Disney World Magic Kingdom Tips from My Visit

We just got back from the Magic Kingdom and I will pass on some tips that I found online and/or discovered myself.

1. The biggest thing we found out was that if you rent a wheelchair for $10, you can go right in (or almost) for most of the rides by using the handicapped entrance. Mom can’t walk long enough to do Disney so we rented a wheelchair. And we all got in right away! I can’t in all good conscience recommend doing this just to get into rides, but if you have someone who has a hard time walking or can’t walk that far, it was $10 well spent! NOTE: You rent a wheelchair just past the ticket booths to the right at the gift shop.
2. I looked at the themeparkinsider site about Magic Kingdom Rides for a quick rating of each of the main rides and a detailed description of the ride and reader’s opinions. Very Helpful!
3. The Mouse Buzz forum has great information and tips about all things Disney. And the biggest tip I found there from a thread called Top Magic Kingdom Tips was that if you get there first thing and run to Splash Mountain (taking a shortcut), you can be the first riders of the day: The first riders of the day get a special dated certificate, their Splash picture for FREE, AND a CM will personally take them over to BTMRR and march them to the front of the line. (Or sometimes this last bit will be exchanged for honorary Fastpasses to another attraction.). We didn’t do it because we had mom with us and didn’t get in right at 9am, but if Sean and I go, we will definitely try for it!
4. This is the shortcut to Splash Mountain, per the Unofficial Guide to Disney: …go to the end of Main St and turn left to The Crystal Palace. In front of the restaurant is a bridge that provides a shortcut to Adventureland. Stake out a position at the barrier rope. When the rope, drops move as fast as you can and cross the bridge to Adventureland.
   Just past the first group of building on your right, roughly across from the Swiss Family Treehouse, is a small passageway containing rest rooms and phones. Easy to overlook, it connects Adventureland to Frontierland. Go through the passageway into Frontierland and take a hard left. As you emerge along the waterfront, SM is straight ahead. We tried this and it worked.
5. Splash Mountain is fun and not scary. None of us like roller-coasters so we didn’t do Space Mountain or any that revolve, but Splash Mountain was fun even for people who don’t like roller coasters. We wanted to do it again, but didn’t make it back.
6. Mickey’s PhilharMagic is a great 3-D (with effects) movie. I don’t see 3-D (my eyes don’t focus together) but mom and Jill both said it was EXCELLENT.
7. It’s a Small World seems to have been repainted since I was there last and I personally love it. It has always been one of my favorites.
8. Buzz Lightyear was new, you shoot at things with a lazer as you go through and can turn your car back and forth and you can see how many points you got. None of us are very good at it, but you can see the red lazer dot of your lazer if you look closely. Jill couldn’t see it, but I did. Also, to be a big shot, hold your button down while on the Buzz Lightyear to get a top score…no need to aim and shoot.
9. Tomorrowland Transit Authority is nice and relaxing (the rails above you in tomorrowland) and lasts a decent amount of time.
10. Some people liked the Stitch adventure and some didn’t. I thought that it looked good but was sort of boring.
11. I thought the Haunted Mansion was sort of boring too.
12. Here are some more Tips for Those Leaving Soon from Mouse Buzz.

These are some tips about the various theme parks of Disney World from DisneyAnne on MouseBuzz (look for her posts, they have good tips):

