Magic Kingdom is the star of Disney World. It is the most popular park and sees the most guests each year. Magic Kingdom is very busy to say the least, but with these Magic Kingdom tips, visiting the park is a breeze!
Knowing these 10 Magic Kingdom tips will help you maximize your time in Magic Kingdom, avoid the longest lines, get the best views, and keep you safe. It is so important to have a Magic Kingdom strategy before arriving at the park. You will end up wasting a lot of time and wandering around aimlessly without one!
Get your pen and paper out. This post is packed full of pixie dust you won’t want to miss!
Rope drop is what us Disney nerd call park opening. Essentially, rope drop means you’re at Magic Kingdom ready for some magic the second it opens.
I love rope drop, and I Magic Kingdom is my favourite park to rope drop. It is amazing how much you can done first thing in the morning when there are no lines!
This is one of my top Magic Kingdom tips.
It is 100% worth waking up early and getting to Magic Kingdom first thing in the morning. You can ride the most popular attractions with little to no wait!
The only attraction that has any substantial wait is Seven Dwarves Mine Train. The line at rope drop is still the lowest it will be all day.
If you managed to snag a Fastpass+ for Seven Dwarves Mine Train later in the day, you can skip the line and hop on the rest of the rides with little to no wait time!
For example, when I rope drop Magic Kingdom, I can normally ride two or three popular attractions (like Peter Pan’s Flight) and meet a handful of characters (including the princesses) before I have to wait in a line longer than 5 minutes!
This is one of my Magic Kingdom tips that isn’t for everybody.
Lots of people don’t enjoy waking up early and want to relax a bit on their Disney vacation.
But, if you’re like me and are a morning person, being at Magic Kingdom for rope drop is the best way to get a lot done at Magic Kingdom without paying for premium access to the park.
2. If You’re Not a Morning Person, Consider an After Hours Event
Carrying on from the last sentence of tip one, if you’re not a morning person, it is well worth the money to pay for an After Hours ticket.
After Hours is a three-hour event put on by Disney where you purchase a ticket and get access to the park with veryfew people in the parks.
Literally so few people that you never have to wait longer than 5 minutes to get on any attractions other than Seven Dwarves Mine Train. That line is normally 10 to 15 minutes long, which is still a super short line!
The hours for the even vary depending on what time of year it is. Sometimes the event starts at 8pm and sometimes it starts at 10pm.
Tickets cost $129, so they are not cheap.
It is expensive, but what you get out of the event is well worth the price of admission!
You get so much done in those three hours. Way more than you get done in an entire day in the park.
I will acknowledge that me as a single person visiting the parks is much more likely to be able to afford a ticket than a family of four or more. A lot of families don’t have an extra $500 to shell out for three hours in the park.
You definitely have to look at your finances and see whether or not the event is worth it for you.
Oh! And did I mention that as part of the event you get unlimited complimentary popcorn, ice cream, and pop?!
This may seem like an odd thing to talk about in a post about Magic Kingdom tips but hear my out!
There is a lot you need to know about wifi in Magic Kingdom, and it can have a major impact on your day at Magic Kingdom.
There is complimentary wifi
Disney World provides guests with complimentary wifi in all four parks!
This is amazing and so helpful since the Disney World app is an essential part of any Magic Kingdom visit.
You use the app to check wait times, as a map, to check show and parade times, and order food.
So connecting to wifi is essential.
The downside
There are thousands of people connected to the wifi at Magic Kingdom at any given moment.
This means the wifi tends to be slow.
This can be a bit frustrating, but Disney is figuring out ways to speed up the internet all the time. It is getting better and better each time I visit Disney World!
Please be internet safe
The wifi at Disney World is public.
You don’t need a password to access it, and anybody who is within range of the signal can use it.
This makes it not the safest internet network to use.
You are exposed, and anybody who wants to can access your personal online data.
It is the same case no matter what public wifi network you are using. It isn’t just a Disney thing.
The only way to protect yourself when using a public wifi network is to install a VPN on your devices.
It essentially puts a forcefield around your phone, tablet, or laptop, so nobody can get in and steal your data.
A VPN makes using public wifi as safe as using your own personal wifi where only you know the password!
The best part is that the cost of protecting 6 devices with a VPN is less than the cost of a single latte a month!
I always say if you can afford to travel, you can afford to protect your online information with a VPN!
Mickey would want your phone to be protected while you’re enjoying Magic Kingdom!
4. Mobile Order is Amazing
Disney World launched mobile order in 2017, and it changed the quick service game!
It allows guests to order and pay for their food on the Disney World app and collect their food at a dedicated window once it is prepared.
Taking advantage of mobile order is one of my top Magic Kingdom tips because it saves you a lot of time!
A lot of quick service restaurants and snack stands in Magic Kingdom have painfully long lines.
I’ve stood in food lines for well over 30 minutes before, and it can be a real time suck!
Mobile order completely eliminates those long lines and gets you your food way faster than standing in the normal line.
Most people haven’t caught on to mobile order yet, so not many people are using the service. This means there aren’t many orders in the queue, and you get your food lightening fast.
Just about as fast as Lightning McQueen!
Most, but not all, Magic Kingdom quick service restaurants and snack stands offer mobile order as an option.
Be sure to check the app before you hop into the regular line to see if that restaurant offers mobile order.
You can use your passholder discount on the app, so it works for annual passholders as well!
The major flaw in the mobile order process is that you have to pay with a credit card.
This means people who don’t live in the United States and don’t have a US dollar credit card have to pay their bank fees for using USD rather than their normal currency.
It also eliminates people who don’t have credit cards for one reason or another.
Hopefully in the future they add the ability to use a gift card for mobile order!
5. You Need a Parade Strategy
Magic Kingdom has the best parades in Disney World.
I said it, and I’m not taking it back!
Whether it is Festival of Fantasy parade or one of Magic Kingdom’s special parades for Halloween or Christmas, they are top notch and not to be missed!
They are also very popular, so you need a parade strategy.
This is one of those Magic Kingdom tips I don’t think enough people are talking about!
The first thing you need to decide when coming up with a parade strategy is deciding how important the parade is to you.
Form there, you can come up with a parade strategy.
If parades are very important to you, you should get a spot to watch Festival of Fantasy 30 or so minutes before the parade starts.
This will ensure you get a good view of the parade and don’t have anybody blocking your view.
For the Halloween or Christmas parades at the parties, you can purchase a special ticket that gives you a priority spot to watch the parade.
It is fairly expensive, and I don’t think it is completely necessary seeing as there are two parades a night, and the later parade is normally pretty quiet.
If you’re not super into parades, you can normally show up about 5 minutes before the parade starts and find a decent spot.
You might have to walk around and find the perfect spot, but it can normally be found.
No matter what your parade preferences are, you need a strategy, so you’re not disappointed.
There are two special events at Magic Kingdom you can buy a ticket for (other than the After Hours event we already discussed).
Magic Kingdom hosts Mickey’s Not-So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
They are both hard ticket events.
This means you have to buy a separate ticket to attend the event. You cannot use your regular park ticket.
Tickets for these special events are normally under $100, and you get access to exclusive entertainment, snacks, and the characters wear special outfits.
They are super fun for children and adults alike!
At the Halloween Party, you get to go trick-or-treating, and you can collect as much candy as you want. You get holiday cookies and warm beverages at the Christmas Party.
This is all included in the price of admission!
The parties are quite busy, so I don’t recommend them if your goal is to ride a bunch of attractions with a shorter wait time.
