The one thing we don’t want you to do is waste your time in Magic Kingdom. Magic Kingdom can be a LOT to plan for. That’s because there’s just so much to do in that park, especially when compared to Disney World’s other three parks.
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom also has the most rides, so you really have to prioritize and plan your day carefully to make sure you ride everything you want to. So here’s the thing…some rides in Magic Kingdom are 100% worth your time. However, others might be skippable (especially if they’re not your priority). Now, we’re not trying to tell you what you should and should not ride, but we can give you an idea of what you can skip and what you could ride instead to save you time and, possibly, money.
Skip TRON Lightcycle / Run
Okay, so TRON Lightcycle / Run is the ride with the highest wait times in Disney World. Even at rope drop, you’ll be waiting at LEAST an hour just to ride what is essentially a pretty short ride. During other times of the day, we’ve seen multi-hour waits for this ride. TRON also still has that “newness” to it, so demand for it is high. Now, you can pay extra for Lightning Lane Single Pass to bypass the long standby lines for the lightning lane, or you can ride something else instead.
You don’t have to ride TRON Lightcycle / Run to enjoy Disney World
If we had a choice, we’d just hop on over to Space Mountain and ride that instead. Is it the same? No, not really? But the vibes are similar and you’re bound to wait in a shorter line over at Space Mountain. Plus, if you have Lightning Lane Multi Pass, Space Mountain is included with that so you could even get a shorter wait.
NOBODY Expected This To Happen on TRON in Magic Kingdom
Skip Dumbo
We get it. Your kids are going to want to ride Dumbo. It’s iconic. It’s a flying ride that goes up and down and around in circles. It was MADE with kids in mind. Well, guess what? Everyone else’s kid ALSO wants to ride Dumbo, so you can often encounter long lines there. SKIP IT.
Dumbo
Why? Well, Aladdin’s Magic Carpets in Adventureland is the EXACT same ride — the only difference is the theme. Instead of riding on an elephant, you’re riding on a Magic Carpet. Kids will enjoy it the same PLUS the lines here tend to be shorter.
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Skip The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Okay, let’s talk dark rides. You will often find some long lines at The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in Fantasyland. Yes, Pooh is always going to be popular with visitors, so this ride will be popular, too. Now, if the line is short, go for it, ride it. But if it’s a long line, walk away…
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
…and visit Under The Sea — Journey of the Little Mermaid instead. This ride tends to load faster, meaning the line generally moves faster. Both rides are so similar in experience, although their stories are different. But it’s a great alternative if the Pooh ride has a longer line.
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Skip “it’s a small world” OR Pirates of the Caribbean
Okay, not everyone loves “it’s a small world” to begin with, but if lines are long, then just leave Fantasyland and head on over to Pirates of the Caribbean in Adventureland (personal opinion, but Pirates IS the better ride). Okay, so both of these rides have their charms, so you might want to try to fit BOTH of them in.
Pirates of the Caribbean
However, if your time is limited and you have to choose, go for the one with the shorter line. Or Pirates of the Caribbean (which is what we’d always do).
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So here’s the thing, rides with long lines just might not be worth your time, especially if you only have a day in Magic Kingdom. You might do better to visit other rides with shorter wait times so that you can do more in the limited time that you’ve got in the park. If you must ride the more popular rides, you’ll want to consider purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass.
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Definitely do NOT Skip Tron. if you’re going to Magic Kingdom you have to ride Tron. period.
agree 100% on the other advice.