A Fun 2 Day Magic Kingdom Itinerary for Families

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Orlando, Florida has many excellent theme parks, but none of them can touch Disney World's Magic Kingdom. Notably, visiting this park is one of the best things to do in Orlando with kids.

Most of the attractions at Magic Kingdom are slow-moving and suitable for those just learning to walk, as well as those who enjoy a good early-bird special. There are also tons of characters, and the fireworks are spectacular!

If you plan to visit with your family, this 2 day Magic Kingdom itinerary will give you an idea of how to explore the park best to see all the most famous rides and attractions.

Of course, keep in mind that although there are ways to save money on a Disney trip, like Disney cruises, it is definitely expensive to go to the theme park. Like small car expensive.

Additionally, with the magic of Disney World comes crippling crowds, humidity, and rain. So don't bother prettying up before your trip. You will sweat it off in no time!

Despite the downsides, a trip to Magic Kingdom is well worth it! To discover all the fun things to do at the park, keep reading for an in-depth itinerary. A Magic Kingdom map is also included below for your convenience.

Are you on your way to Orlando last-minute?

Book your Orlando accommodations and experiences early! See the short list of top suggestions below.

🏨 Top accommodations in Orlando

• Comfort Suites Orlando Lake Buena Vista (rated highly)
• Comfort Suites Maingate East (relax by the pool)
• Rosen Inn Closest to Universal

☂️ Top tours and experiences in Orlando

• Kennedy Space Center Day Trip With Transport From Orlando (likely to sell out)
• One-Hour Airboat Tour (rated highly)
• Private Helicopter Tour Over Orlando's Theme Parks (rated highly)
• Florida Everglades Airboat Tour & Wild Florida Admission With Optional Lunch (very popular)
• Wild Florida Drive-Thru Safari & Gator Park Admission

2-Day Itinerary for Magic Kingdom

Tomorrowland, Main Street, U.S.A., and Adventureland

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On the first day, you will explore Tomorrowland, Main Street, U.S.A., and Adventureland. You will also watch the afternoon Magic Kingdom parade and fireworks.

Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin

Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin is a slow-moving, indoor attraction that everyone can ride. You shoot at alien targets and compete with the rest of your car to get the best score. It is a very popular attraction, and the line can get pretty long.

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Astro Orbiter

Astro Orbiter is an outdoor attraction where you spin in a circle in rockets. The ride is located high in the air, requiring an elevator ride to reach it, so you get a beautiful view of the park. It spins very quickly, so it is not a good choice for people prone to motion sickness.

Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor

Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor is an indoor, air-conditioned show. During the show, you are told jokes to help collect laughter. Cameras zoom in on various audience members to tease them in good fun. The line can get long if you have to wait for more than a couple of shows to enter.

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Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover

Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover is a smooth ride around Tomorrowland in a car. It has both indoor and outdoor portions. The journey takes you through buildings housing several attractions. There is never a line, so it is an easy walk in when you need a break from walking.

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Cinderella Castle

You enter Magic Kingdom onto Main Street with a view of the iconic Cinderella Castle. Although not an attraction in itself, this is a great place to take a family photo.

Space Mountain

Space Mountain is an indoor roller coaster through space. It has a 44" height requirement. It moves quickly and turns sharply in complete darkness, so this ride is not for everyone. If you like roller coasters, it is a must-do. It is one of Magic Kingdom's most famous attractions, but with infamy, comes long lines.

Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress

Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress is a show in an indoor, air-conditioned theater that rotates through different sets. During each portion of the attraction, an animatronic family talks to you about different eras in history. The ride is extremely outdated, but it has a classic Disney vibe and is good for a laugh at the "future" family.

Town Square Theater to meet Mickey Mouse

Town Square Theater is an area where you can meet Mickey Mouse and Tinker Bell. Other than meeting the characters, the area itself is not particularly special. Note that the lines for both of these characters can get pretty long.

Have Lunch at Tony's Town Square Restaurant

Have an early lunch. Consider Tony's Town Square Restaurant for a sit-down Italian meal that includes priority seating for the afternoon parade and is located right next to Town Square Theater.

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Tomorrowland Speedway

Tomorrowland Speedway is an outdoor attraction where you can drive cars around a long track. The tracks have dividers so that children can drive. It is not overly exciting, but it is fun for kids who don't have to sit in rush hour on a daily basis like the rest of us. The line can be long but is usually not too bad.

Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room

Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room is an old-school Disney attraction. During this show, outdated animatronic birds sing to you. It would be lame if not for its classic feel. There is never any wait for this attraction, and it is in a blissfully air-conditioned room, so it is definitely worth a stop.

Jungle Cruise

Jungle Cruise is an outdoor, slow-moving cruise down a river. It is suitable for everyone. During the ride, you encounter several ancient animatronic animals.

The highlight (or downside) of this attraction is the skipper, who tells jokes throughout the journey. This is definitely comedy belonging to the D-list, like Last Comic Standing variety, but it can be amusing depending on who you get. The line can be quite long for this ride.

