, things will be much more relaxed and even-paced!
I would recommend a break time between 12pm and 2pm. This will guarantee that those afternoon crowds are mostly avoided. As well as that, you will be missing the peak Florida heat!
On your way out, be sure to stop by the Town Square Theater to meet the ‘Big Cheese' himself! Mickey meets guests almost the entire day. Wait times for him can get high, so if you can snag a Genie+ reservation for this, definitely do so.
Magic Kingdom One Day Itinerary: Afternoon
So here you are, back in Magic Kingdom with full bellies and happy feet! If you are back in the park before 3pm, which I highly recommend, you are just in time for Magic Kingdom's must-see parade, Festival of Fantasy! This parade features Disney characters that everyone knows and loves. There is even an amazing Maleficent parade float that you CANNOT miss! (No spoilers here if you haven't seen it!) The parade lasts about 12 to 15 minutes from beginning to end. [Quick Tip: For those of you who would like an earlier time to watch or do not leave the park for a break, the first parade showing is at 12pm.] Once you have finished watching, it is the perfect time to conquer Adventureland, Frontierland, and Liberty Square!
Adventureland
Adventureland offers great attractions including the joke-packed Jungle Cruise and the classic Pirates of the Caribbean. These two attractions are a staple for any Magic Kingdom day. After all, who doesn't love the smell of the Pirates water? Try to get a Genie+ reservation for Jungle Cruise, as the wait for this ride can sometimes get high.
Also residing here is The Enchanted Tiki Room animatronic show, the Swiss Family Robinson walk through treehouse, and the Magic Carpets of Aladdin. These attractions are okay, but not something I would prioritize. The Tiki Room is fun but a bit outdated. The Magic Carpets of Aladdin are great, but the layout is exactly like Dumbo, so it takes up unnecessary time that you could be using elsewhere. The Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse is great for older kids or adults, but can be a lot of walking for little ones!
There are great places to stop for snacks here as well. At Aloha Isle by the edge of Adventureland, you can get yourself a delicious Dole Whip. This is an insanely popular and well-loved snack amongst just about everyone! Snacks here range from around $6 to $8. Another snack that tends to be a hidden gem is over at Sunshine Tree Terrace at the entrance to Adventureland. For $7.29, you can get some yummy pork and vegetable potstickers served with orange ginger sauce. I don't know how these get so overlooked, but they are surely worth a try!
Also in this land, you can meet Aladdin and Jasmine! As of right now, they come out to meet and greet at 1:15pm and 2:30pm by the marketplace in Adventureland. For any changes or updates, guests can locate the information on the ‘Characters' tab on the MyDisney Experience app.
Frontierland
In Frontierland, hop aboard the ‘Wildest Ride in the Wilderness', Big Thunder Mountain roller coaster. This ride is so much fun but can be a bit intense for little ones. It is a wooden coaster so there will be quite a few bumps and jerks along the way.
This land also has a stage show called Country Bear Jamboree and a small island called Tom Sawyer Island. To be honest, I would not recommend these if you only have one day to spend in Magic Kingdom. Country Bear Jamboree is a stage show with animatronic bears that sing different songs. For little ones, this can be a bit boring, as the humor is really not towards children. Tom Sawyer Island is accessible by boarding a small wooden raft driven by a cast member. This island can seem a bit lackluster, with tunnels and bridges for kids to run through. Again, with limited time, this is not where I would spend it. If you have the time to come back to these, Tom Sawyer Island would be the one I recommend.
Due to the recently started construction on the new ride for Princess Tiana, Frontierland is a bit patchy with what you can do there. This land is pretty easy to make your way through in a timely manner!
Liberty Square
On the edge of Fantasyland but technically residing in Liberty Square is the crowd favorite attraction; The Haunted Mansion. While I have personally rode this ride with little ones and had no issues, I have heard parents express that their littles were a bit afraid of this ride. I would recommend this attraction, but be sure to do some research and see if it is good for your party first!
There are two other attractions in this land. Hall of Presidents is a stage show featuring animatronics of every U.S. President. This attraction is very skippable. It's long, it's boring for children, and it is not worth wasting time on. Liberty Square Riverboat is a large boat that guests can go around the river in. While this attraction can be neat to do, it is very slow moving, which will definitely take a large chunk of your afternoon away.