But if you want to celebrate the season, try some exclusive snacks, and enjoy special theming and costumes, then the parties are for you!
I personally love them and go to them whenever I have the chance.
7. Leave Extra Time to Get to and from Magic Kingdom
A lot of people don’t realize that the entrance to Magic Kingdom is not right next to the parking lot.
It is wayyyy across a lagoon, and it takes a fair amount of time to get from the parking lot to the entrance of Magic Kingdom.
One of the best Magic Kingdom tips I can give you is to factor the time it takes to get from the Magic Kingdom parking lot to the entrance of the park.
Of course this tip doesn’t apply to use if you’re using Disney transportation from your hotel. You will be dropped off right at the front of Magic Kingdom, and you don’t have to factor any extra time into your day.
But if you’re driving your own car, you need to add an extra 15 to 20 minutes to your schedule to get from the parking lot to the park entrance.
It is a bit annoying- especially during busy times when everybody is either leaving or going to Magic Kingdom.
You can either take a ferry to Magic Kingdom or ride the monorail.
My preference is to take the monorail. It tends to be the quicker of the two.
8. Make Dining Reservations 180 Days in Advance
Magic Kingdom is home to some of the most popular restaurants in all of Disney World.
Restaurants like Cinderella’s Royal Table and Be Our Guest are incredibly difficult to get reservations for.
You can make dining reservations through the Disney World app or Disney World website180 days in advance.
I highly recommend you figure out when you can start making dining reservations and make Magic Kingdom dining reservations as early as possible to ensure you get the dining reservations you want.
You won’t be very successful if you try to try to make reservations at these restaurants a week or even a month in advance.
For other less popular (but still amazing Magic Kingdom restaurants) like Skipper Canteen, you can make reservations closer to your arrival date.
But if you only listen to one of my Magic Kingdom tips, let it be this one. Make your dining reservations for popular restaurants as soon as you can!
You don’t want to regret procrastinating and missing out on a restaurant you really wanted to try.
9. Your Fastpass+ Strategy will Make or Break You
Disney World is unlike any other Disney park in the world, and you get to make your Fastpass+ reservations between 30 and 60 days in advance.
You select three attractions and times per day in a particular park, and you get a Fastpass+ for those rides at that specific time.
It requires a lot of planning and some intense strategy to maximize your Fastpass+ options.
The good thing about Magic Kingdom is it is the only Disney World park that doesn’t have Fastpass+ tiers.
This means you can get a Fastpass+ for any three rides and don’t have to choose one popular ride and two less popular rides like the other parks.
I’m not going to go too in depth about different Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ strategies in this post because I have an entire post you can read here that goes way more in depth than I can in this post.
The long and the short of it is you have to get your Fastpass+ selections in advance to have any shot of getting a Fastpass+ for the most popular attractions.
I suggest scheduling your Fastpass+ selections for the morning to early afternoon, so you can potentially get a fourth Fastpass+ after you use your first three.
Outside of booking your Fastpass+ selections for earlier int he day, be sure to get Fastpass+ for the most popular attractions.
You want to limit the amount of time you wait in line, and there are certain attractions that you simply don’t need a Fastpass+ for.
I’m looking at you Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor!
The biggest tip I can give you for making Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selections is to figure out what is most important for you to ride and get a Fastpass+ for the most popular attractions on your list!
10. Have a Fireworks Strategy
Having a fireworks strategy is one of the most talked about Magic Kingdom tips and for good reason!
The firework shows are extremely popular, and a huge percentage of everybody in Magic Kingdom watch them every night.
Thanks to the projection shows on the castle during the fireworks, gone are the days where you can stand behind the castle and get a good view of the fireworks without being crowded.
Now to get the full experience of the show (and you should because they are awesome!) you have no choice but to stand at the front of the castle.
There is less room for people to spread out and watch the fireworks, so you are often crammed in like sardines.
You often leave very sweaty from the humidity and being so close to thousands of other people.
Viewing Options:
You can pay to attend a fireworks dessert party, and this is the best way to get a good view of the fireworks without staking out your spot in advance.
They are expensive, and they aren’t everybody’s cup of tea. You can find out more about dessert parties here.
If you’re not prepared to splurge on a dessert party, you need to decide how important the fireworks are to you.
People start claiming their spot on Main Street USA at least 30 minutes before the fireworks start. Some people are there even earlier to get the best spots!
If you’re like me and aren’t too keen on standing on Main Street USA for an extended period of time, I suggest showing up 10 minutes before the show starts and weaselling your way into a gap.
This strategy doesn’t work the best for larger families, but you can split up for the show and meet at a designated spot afterwords.
I must warn you though. You probably will have a slightly obstructed view if you show up just a few minutes before the show.
You might have a tall person standing in front of you or a lamp post blocking part of the castle.
It is a risk you have to be willing to take if you don’t claim your spot early!
I personally think either splurging for a dessert party or showing up a few minutes before the fireworks start is the best strategy.
It isn’t fun standing on Main Street USA for upwards of half an hour waiting for the show to start.
You often get in people’s way and feel awkward.
It can be a bit of hassle, and there are better things you can do with that half hour!
Conclusion
There you have it! My top Magic Kingdom tips for the best day ever!
Each and every Magic Kingdom tip on this list is essential an helps you have a better day in the parks.
You now know how to avoid lines, get food quicker, and have a strategy for fireworks, parades, and making your Fastpass+ reservations.
You’re all set for an epic day in Magic Kingdom!
The other bonus tip I’ll give you is to make time to meet a few characters!
It is so much fun, and you make life-long memories whether you’re there alone or with a group.
The only thing I ask of you is that you say hi to Mickey for me next time you’re at Magic Kingdom!
I love a good solo Disney trip, but it can be quite intimidating if you’re an introvert like me!
If you’re an introvert planning your first solo Disney trip, there are so many unknowns that can make you anxious and even scare you out of booking a solo trip to Disney!
Is it going to be awkward eating alone? Am I going to look weird getting photos of just me? Am I going to die of boredom waiting in ride lines? Is it even worth the cost of going to Disney alone? A Disney trip is really expensive, you know.
I completely understand all the questions swirling around in your brain as you contemplate booking a solo Disney trip.
This post is going to answer all those questions and more!
By the time you’re done reading this post, you’ll be armed with all the information you need to decide whether going to Disney alone is a good option for you or not.
Going on a solo Disney trip always so much fun for me! I’ve never had a bad experience while at Disney alone, and I hope this post gives you the confidence boost you need to book a solo trip to Disney!
My Experience with Solo Disney Trips
There are a lot of people on the internet who write posts about things they don’t know anything about.
I wanted to share my history of going on solo Disney trips to show you that I know what I’m talking about and have the real answers you need. I haven’t just Googled “solo Disney trip” and regurgitated the information I found online.
I’m a self-proclaimed queen of introverts and have been on many solo Disney trips in the past few years. They’ve all been wonderful, and I didn’t feel like my introversion held me back at all!
September 2018: Disneyland(the trip that gave me the official status of visiting every Disney park in the world!)
September 2018: Walt Disney World (I went straight from Disneyland to Disney World!)
November 2018: Tokyo Disney Resort (celebrated Tokyo Disneyland’s 35th anniversary!)
As you can see, I’ve been on solo Disney trips all around the world and have a lot of experience hanging out in Disney parks alone.
One Thing to Note
I’m an experienced solo travellers, so I’m pretty good at being alone and travelling alone.
Even though I am an experienced solo traveller, I was nervous about what a solo Disney trip would look like before I went to Shanghai Disneyland.
