The ULTIMATE Guide to Magic Kingdom in 2023

how can you guarantee a seat on Tron light cycle run is there a way to escape the fireworks crowds unscathed and what attractions and events will we be experiencing for the very last time in 2023 the dfb team and I are here to not just guide you through the Magic Kingdom in 2023 but also to make your trip awesome [Music] hey everybody it's AJ for Disney food blog now the 2023 has shifted from a concept and into reality it's time once again for us to bring you the ultimate planning guides for each of the Disney World parks we've got a whole series coming your way but we're starting off with the most popular Park of the bunch Magic Kingdom even if you think you've already got the hang of all things Main Street USA and Adventureland stick around because along with some of the important Basics that first timers are gonna need to know we'll also be throwing in new secrets and pro tips you'll need to have in your planning repertoire for this particular year planning on taking notes you don't have to all the info I'm about to share is already written up in a free printable download that you can get by heading to disneyfoodblog.com MK 2023. when you drop us your email here you'll also be automatically signed up for our totally free newsletter providing you with the latest Disney World updates without having to search for them outside your inbox alright are we ready here we go what is new at the Magic Kingdom in 2023 how much will really be changing between this year and next year in Magic Kingdom well it's a lot more than you may realize for starters the Tron light cycle run coaster will finally be opening sometime in Spring 2023 after years and years of waiting and waiting Disney finally said yes drawn light cycle run is a high speed coaster that'll be based on the Tron films obviously Disney describes this ride as a thrilling race through the digital Frontier after you board your two-wheel light cycle expect to race around both indoor and outdoor track through lots of bright blue lighting effects and brace yourself for an exhilarating first launch out of the station reaching speeds up to 59 miles per hour we'll talk more about Tron in just a second because you're going to need to know exactly how to secure your spot in line for this one and that won't be as easy as stepping into a physical queue since the Walt Disney World railroad closed to make wafer Tron back in 2018 we're expecting the train to make its grand reopening around the same time that Tron finally goes live we've already seen the Train's fresh paint job several rounds of testing and new track all laid out for the railroad including a track that goes through the new pass tunnel outside of Tron alright was the return of Happily Ever After on your 2023 bingo card because it should be happily ever after we'll be replacing the current nighttime spectacular of the park Disney enchantment with a new projection show across Cinderella Castle alongside that familiar song Disney fans have grown to love be prepared for major Goosebumps and probably some tears this will of course accompany a new fireworks show as well we're not sure when happily ever after will appear in the park again but since Disney enchantment was originally released for the Park's 50th anniversary celebration which kicked off on October 1st 2021 we could see enchantment taking its final bow around the same time that the celebration wraps up which will be March 31st 2023. if any of you out there are big fans of Disneyland's version of Haunted Mansion then good news one of Disneyland's classic haunts the Hat Box ghost will be materializing in Magic Kingdom's Liberty Square soon the new edition might be small but more than likely Disney fans will come in droves to say hello to the Specter so you'll either want to get into line for this one way early on in the day or way later right before the park closes don't worry we've got more in-depth ride tips coming your way soon on January 22nd Splash Mountain will be taking Riders on its final Journey to the Laughing place before it closes for good Disney is getting ready to re-them this ride with a new storyline and familiar characters from The Princess and the Frog Tiana's Bayou Adventure will pick up where the Princess and the Frog movie Last left us about a year later the ride will keep the water Flume set up without adrenaline pumping five-story drop but instead of taking guests around the Briar Patch they'll be helping Tiana prepare for a Mardi Gras performance filled with music bright colors and tasty looking Cajun cuisine now Splash Mountain's last day will be the 22nd it will be closed on the 23rd so plan accordingly Tiana's Bayou Adventure isn't expected to open until later in 2024 so for 2023 this section of frontierland is going to be looking a little sad and construction heavy and you might see Big Thunder getting even longer lines so be prepared for that now we're also hoping to hear more about some of Magic Kingdom's Blue Sky projects that were discussed during the 2022 d23 convention which included potential new lands featuring themes like Pixar's cocoa and Encanto and even a Disney villains area but since these are all blue sky Concepts AKA ideas but not guarantees we very well could not hear a peep about these in 2023. that being said I'll make sure to update you immediately once I catch any movement or discussion that could tell us more about the fate of these Concepts it's another good reason to join our newsletter we'll have the info out to you ASAP first thing okay the next thing we like to do in our ultimate guides to the parks in Disney World is a section here called how to do The Impossible we want to make sure you know what you need to know to have a great trip in that particular Park and these are some of the things that a lot of the guests around you aren't going to know how to do so congratulations for being here Magic Kingdom isn't one of those vacation destinations that you can just wake up the day of and Conquer seamlessly it's gonna take some pre-planning on your part to pull the whole thing off but that's what we're here for to make your pre-planning much easier so talking about the parks of your Magic Kingdom schedule that can feel intimidating but can be conquered regardless we're going to start with getting on that new Tron coaster ever since Star Wars rise of the resistance opened in 2019 Disney's been implementing a virtual boarding group process for their newest rides and we figure Tron isn't going to be any different that means you won't be able to get in line for this one unless you have a boarding pass or a boarding group number for its virtual cue wow if you're new to the parks I'm going to understand that this sounds really intimidating and although the process can really get your heart pounding since boarding groups do have the tendency to fill up in seconds the execution to getting a boarding group is pretty straightforward we're going to talk you through it here's the cut and dry version but we have a more detailed list of boarding group tips and tricks on our dfb website which I'm going to link down in the description by the way make sure you have a Magic Kingdom park ticket and park pass before you attempt this one so one make sure you already have the My Disney Experience app downloaded onto your phone