Magic Kingdom Ride Guide

Magic Kingdom has more attractions than any other Park at Walt Disney World. In this ride guide, I’ll go over each attraction in Magic Kingdom with a brief description to give you an idea if it’s worth your time. Many attractions are dark rides, which are slow moving rides that you sit in some sort of two- to four-person vehicle and it brings you through scenes. Though they use the same sort of ride system, each dark ride is very different. Most dark rides also use Audio-Animatronics, which are essentially robotic characters. But don’t worry, there are many different types of rides and plenty of thrills in Magic Kingdom.

Main Street, U.S.A.

Walt Disney World Railroad

The Walt Disney World Railroad travels around the park with stops at Main Street, Frontierland, and Fantasyland. It can serve as a quick way to get from one area of the park to another without having to walk through crowds of people. You also get to see scenes and views that you can’t see from anywhere else in the park. They have (fiberglass) deer hiding in the woods, a Native American encampment on the banks of the Rivers of America, and it travels through Splash Mountain and you can see the final scene from a completely different view.

Main Street Vehicles in front of the Train Station

Main Street Vehicles

These are vehicles from the turn of the century and offer one-way rides down Main Street, but only in the mornings and not every day.

Sorcerers of Magic Kingdom

This is a card-based game that takes you all over the park but begins in the Main Street Fire Station. You get a set of free cards and use them to defeat Disney villains trying to take over Magic Kingdom.

Adventureland

Swiss Family Treehouse

This is a walk-through attraction where you climb up the stairs of the Swiss Family Robinson’s tree house they created after they were shipwrecked. It's not the most exciting thing, but it is fun walking through and imagining what it would be like to live in a treehouse. You also get great views of Adventureland through the tree branches.

Scene from Jungle Cruise

Jungle Cruise

Jungle Cruise is a must do attraction. It takes you on a river cruise through some of the major rivers of the world, with some great puns. In no way is this ride serious and that is what makes it great. It’s not fast or scary, just fun. You board a boat and your skipper takes you through the rivers and offers endless puns and jokes as you pass Audio-Animatronic animals.

The Magic Carpets of Aladdin

This is exactly the same ride system as Dumbo the Flying Elephant. You board a “carpet” and it goes around in a circle while you can make the caret fly up or down. Not very exciting. If you're going to ride one of this type of ride, go for Dumbo, he makes it better.

Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

The Enchanted Tiki Room classic attraction was actually one of the first uses of Audio-Animatronics. It’s a south seas themed show put on by signing mechanical birds and flowers. The show isn’t long and offers a nice escape from the heat and a place to sit.

Pirates of the Caribbean

Pirates of the Caribbean

Another classic attraction, Pirates was the last ride overseen by Walt. On this ride you board a boat and float through the story of pirates in the Caribbean Sea as they pillage and plunder their way through a town. There is one small drop and some dark scenes to be aware of, but nothing too bad. You might get a little wet if you’re in the front. The characters from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies (which were inspired by the ride) have been worked in, but it's not overwhelming, and you don’t need to have seen the movies to enjoy the ride.

Frontierland

Splash Mountain

Not your average flume ride, Splash Mountain takes you through the story of Brer Rabbit as he tries to leave home but runs into trouble. Before the big plunge you float through some really fun scenes with tons of critters. There are actually two drops, a smaller one before the big drop you see from outside. The drops aren’t bad, and you don’t get soaked (less you’re in the front right). Splash Mountain can be a great way to cool off when it’s hot out but beware of long waits.

Big Thunder Mountain

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Big Thunder is another thrill ride, but this one is a classic roller coaster. It’s a runaway mine cart adventure that takes you through an abandoned mine and flooded mining town. There aren't any big drops on the coaster, it has more small ups and downs and banked turns. This is another popular attraction that can have some high wait times.

Country Bear Jamboree

The Country Bear Jamboree is a stage show of sorts with bears singing old country-ish music as you might guess. The show is about 15 minutes long and features quite a cast of Audio-Animatronic bears. The songs are okay, some a bit odd. This is one of those things that you should do if you have time, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to make sure I see it.