I was probably in a better position confidence wise when I went on my solo Disney trip, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t go on a solo Disney trip yourself!
You’ll quickly build up your confidence and be booking more solo Disney trips in the future!
Dining Alone at Disney
One of the most nerve wrecking parts of travelling alone to Disney (or anywhere for that matter) is the issue of dining alone.
Everybody has that fear of looking like a werido dining alone or feeling like everybody is starting at you and judging you for eating alone.
I’ve been there for sure, but I can tell you from personal experience you get used to eating alone, and it starts to feel very normal and not scary at all.
Especially at Disney.
Absolutely nobody is judging you for eating alone at Disney. Heck. Most people are so consumed with chasing down their children that they don’t even notice anybody else in the restaurant. They certainly don’t notice you.
There are some tips and tricks to get more comfortable with eating alone that I’m going to share with you though!
Level One: Start Off at Quick Service Restaurants
The easiest way to get comfortable eating alone is eating at quick service restaurants. Quick service restaurants are Disney-speak for fast food-type restaurants where you order at a counter, wait for your food, then find a place to eat.
They are a lot less intimidating than table service restaurants because you’re able to control the experience.
You can choose what table you eat at, so you can easily choose a table in corner and eat with your back facing the rest of the restaurant.
You also control how long you’re in the restaurant. Since you already have your food when you sit down, you don’t have to wait for a waiter to take your order and for your food to be prepared before you get to eat.
Your time sitting alone in a restaurant is greatly decreased when dining at a quick service restaurant. You can eat as quickly as you want and then leave the restaurant in just ten minutes if you choose.
Quick service restaurants give you the ability to make the dining experience how you want it. This allows you to feel more comfortable dining alone and helps you build you confidence to move onto other forms of dining.
Next Up: Lounges or Eating at the Bar
The next step to take in the journey of becoming comfortable eating alone while on a solo Disney trip is eating at a lounge or bar.
I love eating in lounges and bars when I travel alone.
It is a great way to break the ice of eating in a table service restaurant alone, but it doesn’t feel weird. Eating alone at bars and in lounges is actually quite common.
You’ll fit right in!
One of the great things about eating at a bar is that your back is normally to the rest of the restaurant. The only people you’re able to see is the bartender and the other people eating at the bar.
You completely forget that there is an entire restaurant behind you, and you feel like you’re in your own little world.
I highly, highly recommend you give eating at a bar or lounge a try while hanging out at Disney alone.
You’ll get to try some amazing food that you can’t get at quick service restaurants, and I’m confident you’ll have a great experience.
Cast members are so kind, and you’ll never feel weird or awkward.
You might have to be 21 or over to sit at a bar or in a lounge, but you don’t need to order alcohol. However, since Disney is such a family-friendly place, there are plenty of bars and lounges you can eat at even if you’re not legal drinking age.
Boss Level: Eat at a Table Service Restaurant
The final step in eating alone while on a solo Disney trip is taking the plunge and eating at a table service restaurant. A table service restaurant is a restaurant where you’re sat, a waiter takes your order, you wait for your food to arrive, you eat, and then you pay when you leave.
I know it sounds intimidating if this is your first time eating at a table service restaurant alone, but there is no better place to have your first solo dining experience than at a Disney park!
Cast members will never make you feel uncomfortable or weird for dining alone.
You’ll be treated just like everybody else in the restaurant!
Plus, as mentioned before, everybody else is so consumed in their own world that they won’t even notice.
I know that sounds like a cliche, but it is 100% true.
Seriously, when was the last time you paid the other people in a restaurant a lot of attention?! You probably just scan the restaurant then become completely consumed with the experience you’re having.
Disney has some incredible table service restaurants, and it would be a shame to miss out on them just because you are self conscious about dining alone.
Interacting with Characters While at Disney Alone
If you’re an introvert, interacting with characters at the best of times is intimidating. I feel your pain!
And that uncomfortable, introverted feeling you may have about interacting with characters (especially face characters who have a conversation with you) can be magnified.
The truth is that even if you’ve interacted with a lot of characters before, it never feels completely comfortable. Or at least it doesn’t for me.
You get more used to it and know what to expect, which helps a lot.
I do have a few tips to help my fellow introverts who are meeting characters while on a solo Disney trip.
They’ve helped me a lot in the past and hope they help you! And save you the pain of trying to learn them by trial and error.
Let the Character Lead the Conversation
The good thing about Disney characters is that they are trained to lead the conversation.
They’re used to interacting with introverted guests and children and have no problem being the more talkative person.
It is actually quite fun to just listen to the characters talk for a little while. They always speak about their own storyline or universe, and you might get to learn something new about them.
Of course you normally have to talk a little bit.
Most of the time you can get away with giving basic answers to their questions then they’ll take the lead again.
The fur characters lead the conversation as well although it can sometimes be a bit difficult to catch on to what they’re saying. Their character attendant will help you out if you’re really struggling though!
Fur characters will point at things to indicate what they’re talking about or trying to show you. They could point to their backdrop, a cool clothing item you’re wearing, and anything in between.
Whether you’re interacting with a face character who speaks or a fur character who uses gestures to speak, they’ll lead the conversation if you’re not comfortable taking on that role.
Start by Meeting Fur Characters
This is my best piece of advice when it comes to meeting Disney characters as an introvert.
It is so much easier and less intimidating to meet fur characters than face characters. To this day, I still prefer meeting fur characters and only meet face characters when I’m in the mood for it.
As mentioned above, fur characters can’t speak. That, to me, makes it less scary and easier to manage as an introvert on a solo Disney trip.
Fur characters are a great starting point to work up your confidence and how comfortable you are meeting characters before you start meeting face characters.
Looking for More?
I have a couple of posts dedicated to meeting Disney characters. They go way more in depth than this post, so you may be interested in checking them out.
Everything You Need to Know About Waiting in Ride Lines on a Solo Disney Trip
This was the part of my first solo Disney trip that made me the most nervous. Especially since I was visiting Shanghai Disneyland during their first anniversary and knew the wait times were going to be long!
I didn’t have to worry because the lines were much less boring than I anticipated.
I took the time to enjoy the theming in the ride queues and then wasted the rest of my time scrolling through social media on my phone.
Gotta love it when wifi comes to your rescue!
I also had a book in my backpack, but I never ended up pulling it out to read while waiting for a ride. It did come in handy when waiting for parades though!
You don’t really need to worry about how you’re going to pass your time while waiting in ride lines on a solo Disney trip. Wifi has you covered!
It is a great time to fill your loved ones back home in what you’re up to. I always send my parents pictures and updates while I’m waiting to get on a ride. It keeps them up to date (and jealous) and helps me kill some time.
It is a win-win!
Take Advantage of Single Rider Lines
There is no better time to take advantage of single rider lines than when you’re on a solo Disney trip!
They were made for people like you, and you should use them as often as you can.
A single rider line often (but not always) moves faster than the normal line. People in the single rider line are used to fill empty seats, so the ride is always filled to capacity.
If a ride vehicle holds three people per row, and there is a group of two in the normal queue, a personal from the single rider queue will be used to fill the empty seat.
Single rider lines are a great way to use your Disney time efficiently and cut down on how long you’re standing in lines.
There are a couple of rides that don’t have very good single rider lines. In my experience, rides like Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster and the Incredicoaster that have two seats per row have a very slow moving single rider line.
I often hop in the normal line for these two rides because it is often quicker that way.
