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How to tour Magic Kingdom (without waiting in lines)

How to tour Magic Kingdom (without waiting in lines)

Worried about long waits for Magic Kingdom attractions?

Having well-organized touring plans that make good use of Genie+ is key to avoiding long line waits during your Disney World trip, including (and especially!) at Magic Kingdom.

Below, find Magic Kingdom touring plans, along with Genie+ suggestions to make sure you’re maximizing your time.

Let’s take a look…

Magic Kingdom Rides and Attractions

Welcome to the most popular theme park in the world, Magic Kingdom!

We absolutely *love* this park. No matter how many times we go, we still get goosebumps walking down Main Street, U.S.A.

There is a reason why Magic Kingdom is always at the top of the lists for Most Popular Theme Park in the World, and whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned pro, there’s always something new and exciting to discover here.

In fact, Magic Kingdom has well over 35 rides, attractions, and character meet-and-greet opportunities. But, with so many things to see and do, it can be a bit overwhelming to plan your visit.

In this guide, we’re first going to give you a list of all the available major attractions you’ll find at Magic Kingdom. And don’t worry, if you need additional information, we’ll link off to more detailed descriptions of each.

Liberty Square

Next, we are going to give you a brief description about Genie+, including why we recommend it for Magic Kingdom. This is important to understand before you start creating your touring plans.

Then, we’ll dive into the meat and potatoes of this post – the touring plans. You can use them as is or, just use them as a basis to customize a trip that is perfect for you and your traveling companions.

Note: This list only includes characters who offer Genie+. Please refer to our Complete Guide to Characters at Magic Kingdom for the full list of available character meet-and-greet opportunities.

Before we get too far into it, make sure you check out our guide on the Best Rides at Magic Kingdom for information on every attraction and show at Magic Kingdom.

Genie+ basics

If you are already familiar with Genie+ feel free to skip down to the next section. Otherwise, keep reading and we’ll go over a brief overview. If all of this is new to you, though, we recommend you check out some of our other Genie+ resources to help get you all caught up on how this service works.

Disney Genie+ is the new FastPass+ system at Walt Disney World. Like the old FastPass+ system, Genie+ lets you cut the waits at the most popular attractions by allowing you to enter through a special line called a Lightning Lane (bypassing the longer Standby Line).

But, unlike the old FastPass+ system that was free, Genie+ costs extra; it uses a date-based pricing system, with busier times of the year being more expensive.

Currently, Genie+ starts at $15 per ticket, per day (plus tax) but the price has gone all the way up to $39 per ticket. Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to know ahead of time how much Genie+ will cost on the day of your visit. Instead, you will see the price when you go to purchase it inside the My Disney Experience app.

Why we recommend you use Genie+ at Magic Kingdom

The sheer volume of rides and attractions that offer Genie+ at Magic Kingdom makes it an easy park to recommend you purchase Genie+.

Yes, you can tour Magic Kingdom without Genie+. However, if you only have 1 day in the park or if you want to increase the number of rides and attractions you can see or do, we highly recommend you add Genie+ on to your Magic Kingdom day.

Consider also purchasing an Individual Lightning Lane selection

Magic Kingdom currently has 2 Individual Lightning Lane attractions:

  • TRON Lightcycle / Run: $20
  • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train: $10-$12

If it is in the budget, purchasing an Individual Lightning Lane for both TRON and Seven Dwarfs can make touring a lot easier.

But, if you are looking to save some money, you can opt to try for a spot in the TRON virtual queue (which is free) and ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train via the Standby Line.

Best Times to Ride Graphic To Save to Your Phone

We have a handy graphic that can help you see the recommended times to visit the attractions at Magic Kingdom.

We suggest you save this image to your phone, so you can reference it on your trip:

magic kingdom best times to ride

How touring works with Genie+:

If you are purchasing Genie+, you’ll often hear people talking about “stacking” and “churning”.

The reality is that on most days – no matter how busy it is – you’ll find yourself doing both.

You’ll see what that looks like in the touring plans we have provided below, but keep reading to learn what stacking and churning actually mean.

Stacking

Stacking simply means prioritizing the grouping of Genie+ reservations together for later in the day when the standby lines are the longest.