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Afternoon Parade

Watch the afternoon parade to see several of your favorite characters on intricate floats.

Swiss Family Treehouse

Swiss Family Treehouse is an outdoor, walk-through climbing attraction with many stairs. It is one of the few attractions at Magic Kingdom that may be more difficult for those with mobility issues or baggage in the form of small children to maneuver.

Throughout the attraction, you will come across different living areas in the treehouse. It is a great place to burn some energy, and there is never any wait.

The Magic Carpets of Aladdin

The Magic Carpets of Aladdin is a simple ride that appeals to small children. You fly around in a circle on Aladdin's magic carpet outdoors. The ride is slow to load, so although it is similar to many kiddie rides you would find at your local carnival, the line can feel pretty long.

Pirates of the Caribbean

Pirates of the Caribbean is an indoor, slow-moving boat ride with tons of animatronic pirates to see. The amount of detail in this ride is incredibly impressive. The music is fun.

Everyone can enjoy this attraction, although it may be scary for some small children. The ride itself is air-conditioned, and the wait is usually pretty reasonable.

Walt Disney World Railroad

Walt Disney World Railroad is a basic train ride around the park. It can be either a mode of transportation or an attraction in itself. There are also entrances to the train in Fantasyland and Frontierland.

☂️ Explore the Walt Disney World Railroad in Frontierland on a tour

• Walt Disney World Water Park Tickets
• Walt Disney World Resort Admission Base Tickets

Dinner, More Magic Kingdom Rides & Fireworks

Have an early dinner. Consider The Crystal Palace for a buffet with Winnie the Pooh characters or the Jungle Skipper Canteen for tropical cuisine.

Consider finishing off your first day at Magic Kingdom with a fireworks dessert party. If you do this, you will also get priority seating for the fireworks, so you don't have to stake out a spot.

Fantasyland, Frontierland, and Liberty Square

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On your second day, explore Fantasyland, Frontierland, and Liberty Square. Also, re-ride your favorite attractions from both days of your trip.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is an outdoor, mild roller coaster. It has a 40" height requirement, and the line can get pretty long.

Mad Tea Party

Mad Tea Party has teacups in which you sit and spin. It is not a good ride for people sensitive to a spinning motion. It is another ride that is not special in and of itself, but it is an iconic Disney World attraction, and it usually does not have much of a wait.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is an outdoor roller coaster with some animatronics mixed in. It is a relatively new attraction that always has an extremely long wait. It has a 38" height requirement. If you can handle the speed, it is a fun ride.

Lunch

Have an early lunch. Consider Be Our Guest for a quick service meal in the Beast's castle or Cinderella's Royal Table for a sit-down (very expensive) meal with princesses.

"it's a small world"

"It's a small world" is a slow-moving, indoor boat ride through rooms that are meant to represent various cultures. It is a long, classic attraction. Everyone can enjoy this ride. The animatronics are outdated, but the level of detail is still awesome. The line can get long, but it is usually not bad.

Peter Pan's Flight

Peter Pan's Flight is an indoor, slow-moving flight over various scenes from Peter Pan. There is a lot to see, and the animatronics are fun. Everyone can ride it, and the line for this one is long, pretty much all day.

Tom Sawyer Island

Tom Sawyer Island is an outdoor area to explore that you access via a raft. It is an excellent place for kids to run around and burn some energy. There is never any substantial wait for a raft.

Country Bear Jamboree

Country Bear Jamboree is an indoor, air-conditioned show starring animatronic bears singing and telling jokes. It is an older attraction. It may not be overly entertaining for kids, but there is never any wait. It is a nice place to sit down and take a break from the heat.

Liberty Square Riverboat

Liberty Square Riverboat is a large boat that cruises slowly down a river through the park. It is definitely something everyone can ride, and there isn't much of a wait.

Under the Sea~Journey of the Little Mermaid

Under the Sea~Journey of the Little Mermaid is an indoor, slow-moving ride through various scenes from the Little Mermaid. It is a great ride for everyone. The animatronics are bright and fun. The line is usually reasonable but can get long.

Haunted Mansion

Haunted Mansion is a slow-moving ride through a haunted house. It is dark and could be a little much for small children, so keep that in mind when determining if it's suitable for your family.

There is a stretching room you enter before boarding the ride that is scarier. You can ask an employee to skip this part of the attraction. The trip is a good length and air-conditioned. There is a ton of detail, and it is a fan favorite at Disney World.

Enchanted Tales with Belle

Enchanted Tales with Belle is an indoor Beauty and the Beast-themed attraction where members of the audience are selected to participate in the show. This is a popular attraction that can have a long wait time.

Prince Charming Regal Carrousel

Prince Charming Regal Carrousel is a carousel with white horses. It rarely has a wait, and it is fun to ride a carousel near Cinderella's Castle.

The Hall of Presidents

The Hall of Presidents is an indoor movie about the nation's history, followed by all of the presidents in an animatronic form on stage. Before the show, you wait indoors in a room with many things to see. There is never much of a wait for this attraction.