and that you're logged into your Disney account this isn't just essential for getting into virtual cues but for lots of other aspects of your trip which we'll talk about later two confirm your party this is a step you can do before the first round of boarding groups goes live at 7am so if you want to get a head start and believe me you'll want to get a head start plan on confirming your group around 6 30 a.m or earlier you can do this by tapping on the virtual cues option of the app and adding the folks you want to have ride with you three when the clock strikes 7 A.M and I mean 7 A.M on the dot tap to join the virtual queue you should already have the join virtual cue screen pulled up on your phone before 7am so you don't kill any time trying to unlock your phone and get on the app and find the button time is of the essence my friends when I say seconds I mean seconds so the sooner you can press that join virtual cue button the higher your chances of success are going to be and four if you successfully snag a boarding group then a congratulations and B at any time throughout the day you can monitor your estimated wait time within the app better yet it's a good idea to also enable push notifications from the app so you can be odd and dramatically alerted when your boarding group is called if you don't successfully snag a boarding group number you have another chance to do so later on in the day when you're inside the park around 1pm unless Disney decides to switch up the times on us for some reason which again join that newsletter next on are doing The Impossible list is making reservations for the most popular restaurants Cinderella's Royal table and Be Our Guest restaurant are two aesthetically pleasing Castle themed restaurants that you may want to check out more for the settings rather than the food the problem though these restaurants are super popular and reservations do fill up quickly that's why securing an advanced dining reservation is going to be your best bet for a table guests are able to make a dining reservation at most Disney World restaurants up to 60 days in advance and hot tip alert Disney World Resort Hotel guests can go ahead and make reservations up to 60 days in advance plus the length of your stay up to 10 days meaning you could get all your table service dining planned out and reserved before your visit in one Go restaurant reservations go live on the Disney World website starting at 6 a.m Eastern but we do recommend getting on the site a bit sooner if possible since reservations have been known to drop earlier than expected we've gotten reservations as early as 5 30 or even 5 45 Eastern so prepare for an early morning wake-up call 60 days out my big piece of advice here is to explore the website early and familiarize yourself with how to navigate making these reservations before the day you got to be called into action because I can show you pictures of the website for guidance but it's a totally different experience seeing someone go through the process versus doing it yourself need more of a visual to help you figure things out we've got that on our website too I'll link the detailed ADR Post in the description for you to check out later on oh and just so you know I'll probably be linking more of our dfb website posts throughout the video because our step-by-step tutorials on these subjects have helped so many guests figure out how to navigate the technical side of Disney Vacation planning and we're hoping they'll continue to do the same for you all right we've made it to escaping end of the night crowds unscathed end of the night crowds at Magic Kingdom are no joke not only do they make you feel extremely claustrophobic but you'll also be waiting in forever long lines just to get on Disney's complementary transportation services or get you back over to your Resort order back to your car if you don't mind missing the last five minutes of the show then you can duck out of the Magic Kingdom early to get ahead of the transportation crowds this may not be your preferred method of escaping the crowds since that mean you'll be missing the grand finale of the show but if you've got tired kids or the group in general is just absolutely ready to get back to the room and give their tired feet a break then plan on watching the nighttime spectacular near the front gate of the park for a quick getaway you may also want to consider ordering a minivan to come pick you up at the end of the night minivans Are Disney's premium personal ride shares that you'll be able to access through the Lyft app though you're more than welcome to book a regular Uber or Lyft ride the pickup location for either of these rides is going to be over at the transportation and Ticket Center and to get there you'll still have to take a monorail or Ferry which again will have forever long lines and be crowded and basically not accomplish what you're trying to accomplish minivans on the other hand will pull right up to the front of the park close to where the Disney Resort buses are so you can skip past all the extra waiting and crowd outs or you can plan on just not leaving okay you'll have to leave eventually but you don't have to exit the park right away the Main Street USA shops will remain open 30 to 60 minutes after the park closes meaning you can get some last minute shopping done while you're waiting for the masses to dwindle you can also mobile order yourself a sweet treat from the Main Street confectionary even after all the other Quick Service and restaurants have closed for the day mobile order can be accessed through your My Disney Experience app and helps you avoid waiting in line for food at counter Service locations in the Parks and at the Disney hotels counter service means fast food by the way you can order food choose a return time and head straight to the quick service counter to pick it up once it's ready for you although all the other Quick Service locations will close up shop when the park does usually the Main Street confectionery does have mobile order pickup times after the park closes meaning you can pre-order yourself a sweet treat go pick it up after the park closes find a place to sit and enjoy your last few moments in Magic Kingdom without having to push past a whole bunch of of people and end your day on a sour note and for all you annual pass soldiers out there Main Street confectionary is indeed considered a merchandise location meaning you can receive 20 off any sweet treats at this sweet shop next up let's hit up secrets you need to know now this next group of tips is top secret insiders only Intel we're going to start with the best places to view the nighttime spectaculars or the fireworks whether you're catching one of the final performances of Disney enchantment or you're finding a spot for the premiere of happily ever after your Vantage points for either show are going to be pretty much the same we assume if you're from the future please correct me in the comments if this proves to be different also hello viewers from the future are flying cars more of a thing now and if you want to see both the fireworks and Castle projections the Hub in the middle of the park is a good place to start this place will be packed out quick but if you can find a spot near the partner statue you should have a pretty centered view of the whole show