I highly recommend you use the single rider lines for other rides though! Rides like Test Track and Radiator Springs Racers that have three seats per row are perfect for single riders.
The single rider line for those-types of rides always moves super quickly!
What About Fastpass? Should I Even Bother When on a Solo Disney Trip?
Yes! A thousand times yes!
You should still get Fastpasses when you’re on a solo Disney trip. They’ll save you even more time than the single rider line.
The best part about getting Fastpasses while on a solo Disney trip is that since there is only one of you, you’re more likely to score a Fastpass for the most popular attractions that always run out quickly!
I’ve had amazing luck getting popular Fastpasses when at Disney alone. I’ve even gotten some same-day Fastpasses for popular attractions like Slinky Dog Dash.
You should get your Fastpasses as soon as you possibly can!
In Disney World, that means booking your Fastpass+ selections 60 days in advance if you’re staying on property and 30 days in advance if you’re staying off property.
For the rest of the Disney parks around the world, this means getting your Fastpasses the day you’re in the park. You’ll still be more likely to get good Fastpass selections, but you’ll have to work harder for them and have a strategy in place.
I have a number of posts about Fastpasses that go more in depth about Fastpass strategy and what Fastpasses are worth it and which are:
Will I Be Able to Get a Photo of Myself While Alone at Disney?
Of course! And plenty of them too.
Every Disney park in the world now offers photopass, so you can get professional photographs taken of you.
You can also ask a cast member to take a photo of you, and they’ll be more than happy to help you out. I’ve also had many instances where a fellow guest has taken a photo of me, and I’ve taken a photo of them.
There are lots of different options to choose from, but you’ll for sure be able to get some photos of yourself while on a solo Disney trip.
But Will People Think I’m Weird?!
Photopass photographers and cast members will not think you’re weird for being alone at Disney and wanting your photo taken.
Most guest won’t either! Especially if you ask childless adult guests to take your photo. They understand the love of Disney as an adult!
It might be awkward and uncomfortable the first few times you get your photo taken alone, but it quickly wears off. Photopass photographers do a great job of making you forget that there are thousands of people around, and you feel like it is just you and the photographer.
I wouldn’t let being on a solo Disney trip prevent you from getting photos taken of yourself! You’ll want those memories for the rest of your life.
Going on your first solo Disney trip is exciting, and you’ll want the photographic evidence.
Final Tips for Introverts Planning a Solo Disney Trip
Know What to Expect
The first step in knowing what to expect while on a solo Disney trip is reading blogs like this one. So congrats on taking the first step!
You’ll also want to be emotionally prepared for the crowds, weather, food, and transportation.
Research the aspects of a Disney trip that you’re not familiar with and become familiar with them.
This will help you be prepared and confident when entering your first Disney park alone.
Have a Plan
Having a plan will help you keep busy at Disney and always know what you plan on doing next.
I like to have an idea of what rides I want to ride, what food I want to eat, if I want to watch a parade or stage show, and any characters I want to meet.
This helps cut down on the decision making time, which is normally the time I’m standing around by myself trying to decide what to do next.
Know What You’ll Do if You Have an Anxiety Attack
I know being an introvert doesn’t equate with being anxious, but it does for me.
I try to have a plan of what I’m going to do in case I have an anxiety attack and need to calm myself down.
Whether it is a plan to go back to the hotel, find a bathroom, or go on a dark ride, I like to have an anxiety plan when I’m at Disney.
Oddly enough, the two times I’ve had an anxiety attack at Disney was when I was travelling with other people.
But it is good to have a plan just in case. I actually have an anxiety plan whenever I’m travelling alone and would highly recommend you have one too.
My general travel anxiety plan is to go back to the hotel, and I always book an extra day in a city just in case I spend most of a day at the hotel.
But booking an extra day at Disney is awful expensive, so I don’t really recommend that.
Be Confident
You’re at Disney! Nobody is paying any attention to you so walk with your head high. Nobody will give you a second look.
Having confidence makes your solo Disney trip so much better!
You’re not afraid to do things, and you’re more willing to try new things.
I know it is easier said than done but just fake it until you become it!
Know You’re Not the Only One
There are tons of people who go on solo Disney trips!
There are always people on solo Disney trips in the parks, but you don’t notice them because they blend into the crowds.
Just because you’re on a solo Disney trip doesn’t mean you stick out like a sore thumb!
Who Shouldn’t Go on a Solo Disney Trip
I thoroughly believe that most people should go on a solo Disney trip. It is a great experience and some of my fondest memories.
There are some people, however, that may not enjoy a solo Disney trip as much as the average person.
You may want to think long and hard about going on a solo Disney trip if you fall into one of the below categories.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t go on a solo Disney trip if you fall into one of these categories, but you should just evaluate whether or not you would enjoy a solo Disney trip.
You don’t really like rides and enjoy the atmosphere more than anything else
You’re hyper-dependent on other people and won’t do anything alone
You have a bare bones budget and wouldn’t be able to do anything other than go to the parks, stay in the cheapest hotel, and eat the cheapest food (no snacks!). You may want to save up for another year before you book your trip, so you can experience more of the Disney magic
Watch the Video
Conclusion
I hope this post helps you decide whether you want to book a solo Disney trip as an introvert!
Solo Disney trips are so much fun, and I would hate for you to miss out on the Disney magic due to being an introvert.
I fully understand that it can be awkward and intimidating to go on a trip to Disney alone, but it doesn’t have to be! It gets much, much more comfortable the longer you’re at Disney and the more solo Disney trips you take.
Let me know in the comments below if you’ve been on a solo Disney trip before and what your favourite part of the trip was!
Say hi to Mickey for me next time you’re at Disney!!
Magic Kingdom is the most popular Disney park in the world with a staggering 20.4 million visitors in 2017! It is always busy, so you need a Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ strategy to navigate (and survive) the park.
The 10 Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ tips discussed in this post will help you make the most out your Fastpass+ selections, save time in the parks, and avoid standing in long, hot lines for hours on end.
Nothing is worse than standing in an hour-long line and watching the people with a fastpass basically walk onto the ride. It makes me soooo jealous.
Of course, you’ll have to stand in some lines because fastpasses aren’t magic and take all the waiting away, but they can significantly reduce your wait time if you have the right Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ strategy.
It has been years since I waited in a line longer than 15 minutes at Magic Kingdom, and this is all thanks to knowing and implementing the fastpass tips and tricks discussed in this post.
I’m sharing my insider secrets with you, so you don’t have to waste away in a line in the hot Florida sun for nothing.
1. Book Your Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ Choices at Strategic Times
Certain times during the days are better for booking a Fastpass+ than others. You don’t want to book it too early or too late.
There is a sweet middle spot that allows you to optimize your time.
You lose out on short queues if you book your fastpasses for too early in the day and don’t get the most value for them. Book them too late in the day, and you miss out on the opportunity to get additional fastpasses as the day goes on.
Thus a delicate balance between booking too early in the day and too late in the day exists.
I recommend booking your first Fastpass+ sometime after 10am and your last one before 3pm.
Booking all three of your Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ options between 10am and 3pm gives you the best chance of optimizing your time in Magic Kingdom.
This time window, of course, may not work for you if you have children or are a late riser who doesn’t get to the parks before noon, but it should work for the average guest.
2. Book Your Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ Selections as Soon as Your Booking Window Opens
You can either book your Fastpass+ selections 30 or 60 days in advance of your trip.
The difference in when you’re allowed to book your Fastpass+ choices comes down to where you’re staying.