Tom Sawyer Island

Less of an attraction and more of another part of the park only accessible by raft, Tom Sawyer Island is a great place to escape the crowds a little and do some exploring. The paths lead you past and through caves, a windmill, a grain mill, a little playground, and a fort. There are bathrooms of the island near the docks. Tom Sawyer Island does close before the rest of the park around dark, but often has very little wait to board the rafts.

Liberty Square

Hall of Presidents

The Hall of Presidents takes you through the history of the presidents of the United States before introducing you to an Audio-Animatronic version of each. Following this, the current president speaks. The show has changed since I have last seen it, but it always has been a very patriotic show and makes history a little less boring. If you’re not into history, it still offers a nice relief from the heat and runs continuously throughout the day.

Haunted Mansion

Haunted Mansion

A true classic, the Haunted Mansion is a dark ride that moves you through a stately mansion inhabited by 999 happy haunts. The attraction isn’t really that scary, it’s more fun, especially in the queue and later in the ride. Little ones could get scared on this, as there are some frightening figures and there is a point where ghouls pop up out of nowhere. The Haunted Mansion is a must do, and though it isn’t thrilling, it is still popular with longer waits at times.

Liberty Belle

The Liberty Belle is a riverboat that takes you on a trip around the Rivers of America where you can see Frontierland on one side and Tom Sawyer Island on the other. Around the back side, you get to see scenes that aren’t visible from any other point. The ride is relaxing and usually not as crowded. It’s a great thing to do when the wait times are long but beware if you want to see anything you have to be outside in the sun and there really aren’t many places to sit.

Fantasyland

Prince Charming Carrousel

It’s a carousel. With horses. That’s about it. The paneling tells the story of Cinderella and the music complements it. There really isn’t much else to say. If there’s no wait for this or you have nothing else to do, it’s worth it, but it’s missable.

Mickey's PhilharMagic

Mickey’s PhilharMagic

Mickey’s PhilharMagic is a really cute show starring Donald Duck as he makes his way through some classic Disney animated movies. It’s a 10-minute tour of some of the most famous Disney songs (not from Frozen, this show is from the pre-Frozen era). The movie is a 4D show, meaning you wear 3D glasses and they add some physical effects like scent and water. But don’t worry you won’t get very wet. This show is great for those who love classic 80’s and 90’s Disney and for kids. There usually isn’t a long wait since the theater is large and the shows are continuous throughout the day.

Peter Pan’s Flight

This ride is incredibly popular for some reason and I can’t figure out why. It’s a dark ride where you board a flying pirate ship and soar over scenes from Peter Pan. It is a classic ride, but I don’t think it’s worth more than a 30 minute wait as it is only 3 minutes long. If you want to ride this (without using a FastPass on it) I recommend getting to the park early and running straight there.

it’s a small world

it's a small world

Another classic ride, it’s a small world was originally created for the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. The attraction celebrates the children of the world and showcases all of the continents as you float through each scene. Though some may find the classic song annoying, there is no doubt it has a great message to share. Waits aren’t usually terrible, and I highly recommend going on it no matter what age you are. The ride system is boats, much the same as Pirates of the Caribbean, but without the drops. Fun fact: coins thrown into the water of the attraction are collected and donated to UNICEF.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Yet another dark ride, in this one, you board a “hunny” pot and travel through the pages of Winnie the Pooh. The ride isn’t too high-tech, it uses black-light paint and moving scenery, however the honey pot you sit in does move a little (especially when you’re with Tigger). Wait times don’t tend to be as bad as the thrill rides but can approach 60 minutes sometimes. It’s a short ride, so it’s not worth a long wait, but definitely one you should try to do.

The Mad Tea Party

                This attraction is just a spinning teacups ride, but themed to Alice In Wonderland. I’m not a big fan of spinning ride, so I usually skip this one. Since you control the amount of spin in the tea cup, you can make it spin as much as you want. Waits tend to be more moderate, but this ride is quick and definitely not worth a long line.

Enchanted Tales with Belle

I’ve never done this, mostly because it’s geared towards little kids. It involves Belle telling the story of Beauty and the Beast with the help of kids from the audience. The theming it supposed to be amazing, and you get to meet Belle. With wait times usually around 40 minutes, it’s not really worth it in my books, but if you are traveling with fans of Belle it might be.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

This ride is awesome, certainly a must do. It is a roller coaster with a hint of dark ride thrown in. It is a family coaster, so it isn't bad thrill-wise at all. The most intense part is the small drop you see from the exterior, but the ride vehicles that can swing back and forth make the curves even smoother for a very gentile ride. At one point in the ride, the train slows down as you enter the mine and you see the Seven Dwarfs hard at work digging for gems. The ride is really cute and well done, however, for lasting 2 minutes, it’s not really worth the long waits it typically has. This is one you really should FastPass or get there early for.