but don't forget mainstream USC will also have projections going on during the spectacular meaning finding a place directly on Main Street can give you the whole package deal again Main Street USA will be packed as tight as sardines on some nights so stake out your spot 30 to 45 minutes before the show if this is a priority experience for you can you get a spot within five minutes of the show absolutely will it stress you out possibly I'd recommend aiming to stand near the plaza ice cream parlor which is kind of located right next to the first exit off to Tomorrowland or in front of the Main Street Bakery the Starbucks location if you're nervous about finding a spot for the show that's not going to make you feel like you're invading several guests personal space all at once you can always consider purchasing a Magic Kingdom dessert party instead currently there are three dessert parties available the pre-party starts with bites and drinks at Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant before the Magic Kingdom nighttime spectacular guests are then escorted to a reserved standing area in the Magic Kingdom Plaza Garden to view the fireworks the after party is basically the same but you're just gonna switch your schedule around first you'll watch the show from the plaza Garden then you'll head to Tomorrowland Terrace for some major snackage and then there's the treats and seats option which takes place at Tomorrowland Terrace where you'll remain for the duration of the show there's reserve seating for treats and seats guests which gives you a clear view of the show while you kick back relax and Munch on goodies the free and After parties cost 99 dollars per adult while treats and seats are 114 dollars per adult whichever dessert party you decide on you'll be able to enjoy a wide spread of cheeses beverages including a selection of beer and wine for of age guests and 50th Anniversary themed desserts but let's say you don't care whether you see the projections or not and your main concern is seeing the fireworks in general for strictly fireworks viewing you don't have to endure the massive crowds on Main Street USA or pay a whole bunch of money to guarantee your spot somewhere you can just watch the show from behind Cinderella castle and see the fireworks just fine if not even better and if you're a Magic Kingdom seasoned Pro and you want to shake it up you could try to get on an outdoor Ride Like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in frontierland or Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Fantasyland to see them from a whole new perspective timing this just right can be tricky to do but you may be able to pull it off more easily if you're using Disney Genie plus and you can schedule your return window around the same time that the fireworks are going off more on Disney Genie plus next even if you're not directly Inside Magic Kingdom you may still be able to see the fireworks several rooms at the monorail Resorts including Disney's Polynesian Village Resort Grand Floridian and contemporary have that theme park viewing room level meaning you'll be able to see the castle from your window and see the fireworks each and every night of your visit these rooms do tend to cost a couple hundred bucks extra per night so you will need to plan ahead for this splurge and budget accordingly other places to see the fireworks without a park ticket a contemporary resort their signature restaurant California Grill is located on the 15th floor and has a fantastic view of the Magic Kingdom nighttime Spectacular from its private balcony reserved for dining guests only Ohana over at Polynesian Village Resort also has several tables with fireworks viewing but you're not necessarily guaranteed a seat next to them you can request to be sat at the fireworks viewing tables when you check in for your reservation with the host but again this still doesn't mean the restaurant will be able to for sure accommodate that request the cheapest option of the bunch is just finding a place to relax on the beach side of either Polynesian Village or Grand Floridian the resort will even pipe in the show music in the surrounding area to enhance the experience and it costs zero dollars our next secret to talk about in Magic Kingdom that you need to know about is customizations if you purchase a standard Disney souvenir like an ornament or a basic pair of plastic Mickey ears you can get these customized in the yield Christmas shop on Liberty Square They Don't Really advertise this very much though so this is kind of an in the know thing for sure whatever ornament or pair of ears you choose you can get them pen painted by a cast member for around three to four dollars on top of the original price and they are gorgeous you can also get celebration buttons which are free customized for the same price which reminds me let's talk about celebration buttons you're so gonna want to pick up a celebration button either before your Magic Kingdom day or at the beginning of your day one they're totally free and I have a real hard time passing up free in Disney since that doesn't happen often two there are a bunch of different styles ranging from birthday celebrations to graduations to anniversaries honeymoons engagements you name it that way everyone around the parks knows exactly why you're here by the way you can even just get a blank celebration button and be celebrating anything and three if you wear a celebration button not only will most cast members go out of their way to congratulate you or wish you Happy Birthday but you might just receive an oh so special free dessert at some restaurants it's really just a look at the draw kind of thing to find out which restaurants will hook you up with the freebies but it's always a super nice surprise when it does happen you can get these buttons at the front desk of your Disney World Resort or at Guest Services at the front of any of the parks now I'm not going to sugarcoat it for you Magic Kingdom can be a nightmare to navigate around and I'm not just talking about the end of the night I'm talking about the peak of the afternoon too so sometimes all you really want to do is escape the hustle of the crowds and just take it easy for a bit luckily Magic Kingdom does have areas where the noise settles down and you can just relax for a bit before you head back out into the battlefield so let's go over a few of those places now Tom Sawyer island is right over in frontierland but the only way to access it is by boarding a small raft that runs to and from the shore regularly this island is a great place to explore if you want something a little more off the beaten path in Magic Kingdom and most importantly it's super relaxing it's a great place to just let your kids run around and have a blast while you sit in a rocking chair and chill for a bit another good spot is the Liberty Square Riverboat it's a 17-minute boat ride maybe just the respite you're looking for there are four decks on the Liberty Square Riverboat meaning you'll have plenty of room to spread out and you may even be able to grab one of the limited seats during your slow and steady trip around Tom Sawyer Island and the rivers of America you'll get to see sides of the Magic Kingdom you won't be able to see otherwise like Wilson's cave in a bunch of Woodland creatures