If you’re staying on Disney property, you’re able to book your fastpasses 60 days in advance. If you’re staying off property, you can’t book your fastpasses until 30 days before your trip.
This means there is a huge advantage to staying on Disney property, and you’re more likely to get fastpasses for the most popular attractions.
It is possible that fastpasses for the most popular Magic Kingdom attractions like Seven Dwarves Mine Train will already be sold out when people staying off property can book their Fastpass+ selections 30 days in advance.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re staying on property or off property. The best practice is to book your Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selection the second you’re able to. This gives you the best chance of booking a fastpass for the ride you want at the time you want.
You’re able to start booking your Fastpass+ selections for your entire trip either 60 or 30 days in advance of your trip at 7am EST. This means many people in different time zones will have to wake up super early to book their fastpasses (I certainly do), but it is 100% worth the effort.
You won’t miss that extra sleep when you’re riding all the best Magic Kingdom rides with no wait time because you scored the best Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ options a month or two earlier.
3. There Aren’t Tiers, but there are Good and Bad Choices
Every other Disney World park has a Fastpass+ tier system that allows you to only get one Fastpass+ for a ride that is very popular, and your other two fastpasses are selected from a group of less popular attractions.
The tier system makes it incredibly difficult to choose what Fastpass+ you want form the top tier, and the top tier fastpasses often sell out very quickly. Sometimes even people selecting their Fastpass+ options 60 days in advance can’t get a fastpass for their top choice in tier one.
Magic Kingdom is the only Walt Disney World park to not adhere to the tier system.
This means you’re able to choose three extremely popular rides and get a Fastpass+ for them all. It also means that it is easier to get a fastpass for some of the more popular attractions because there is a larger pool of attractions to choose from.
While there is no tier system when it comes to Magic Kingdom Fastpass+, you still have to choose what rides you want to get a fastpass for wisely.
There is no sense getting a Fastpass+ for an attraction that normally doesn’t have a very long wait time.
You want to use your Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selections on the rides with the longest wait times.
Good Fastpass+ Selections
Here is a list of rides that are good Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selections. They normally have a long wait time, so you will save a lot of time by securing and using a fastpass:
Seven Dwarves Mine Train
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain
Peter Pan’s Flight
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
The Jungle Cruise
Haunted Mansion
Tomorrowland Speedway
The Barnstormer
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Meeting Rapunzel and Tiana
Meeting Cinderella and Elena
Meeting Mickey Mouse
Meeting Tinker Bell
Meeting Ariel
I consider these all to be a good use of a Fastpass+ selection because they often have the longest lines. It is nearly impossible to walk up to any of the rides on this list and not have at least a 30 minute wait.
You don’t want to needlessly waste 30 minutes if you can get a Fastpass+!
That is clearly a long list, and you can’t get a Fastpass+ for every single attraction on that list, but it is a good place to start.
There is also a lot of variation on that list in terms of how long a line can be and how difficult it is to get a Fastpass+ for a particular ride.
The three mountains and Mine Train are the most popular, and they run out of fastpasses the quickest. If you want to ride Seven Dwarves Mine Train, Peter Pan’s Flight, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, or Big Thunder Mountain, get yourself a Fastpass+ as soon as your booking window opens.
The Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin are the easiest rides to get same-day fastpasses for.
You can sacrifice not getting a Fastpass+ for any of those rides in order to get a Fastpass+ for one of the big rides and feel confident that you can snag a last-minute fourth Fastpass+ on the day you visit.
Bad Fastpass+ Selections
Just as there are a number of good choices you can make when making your Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selections, there are a number of bad choices you can make.
Here is my list of worst choices for Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selections:
Mickey’s PhilarMagic
Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor
It’s a Small World
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Mad Tea Party
Enchanted Tales with Belle
Under the Sea- Journey of the Little Mermaid
Every ride on that list has one thing in common: it rarely has a wait time over 10-15 minutes.
You don’t want to waste a Fastpass+ selection on a ride that has such a short wait time when you can use it for a ride that has a wait time over an hour.
That simply isn’t optimizing your time.
I’m not saying any of the rides on this list are bad. I love a number of rides on this list, and, in fact, never go to Magic Kingdom without visiting Mickey’s PhilharMagic and Under the Sea- Journey of the Little Mermaid.
You just don’t need a Fastpass+ to enjoy the attractions on this list, which is great! The fact that these rides have such a short wait time is amazing for you and your family.
You get to experience some outstanding attractions without a long wait and without burning up a Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selection.
It doesn’t get any better than that!
4. Get Fourth Fastpass+ Selection after You’ve Used Your First Three
You may have noticed that in the last section when discussing good Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ options, I mentioned that you were able to get some of the good rides as a fourth fastpass on the same day quiet easily.
The exciting things about Fastpass+ at Disney World is that you’re able to make an unlimited number of additional fastpasses once you’ve used up your original three in a day.
This feature is another reason I recommend you booking all your Fastpass+ options by mid-afternoon.
You can only make one additional Fastpass+ at a time, and you must use it before you can book another one.
For example, if you use your third Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ at 2:30pm, you can get a fourth Fastpass+.
Let’s say your fourth Fastpass+ is for 5pm. You’ve used your 5pm Fastpass+, you can get a fifth Fastpass+. And so on and so forth until there are no more options left.
You normally can’t get more than one or two additional Fastpass+ selections in a day, so don’t base your entire Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ strategy on the expectation that you can get a ton of additional fastpasses.
But if you’re struggling to decide between four rides what you should get a Fastpass+ for, keep in mind that some rides are easier than others to get a same-day Fastpass+ for.
The key to optimizing the additional same-day Fastpass+ selections is selecting a ride you want to ride that has the earliest Fastpass+.
If you want to ride both Haunted Mansion and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, get a Fastpass+ for the ride that has the soonest Fastpass+ return time, use it, and then get a Fastpass+ for the other ride.
That is the best way to approach your additional same-day Fastpass+ selections.
5. Change You Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ Selection if You’re Going to Miss You Return Window
A lot of people lose their Fastpass+ selections because they don’t realize that they can alter their plans.
If you’re going to miss your Fastpass+ window for any reason, you can and should alter your Fastpass+ selections.
You can change the time and selection of your Fastpass+ directly through the My Disney Experience app.
You have to alter your plans before the end of your Fastpass+ window so be sure you don’t miss that deadline.
There is no guarantee that you will be able to change your Fastpass+ selection to the same attraction or exact time you want, but at least you won’t lave a Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selection on the table.
In fact, for the most popular attractions, you probably won’t be able to get a Fastpass+ for the same attraction.
You will probably have to select a different attraction.
That is why it is best if you can make the Fastpass+ return window for every ride you have one for, but things happens. Especially if you’re travelling with young children.
6. Use Rope Drop and Extra Morning Magic Hours to Your Advantage
Before I go any further in this section, I’m going to define what rope drop and extra morning magic hours are. Just in case you’re not a Disney nerd and long-time Walt Disney World goer like I am.
Rope Drop
Rope drop is basically Disney-speak for when a park opens. You queue up before the park opens, and you’re there for rope drop.
It is, in my opinion, the best way to get as much Disney in as possible with little to no crowds.
Walt Disney World parks normally open around 8am or 9am, so a lot of people are still tucked away in their beds sleeping. This means the people who are at the parks right when they open are treated to little to no crowds and can get a lot done in a short amount of time.
I’m an early bird. Like naturally wake up at 6:30am on a Saturday early bird, so taking advantage of rope drop is perfect for me.
It is honestly my favourite time to be in the parks!