Magic Kingdom One Day Itinerary: Evening
Let's talk about another must-see street show; Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade. A cavalcade is a smaller-scaled parade with less floats and shorter run times. This cavalcade is awesome, featuring some rare Disney characters that you can't always see! There are two showings, one at 5:15pm and one at 6:15pm. The best place to view this is definitely on Main Street, and I would recommend seeing the 5:15pm show. Once the cavalcade is over, head to Tomorrowland!
Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland is full of so many fun attractions. Be sure to use Genie+ when possible!
My top attraction recommendations for this land would be Space Mountain, Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, TTA PeopleMover, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, and Tomorrowland Speedway. Space Mountain can be super intense for smaller children, so beware. I would definitely try and Genie+ Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin out of all the rides here!
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor is great because it is a different show every time! Kids and adults will find the humor appealing, and (with a guardian's permission) children can even submit their own jokes to possibly be seen in the show! PeopleMover is a relaxing ride around Tomorrowland with better looks at each ride. It's nice to take you off your feet for a few minutes as well! Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin is an entertaining ride where guests will assist Buzz in defeating Zurg. They are all must-sees!
The attractions I would not recommend would be Carousel of Progress and Astro Orbiter. Carousel of Progress is fun if you have the time, but would definitely not make the first pick on my list. It is a lengthy show that some may find boring. Astro Orbiter is another Dumbo-style ride, but this one sits on the top of a building. If you have a fear of heights, this isn't for you. I wouldn't recommend this attraction because it usually sees super high wait times due to the capacity level. There are limited numbers of guests that can be taken up to this ride at once, so the line is guaranteed to be a dead stop instead of a gradual flow.
Magic Kingdom One Day Itinerary Food and Beverage Recommendations
If you and your party plan on enjoying dinner in the park, there are quite a few places that are worth stopping and enjoying. However, these places are worth enjoying at any part of the day! My personal recommendation would be to have a quick service dinner if you only have the day in Magic Kingdom, but sit-down reserved dining locations are also amazing! To me, the type of dining you do for dinner should totally depend on what time the park closes that day. If you feel like you have enough time to have a longer dinner and still get to see everything, then go for it!
Remember that if you plan on reserving any table service reservations, try to book them in advance. Some restaurants offer walk-up reservations, but those can reach capacity pretty fast. Use that 60 day in advance reservation period to get the dining that you want! Let's break down the best (and not so great) dining spots together.
Ideal Dining Spots for One Day in Magic Kingdom
There's not many places you can go wrong with eating at. But here are some I would certainly recommend!
Casey's Corner on Main Street (as mentioned above) is such a great quick service spot. With offerings under $15, this is a simple yet wonderful place to enjoy a meal if you don't want to have a reserved sit-down one. There is designated seating here, but I always see a lot of people taking their food onto the hub grass to enjoy a picnic style meal!
For those interested in sit-down dining, The Crystal Palace on Main Street is awesome. This is buffet-style character dining, so the price is a bit steep at $59 per adult and $38 per child. They offer pastas, vegetables, carved meats, and more. This is a great spot to go for dinner if you are looking to watch the fireworks show later in the night.
Another great sit-down restaurant is Jungle Navigation Skipper Canteen in Adventureland. This is a normal restaurant style of dining where you have a server that will come to your table. Offerings are unique spins on familiar foods and the quality is amazing! Prices range from $9 to $38 for the food. A reservation for this spot could be hard to snag, so use that 60 day window!
In Frontierland, a great quick service dining spot is Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe. This eatery used to have a bad reputation, but I find that it has significantly improved over the years. This Tex-Mex style menu is bound to have somthing for everyone. Prices for meals are under $20, so you're saving some money as well!
Pinocchio Village Haus in Fantasyland is a good meal for a great price! They offer various flatbreads, salads, and chicken strips. Offerings are under $15 and will definitely fill you up. A great bonus for the littles is the view! Depending on where you sit, you have an overview of It's a Small World. Kids can wave and hold provided signs up for the riders to see.
Not-So Hot Dining Spots (Especially for a One Day Magic Kingdom Itinerary)
While all dining spots are fine, there are just some that I would feel bad recommending. Whether it be quality or price, here's a few I would stay away from, especially with a singular day in the park!
Tony's Town Square Restaurant on Main Street is one I would not recommend. Reservations are easy to get, but the food is a similar quality to Olive Garden for a higher price. Some people really like this restaurant, but on a one day perfect Magic Kingdom itinerary, this would not make the cut.