and an early American settlement and all of the Disney parks magic kingdom included are equipped with baby care centers these locations offer a quiet peaceful and private spot for caretakers to get in a quick diaper change nurse or pick up any baby Necessities they may have forgotten to pack or ran out of at the parks you'll find the one at Magic Kingdom off Main Street USA near the crystal palace and this baby care center is really really great because it was just renovated back in 2021 for a wonderful Alice in Wonderland theme it's a super chill place to go and I promise you will calm down any over stimulated kiddo here you can swing by the baby care center during your day at Magic Kingdom anytime you need to even if it's just take a minute to relax and soak up some AC with your kiddo and also the storybook circus tent this is a big yellow tint tucked away next to Pete's silly Sideshow it's a great place to take a break in the shade and even charge your phone while you're at it because there are seats in this area with Outlets if you find your phone running a little low on juice but it's real quiet back here nobody even knows it's back here really and while the Train's not running nobody goes back here so it's a nice chill place to relax even though it's not in the AC it is shaded all right it's time for the part of the video that you've been waiting for Disney Genie plus yay or nay we've come to a crucial point in this Magic Kingdom guide should you or should you not pay for the line bypassing services at Magic Kingdom when it comes to Genie plus and individual lightning Lanes there's a lot to unpack which is why we've got an entire video on YouTube that goes in depth with how to purchase make reservations with and hack your way through these premium planning tools but for now I'm just going to focus on using lightning Lanes at Magic Kingdom and if it's really going to be worth it for you and your family of course every group is going to be different and the thought of paying extra to bypass the main cues of rides in exchange for much shorter lines may seem unnecessary to you not to mention that extra expense can add up real fast Genie plus prices can be 15 per person per day or up to 29 per person per day and they may even go higher than that these vary based on demand so Peak Seasons that's gonna cost more well while the individual lightning Lane for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train which currently tends to rack up the highest weights in the park normally ranges between 10 and 12 dollars per person per ride through so there's two different things there you've got the bypassing a bunch of lines at once and then those most popular rides you have to pay for those individually to bypass the lines now I just want to say really quickly before we go any further with Disney Genie stuff you do not have to buy Disney Genie you don't have to buy Genie plus you don't have to buy the individual lightning Lanes you can just get in the ride line like everybody else unless there's a virtual cue only situation which there will only be for the most popular newest rides like Guardians of the Galaxy and Epcot and Tron and Magic Kingdom you don't have to buy it if you don't want to you can still ride the ride for free okay moving on here's what I will say about Genie plus out of all four Parks Genie Plus in Magic Kingdom is gonna give you one of the best bangs for your buck not only will it give you the opportunity to grab lightning Lane return turn times for up to 18 different rides but you can also get lightning lanes for certain character meet and greets like Mickey and Minnie in Town Square theater and a variety of princesses and princess fairy tale Hall and lightning Lanes can also be found for the Disney Festival of fantasy parade which will give you reserved viewing for one of the shows that can save you a lot of wasted time holding your spot if you purchase Genie plus before 7am on the day of your visit then you can make your first lightning Lane reservation as soon as reservations go live at 7am which can really help you get the most out of your purchase you will only be able to choose one lightning Lane at a time so make sure to snag your priority option first because lightning Lane return times can and will book up the most popular lightning lanes that tend to get snagged quicker than others include the mountain coasters Big Thunder Space Mountain Peter Pan's flight Jungle Cruise Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean once Magic Kingdom officially opens for guests around 8 to 9 A.M you'll also gain the ability to start stacking lightning lanes for example if I grab a lightning Lane for Peter Pan's flight around noon but my return window isn't until 3 or 4 pm I can still make another lightning Lane after 120 minutes have passed even if my Peter Pan's flight return window hasn't come up just yet again I know this is a lot to take on in a short amount of time so I strongly suggest you do your genie plus research about this stuff ahead of time watch that video make sure you feel more comfortable with navigating around this planning tool because once you start to use it you'll get the hang of it real fast I believe in you I'll also go ahead and Link our other all things lightning Lanes post from the dfb website in the description below too just as an extra help as far as that individual lightning Lane for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is concerned well I don't know if that rides a big deal for your group then who am I to stand in your way but honestly potentially paying 40 to 48 dollars extra for a family of four to skip the line of a two and a half minute long ride doesn't feel fantastic I mean it's a cute ride but I don't know if it's nearly fifty dollars cute you know not to mention you can still find ways to cut down on your weight without having to pay that hefty expense if you're staying at one of the Disney owned Resorts you'll have access to early theme park entry which will get you into any of the parks on any days 30 minutes before they open to the rest of the public as long as you've got a park pass and that means you can get in line for rides like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train immediately to get ahead of the crowds if you're staying at a deluxe Resort you'll also get an extended evening hours benefit for certain parks on certain nights which will give you up to two extra hours in the Parks after everyone else leaves giving you the chance to hit up any rides that had too long of Waits during the afternoon usually extended evening hours for Magic Kingdom take place on Wednesday nights when they're offered but that's always subject to change although I wouldn't exactly say Seven Dwarfs of Mine Train is for sure worth the extra individual lightning Lane cost another ride might be for you when Tron light cycle run finally opens in the spring it'll have an individual lightning Lane for you to purchase if you're nervous about the potential of not being able to get a boarding group number in that virtual queue an individual lightning Lane could help improve your chances of getting on the ride they will however be pricier than a lightning Lane for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train when Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic rewind