But I can see how many people recoil at the thought of being at Magic Kingdom right when it opens. You have to be up and going far earlier than 8am to get to the parks for rope drop.
You have to leave time for getting to the parks, getting through security, and being at the parks 15-30 minutes before they open to ensure you’re on the first people in.
I get that rope drop isn’t for everybody, but if you’re a morning person, be sure to take advantage of it!
Early Morning Magic Hours
Early Morning Magic Hours is when a particular Walt Disney World park opens an hours early to people staying in a Disney hotel or on property at a select non-Disney hotel.
A basic rule of thumb to figure out whether you’re eligible for Early Morning Magic Hours is this:
You’re eligible if you were able to book your Fastpass+ selections 60 days in advance
You’re noteligible if you had to wait until 30 days in advance to book your Fastpass+ selections
Early Morning Magic Hours are similar to rope drop, but they are much quieter.
Not everybody is allowed into the park during Early Morning Magic Hours, so you’ll encounter even smaller crowds than at rope drop.
This is the perfect opportunity to ride the most popular attractions with little to no wait time. It is amazing how much you can get done in a single hour!
The last time I was at Magic Kingdom for Early Morning Magic Hours, I rode Peter Pan’s Flight, It’s a Small World, Space Mountain, and met all the princesses.
And it only took me 45 minutes to do all that!!
So while you have to get up quite early, it is well worth it if you have a limited amount of time in Disney World and want to get the most out of your time.
A word of warning though.
Only Fantasyland and Tomorrowland are open during Early Morning Magic Hours.
You will have to wait until the rest of the park opens to explore the rest of the park.
How to Take Advantage of Rope Drop and Early Morning Magic Hours
Everybody flocks to Seven Dwarves Mine Train as soon as the park opens. It is the most difficult ride to get a Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ for and is extremely popular with children and adults alike.
If you weren’t able to get a Fastpass+ for Seven Dwarves Mine Train, I recommend you flock to it with the rest of the guests. The queue will be the shortest first thing in the morning.
If you were able to get a Fastpass+ for Seven Dwarves Mine Train or don’t want to ride it, this is your opportunity to take advantage of a very quiet Magic Kingdom.
I suggest riding the most popular attractions you don’t have a Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ for or meeting any popular characters you want to meet.
Your strategy will depend on whether you’re there for rope drop or Early Morning Magic Hours.
Your options will be limited to Fantasyland and Tomorrowland if you’re there for Early Morning Magic Hours, but there are tons of popular things you can do in those two lands before you’re allowed into the other lands.
You should, of course, choose what you prioritize first thing in the morning based on your personal preference, but I recommend riding Peter Pan’s Flight, the three mountains, and meeting characters during rope drop and Early Morning Magic Hours.
You will only be able to ride Space Mountain during Early Morning Magic Hours so keep that in mind.
No matter what your personal preferences are, be sure to ride the most popular rides that you don’t have a Fastpass+ for first thing in the morning. It will save you a lot of time standing in line throughout the day, and you’ll be amazed at how much you’re able to do in a short amount of time.
7. There is a Short Grace Period
A lot of people don’t realize that there is a short grace period for using your Fastpass+.
You can typically use it 5 minutes before your return window starts and 10-15 minutes after your window ends.
If you show up outside of that grace window, you probably won’t be able to use your Fastpass+ selection unless you plead your case to the cast member at the fastpass queue, and they are kind enough to let you in.
Don’t rely on that strategy though!
I personally try to take advantage of the short 5 minute grace period before my Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selection. This is especially true if it is my third fastpass of the day.
The sooner I redeem my Fastpass+, the sooner I can book my fourth Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ for the day!
I’m also just naturally the type of person who thinks you’re late if you show up 5 minutes early. I’m normally hovering around the ride I have a Fastpass+ for about 10 minutes before my return time begins.
This short grace period is perfect for people who are rushing across Magic Kingdom to get to their next Fastpass+ and get bottlenecked because there is a parade or stage show. Or for people who are rushing to use their Fastpass+ after a meal or hopping over from a different park.
If you’re hungry and want to grab a bite to eat but are worried about being late and missing your Fastpass+ window, I suggest eating at a quick service restaurant rather than a table service restaurant.
It is a nice feature that Disney includes, and really helps to keep the parks running smoothly and guests happy.
8. Choose Rides that Make Sense for You
I’ve made a lot of statements about what rides you should try to get a Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ for and what rides aren’t worth getting a Fastpass+ for.
But it really comes down to what you value and want to experience.
My mom suffers from motion sickness, so she can’t ride any of the rollercoasters, so it doesn’t make sense to get a Fastpass+ for them.
If you really want to ride something on my list of bad fastpasses, then go ahead and get a Fastpass+ for it. I may not think it is a good use of a Fastpass+ selection, but you may.
Don’t let yourself get pressured into thinking you’re wasting your Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selections if you don’t get fastpasses for the most popular attractions and choose medium popular attractions instead.
It boils down to what you personally find value in.
That’s how you’re going to get the most out of your Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selections.
I personally despise Splash Mountain. I hate drops, and I hate water. So I never get a Fastpass+ for the ride. I have friends who think I’m stupid to get a Haunted Mansion fastpass over a Splash Mountain fastpass because Splash Mountain normally has a very long wait time.
But, to me, getting a Splash Mountain fastpass makes no sense. I get no joy out of it, and I get a lot of joy out of riding Haunted Mansion.
The Bottom Line
Try to think of it that way when trying to decide what Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selections you’re going to make.
Decide what attractions you really want to ride and a list of attractions you definitely don’t want to ride.
From there, try to figure out how to get the biggest benefit from your Fastpass+ selections. once you know what you want to ride, try to get a fastpass for the most popular attractions within that group.
This way you’ll be maximizing your time and using your Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selections wisely.
There is no sense getting a Fastpass+ for something you don’t like just because it is a popular attraction, and you feel pressured into getting it!
9. Don’t Forget About Characters!
A lot of people neglect characters when deciding on their Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selections.
There are a lot of different characters in Magic Kingdom that you can get a Fastpass+ for, and many of them have a long line to meet them.
You should definitely consider getting a Fastpass+ to meet a character if that is really important to you. It can be a huge timesaver in the long run.
Popular characters like Tinker Bell, Mickey Mouse, and the princesses can have wait times for over an hour. That is just as long as some of the popular rides!
Decide whether meeting characters in the Magic Kingdom is an essential activity for you. If it is, you may want to use a Fastpass+ selection to make sure you meet your favourite character.
10. You Can Use Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ when Attending the Halloween or Christmas Parties
This is a bit of a complicated Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ feature and needs to be done in a very specific way in order to work.
The short way of explaining this is that you’re able to make Fastpass+ selections from 4pm to 6pm on the day you have a ticket to either the Halloween Party or the Christmas party.
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party starts in August and ends in October. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party runs in November and December. Parties are only held on certain nights so be sure to check the events calendar in advance!
The parties start at 7pm, but you’re able to enter Magic Kingdom at 4pm. Cast members start to clear the park of people who do not have a ticket to the party at 6pm when the Magic Kingdom officially closes for the day.
The process for booking a Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ before a hard-ticket event differs depending on whether you’re visiting another park that day or not. I’ll explain both methods seperately.
If You’re Visiting a Park Before Attending the Party
The process of booking a Fastpass+ before a party is pretty straightforward when you’re visiting another park the same day as the party.
Essentially, any fastpass you have for the party will be a bonus Fastpass+ selection you can make after your three original fastpasses are used up for the day.