Dinner

Have an early dinner. Consider Columbia Harbour House or Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe for quick service options.

Mickey's PhilharMagic

Mickey's PhilharMagic is an indoor, 3-D movie with scenes from Fantasia. Mickey Mouse conducts an orchestra and instruments to fly at the audience. The film is cute. There is never much of a wait, and it is air-conditioned.

Dumbo the Flying Elephant

Dumbo the Flying Elephant is another attraction where you can fly in a circle, but this time, in Dumbo cars. There is an indoor section for kids to play while they wait, but the actual attraction is outdoors. The ride isn't special, but it is an iconic Disney World attraction.

The Barnstormer

The Barnstormer is an outdoor, kiddie roller coaster that is not much different than any other children's roller coaster. The wait time is usually pretty reasonable.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh & More Rides

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is an indoor, slow-moving, but jerky ride through the Hundred-Acre Wood. The queue gets a bonus because there are things for kids to play with while they wait. The ride is cute with a side of an acid trip. The line can get long on this ride, and a good portion of the queue is outdoors.

Disney Magic Kingdom Tips - Common Questions

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From whether to make dinner reservations to finding out how to skip the line for popular rides, knowing the answers to these common Disney Magic Kingdom questions will make your trip much more enjoyable!

How do you best tour the Magic Kingdom theme park?

Everyone tours Magic Kingdom differently. The ideal tour plan will vary depending on your family's sleep schedule, eating habits, interests, preferences, and goals.

If you have young children who may be a bit slow to walk, focus on exploring half of the park each day to minimize walking. Arriving as early as you can at the park helps to ensure you see and do as much as you can.

In addition, a good general rule for everyone is to ride the attractions with longer-than-average waiting times in the morning before it gets crowded. When planning, you'll also want to note that Magic Kingdom is broken into six sections, each with a unique theme and attractions.

Therefore, if your trip is two days long and you want to see everything, plan to see three sections each day. Also, pay attention to whether attractions are indoors or outdoors to prevent standing in the Florida sun for hours on end without a break.

Should you use Touring Plans to create a Magic Kingdom plan?

To make planning easiest, using the free version of Touring Plans to create a customized plan tailored to your family's needs is highly recommended. This website lets you input what you want to accomplish, including a break if your family requires it.

Touring Plans then provides you with a recommended schedule to minimize wait times. In addition, you can refresh the plan throughout the day on the app to get an updated plan as needed.

What is Lightning Lane, and should you use it at Magic Kingdom?

Lightning Lane is a fast-track app that recently replaced the Magic Kingdom FastPasses. The app is run by Disney Genie+, and you can either purchase the Disney Genie+ service to make Lighting Lane selections or buy Lighting Lane passes for rides individually that aren't covered under Disney Genie+.

What's the difference between purchasing Disney Genie+ service and individual passes?

Disney Genie+ is a one-time purchase app that offers Lightning Lane access to almost all the rides at Disney Magic Kingdom. Interestingly, the price of this app varies daily. However, it's generally 15 USD on quiet days and up to 35 USD on peak days.

With Disney Genie+, you can book skip-the-line access for up to three rides per day. Purchasing the app as early as possible in the day is recommended, and you can only book Lighting Lane passes for one ride at a time. You can book another pass after you've used the one you booked or two hours later if you didn't use it.

Individual Lighting Lane passes cover rides that you can't book skip the line for under Disney Genie+. At Disney Magic Kingdom, the only ride not covered by Genie+ is the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

What can you do with a Lighting Lane pass?

Those that purchase Lighting Lane access can effectively skip the line for rides they want to go on. These passes are especially useful if you're traveling with small children who won't be able to stand in line for a long time, or if you're visiting during a very busy period, such as during the school holidays.

Generally, you have an hour window to use your Lighting Lane pass for your chosen ride. Also note that while you won't have to wait as long as those who don't have a Lightning Lane Pass, you could still have a five to 20-minute wait to get on the ride.

Should you make dining reservations at Disney's Magic Kingdom?

Making dinner reservations is highly recommended. Disney World dining reservations can be booked 180 days in advance for all guests. While this may sound ridiculous (who knows where they want to eat in six months?), it's well worth it if you want to get a table at Disney's most popular eateries.

Really, you need to be online to reserve right at the 180-day mark if you care at all about where you will go to eat. Dining reservations go fast. Menus are available online, and they all have relatively limited options, so you should be able to narrow down the choices.

Another dining tip is to eat on the early side for both lunch and dinner to avoid crowds. Also, reserve a sit-down meal for lunch and dinner to soak up some air conditioning and take a break from walking. This is not mandatory, but taking a break will make for a more pleasant day!

Final Thoughts

Disney World is expensive, hot, crowded, and filled with crying children (some your own), but it is totally worth a try! If possible, plan to spend at least two days at Magic Kingdom to enjoy it fully. Go to Magic Kingdom; you won't regret it!

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