1. Epcot – Future World, don’t miss the “Jammitors” – they are a group of street performers who make percussion music on their trash cans and whatever else they can find. They dress like janitors and “jam” – cute, huh?
2. Epcot – World Showcase – don’t miss the candy sculptor in the courtyard in Japan. She’s not there everyday. She uses candy like clay and shapes it into wonderful lollipops for the kids – free of charge.
3. Haunted Mansion “Inside Story” at Magic Kingdom – you go through different rooms while on the ride – living room, dining room, etc. You end up in the attic and then fall out the window of the house. When you see the bride and your car turns around, look over to the right and you’ll be able to see the window – the outside of the house – and that’s how you end up in the cemetary. I had never noticed that before.
4. When you go to the Magic Kingdom – go to the candy store on the right hand side (as you’re looking at the castle) on the corner – not the one closest to the Town Square, but a block closer to the castle. Pick up the old phone on the wall inside – you can hear an old fashion party line conversation going on between a mother and her daughter. Don’t be surprised if the mother yells at you to hang up the phone and to stop being a nosy biddy body!!!
5. At MGM – go see Gene Kelly’s Singin’ in the Rain umbrella – It’s located right across the street from where the Hunchback show used to be – if you don’t know where that is, just ask a CM and they’ll tell you. People will walk up to the umbrella and step underneath it for a picture. What they may not know, is that when you step on the plate in the ground, under the umbrella,
   it starts to rain all around the umbrella! Without realizing that the rain will stop as soon as they step off the pressure plate, many people will try to run – and end up wet when they really didn’t have to!
6. If you happen to be at the Animal Kingdom Lodge when it’s dark, look for the CM with the night vision goggles. It’s wonderful watching the animals in the dark.
7. Every cashier at the counter service restaurants at WDW actually has two lines that they service – one on either side of them. So if there is only one line on the right, go to the left. They alternate between right and left lines when taking orders.
8. Every restaurant in WDW will give you the recipe to any dish you ask about. They will either give it to you on the spot, email you with it, or send them to you in the mail.
9. WL – Look for the abandoned lawnmower between FW and MK. I tree has actually consumed the lawnmower. It has some a cute poem next to it.
10. MK – As you go down Main Street USA toward the castle, take the first alley on your right and at the back of that alley on the top floor is a store that advertises dance lessons and another that offers piano lessons. If you stand there and listen you can hear tap shoes and piano lessons going on.
11. MK – Tug on the rope of the Liberty bell in Libertyland for a surprise.
12. MK – When on Tom Sawyer Island, if you find a paintbrush, take it to a CM for a surprise. Although I have never found one, there are reports of front of the line passes for SM or BTMR or limited edition trading pins.
13. MK – To be a big shot, hold your button down while on the Buzz Lightyear to get a top score…no need to aim and shoot.
14. MK – Be at Toontown for rope drop…each character choses a child to walk through Toontown to start the day.
15. MK – In Minnie’s house, the microwave pops a bowl of popcorn when you turn it on; the coffee pot will perk if you turn the knobs on the stove and causes the utensils hanging above the stove to dance in time to music. You can also listen on Minnie’s messages on her answering machine!
16. MK – Ever notice the sidewalks around the resort? There are shells embedded in Ariel’s Gotto and jewels around Aladdin’s Magic Carpet ride.
17. MK – Stop by the tiki gods in Adventureland…you may hear the natives getting restless. Just don’t anger them…You’ll be surprised at what happens.
18. AK – Although the river ride is defunct, if you will stop on the bridge to Camp Minnie Mickey, you can still see the fire from the fire breathing dragon. It is on the right hand side of the bridge on the left bank.
19. MGM – In the pre-show area, a sign on the security window reads “Back in 5 minutes. Key under mat.” If you look under the mat, you will find a key!
20. EPCOT – When exiting TT, look for the test dummies that are sometimes there. They are real. Have your friends or family go pose next to them for a picture, and they will come to life. (Sometimes)
21. MGM – Don’t miss the dog’s nose in the HISTK playground
22. EPCOT – At the Outpost, there is a cooler that has a suprise when you lift the top
23. MK – There is a hidden Tink at the exit to BTMRR carved into the door near the CM exit door
24. AK – Look for the small door in the rock wall in the Boneyard at Animal Kingdom
25. MGM – There is a great photo op in the New York Street backlot that is a car on a lift that allows guests to “lift” a car
26. AK – look for the hidden path – turn right after going over the bridge to Harambe and take the 2nd paved walkway on the left
27. MK – On the JC, the chanting natives are actually saying, “I love disco” ~ if you aren’t sure what disco is, ask your parents….
28. MK – At the lost and found on Main Street Station, you can see Pluto’s bone and Aladdin’s lamp
29. MGM – Look down at the fallen letters on the signboard in the lobby while standing in the queue area for TOT
30. EPCOT – The EPCOT rose just past the Fountain of Nations supposedly represents the center of WDW…you will see the pink tiles
31. AK – Across from Dawa Bar, there is an “old fort” that is actually full of tables and chairs and offers an escape from everyone else.
32. MGM – the license plates at Sci-Fi Restaurant represent the state that the Imagineers are from – the letters are their initials and the numbers are their date of birth
33. EPCOT – In Sea Base Alpha at The Living Seas, the crates of scientific equipment are labeled with letters and numbers… you guessed it… the initials and birthdates of the Imagineers
34. MK – While eating at Cindy’s, you can request a crest guide for the lobby which reflects the crests for Walt and the Imagineers
35. MK – One of the mirrors in Pooh doesn’t reflect as a typical mirror should

If you want to see some pictures I took at Magic Kingdom, they are towards the end of my set called Florida 2007 Camera Pics.

That’s about it. I’ll be singing “It’s a Small World”, “Yo ho, yo ho a Pirate’s life for Me” and the theme to Carousel of Progress for while!

~Susan Mellott