You follow the same process as you would for booking any same-day Fastpass+.
You can book your Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ through the app on your phone, but you’ll only be able to make one Fastpass+ selection at a time as you’ve already used your original three Fastpass+ selections for the day.
If You’re Only Attending the Party
Booking your Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selections becomes more complicated if you’re only attending that party for the day.
You’re able to book multiple Fastpass+ selections because you don’t have any selected for that day.
You probably will only be able to book two Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selections before the party. This is because you’re only allowed one Fastpass+ per hour, and you can only book them from 4pm to 6pm before the party.
That may sound simple enough, but you have to book your Fastpass+ selections in a very specific way in order for it to work.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to book your Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ before the party if you’re not visiting any other park that day:
Be sure you have purchased your ticket
Book your Fastpass+ selections for every day you have a park ticket. This means if you have four days’ worth of park tickets, you need to book all 12 Fastpass+ selections
Select your Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selections for before the party
It is ESSENTIAL that you book all your Fastpass+ selections for regular park tickets BEFORE you book Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selections on the day of the party.
The system gets very confused if you don’t book all your regular park ticket Fastpass+ selections before your party selections. It thinks you’re booking regular Fastpass+ selections rather than pre-party Fastpass+ selections.
The system will think you’ve made all your Fastpass+ selections and are out of Fastpass+ entitlements if you try to book a Fastpass+ for the day of the party when you haven’t selected your Fastpass+ options for every other day you have a park ticket.
You must also have your party ticket purchased before you’re able to make Fastpass+ selections on your party day. Your party ticket essentially signals to the system that you’re entitled to make those pre-party Fastpass+ selections.
Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should
The fact that you can get a few extra Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selections before a Halloween or Christmas party is great! I love taking advantage of this little loophole and booking the extra fastpasses.
There are a few reasons why booking the extra Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selections may not be the best option for you:
You want to meet some of the popular characters in their party costumes. If you want to meet the most popular characters at the parties, you have to line up for it early. Like as soon as you get to the party early! It wouldn’t be worth your time to book the extra fastpasses in this instance.
You don’t want to be rushed getting to the party. Many people have a relaxed resort day or spend time at Disney Springs before the party. Getting to Magic Kingdom for a 4:15pm Fastpass+ can really eat into your day, and you may not want that pressure.
You’re travelling with a small child. The parties run late into the night. You may want to let your small child nap a little later into the afternoon the day of the party, so they can stay up a little later to enjoy the party.
Tips for Visiting Disney World Alone
Conclusion
Making your Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ selections may seem easier than in the other three Disney World parks because there is no tier system, but that can actually make it more difficult.
You have to have a thorough plan about what you want to get a Fastpass+ for and what you’re willing to stand in line to ride.
You can’t get a Fastpass+ for everything you want to ride, so you have to make difficult choices.
I highly recommend you do some research on each of the attractions you can get a Fastpass+ for. Figure out what you want to ride and determine what Fastpass+ strategy will work best for you.
Be sure to take into account what you’re able to ride at rope drop and during Extra Morning Magic Hours. Try to create a Magic Kingdom plan that allows you to maximize quiet times in the parks and the Fastpass+ system.
You’ll be amazed at how much you can do and see in a single day in the Magic Kingdom if you have a solid strategy and maximize your Fastpass+ selections.
I hope this post has helped you plan your Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ strategy. These tips should help you make the most of your day in Magic Kingdom and understand the Fastpass+ system a little better.
Please leave a comment below if you have any questions or if you have an amazing Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ tip you want to share!
Visiting Walt Disney World in August can come with some unforeseen challenges. The weather that time of year is difficult to plan for, the crowds fluctuate regularly, and there are a number of special events happening in the parks.
If you haven’t been to Disney World in August before, these tips are perfect for you! They help you get the most out of your trip and help you plan for whatever comes your way.
Your trip will be magical no matter what, but these five tips will help bring the magic of your trip to the next level!
1. Crowd Calendars Aren’t Always Right
You should always consult a crowd calendar when you’re planning a Disney trip. A crowd calendar estimates how busy each of the theme parks will be on any given day on a scale of 1 through 10.
Crowd calendars help you be prepared for how busy the parks will be when you’re there. They are also a great tool to use when planning you’re trip. If you have the flexibility, you can arrange your trip to coincide with a time when the parks are predicted to be less busy.
Unfortunately crowd calendars are not always accurate. It is impossible to estimate how busy a park is going to be months in advance. I have been fooled by a crowd calendar more than once, and the parks ended up being way busier than I anticipated.
The crowds in Disney World in August are particularly difficult to estimate.
A lot of the crowds depend on whether kids are in school or not. There are also increased crowds during the opening of the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot. The free dining offer brings in extra people in August as well.
It is great to use a crowd calendar to plan you Disney World trip in August, but I suggest you plan for the parks to be a bit busier than the calendar suggests. If the calendar says one day will be a 4, I would plan for a 5-6 crowd day. You won’t run into any unforeseen crowd issues this way!
2. Look into Special Events Around the Parks
Walt Disney World in August is home to two special events: Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) and Epcot’s Food and Wine festival.
Both events start in late August.
Disney posts the dates for both events months in advance, so you can check their website to see if you’ll be able to catch them when you’re in Disney.
Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival is included in your ticket price, so it is a great option for people who don’t want to spend extra money. There is an extra fee for MNSSHP. You get a lot of extra benefits like a quieter park and candy with MNSSHP. It is worth researching and determining if it is worth it for you!
It is so much fun to partake in the special events around Disney World in August. They add an extra layer of magic to your trip and make everything that much more fun.
The Food and Wine Festival lets you try bite-sized food from all over the world and MNSSHP lets you celebrate Halloween like never before!
There are other special events that may be offered during your Disney World trip in August. These events are offered all year round and are not exclusive to August. They are still worth checking out though!
After Hours– This event lets you pay extra to have access to either Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom for 3 hours after the park closes! It is expensive, but I think it is worth it.
Early Morning Magic– Similar to after hours, this is a hard ticket event. You get access to either Hollywood Studios or Magic Kingdom 90 minutes before the park opens. You are limited to specific lands only. Be sure to check what lands you can access to see if it is worth it for you.
Dessert Party– A dessert party gives you access to a prime viewing location for the nighttime show in each of the parks. You get to indulge in sweets and drinks before the show then get an unobstructed view of the nighttime show. In some parks (specifically Epcot) you even get to go on a popular attraction with no wait time after the show!
I always advocate for taking all the extra events you can while on a Disney vacation. They make amazing memories and are so much fun! I never hesitate to pay for an after hours event or other hard ticket event when I’m at Disney.
Walt Disney World in August has a lot of special events to choose from! If you were only able to attend one, I would recommend MNSSHP! It is such a fun event! Seeing all the characters in their Halloween costumes is way more fun than I thought it would be. You also have the chance to see rare characters like all of the dwarves at once and Sally and Jack.
You won’t regret splurging and attending a special event at Disney World. I promise.
3. Everything You Need to Know About the Weather in Disney World in August
The weather in Disney World in August is predictably unpredictable. It changes constantly. The weather can go from swelteringly hot to pouring rain in minutes, so you need to be prepared for everything!
The only two things you can guarantee about the weather in Disney World in August is that you’re going to get wet. Whether it is from sweat or rain is yet to be determined though. But in all likelihood it will be a combination of both things.
You will need to pack accordingly and be prepared for the changes in weather. A poncho is a must-pack item. You can buy a 5 pack of ponchos for less than $10. This will save you a lot of money! The ponchos in the parks are extremely overpriced but people buy them because they didn’t come prepared.