Be Our Guest in Fantasyland operates for lunch and dinner on a prix fixe menu. This means that guests will select one appetizer, one entree, and one dessert. The pricing of this is on the higher side with a cost of $67 per adult and $39 per child. Besides being a big time-hinderer, this restaurant gets a lot of bad feedback for a few reasons. First off, the quality of the food is not worth the price. Also, Disney classifies this as ‘character dining'. This upsets guests because the only character present is the Beast, who makes an appearance every hour and does not approach guests. There are most certainly better dining locations than this one.
The Lunching Pad in Tomorrowland is always a skip for me. Prices are fine, but the menu items are kind of out-there for more picky eaters. This eatery serves various hot dogs of unique flavors. In my opinion, going to Casey's Corner is way more worth it!
Happily Ever After
At 9pm every night, weather permitting, the beautiful nighttime fireworks spectacular ‘Happily Ever After' takes place. This is a top must-see. Unless you cannot make it to the end of the park day, I would absolutely not skip this show.
Projections fill the castle as well as the buildings on Main Street. Fireworks of all shapes, colors, and sizes pop in the sky. The soundtrack for this show is incredibly well-known and insanely loved. This show is so loved that Disney decided to bring it back after over a year hiatus!
There is only one time for this fireworks show and it runs for about 18 to 20 minutes. The best spot to view this show is right in the center hub, in front of the castle! Another lesser known spot to view the show is on the bridge to Tomorrowland. Guests tend to line up early to take a seat, but even if you don't, you are sure to find a great spot! I recommend getting ready to find a spot around a half hour or so before.
There are also dessert parties that you can book for this show. There are three different parties, a pre, mid, and post-show party. If you have one night in Magic Kingdom and you are willing to spend some extra money, I would recommend doing the mid-show dessert party. The price is $114 per adult and $69 per child. It takes place at Tomorrowland Terrace on the patio, so the view is amazing! Guests can enjoy various small desserts, cheeses and fruits, and great beverage options!
Again, this show is a must-see no matter how you watch it. Be sure to work this into your day!
Magic Kingdom One Day Itinerary – Operating Hours
To bring up the hours again, Magic Kingdom changes often. Like earlier stated, right now the park is open until 11pm, but there are some times where the park closes at 9pm.
9pm closures mean that after the fireworks, the park would technically be closed. While a few shops and select quick service locations will remain open until all guests have funneled out, the attractions will not be accessible. If you are in line for an attraction when the park is closing, they will allow you to ride still.
For 11pm closures, you have two extra hours to play with after the fireworks show. Crowds tend to be low because guests have been going all day, so this is a great time to take advantage of. Use this time to ride secondary rides or wait in shorter queues for more popular attractions that you might have missed earlier in the day.
Genie+ will still be useful from 9-11pm, but not as much as it is during the day. If you manage to snag any late-night reservations, that's even better!
Final Thoughts on a One Day Magic Kingdom Itinerary
That was a lot of information, so let's refresh and sum it all up!
- Be sure to take advantage of the 60 day dining reservation system before your trip.
- Make sure to buy your tickets and reserve Magic Kingdom as your park of choice.
- Download the My Disney Experience app and assure that everything is linked properly.
- Wake up early the day of your visit and purchase Genie+! At 7am, try to book a ride that normally has longer waits. Also at 7am, you can have your first attempt at the TRON boarding group.
- Utilize early entry and rope-drop a popular ride! This will guarantee you knock at least one big ride off of your to-do list.
- Have a quick-service breakfast, preferably in or near Fantasyland. This will maximize your time in the morning and keep you near where you want to be.
- Spend the early morning to early afternoon exploring Fantasyland. This land is one of the most crowded by the afternoon, so knock as much as you can off of this land first thing.
- Take a break! If you feel like you or your party needs some time to wind down, do not be afraid to break! Preferably, you want to do this between 12 and 2pm.
- Don't miss the 3pm showing of Festival of Fantasy.
- Make your way around Adventureland, Frontierland, and Liberty Square. Be sure to Genie+ any attractions you're able to.
- Check out the cavalcade on your way to Tomorrowland. The kiddos will enjoy the amount of characters present!
- Conquer Tomorrowland, feel amazing about it.
- Find a spot you and your party will enjoy dinner. Sit-down or quick service is fine!
- Around 8:30pm, start seeking out some spots to watch Happily Ever After. You do not want to miss it.
- Enjoy your extra time in the park if it is open until 11pm during your visit!
Enjoy your time, maximize the use of your utilities, and most importantly, do not stress!
Plan Your Next Trip to Disney World
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