Magic Kingdom

~ Magic Kingdom - Don't-Miss Attractions! ~
 

  Space Mountain Mickey's PhilharMagic Peter Pan's Flight The Haunted Mansion Splash Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Pirates of the Caribbean 
Both parades as well as the Fantasy in the Sky fireworks

Tomorrowland

Space Mountain****

Tip: This is the second most popular ride in the park (Splash Mountain being the first) and lines can sometimes be extremely long. Come first thing in the morning or before park closing. And hang onto your valuables or risk losing them in the deep, dark vastness of space.

Fantasyland

        Mickey's Philharmagic***

This 3-D attraction is a delightful winner! Even though Mickey’s name is featured in the title, the mischievous Donald Duck steals the show as he takes visitors along on a wild ride through Disney animated movies, interacting with the largest cast of Disney characters ever in a single 3-D movie. You’ll see Ariel, Aladdin, Jasmine, Lumiere, Simba, Peter Pan, Tinkerbell and more, all accompanied by popular Disney music and fun in-theater effects of squirting water and delicious aromas. Shown on the largest seamless projections screen in the world (150-foot long and 28-foot high), it’s an attraction kids as well as kids-at-heart will absolutely adore. FASTPASS. 10-minute show.

Peter Pan's Flight***

This is one of the most endearing attractions in Fantasyland, sure to steal your heart. Though old-fashioned and certainly not a thrill a minute, you'll find it hard to resist flying with Peter Pan, Wendy, and the boys to Never Never Land. Take off in gently soaring Pirate ships where your adventure begins in the Darling nursery "and off we go," flying over the twinkling lights of nighttime London with Big Ben and the London Bridge standing out against a starry, moonlit city (definitely the best part of the ride). The next stop is Never Never Land, where far below are glistening waterfalls and glowing volcanoes, lovely mermaids sunning on the rocks, the Indian Village, and our first glimpse of the Lost Boys and Captain Hook's ship. All the while the movie's theme song tells us " you can fly." The sight of Wendy walking the plank with the ticking crocodile waiting below is a bit nerve-racking, but of course, Peter Pan saves the day. This ride is nothing but a charmer; perfect for all ages. Fastpass. 3-minute ride.

Tip: This is now a Fastpass ride, one that really doesn't work very well. Unless you ride first thing in the morning, use Fastpass or be prepared to wait for an unbelievable amount of time.

Liberty Square

The Haunted Mansion**** 

Eerie sounds, toppled fountains, unkempt grounds, and not even a hint of a smile on the faces of the creepy cast member servants cause a definite sense of foreboding on approach to this Tudor-style, red brick mansion. Enter an 8-sided, gargoyle-guarded Stretch Room where your "ghost host" asks everyone to gather tightly in the "dead" center of the room and warns that "there is no turning back." Then on to board a "doom buggy," your conveyance through this dust dripping, ghostly retreat where many terrific special effects and hair-raising sounds up the ante.

You may have to ride several times to notice even half of the terrific details. If this sounds frightening, it's not. It's nothing but fun and only the smallest of children will become alarmed. Fastpass. 9-minute ride.

Tip: If crowds seem abnormally large, it's probably because of the arrival of the Liberty Belle riverboat or the conclusion of the Hall of Presidents show; try again at a later time. And if you're prone to allergies, don't worry; the dust used here is a manmade, nonallergenic material.

Frontierland

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad****

Inside the 200-foot, rocky outcropping resembling the scenery in Monument Valley is a zippy coaster ride offering visitors a peek at the mining country of the Old West. Disney has rounded up an amazing assortment of old mining equipment, giving a taste of the Gold Rush to this blast of an attraction. Board a 15-car, runaway mining train led by a puffing and chugging engine for a wild journey through creepy bat caves, steaming geysers, bubbling mud pots, hazardous rockslides, rumbling earthquakes, and collapsing mine shafts. The details whip by so quickly you'll have a difficult time absorbing them all. For those who like speed but not big drops, this is your coaster. There are plenty of curves and small dips but all in all you'll find it fairly tame and loads of rip roarin' fun. Fastpass. 4-minute ride. Minimum height 40 inches.

Not recommended for expectant mothers or those with back or neck problems. Children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult.

Splash Mountain****

This is one ride guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Who can resist the charms of Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, Brer Bear, and the rest of the gang, even if it culminates in one heck of a plunge? Board a hollowed-out log to float through audio-animatronic scenes from Disney's classic film Song of the South, splashing and dropping through Brer Rabbit's Laughin' Place. Drift round the briar patch while toe-tapping music plays among the cabbages and carrots, jugs of moonshine, chirpin' birds, and croakin' frogs as you relax and bob your head to the beat.

Inside the mountain Brer Fox and Brer Bear cause plenty of commotion along the way as Brer Rabbit outwits them at every turn. As you float through bayous, marshes, and caverns, all a delight to the eye with loads of colorful detail and too-cute cavorting characters, the addictive theme song "Time to Be Moving Along" plays. As the ride creeps upward, heed the doomsday warning of a gloomy pair of buzzards ("It's turning back time" and "We'll show you a laughing place") just before the final doozy of a splashdown over a 5-story waterfall and into an oversized briar patch. It's pretty tough to keep your eyes open (at least for first-timers) but try to grab at least a peek of the park from the top. And don't think you missed the cherished "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Da" tune; you'll hear it on the way out. Fastpass. 11-minute ride. Minimum height 40 inches. Not recommended for expectant mothers or those with back or neck problems.

Tip: If you'd like to stay somewhat dry, ask the attendant for a seat in the last row and sit on the left-hand side of the log (although this really doesn't guarantee a completely dry ride). The drop's really not as bad as it looks so don't let it keep you from experiencing one of the best rides Disney has to offer.

Adventureland

Pirates of the Caribbean***

The tune "Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a Pirate's Life for Me" will ring in your ears for hours after departing this likable ride. Float through dripping caves and into a darkened bombardment of a Caribbean town at the merciless hands of scurvy pirates. Hundreds of shouting, singing, and grunting audio-animatronic buccaneers chase women (some women chase the men), pillage and burn the town, and party through the night. It may sound a bit rough, but it's quite a charmer and executed in nothing but good humor. It’s even better than before now that Captain Jack Sparrow is part of the theme–you’ll find music from the from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie and Jack’s life-like image throughout the ride, a perfect addition to an already super fun attraction.10-minute ride.

Entertainment

DISNEY DREAMS COME TRUE PARADE****  This wonderful afternoon parade is a huge hit with guests of all ages. Giant floats topped with scores of Disney characters—the likes of Mickey Mouse, Pinocchio, Aladdin, and more—are accompanied by more than one hundred walking characters and a medley of classic Disney songs. Don’t miss it! 15-minute parade. Tip: Those not interested in the parade will find that this is a great time to ride the big name attractions-when all the crowds are elsewhere.

SpectroMagic**** A glittering sorcerer Mickey leads the parade of dazzling Disney characters aglow with fiber optics, holographic images, and twinkling lights (over 600,000 of them), all accompanied by Disney classic songs. Held every night in summer and peak times, but only weekends off-season.

WISHES**** What a way to end your day at this magical park! Jiminy Cricket narrates the story of how wishes come true, accompanied by Disney songs, character voices, and unbelievable pyrotechnics. While the castle constantly changes colors, you’ll be wowed by 557 firing cues and 683 individual pieces of fireworks launched from 11 locations. Everyone’s favorite part is the flight of Tinker Bell from the tip top of the castle. 12-minute show. Tip: Don't stand too close to the castle. It blocks your view of the fireworks that come from behind it.