A Beginner's Guide to the Magic Kingdom

What you should know

Magic Kingdom is the “classic” park, with the castle. It’s generally what everyone thinks of when they think of going to Disney World. It’s split up into smaller themed-lands that go in approximately a circle around the main castle area. This page is in no way exhaustive, just meant to include (our opinion of ) the must-see attractions.

Tomorrowland

TRON: This is the newest ride at Magic Kingdom, and our second favorite ride at all of Disney. It does require a Virtual Queue to ride, so be sure you read up on all of the rules around that, so you can snag a spot!

Space Mountain: Indoor (in the dark) roller coaster, not for the faint of heart. Height requirement is 44 inches, but they do have child swap.

Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin: A slow ride, appropriate for the little ones (but still fun for everyone), where you compete at shooting bad guys from your (slowly) moving cart. There are no drops or anything scary jumping out at you.

I really, really want to include the People-mover on this list because I love it, but you can skip it if you’re short on time. Regardless, it’s great for super hot days when you need a little cool air and to get off your feet. It’s a slow-moving ride tour through some history of Disney World.

Fantasyland

Mad Tea Party: The Famous Spinning teacups ride.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train: A roller coaster, but a tame one. No major drops, no loops or spinning upside down. The lines for this one are generally very long.

It’s a Small World: Another famous one that Cash and I personally are not a fan of, but we are definitely in the minority. You have to ride it once; it’s part of the Disney experience.

Cinderella’s Castle: The centerpiece of the whole park. This is where the fireworks show is, and during certain times of day, you can walk through the middle of it and see some really cool mosaics.

This area will probably appeal more to the younger crowd; it has a lot of slow, more classic rides. There are lots more than what’s included here, so be sure to check the full list in case you have, for instance, a Dumbo or Ariel fan.

If you can catch Gaston outside Gaston’s Tavern, he’s a super fun character meet and greet. The wicked step-sisters are also really fun. There are also a lot of princess meet-and-greets in this area.

The Friar’s Nook has really great (mostly unhealthy) quick-service food. 

Liberty Square

The Haunted Mansion: By far one of our favorite rides. It’s a slow moving ride through a haunted mansion. Could be considered a little creepy for little ones.

Liberty Square Riverboat: If you have time, this riverboat will take you around the little canal and is a fun experience.

Most of the joys of Liberty Square lie in walking around and looking at stuff. Notice the brown brick in the path, made to represent raw sewage that was thrown out of windows during Colonial America. Also as a nod to this time, you cannot find any indoor bathrooms in this part of the park. The replica of the Liberty Bell makes a fun photo op, and if you’re hungry, be sure to stop by Sleepy Hollow for one of their amazing waffle sandwiches. If you’re looking for a sit-down restaurant, word on the street is that Liberty Tree Tavern’s Oooey Gooey Toffee Cake is to die for.

Frontierland

Splash Mountain: This is one of my favorite rides, though it is currently closed for refurbishment. It’s a water ride and has a pretty big drop.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: This is a roller coaster for the medium-thrill seekers in your family. It moves pretty fast and has some subtle drops. You have to be 40 inches to ride. This was Cash’s favorite before he graduated to Space Mountain.

Tom Sawyer’s Island: Don’t do this if you’re short on time, but this little island in the middle of MK is one of my favorite places. It’s a great way to get away from the crowds and do some exploring. The whole island (and it is an island, you have to take a ferry to it) is Tom Sawyer themed and there are a ton of places to climb and explore. If you brought a picnic lunch, this is the perfect spot to eat. You’ll want to bring your own food, though; I’ve only really seen vending machines here.

Adventureland

Jungle Cruise: A slow moving boat ride through (animatronic) animals. This is a fun classic, and a must-see, especially if you want to get in on all the jokes in The Rock’s Jungle Cruise movie. Yes, it’s very dated, and not a bit scary, but the biggest draw are the skippers, who will keep you laughing (or groaning?) the entire time. It’s also holiday themed at Christmas. For a jungle cruise with real animals, don’t miss Kilimanjaro Safaris at Animal Kingdom.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Slow-moving ride, with one slight drop. The movies were based on this ride!

Swiss Family Treehouse: This is a replica of the treehouse from Swiss Family Robinson and is a fun walk-through. If you’re super scared of heights, you might want to skip it.

Main Street, USA

Main Street is the area that you first walk into, and is designed to look like small town USA. It’s filled with shops and restaurants, and is a fun place to walk around and look at things.

There are a lot of shows and restaurants, and the Town Square Theater is where you go for the ultimate meet-and-greet: Mickey and Minnie.