Disney World Must-Do's (Magic Kingdom style)

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I love the Magic Kingdom.  It’s probably my favorite park, next to Hollywood Studios, and I could spend every day of our visit there and not feel like I missed out on anything by not visiting the other parks.

I’m not sure if Chris shares my love of MK, but he goes along with me all the same.  And he’s perfectly content with me pulling him along to go on this ride and that, stopping to take a hundred pictures of Cinderella’s Castle, and casually strolling up and down Main Street to look in a few of my favorite shops.  And he even does all this right before closing time when he is tired and has sore feet, even though all he wants to do is go back to the hotel and sleep.  Yep, he’s a keeper.

Every time we go to Disney there are a few things we have to do, otherwise it doesn’t feel like we’ve properly done Disney.  My list includes rides and some pretty special events that happen at MK once a year.

• Ride Pirates of the Caribbean.  Chris and I got engaged in front of this ride in 2011, so it is always the first ride we head to whenever we visit MK for the day and usually the last one we’ll ride before we leave.  My favorite part is now the beginning, especially since they added the mermaids from the 4th movie (On Stranger Tides).  It can get pretty dark inside and the one small drop may scare smaller children. Recommended for kids ages 5 and up due to small drops and spook factor (extremely dark).  No height requirement.
• Visit Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.  Last year was our first time attending and we loved it!  You can meet and take pictures with a bunch of characters (Winnie the Pooh and gang are in costumes!), you can trick or treat around the park (they even have allergy-free candy at Guest Services!), or you can ride rides, and watch a special Halloween themed parade and fireworks show.  If you go early in September, there won’t be large crowds and you’ll be able to do everything.  It’s really a lot of fun. Recommended for any age.
• Ride Peter Pan’s Flight.  This is my favorite ride at Disney, hands down.  I have many fond memories of this ride as a child and I always feel like I’m that five-year old girl again going on it with my parents and sister.  I hate going to Disney and not getting on this attraction, the trip just doesn’t feel complete without it. Recommended for any age.  No height requirement.
• Go to the Princess Fairytale Hall.  We got to visit Rapunzel and Snow White in September of last year in the Hall and it was fantastic.  I wanted to do it just to go inside and see what it was all about.  The line can get pretty long (it said it was a 10 minute wait, but it was more like 30) but there’s a good amount to see once inside and when you get to the front of the line you can catch a glimpse of Cinderella’s slipper. Recommended for any age.
• Ride Ariel’s Under the Sea Adventure.  This ride quickly became a favorite and now it is a must-do anytime we’re at Disney.  The queue for the line is gorgeous, and it’s so much fun to walk through and see all the detail the Imagineers put into it.  But once you’re on the ride you are transported to a completely different world.  I actually feel like I’m inside the movie.  You’ll probably be able to  recognize me on the ride because I’m singing and dancing along to all my favorite songs in the little shell (that serves as your car), while Chris sits still as a statue and watches me make a fool of myself.  ha! Recommended for any age.  No height requirement.
• Eat at the Be Our Guest Restaurant.  If you’re exploring New Fantasyland and want a place to eat that’s close, make reservations for Be Our Guest!  It is my favorite sit-down restaurant at MK!  Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie, so imagine how excited I was to walk into a complete replica of the ballroom and West Wing.  As an added bonus, it snows outside every so often, and the Beast comes out to say hello every half hour.  You can also take a picture with him after you’ve eaten your meal. Recommended for any age.
• Visit Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.  This was another first for us in 2013 and I am so glad we went.  It is very similar to the Halloween party where you can visit and take pictures with characters, watch a special themed parade and fireworks show, and get free hot chocolate and cookies at different places around the park.  There are also a few stage shows that you can pass the time with and riding rides is always a great option! Recommended for any age.
• Go inside the Tiki Room.  This attraction is located in Adventureland and is another must-see!  It’s older, but is still so much fun.  It’s a great place to get out of the warm summer air and cool down for a bit too which is why we definitely recommend this ride during the summer! Recommended for any age.  No height requirement.
• People watch on the Tomorrowland Transit PeopleMover.  This ride is located above Tomorrowland, and you can find it directly across from Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.  We love getting a slight aerial view of the park while on it and being able to snap unique pictures of Cinderella’s Castle.  It’s also nice to get off your feet for a while, sit back, relax, and enjoy the nice breeze and you slowly weave in and out of different buildings. Recommended for any age.  No height requirement.
• Catch a ride on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  There is not much to say about this attraction other than it is a lot of fun to ride, especially at night.  The somewhat small drops are perfect for the youngest of thrill seekers while the older ones will still be able to enjoy it as well. Recommended for ages 5 and up.  Height requirement of 40 inches.

Honorable Mentions:

• Ride Space Mountain.  If you are a roller coaster junkie you definitely do not want to miss out on this one.  Blast off into space in a small shuttle (one person per seat) and travel across the galaxy.  My favorite part about this ride is that it’s pretty dark inside which makes it more “thrilling” since you’re not sure which way your shuttle will go next. Recommended for kids, teens,  and adults.  Height requirement of 44 inches.
• Get Soaked on Splash Mountain.  Only do this ride if it’s a hot day.  Otherwise, you’ll be wet and cold for the rest of the day and you (and your kids) will be miserable.  The music and characters make this ride fun and enjoyable, while the drop at the end makes it thrilling.  Chris and I only like going on this during the summer, but it’s a classic and not one you should pass up. Recommended for ages 5 and up.  Height requirement of 40 inches.
• Go on the Jungle Cruise.  Chris loves this ride which is why we go on it.  The jokes are corny, the ride is cute, and the Skippers are usually entertaining.  But after you go on it once or twice, you can repeat the Skippers jokes by heart.  It’s kind of sad that there isn’t a whole lot of original commentary, but it’s still a ride you should go on at least once! Recommended for age pre-school and up.  No height requirement.
• Watch PhilharMagic.  We love this cute 3-D show that follows Donald Duck through numerous Disney classics (like Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, and others). Recommended for age pre-school and up.  No height requirement.

I know a lot of you are probably noticing two very popular rides missing from my list, but I am not a fan of It’s a Small World and The Haunted Mansion has never been a do or die ride of mine.  Actually, I’ll only ride both of those at Disneyland during Christmastime.  The holiday overlays make both of those rides worth going on.  Maybe that’s why I don’t really like them at Disney World.  Nothing compares to how they are at Christmas!

Do you have favorite rides at Disney’s Magic Kingdom that aren’t mentioned above?  Do you agree or disagree with some of the rides/events mentioned.  Let me know!