There are some common mistakes made by Disney World first timers who have never been to
the Magic Kingdom. Even if you are familiar with other Disney parks, Magic Kingdom is very
different. Be careful to avoid making these five easy rookie mistakes.
Fastpasses too early
If you are not familiar with Fastpass+, it’s the system Disney uses to make it possible to ride
more attractions without waiting in long lines. It’s like making a reservation for a ride. You can
select Fastpasses for three attractions up to 30 days before check in. If you are staying at a
Disney hotel, you have the advantage of selecting Fastpasses up to 60 days in advance. Don’t
wait. Pick these attractions as soon as you can using your My Disney Experience app.
Missing out on the best Fastpasses is a common rookie mistake, but so is picking Fastpasses
for too early in the day when lines aren’t that long yet. Instead, aim for Fastpass times between
10 am and 1 pm. Use a map of the park to pick attractions that are close together and within
that time frame. When you finish those three you can start adding one more at a time.
Arriving late
You want to get there at least at park opening. It’s better to get inside a half hour beforehand to
get a head start on rope drop. You can be even earlier if you reserve a character breakfast for
the earliest time. Crystal Palace, Cinderella’s Royal Table, and Be Our Guest open a full hour
before the park does. Arriving late is a rookie mistake that really puts you behind the curve and
makes it difficult to do everything you will want to.
Not planning meals
For table service restaurants you really need to make reservations far in advance. As far back
as 180 days. Even if you plan on just having quick service meals during the day, it’s important
to have a plan on where you want to go. a classic rookie mistake is believing all food in Magic
Kingdom is the same. My advice is to stay on the west side of the park for food for everything
from Dole Whips to fried shrimp.
Not taking a break
Magic Kingdom stays open well into the night. One rookie mistake is to get tired out before
nightfall. The Fireworks at Magic Kingdom are so incredible to watch that people plan their
dinners at restaurants with a view of the park, and even charter cruises to watch the display.
Magic Kingdom is large and spaced out. There is so much walking involved and the crowds
take the wind out of your sail pretty fast. It’s best to plan around crowds. know when they will
be lining the parade route. Take the railroad, when you can.
During the hours of about 1 pm to 4 pm Magic Kingdom is at its busiest. It’s a good idea to take
a load off either bu scheduling a meal during these hours or taking the monorail to one of the
nearby resorts to recharge.
Skipping too many attractions
A major rookie mistake that I see all too often is guests at Magic Kingdom who won’t wait in a
line. You will find that you wind up spending all of your time and energy going to and from
attractions and riding nothing. The My Disney Experience app helps by showing wait times, but
sometimes you just have to commit to standing in a line or you will waste precious time getting
nowhere.
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