first opened in Epcot last year individual lightning lanes were priced at 17 per person per ride on opening day so if you're planning on taking this approach rather than taking the boarding group gamble I'm budget at least 20 bucks extra per person just in case at 7am sharp if you're a Disney World Resort hotel guest but if you're staying off property individual lightning Lanes will be available for you to purchase during normal Park opening hours individual lightning Lanes go live at the same time Genie plus lightning Lanes do at 7 A.M sharp moving on to my favorite part of the video it is time to talk about food in Magic Kingdom Magic Kingdom has a variety of different options for you to choose from you got comfort food Classics greasy theme park Staples melty Sweet Treats snacks that can make an entire meal I'm not kidding there's a ton to choose from we go all in with the detailed reviews and pros and cons and dining strategies for all the Magic Kingdom restaurants and all the Disney World dining period in that 2023 dfb guide to Walt Disney World dining which you can find on our dfbstore.com website just type in the code YouTube to save on your overall purchase but for now we're going to give you a nice springboard for your Magic Kingdom dining planning so you can get the gist of what will be available during your visit for on the go options you've got Pinocchio village house and Fantasyland known for its flatbread pizzas and salads you can also wave hello to it's a small World Riders from the Second Story window and make a wish in the Blue Fairy wishbook on the bottom floor by the way my favorite thing to get here is chicken tenders don't know why yes I do they're amazing all right cosmic rays Starlight Cafe and Tomorrowland has a variety of counter service Classics like burgers hot dogs nuggets and includes plant-based options as well the star of the show is the intergalactic music sensation Sunny Eclipse who performs in the middle of the quick Services dining room oh there's also tons of seating here too it's very important and a very cool bathroom Pecos Bill Tall Tale in and Cafe in frontierland serves up the Mexican fair right now with options like fajita platters nachos and rice bowls and if you need any extra toppings just let the cast member taking your order no Columbia Harbor House and Liberty Square is one of our very favorite places to get fast food in Disney World proper and has New England inspired surf and turf featuring options like fried fish shrimp and the fan favorite lobster roll as well as chicken tenders you're welcome for more seating options at this one make sure to head upstairs the first floor usually fills up pretty quickly but nobody knows about the upstairs there you go and Casey's Corner in Main Street USA sells your ballpark foods like hot dogs fries and corn dog nuggets if you come here right when the place opens which is normally around 10 30 a.m you may get the chance to participate in the restaurant's opening ceremony where you'll throw out the first pitch and possibly earn yourself a free brownie treat while you're at it to cut down your time waiting in line for Quick Service restaurants don't forget about mobile ordering we suggest mobile ordering around non-peak dining times like a later lunch or earlier dinner to avoid getting backed up behind a whole bunch of other mobile orders and defeating the purpose of trying to bypass the physical line in the first place eating at a less popular time will also give you a much easier job of finding a table to sit at as well for table service options with easy to snag reservations Liberty Tree Tavern and Liberty Square is a restaurant themed after an 18th century home where all your food is served family style the Patriots platter serves up all you care to enjoy roasted turkey pot roast even oven roasted pork served with mashed potatoes mac and cheese seasonal veggies and Herb stuffing dessert is included as well featuring the spot's signature ooey gooey toffee cake which is so good you're going to want to cry the Diamond Horseshoe in frontierland might be themed differently from Liberty Tree Tavern with the Vibes of an Old West Music Hall but its menu is basically a copy and paste version of what you're going to find at Liberty Tree the only difference is that the Diamond Horseshoe calls their family style meal a saloon Feast but all the Fixins are pretty much the same after that because you know what they share the kitchen if all the reservations are filled over at Liberty Tree for the day you may be able to find some last minute seats at the Diamond Horseshoe for an identical dining experience and I'll tell you how to get last minute dining reservations for these restaurants in just a second the plaza restaurant in Main Street USA has a turn of the century charm with a bright and Airy dining parlor and serves up classic meals like the plaza club sandwich and home style meatloaf you can also order some epic ice cream sundaes here or you can skip straight to the desserts by heading over to the attached Plaza ice cream parlor instead and although it's definitely not my favorite place to dine Tony's Town Square also in Main Street USA represents the Disney animated film Lady and the and serves up classic Italian cuisine the food may not win any awards but it is a nice place to grab a seat on the porch and watch the Festival of fantasy parade even for table service restaurants that are easier to make reservations for I still highly recommend making those reservations in advance anyways just in case you're in the parks on a really busy day when all the tables are booked solid but if you want to check and see if there are any last minute dining reservations available on the day of your visit check out the dining tip board on your My Disney Experience app this will show you what last minute reservations are still there around the parks as well as let you know when the next mobile order arrival window is for the fast food spots and if there's any walk-up availability for any of the restaurants we've gotten real lucky with the dining tip board in the past and have scored some really good seats at the last minute though I wouldn't solely rely on this strategy it is nice to have in your back pocket literally for snacky options I could go on and on but let's go ahead and shoot off a few dfb classic favorites for now you've got sweet options like the fresh fruit and waffle sandwich at Sleepy Hollow Refreshments in Liberty Square the Cheshire cat tail pastry filled with chocolate and drizzled with pink and purple Icing at Cheshire Cafe in Fantasyland Dole whips in any way shape and flavor in both Sunshine tree terrace and Aloha Isle in Adventureland the warm cinnamon roll at Gaston's Tavern in Fantasyland the Wendell's bear claw dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with hazelnuts at Westward hoe in frontierland and a classic Mickey Premium Bar because when in Rome sometimes you just gotta do as the Romans do right and you've also got Savory options like the creamy bacon macaroni and cheese tots at Friars Nook and Fantasyland the rotating spring roll flavors at the spring roll cart outside Adventureland my favorite candied bacon on a stick over there at Westward Ho in frontierland grab that when you get Wendell's bear claw definitely underrated we've got a whole Di