The Magic Kingdom was the first theme park built for Walt Disney World. Construction started in 1967 and the park officially opened on October 1, 1971. Years later it would be followed by EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.
Even though the park is almost 50 years old. A lot has changed but a lot has stayed the same. Magic Kingdom Park is the number one visited theme park in the entire world for the past 13 years. For over 15 years in a row it has been the most visited park in the US. Needless to say, Magic Kingdom is a very popular park.
But what makes Magic Kingdom so great? Is it the rides? The food? The atmosphere? Why is it that year after year it is the most visited park with over 20 million visitors in 2018.
RIDES
Out of the four Walt Disney World theme parks, Magic Kingdom has the most rides. Not only do they have the most ride, this is where most anyone can ride any of them. The rollercoasters are not too intense and the kid rides are not too childish. Magic Kingdom truly is a park for anyone of any age.
Magic Kingdom has a total of 30 unique attractions to explore. Everything from the Walt Disney World railroad to a runaway mine train. There’s bound to be one of your top 5 rides at Magic Kingdom.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a fan favorite. There is nothing better than being on a runaway mine train going around bends, hills and tunnels.
Splash Mountain is another favorite of many Magic Kingdom guests. It is a great ride to cool off in the hot Florida summer sun.
Peter Pan’s Flight is another fantastic ride. Soar high in the sky heading towards the second star to the right and straight on till morning.
The Haunted Mansion is the home of 999 happy haunts but don’t you worry. They have room for a 1000.
Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover is the best way to see Tomorrowland. It’s the best place to page Mr. Morrow…. Mr Tom Morrow.
These are just a few of the rides that makes Magic Kingdom such a great theme park. There is also so many more. Many people LOVE Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. It is the hardest FastPass+ to get at Magic Kingdom. Other hard FastPass to get are Peter Pan, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise.
FOOD
Magic Kingdom is home to some beautifully themed quick and table service locations. You can find just about anything you would want to eat. Enjoy a New England style lobster roll to some southwestern style fajitas. If you are craving it. Chances are one location has it.
For a wonderful character Breakfast check out Crystal Palace. Here you will have breakfast with the lovable guys from the Hundred Acre Woods. Of course we are talking about Pooh, Piglet, Tiger and Eeyore. I’ve really enjoyed the breakfast here. The food was hot and fresh. The character interactions were amazing. This is one of the reasons why Magic Kingdom is such a great park. Even if your kids are not fans of Winnie the Pooh. They will still enjoy themselves so much.
For some great quick service food check out Peco’s Bill Tall Tale Inn.This is a must stop place for me on every trip to Walt Disney World. Head over to the toppings bar to get all the fixin’s you need for meal. This place is also great if trying to save a little bit of money. The Fajita platter is large enough to share. You just might want to pack your own flour tortillas.
Another must stop quick service location for many guest is Columbia Harbour House. Here you will find grilled and fried shrimp along with lobster rolls and many other seafood favorites. Be sure to try the house made chips. They are delicious.
At one point Magic Kingdom was the only place to find the beloved Dole Whip. Now you can find it in several other locations in Walt Disney World. I for one am not a fan of pineapple. So the Dole Whip is not my thing. My go-to snack would have to be the citrus swirl float. You can find this delicious snack at Sunshine Tree Terrace over in Adventureland.
LANDS
Magic Kingdom Park is broken down into 6 different lands. Each land has its own unique theme and feel to it. Take a walk through Liberty Square and try to find a restroom. Guess what….. You won’t find one anywhere within liberty square. Not even the Diamond Horseshoe has a restroom located within liberty square.
The restroom is actual in Adventureland since Liberty Square recreates colonial America. Just watch where you step while walking down the road. You’ll notice a brown path going down the middle of the walkway. Let’s just say that’s not a cobblestone street. Disney didn’t want to leave any details out.
The theming of all the different lands is what really makes Magic Kingdom stand out above so many other theme parks around the world. The seamless transition from one to the next is amazing. It will be hard to find another theme park that puts in this much attention to detail.
Tomorrowland is personally my favorite land. After all, it does have one of my favorite relaxing rides of all time. The people mover. Whenever I am in need of a break, I head over to the people mover so I can relax my feet, people watch from above and get out of the Florida sun for a little bit.
CHARACTERS
Oh the characters you can meet in the Magic Kingdom and not just during special ticketed events. Besides meeting Mickey and Minnie Mouse. You can meet Tinker Bell, read a story with Belle, flex a muscle with Gaston, or talk to Ariel about thingamabobs.
If your daughters or you are huge princess fans, Magic Kingdom is the place to be. You can enjoy a meal with Cinderella, Ariel, Snow White and Aurora at Cinderella’s royal table. Cinderella’s Royal Table is located in Cinderella’s Castle. If you didn’t know, Cinderella’s Castle is the centerpiece of Magic Kingdom.
Maybe the castle isn’t your thing but you want to meet the princesses anyway. You can meet Ariel as a mermaid in her grotto. Or head over to Princess Fairytale hall. Here you will find Rapunzel, Tiana, Elena and Cinderella.
If you have a young boy who isn’t into princesses. He can meet the boy who doesn’t want to grow up (Peter Pan). Or head over to Adventureland and find the street rat. Of course you can also meet everyone’s favorite Space Ranger in Tomorrowland.
There are just so many different characters to meet in Magic Kingdom. Some have there set locations. While others walk about and mingle with guest.
EVENTS
Magic Kingdom is home to two very special ticketed events. The Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Both parties are on selection nights. MNSSHP is on select nights from around mid August to November 1st. MVMCP is on select nights in November and December. While both events are not as good as they used to be (higher crowds) they still over lower crowds than your average day at the Magic Kingdom.
These parties are a great chance to see rare characters. Or characters in different costumes than you would normally see them in. They have party only merchandise and food that can only be purchased at the party like pins, magic bands, cupcakes and more.
The Halloween party has one of the best parades. Plus it is at night time, which makes it that much better. Never mind that it starts off with the headless horseman. Both parties also have unique firework shows.
Going in late summer and fall is a great time to visit the Magic Kingdom. May even be the BEST time to visit. Not only do you get lighter crowds. You can go to some pretty amazing parties. If you line it up right. You could do the last Halloween Party and go to the first Christmas Party.
ENTERTAINMENT
Magic Kingdom also has some fantastic entertainment. From the castle stage shows to the dance parties. They have something for everyone in your group to love. Now the parade and fireworks are what puts the icing on the cake.
The one day I was in Magic Kingdom around parade time it was raining. The normal parade was canceled that day. However, I did get to see a very rare parade. It was the raining day parade. While this parade is very short. I did get to experience something not many guests ever get to see.
What truly sets Magic Kingdom apart from any other theme park in the world is the firework show. This is really something to see and with the new projections on the castle. You have to find a spot with a view of the front of the castle. I would go every night to watch the Happily Ever After firework show. Only problem is the night time shows at the EPCOT and Hollywood Studios are great too.
There are many things that make Magic Kingdom great. The fireworks, food and rides are unbelievable. To fully experience everything Magic Kingdom has to offer you would need a couple full days. One or two days will not cut it. Heck you could probably go for 4 days and still miss things. That’s what makes this theme park so awesome.
Do you think Magic Kingdom is the best theme park there is? Let us know in the comments below. Be sure to stay up to date with Kozmophotos. I am working on a what’s great about and what’s not great about series on each of the 4 Walt Disney World theme Parks, Disney Springs, and Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.
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