Some people like to stack for late morning or early afternoon, but you can also stack reservations for the evening. Stacking works well if you are planning to spend all day in 1 park, but it is also a popular technique to use if you are planning a late start or if you are hopping to a different park.

Stacking Genie+ reservations works best during less busy times of the year, when Genie+ reservations at most attractions last the longest.

This includes anytime Genie+ can be purchased for less than about $25 per person, per day.

Here’s how stacking Genie+ reservations works:

  • At 7 a.m., book an attraction that runs out of Genie+ reservations the fastest, regardless of what that return time is. You can see what we recommend in the graphic above.
  • Use Early Entry to ride at least 1 of the available popular attractions (onsite guests only)
  • Plan to ride several things in the first couple of hours without Genie+, unless, of course, your first Genie+ return time is during those first 2 hours. If it is, ride it as soon as possible, and then select your next G+ for an attraction that has the return time already pushed into the time of day you are trying to stack for. (Early afternoon until evening works best.) The goal is to stack your Genie+ reservations back-to-back. They can overlap, just make sure you allow enough time to get from one attraction to the next.
  • As the standby lines build, ride some of the “anytime” attractions listed in the graphic above or meet characters and continue selecting Genie+ reservations with return times as close to your already stacked Genie+ reservations as possible.
  • When the time comes, start using your stacked Genie+ reservations, keeping in mind that it may be possible to fill any gaps by churning attractions with Genie+ reservations remaining.

Churning

Churning simply means focusing on snagging Genie+ reservations as close together as possible. You should still prioritize the most popular attractions, but your primary focus is selecting rides with return times as close as possible to the current time, vs. stacking them up for later in the day.

Churning Genie+ reservations works best during the busiest times of the year, when Genie+ reservations run out at all attractions faster and when the lines for even the least popular rides are long.

This includes all major holidays and anytime Genie+ prices creep up over $25-$30 per person, per day.

Here’s how churning works:

  • At 7 a.m., book an attraction with a return time as close to park opening as possible
  • Use Early Entry to ride at least 1 of the recommended attractions (onsite guests only)
  • Continue selecting Genie+ reservations with return times as close to the current time as possible, filling in gaps by riding “anytime” attractions or meeting characters
  • Eventually, you may find that all return times are pushed several hours out. Make sure to prioritize your must-dos and begin stacking return times for later in the day.
  • Keep an eye on the wait times for popular attractions you were unable to get a Genie+ reservation for, and jump in those lines once they drop to an acceptable level.

IMPORTANT: We’ve included example return times for G+ reservations in the touring plans below, but, keep in mind that you can NOT select your return times for Genie+. Depending on the time you make your selections and the overall crowd levels, your return times may be earlier or later.

For that reason, you’ll need to stay flexible when you get to the parks and be ready to pivot or adjust your touring plan on the fly.

Early Entry at Magic Kingdom (Arrive before park opening)

Early Entry at Magic Kingdom can be a bit chaotic, especially when compared to the other 3 parks, where things tend to be more organized.

Dumbo hub statue

But, even though Early Entry at Magic Kingdom can be incredibly stressful, it is still a must-do if you want to maximize your day.

At Magic Kingdom, there are 3 attractions we recommend you head towards if planning to attend Early Entry:

  • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
  • Peter Pan’s Flight
  • Space Mountain

Which one you should choose will ultimately depend upon how you plan to spend the rest of your day touring. Make sure to review the information below for our thoughts on that, and definitely check out our Complete Guide to Early Entry and Rope Drop at Magic Kingdom for more tips and strategy.

How to get to Magic Kingdom for Early Entry

Here’s our advice on what time you should be heading to the parks based upon how you plan to get there. If your goal is to be at the very, very front, we recommend you err on the side of following the earlier times listed:

Bus

While we used to recommend arriving at the bus stop 60 to 75 minutes before Early Entry begins, after testing the timing out many times, we now recommend 90 minutes. That 90-minute window is especially important if you:

  • want to be on the first bus (which we recommend), or
  • if you are staying at a large resort like Art of Animation, Pop Century, or the All-Stars, or
  • if you are staying at a resort with multiple internal stops, like Caribbean Beach or Coronado Springs.

Expect the first bus of the day to arrive between 1 hour to 75 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry starts. The goal is to be on the first bus of the day, and the lines for the buses will get very long, very fast. Arriving 90 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry will get you to the front of the pack, and likely on that first bus.