FB digital guide on just Magic Kingdom snacks alone which you can also find at dfbstore.com that's where we literally show you a picture of every single snack in Magic Kingdom every single one I'm not even joking with you and we gave you the price a little review and whether it's worth it or not and if you're looking for a well-themed restaurant that's just as much about the experience as it is about the food you got those popular Castle options I mentioned earlier Cinderella's Royal table and Be Our Guest restaurant Cinderella's Royal table has an okay assortment of food on their prefix menu with options like beef tenderloin major Domo short ribs and the clock strikes 12 dessert but the big selling point of this place is that you actually get to dine inside Cinderella castle for a while now Cinderella's Royal table has been operating as a modified character meet and greet experience where you can get a picture with Cinderella before your meal begins but not much else but it was recently announced that regular character dining with multiple princess meet and greet opportunities will finally return to the signature restaurant on February 28th though no price increases have been mentioned yet we figure price increases for this restaurant are bound to happen since the other Disney restaurants that reintroduced characters into their dining rooms did wind up hiking up their menu prices again so keep checking back with us we'll let you know what the new menu prices are going to look like once Cinderella's princess Posse is getting ready to return to her castle once again this place also serves breakfast and you can get that much cheaper than lunch or dinner so if you really need to see inside the castle book yourself a breakfast Be Our Guest restaurant in Fantasyland takes place in the beast's Enchanted Castle you'll be able to dine in one of three rooms including the rose Gallery the ballroom of course where Beauty and the Beast have their famous scene or The West Wing the prefix menu features French inspired Cuisines like potato leek soup with caviar dry aged Rock pork chop and Poulet Rouge chicken and for dessert you can choose to order a chocolate tart topped with the gray stuff it's delicious the Crystal Palace in Main Street USA is a buffet style meal with character dining you're going to be able to meet the 100 Acre Wood gang including Tigger piglet Eeyore and the silly willy-nilly old bear himself poo since this character dining location is the only one on Disney World property where you can meet Winnie the Pooh's Posse reservations for this one do go quickly too but not as quickly as the castle themed restaurants that said you're still gonna want to be on top of those reservations Skipper canteen is the odd duck out of the bunch here in Magic Kingdom because getting reservations for this Adventureland restaurant isn't all that difficult but that might be because its menu can be a little too adventurous for some however we really enjoy this location and it's Jungle Cruise inspired theming and don't forget to ask your server about the secret menu here in the past we've been able to order hidden appetizers and drinks like pork Satay skewers powdered cajo cheese bread and Cerulean blue sangria time for some big news compared to last year's Ultimate Guide to the Magic Kingdom holiday parties and after hour events are back Magic Kingdom's after hours holiday parties have returned we got to experience them in all their glory in 2022 and we assume they're going to be back around again toward the end of 2023 as well there are two big holiday parties you're going to be able to purchase admission for separately from your regular Park ticket price Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween party and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party these holiday parties will feature exclusive offerings like shows and parades rare character meet and greets festive snacks seasonal ride overlays and limited Park capacity meaning you won't have to worry about being surrounded by a whole bunch of guests at all times making it way easier to get on the rides with much shorter wait times if shorter wait times for the rides and less crowded areas are really what you're after and you don't really care about parades or shows then you may prefer getting tickets for an after-hours event at Magic Kingdom instead these are different from the parties they start up again in January and are offered on select nights which you can find on the Disney World website you're not going to find any exclusive shows or characters or ride overlays at an after-hours event but what you will have is limited Park capacity and access to Magic Kingdom's plethora of rides until the clock strikes 1am when it comes to after hours holiday parties and events keep in mind that you can enter the parks a few hours earlier than the party or event begins with your ticket since the holiday parties start at 7 pm you'll be able to enter into Magic Kingdom with your holiday party ticket at 4 pm an after hours events start at 10 pm meaning you can arrive as early as 7 pm and use your after hours event ticket to get in take advantage of this extra time and get as much time in the Parks as possible also remember you don't have to buy a regular day ticket or make a park pass reservation even if you purchase a holiday party after hours ticket you only need to buy the event ticket and you're good to go but if you still want to see Magic Kingdom during the day then yeah you'll have to buy a regular Park ticket and make park pass reservations on top of your event purchase if you plan on partying the night away make sure to get plenty of rest the night before or plan to sleep in the next day or both because these events go along late and you'll still have to factor in travel time back to your hotel after it's all said and done so even if the after hours event wraps up at 1am it could still be over an hour before you're back at your hotel room and ready to conk out for the night ready for some dfb Pro Magic Kingdom advice okay it's time to get into some of those deeper crevices of the overall Magic Kingdom experience and how you can make this park a completely unique Adventure from anyone else's we've got a few ideas you can go on a behind the scenes backstage tour the keys to the kingdom tour is a five hour guided experience that'll take you behind the scenes and through the Magic Kingdom's underground utilidors to access some of the Park's most hidden areas this tour costs 114 dollars per guest not including the cost of the Park admission on top of that and does include lunch and a commemorative gift so yes you've got to have a park ticket and a park pass plus the cost of admission to the tour to go on this one the tour is kind of pricey but it's a fun way to see a side of Magic Kingdom you've never seen before all while finding hidden Mickeys learning hidden secrets surrounding classic attractions and discovering little-known trivia about the park and Walt Disney himself looking for something a little more free well you could become a pirate a Pirates Adventure legend of the Seven Seas is an interactive Pirates of the Caribbean themed treasure hunt in Adventureland this is where you can pick up treasure maps and go on a pirate's raid around the surrounding area there are five missions in tow