Under the Sea~Journey of the Little Mermaid

On this dark ride you board a clam shell and journey through the story of the Little Mermaid. The ride is really cute and well done. It’s fairly new has more modern technology than other dark rides, yet doesn’t have as long a wait usually. The queue takes you through caves under Prince Eric’s castle and it’s really cool.

Dumbo the Flying Elephant

Dumbo the Flying Elephant

This is another classic ride. Here you ride on the back of a Dumbo in a circle and you control the vertical movement. This ride was so popular they made a second circle during the New Fantasyland expansion. Though it’s a simple ride, it’s fun and worth it if the wait is short.

The Barnstormer Starring the Great Goofini

This ride is a wild mouse style roller coaster, where you’re aboard a plane piloted by Goofy. It’s a short coaster but does whip you around a bit. Waits aren’t usually bad, and it’s tucked out of the way a bit, but I wouldn’t make time for this one.

Tomorrowland

Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor

This is a comedy show of sorts, put on by the monsters from Monsters, Inc. Though the monsters are animated, the show is live and different every time. The monsters interact with the audience throughout the show and tend to pick random people to make fun of. If you want to be part of the show, the cast members with microphones usually pick people sitting on the center aisle towards the front. I don’t find the show to be that great and it can have longer wait.

Stitch’s Great Escape

This ride is only operating seasonally (when it’s crowded), meaning it’s on its way out. There’s a reason for this, it’s not a good ride. It involves you being strapped to a seat in a small circular theater while the angry alien Stitch escapes from a pod in the center and wreaks havoc on the theater that goes black. This ride is terrifying and I’m glad it’s probably going away soon.

Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover

The PeopleMover is just awesome, I love it. It’s essentially a little tram that zips around on a track on the upper level of Tomorrowland. It’s not thrilling, but it does give you great views of Tomorrowland and the Castle from up in the air. Plus, you get to go through Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and see the rides from a different perspective. The narration on the ride is supposed to be a guided tour of Tomorrowland as if it was an actual city. Part of the ride takes you by the original model for Epcot back when it was going to be an actual city. This ride almost never has a wait and it always worth going on.

Astro Orbiter above the PeopleMover

Astro Orbiter

This ride is the same ride system of Dumbo, but it’s rocket themed and you’re much higher up. In fact, you have to take an elevator up to the level to board the rockets and then, like Dumbo, you go up even higher. You get great views of Tomorrowland and Magic Kingdom and it’s really awesome at night with all the lights. However the wait can be long at times, but if it’s not (and you’re not afraid of heights) it’s definitely worth it.

Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

If you’re looking for a competition this is your ride. It’s like a dark ride in that you move through scenes, but you control which direction you’re pointing as you try to hit targets with a laser blaster. You gain points for the targets you hit, with the more difficult ones being worth more. There are some special targets that are worth a lot more but are hidden. My recommendation is to always have the button pressed so you’re always firing, this increases your chances of hitting targets. This ride is so much fun and worth doing, however the wait can be as high as for the roller coasters at times.

Carousel of Progress

This attraction is underrated and such a classic, being from the World’s Fair. You sit in a curved theater and rotate around the building to different stages where Audio-Animatronics show you how life has changed from the turn of the century to the future (which actually seems more like today). Though in need of a little update, it’s still a wonderful show and you should really do it if you have time.

Space Mountain

Space Mountain

This is a space themed roller coaster through the dark. It is entirely inside the famous white building and almost pitch black, making it impossible to see the curves and drops up ahead. But that’s what makes it the most popular thrill ride in Magic Kingdom. Space Mountain starts and ends in Star Port 75, a space travel terminal and you then get shot out into space and travel through the galaxy before returning to Tomorrowland. It’s a classic and if you like roller coasters it’s not to be missed, but if you’re not into being tossed about in the dark you might want to skip this one.