Magic Kingdom Crowds

The Magic Kingdom Crowds can be annoying. The Magic Kingdom draws the most guests of all of the Disney World parks (and the most of any park in the world). On a slow day lines can reach 45 minutes for the mountains (Space, Splash and Big Thunder) and over an hour for Peter Pan's Flight.

Below you'll find Dad's tips and strategies for avoiding the masses.

There are around 40 attractions in the Magic Kingdom. Disney estimates that the average guest completes 9 in a day. NINE! Disney is implementing some new line technology to get that number up to 10. That's a crime. If you know how to avoid Magic Kingdom Crowds you should finish 9 attractions by about noon time.

Magic Kingdom Crowds on Main Street USA

Photo by Jeff Christiansen

Planning help

Dad's got lots of great information about Walt Disney World. But if you need help with planning, Touringplans.com is the place to go. They will help you to put together a strategy for your perfect day at the Magic Kingdom. The good folks at Touringplans wrote the book on how to plan your daily excursions in the parks. (The Unofficial Guide Walt Disney World). They have plans, they have crowd information, they even have an app that shows how long the lines are at each ride. Check em out.

Dad's Touringplans.com page

General Strategies

Here are general ideas for how to avoid the worst of the lines.

Get there early

Morning Crowds

Photo by Express Monorail

Dad always suggests that you arrive at your park of choice at least 20 minutes before the scheduled opening time. This is especially true of the Magic Kingdom.

If you have small children, I would suggest at least 30 minutes (45 minutes during the busy seasons) so you have some extra time to get your stroller before the park opens. Besides, you don't want to miss the opening ceremonies.

Staying Late

The Magic Kingdom has the most varied hours of all the Disney parks. It can open as early as 7 in the morning and close as late as ... well, with Extra Magic Hours it can be as late as 5 am (and open again at 7).

It makes all kinds of sense. Magic Kingdom crowds can be pretty light when the parks are open after midnight and especially when it's later (or earlier) than that. The crowd tends to be a little older late at night. You can find it a great time for lonely touring.

Dad's Magic Kingdom Hours page

Have a plan

Even though the Magic Kingdom is very easy to get around in, Dad suggests you have a plan, or at least a general idea of where you want to go next. You can save several hours a day of standing in lines by knowing how to get through the park and which rides to avoid during certain times.

FastPass

To avoid long lines, it's good to know how and when to use FastPass. There are a few rides you should always FastPass (Peter Pan's Flight) and some you almost never Fastpass. But that's all spelled out right on Dad's FastPass chart.

Dad's FastPass page

Anyone afraid of this guy?

Photo by Jeff_B

Extra Magic Hours

Disney's Extra Magic Hours are a great way to avoid Magic Kingdom Crowds. For more information about the best ways to use Extra Magic Hours on your Disney World vacation, check out ...

Dad's Extra Magic Hours page.

Parades

Parade and fireworks times are good times to miss the crowds. The only problem is you also miss the parade or fireworks.

One area to avoid during parade times is the Frontierland/Liberty Square area. This is a major place for guests to watch the parade, and they can get a little pushy. There is a walkway behind the crowd area that Disney tries to keep open, but sometimes they don't have a lot of luck.

Dad's Disney World Crowds more

Dad's Strategies for Parents of ...

Dad has some strategies if you have children that will want to see certain attractions. Younger children will want to go to Fantasyland first, older children you will probably want to go to Tomorrowland.

Older Children (no Dumbo)

If you get to the park when it opens, first thing to do is head for Tomorrowland. If you are there first thing, Ride Space Mountain. If you're not there when the park opens (shame on you), grab a FastPass for Space Mountain and then do the rest of Tomorrowland. If you don't want to ride Space Mountain, substitute Buzz Lightyears's Ranger Spin.
Proceed around the park counter-clockwise.

After you finish Space Mountain, if you don't mind walking a lot, walk directly over to Splash Mountain and grab a FastPass. Ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and hopefully your FastPass time will be up for Splash Mountain. If this works, you'll have 3 of the longest lines completed in record time.

Young ones (Dumbo rules)

Get in line early

Photo by Tom Simpson

If you have children under the age of 8 or so as soon as you enter the park, go to Dumbo, go directly to Dumbo, do not pass the Main St. Bakery, do not collect any souvenirs along the way.

"Hey, Dad how's the fastest way to get there?" Good question. Go straight down Main Street toward the castle. Either go through the center of the castle, or go around the castle on the right. Don't go toward Tomorrowland, it's a long walk that way.

Dumbo might be the longest line for the shortest ride anywhere. And as soon as your finished with Dumbo run over and either ride or grab a FastPass for Peter Pan's Flight. After Peter Pan, finish Fantasyland and move toward Liberty Square.

For the young ones Peter Pan and Dumbo will be two of the longest lines of the day.

Ask Dad

Dad is a world class question answerer. (Say that three times fast.) He answers questions all the time. If you have a question about Magic Kingdom Crowds, be sure to ask. Dad knows Disney World Crowds. Here are a couple of questions about the crowds at the Magic Kingdom Dad has answered.

Dad's Ask Dad page

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Dad's Bottom Line

The Magic Kingdom Crowds can be difficult to deal with. These strategies will help you as you plan and execute your magical, memory filled Walt Disney World vacation.