total and each one will take you around 15 to 20 minutes to complete which can be a nice little break from waiting around in lines all day long not to mention it's totally free to do you can start your adventure over at the Crow's Nest located toward the entrance of Adventureland near the Pirates of the Caribbean ride you can also pick up a free Safari sack okay this one's a little silly but I love it anyways and it's another free thing to do so you'll probably love it too the jungle cruise is now offering Safari sacks to keep your valuables dry on the ride but don't get too excited yet these sacks are really just your average Ziploc baggies but they're funny punny Ziploc baggies just read what's written on the bag for a free chuckle or two and you can find these sacks located at the jungle cruise queue if they haven't already run out by the time you arrive you can also transform into royalty the fairy godmothers at Magic Kingdom may not be able to transform a pumpkin into a carriage but they can still find ways to keep the magic the Bibbidi bobbity Boutique is a Fantasyland salon for kids ages 3 to 12. here kids can receive a royal makeover compliments of their very own Fairy Godmother apprentices depending on the package you choose kids will receive a variety of beauty services including hair makeup costumes and Magic don't believe me then explain how the Fairy Godmother just pops into the mirror like that I'm telling you that's Wizardry this is a very popular Magic Kingdom experience so make sure to make reservations for this one ahead of time and it is gonna set you back a pretty penny another free one for you getting pixie dusted if you'd rather not spend a whole lot of money on a princess makeover you can always opt for the free pixie dusting over at the sir Mickey's gift shop which is also located in Fantasyland right across the street from Bibbidi bobbity turns out there are fairy godmothers here too you'll be able to tell by the special wand they hold in their hand track one down ask for some Faith trust and pixie dust and brace yourself for a glittery hairdo how many more ways can Magic Kingdom make you feel all spiffy well I know one other way for certain and that's over at the harmony barber shop in Main Street USA toward the front of the park Harmony Barber Shop is a real old-fashioned in barber shop where you can literally stop everything you're doing and just go get a haircut because you know who doesn't want to do that in a theme park between rides there are a few different options you can choose from including my first haircut package that starts at 28 dollars for the little ones and comes with a haircut commemorative Mickey ears a Keepsake lock of hair and an official Milestone certificate but grown-ups you can get your hair cut too and it's pretty inexpensive and yes we're back in Adventure Land but that's because this land is just filled with interesting places to explore one of those places is the Swiss Family Tree House a classic walk through attraction where you can get really nice views of the Magic Kingdom from a bird's eye view you probably won't want to attempt this one In the Heat of the day since it'll add a whole lot more walking then you might find yourself grumbling about later but it is something you'll want to try out at least once and another way to make your Magic Kingdom trip completely unique wear an awesome Magic Kingdom tea that everyone's gonna be super jealous of if you head over to merch.dfbstore.com we've got some awesome Magic Kingdom themed swag if I do say so myself we've got teas with Cinderella Castle teased with a different Magic Kingdom lands teas that support my three favorite things in the Parks rides drinks and snacks so if you're ready to feel the radiating jealousy coming from the other guests because of how cool your shirt is I think it's time you head over to merch.dfbstore.com now we we are at the part of the video where we're gonna talk some basics for you what good is an ultimate guide if we don't cover some of the most important parts of Magic Kingdom basic number one Resorts closest to the park if Magic Kingdom is the park you'll be focusing on most during your upcoming trip and you want to make sure you can get from your room to the park as quickly as possible those monorail resorts are going to be Prime real estate for you these include Polynesian Village Resort contemporary and Grand Floridian like we said before in the video where you can see the fireworks from these aren't just convenient because of their direct access to the monorail system although that is a main convenience factor you can also walk to Magic Kingdom from any of these hotels which you may prefer to do at the end of the night instead of fighting through the mass Exodus of guests on the downside the rooms at any of these Deluxe resorts are not gonna be cheap even standard rooms usually average around six hundred dollars per night on the upside with that price you'll also have the extended evening hours benefit extended evening hours usually happen for Magic Kingdom on Wednesdays but are still subject to change so make sure to look at Disney World's hours and events calendar on their website before booking your stay Disney's Wilderness Lodge is still a deluxe Resort but it'll be a cheaper Deluxe Resort option in the Magic Kingdom area and that's because it doesn't have direct access to the monorail system nor can you walk to the park from this location that you can take a boat to and from or stick with the bus system the cheapest Magic Kingdom area Resort will be the cabins and campgrounds over at Disney's Fort Wilderness they too have boat and bus transportation leading up to the front Gates of the park and the cabins here are also super spacious and private but because they're considered a moderate Resort you won't have access to the extended evening hours benefit while staying there least expensive of course is booking a campsite and popping your tent word of warning if you stay anywhere other than a Disney owned Resort or even if you plan on driving yourself to the park that day you will have to park or be dropped off at the transportation and Ticket Center first from here you'll have to take another mode of transportation either the ferry or the monorail to make it the rest of the way to the Magic Kingdom while decided to do Magic Kingdom this way because he didn't like that in Disneyland the real world was kind of right next to Disneyland and you could basically walk across the street and get to a gas station he wanted Magic Kingdom to feel like it was far away from everything so he put the parking lot on the other side of Seven Seas Lagoon so you have to take a ferry or a monorail or a bus to get from the parking lot which is also where you're gonna be dropped off from other hotels to Magic Kingdom so you can blame wallet for this one all right basic number two all the rides as we established earlier Magic Kingdom is the park with the most rides out of the fort we've ranked and rated however you want to say it all these rides on our YouTube channel not too terribly long ago which you can check out and judge for yourself on your own time but today I'm just gonna go through every ride and give you kind of an idea of what the average wait times look like for each Astro Orbiter usually about 20 to 30 minutes Barnstormer 15 to 20. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad 35 to 45 minutes Buzz lightyears about 40 to 50. Dumbo the flying elephant 10 to 20 minutes Haunted Mansion 35 to 45 minutes it's a small world 5 to 10 minutes and stepped on those really busy days Jungle Cruise 40 to 50 minutes mad tea party five to ten the magic carpets of Aladdin 5 to 10. Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh 20 to 30 minutes but it feels longer when you have a toddler Peter Pan's flight 65 to 75 minutes everybody loves this ride Pirates of the Caribbean is usually 25 to 35 but sometimes those lines can stretch Prince Charming Regal Carousel 10 to 15 minutes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train that's gonna be your 60 plus minute ride Space Mountain 45-55 Splash Mountain 50 to 60 Tomorrowland Speedway is 20 to 30 minutes with the bonus of sucking in all those car exhaust fumes people mover 15 to 25 minutes and worth every second Under the Sea journey of The Little Mermaid 10 to 20 minutes disclaimer this doesn't mean these averages are the exact ranges you can expect during your visit they could be lower they could be way higher this is just what we personally expect to see from them since our reporters are in Magic Kingdom all year round for a more accurate prediction on the day of your visit you can always check out the attractions and shows portion of the tip board on the My Disney Experience app and check out the forecasted wait times basic number three park pass reservations once you purchase your theme park ticket you'll need to reserve your spot in Magic Kingdom with a park pass reservation park pass reservations are pretty straightforward after you make the ticket purchase the Disney World website will prompt you through the next steps you'll need to take but if you'd like a little extra guidance you can always check out our step-by-step park pass reservation guide on the dfb website drop in another link into the description below park pass reservations do have a tendency to book up especially in Magic Kingdom during busier times of the year like summer vacation and around the holidays so the sooner you can get your tickets purchased and make these reservations the better off you're gonna be you can check the park pass reservation calendar before you buy your tickets to double check and make sure the day you're running to visit isn't already filled up it'll be on the same page where you can make the ticket purchases in the first place now if you're looking at that park pass reservation calendar and seeing that Magic Kingdom is blocked off on the day you were hoping to go there is a loophole to consider if you purchase a ticket and make a reservation for a different Park you can always jump over to the Magic Kingdom after 2 pm if you add on the park hopper option on top of your regular ticket price Park Hoppers are currently sold at a surge price but they start at 65 dollars per ticket they get more expensive as the day gets more popular if you plan on only going to Magic Kingdom and are just looking to purchase a one day one Park ticket then good news you won't have to worry about making a park pass reservation at all one day one Park guests will automatically receive park pass reservations with their purchase but the trick is that the availability is kind of built in they're not going to let you buy a one day one Park ticket if Magic Kingdom's already filled up that day but those tickets will also experience different surge prices normally park ticket prices range depending on what time of year you're visiting but with one day one park tickets your price will depend on both the time of year and the park you're wanting to go to since Magic Kingdom tends to be the most popular option of the parks it tends to be a little pricier than the others so make sure to plan for that in your budget ahead of time and try purchasing tickets for weekdays instead of weekends when surge prices tend to be cheaper right now ticket prices for Magic Kingdom are range from 109 to 179 dollars basic number four character meet and greets so many characters so little time if you want to meet some of your favorite Disney characters around Magic Kingdom like Captain Jack Sparrow Aladdin and Jasmine Merida Peter Pan the head honchos themselves Mickey and Minnie you'll have several opportunities to do so throughout your day be sure to check your My Disney Experience app and the times guide for characters and when they plan on making their appearances while some characters hang around longer than others like Minnie and Mickey and Town Square theater and the princesses over in princess fairy tale Hall other characters like Chip and Dale and The Country Bears might be a little more unpredictable so your My Disney Experience app will be your best bet in figuring out when certain characters are gonna swing by to say hello and basic number five shows other than fireworks amazingly enough there are more shows to experience in Magic Kingdom besides the nighttime spectacular on Cinderella castle some of the more popular ones are Mickey's magical friendship Fair on the main stage of the castle the Festival of fantasy parade and different character cavalcades again the mighty Disney Experience app will be able to let you know when these shows will take place so you can plan your schedule accordingly and then there are the continuously running shows in the park that provide not just entertainment but a nice easy going break in the shade and AC which you'll welcome with open arms after standing in hot and sweaty queue lines for hours on end these continuous shows include Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room in Adventureland Carousel of Progress into morrowland fill our magic and Fantasyland Country Bears Jamboree in frontierland Hall of Presidents in Liberty Square and Monsters Inc laugh floor can't forget the street Miss fear either while you're exploring Main Street USA make sure to swing by and listen to the Dapper Dan's barbershop quartet because they are incredibly talented the Dapper dance perform multiple times throughout the morning and afternoon giving you plenty of chances to catch at least one show during your day and there you have it you are now officially a Magic Kingdom Pro I wish I could give you a medal or certificate or something but you know let's just pretend I did and we'll call it good I know this was a lot but don't forget we can send you a PDF of everything we talked about today straight to your inbox just drop us your email at disneyfoodblog.com MK 2023 and we'll get it to you right away thanks for listening everyone and thanks for watching don't forget we're going to do these ultimate guides for all of the parks so if you're watching us from the future you can go watch the other ones right now but if you're watching us the day this comes out stay tuned for more thanks for listening everyone and thanks for watching as always this is AJ for Disney food blog and we'll see you real soon [Music]

Channel: DFBGuide

Views: 289,311

Keywords: disneyfood, disney, disney world, disneyland, disneyvideo, disneyvacation, food, disney parks, disney travel, disney tips, disney guides, disney planning, disney trip, disney how to, disney vlog, disney vlogger

Id: d_8SzI2fuIk

Length: 51min 2sec (3062 seconds)

Published: Wed Dec 21 2022