Monorail

Plan to get to your monorail stop about 60-75 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry. For reference, the Resort Monorail Loop goes:

  • Transportation and Ticket Center
  • Polynesian Resort
  • Grand Floridian Resort
  • Magic Kingdom
  • Contemporary Resort

Car

When traveling by car, plan to arrive at the parking lot entrance about 70 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry. If the parking lot booths are not open at that time, you should be able to just wait for them to officially open up. But, don’t show up too early because they may not let you wait for the booths to open and instead will force you to turn around and come back closer to opening.

Important note: The Magic Kingdom parking lot will often open up a bit earlier, sometimes closer to 90 minutes before Early Entry begins.

Boat

If traveling by boat, 60-75 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry is probably good.

Walking

Walking? You’ll have it the easiest!

Guests that walk are typically allowed to line up at the tapstiles around 60 minutes before the park opens for Early Theme Park Entry. If you want to be at the front of the pack of the walkers, plan to arrive ahead of that. (If you arrive before they begin allowing people to line up at the tapstiles, you’ll be held back by security.)

Important things to know about touring Magic Kingdom

  • Magic Kingdom has the most attractions of any park. You can see and do a lot in 1 day, but for an even more relaxed experience, 2 days will be better.
  • This is also a great park for Genie+, and if it is in your budget, we definitely recommend you purchase it.

Magic Kingdom touring plans

Plan to spend more than 1 day at Magic Kingdom.

If time allows, you will probably want to spend 2 days at Magic Kingdom theme park (maybe even 2.5 days).

We like to organize touring plans by hour because minute-by-minute touring plans can make you feel like you’re running from place to place without any flexibility, but grouping them by hour can at least give you some sense of timing as you plan.

Remember, though:

These plans are just examples of how to put together your day. Because of the uncertainty of return times with Genie+, you may find your day going a little bit differently – and that is okay!

Here are some example Magic Kingdom touring plans.

General 2-Day Magic Kingdom Touring Plan Day 1:

7:00 a.m. Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane recommendations:

  • 1st Genie+ Reservation: Jungle Cruise
  • Optional Individual Lightning Lane Pass: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (aim for late morning)
  • Optional Virtual Queue AND/OR Individual Lightning Lane Pass: TRON Lightcycle / Run (aim for evening, so you can ride at night)

As soon as your next booking window is open, book the following Genie+ reservations in this order:

  • Big Thunder
  • Pirates of the Caribbean

Good Genie+ Options for Later in the Day

Depending on your return times for your first 3 Genie+ reservations, you may have time later in the day to book some additional passes. These Genie+ passes are often available until later in the afternoon or evening, and are all good options if you have time or room in your day to use them.

Note: Some of the attractions below are already a part of this 2-Day Touring Plan, so only select them if you weren’t able to ride them during the recommended time OR if you’d like a 2nd ride with minimal waits.

  • “it’s a small world”2
  • Haunted Mansion2
  • Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin2
  • See Mickey at Town Square Theater
  • Meet Cinderella & a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
  • Meet Tiana & a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
  • Pirates of the Caribbean1
  • The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
  • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh1
  • Tomorrowland Speedway2
  • Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid1

1 Part of the touring plan for Day 1
2 Part of the touring plan for Day 2

Arrive to Magic Kingdom no later than 30 minutes BEFORE Early Theme Park Entry

Early Theme Park Entry:

  1. Peter Pan’s Flight

First Hour:

  1. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
  2. Dumbo
  3. The Barnstormer

Second Hour:

  1. Meet Ariel in her Grotto
  2. Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid
  3. Mad Tea Party

Third Hour:

  1. Use Genie+ for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
  2. Lunch

Rest of the Day:

  1. Use Genie+ at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  2. Use Genie+ at Pirates of the Caribbean
  3. Use Virtual Queue or Individual Lightning Lane at TRON
  4. “it’s a small world” (would be a good choice for Genie+)
  5. Characters (check for available Genie+ reservations)
  6. Mickey’s PhilharMagic
  7. Any of the other Genie+ attractions you were able to snag
  8. Parades/fireworks

General 2-Day Magic Kingdom Touring Plan Day 2:

7:00 a.m. Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane recommendations:

  • 1st Genie+ Reservation: Space Mountain
  • Optional Individual Lightning Lane Pass: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (if you didn’t ride it on Day 1 or you’d like to ride it again)
  • Optional Virtual Queue AND/OR Individual Lightning Lane Pass: TRON Lightcycle / Run (if you didn’t ride it on Day 1 or you’d like to ride it again; aim for evening, so you can ride it at night)

As soon as your next booking window is open, book the following Genie+ reservations in this order:

  • Haunted Mansion
  • Enchanted Tales with Belle

Good Genie+ Options for Later in the Day

Depending on your return times for your first 3 Genie+ reservations, you may have time later in the day to book some additional passes. These Genie+ passes are often available until later in the afternoon or evening, and are all good options if you have time or room in your day to use them:

  • “it’s a small world”2
  • Haunted Mansion2
  • Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin2
  • See Mickey at Town Square Theater
  • Meet Cinderella & a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
  • Meet Tiana & a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
  • Pirates of the Caribbean1
  • The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
  • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh1
  • Tomorrowland Speedway2
  • Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid1

1 Part of Day 1 touring plan
2 Part of Day 2 touring plan

Arrive to Magic Kingdom no later than 30 minutes BEFORE Early Theme Park Entry

Early Theme Park Entry

  1. 7 Dwarfs Mine Train (if you didn’t purchase an ILL) *If you aren’t riding Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Rope Drop Buzz and then go to Astro Orbiter.

1st Hour

  1. Astro Orbiter
  2. Buzz Lightyear
  3. Tomorrowland Speedway

2nd Hour

  1. Carousel of Progress
  2. Space Mountain with Genie+
  3. Tomorrowland Transit Authority – PeopleMover

3rd Hour

  1. Monster’s Inc., Laugh Floor
  2. Haunted Mansion with Genie+
  3. Lunch

Rest of the Day

  1. Use Genie+ at Enchanted Tales with Belle
  2. Characters (check for available Genie+ reservations)
  3. Any of the other Genie+ attractions you were able to snag
  4. Parades/fireworks

General 1-Day Magic Kingdom Touring Plan

7:00 a.m. Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane recommendations:

  • 1st Genie+ Reservation: Jungle Cruise
  • Individual Lightning Lane Pass: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (aim for late morning)
  • Optional Virtual Queue AND/OR Individual Lightning Lane Pass: TRON Lightcycle / Run (aim for evening, so you can ride at night)

As soon as your next booking window is open, book the following Genie+ reservations in this order:

  • Space Mountain
  • Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Early Theme Park Entry

  1. Peter Pan’s Flight
  2. If off Peter Pan’s Flight at least 15 minutes before the rest of the park opens, head to “it’s a small world”, otherwise, head towards Haunted Mansion right at Rope Drop

1st Hour

  1. Haunted Mansion
  2. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  3. Pirates of the Caribbean

2nd Hour

  1. Jungle Cruise with Genie+
  2. Enchanted Tiki Room OR Country Bears Jamboree OR Magic Carpets of Aladdin
  3. Lunch (eat early to avoid long lines)

Rest of the Day

  1. Churn as many Genie+ passes as possible, filling in with anytime attractions that rarely have lines or need Genie+

Good attractions for churning:

  • Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid
  • Mad Tea Party
  • Tomorrowland Speedway
  • Dumbo
  • The Barnstormer
  • Characters
  • Magic Carpets of Aladdin

Good anytime attractions (rarely have long lines):

  • Country Bear Jamboree
  • Enchanted Tiki Room
  • Mickey’s PhilharMagic
  • Tomorrowland Transit Authority – PeopleMover
  • Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress
  • Prince Charming’s Regal Carrousel

Our Experience Touring Magic Kingdom

We like to test out touring whenever possible, both with and without using Genie+.

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of how a recent day at Magic Kingdom looked. One of us toured with Genie+, and the other without:

Magic Kingdom with Genie+
Magic Kingdom without genie plus screenshot

We have an entire write-up on how our days went, where we go in-depth about exactly how we put our entire touring plan for that day together.

Read about them here:

Links to our other touring plans

Planning to visit the other 3 parks? Check out our touring advice for those below:

VIDEO: Touring Magic Kingdom with (and WITHOUT) Genie+

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