You also need to pack a fan for when it is hot! I prefer a hand fan, but many people like the battery-powered fans. This is another item that is substantially more expensive if you purchase it in the park. Save your money for good souvenirs and pack your own fan! You will definitely need it!
Get Ahead of the Weather
I hate checking the weather and refuse to do so basically as a life motto. But there is one place that checking the weather ahead of time is essential. You guessed it: Walt Disney World.
Downloading a weather app and checking it before you leave your hotel in the morning should be a ritual when you’re at Disney World. Knowing what weather is predicted for the day will help you plan your activities.
You know that you should plan to be indoors when it is going to rain and are able to do your outside activities either before or after it starts to rain. This will make your Disney trip go much smoother. There is nothing worse than being caught out in a rain storm and being wet and uncomfortable for the rest of the day.
The good news is that the rain rarely lasts for more than 10-30 minutes in Disney World in August. You won’t have to spend your entire day inside or trudge around in the rain all day.
The same goes for the heat. If you know that it is supposed to be hottest around 3pm, then you can plan to be inside during that time. This will allow you to avoid sunburn and sunstroke and have an overall more enjoyable time in the parks.
The Truth About the Weather in Disney World in August
You can’t avoid the weather at Disney. As much as we would love for Disney to be under a giant dome, so the weather is always perfect, that simply isn’t the case.
As I said, the rain hardly ever lasts long in Disney World in August, so it won’t ruin your trip. A rainy patch is the perfect excuse to go inside and grab a sweet treat or jump in the queue for an indoor attraction.
4. You May be Able to Eat for Free!!
You read that correctly! Disney World often offers a promotion for guests visiting the parks in the fall where they get a free dining plan attached to their reservation. This means that you can potentially save a lot of money by visiting Disney World in August.
There are, of course, certain requirements you have to meet to get this deal, but it can still save you money in the end. You have to pay full price for your hotel room and purchase a park hopper ticket in order to be eligible for the free dining offer.
The offer is also only available at certain hotels during certain dates, and there is a finite number of packages available. The promotion is normally released in the spring, and you have to book your vacation shortly after the promotion is announced.
This promotion is great for people who know they want to visit Disney World months in advance. It is definitely the sort of deal you know to know about before it is released and be ready to book it quickly.
My Thoughts on the Free Dining Promotion
I’ve used this promotion in the past, and it definitely has its pros and cons. You get a lot of food on the dining plan, so it can be difficult to use all of your free credits.
You also have to price out whether it is cheaper for you to purchase your room at a discounted rate versus pay full price and not pay for food. Disney often releases a 25% off hotel prices promotion around the same time as the free dining promotion.
You have to do the math to determine which promotion is best for your family.
The free dining promotion often works out to a better deal, and is is one tactic that Disney uses to draw more crowds at a historically less busy time of year. You should take advantage of any offer Disney has that makes your trip more cost effective! Free dining is one way of doing this.
5. No Ride Refurbishments
It is pretty much a sure bet that there won’t be many rides under refurbishment in Disney World in August. August is the end of the busy summer season, so none of the rides will be under refurbishment.
Of course there is the possibility that a few of the smaller, less popular attractions could be closed. But even that is rare. It is likely that all the attractions will be running as normal.
This is great news for people that don’t get to visit the parks very often. It is especially good for people who are able to be at the parks when the crowds are lower. You can ride everything you want without a huge wait time!
Not having to worry about being disappointed that your favourite ride will be done is one of the benefits of going to Disney World in August. You won’t have to try to plan your trip around a refurbishment schedule. It makes planning and getting FastPass+ so much easier and less stressful.
Would I Recommend Visiting Disney World in August?
I would recommend visiting Disney World at the end of August rather than at the beginning of August. The crowds will be less intense, and you will be able to partake in the special events and festivals.
Visiting in August is easier for families that have children in school because you don’t have to pull them out of class during the school year. And if you do have to pull them out, they are only missing the first few days of classes.
I think there are benefits to visiting Disney World in August, and it is the best summer month to visit the parks. It is significantly less busy than the end of June and July. The parks are packed during those times!
However, I would recommend visiting in September if that works for your family. You get the same benefits as visiting Disney World in August, but you are guaranteed to have smaller crowds.
The parks are significantly less crowded the first two weeks of September than they are the last two weeks of August. You still get to attend the special events, but you don’t have to guess whether the crowd calendar is correct or not like you have to in August. The crowds will be lower!
Conclusion
Visiting Disney World in August can be great. But it can also have its downsides. You can either have low crowds or extremely high crowds deepening on what time of the month you go.
The weather is also a concern but easily combated if you are prepared. Packing appropriate clothing and accessories will make the Orlando weather much more enjoyable.
August is a great time to visit Walt Disney World because you have the opportunity to experience a number of different special events like Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival and MNSSHP. You can’t beat the extra magic and memories that come with these events. They are perfect for people of any age!
You can’t go wrong with any Disney vacation. August is a great time of year to visit Disney World as long as you plan it properly and are prepared for the weather and possibility of higher crowds than you anticipated.
So go ahead and book your trip to Disney World in August! It will be a magical adventure!
Disneyland Paris is the perfect day trip from Paris. It is easy to get to from central Paris and is tons of fun! There a lot of Disneyland Paris attractions. Many of them are similar to attractions in other Disney parks and some of them are unique to Disneyland Paris.
You will want to have an understanding of Disneyland Paris attractions before you go to the parks. You will be better able to optimize your time if you know what you want to ride before you get to the parks.
This article will go through all of the Disneyland Paris attractions available. It should help you create a game plan for your visit. There are a lot of Disneyland Paris attractions to choose from. If you are only in the parks for one day, you won’t be able to ride everything. You will have to pick and choose what Disneyland Paris attractions are most important to you.
I’m going to cover some general Disneyland Paris information before getting into discussing Disneyland Paris attractions. Feel free to skip right to the Disneyland Paris attractions content if you’re a Disney expert and know all about FastPasses and park hopping!
General Disneyland Paris Information
Before I start breaking down Disneyland Paris attractions, there are some general things you need to know about Disneyland Paris.
There are Two Parks
There are two different parks on Disneyland Paris property. Disneyland Paris park is the main park. It has most of the classic Disney attractions that you know and love. It has a similar vibe to Magic Kingdom and Disneyland California.
The other park is Walt Disney Studios Park. This park has a lot of Pixar-themed areas. It is also home to a number of more thrilling attractions. Disney Studios park is also home to a number of outstanding stage shows that you should try catch if you have the time.
Navigating the Two Disneyland Paris Theme Parks
It can be difficult to locate attractions if you are a first-time Disneyland Paris visitor or not familiar with the way Disney lays out their parks.
There are guide maps available at both parks. You can pick one up as you enter the parks. There is a stand shortly after you scan your ticket and go through the turnstile.
The maps are available in multiple different languages, so you won’t have to try to read a French map if you don’t speak French. You only need to pick up one map because the map contains information for both parks, which makes it easy to plan your day if you have a park hopper ticket.
Your guide map will show you where all the Disneyland Paris attractions and restaurants are located as well as what time the shows and parades are running that day. The guide map will also give you information about what characters are meeting that day and where to find them.
Tickets
It is expensive to buy tickets to theme parks, and Disneyland Paris is no exception, unfortunately. You should consider purchasing a park-hopper ticket. This ticket gives you access to both Disneyland Paris parks on the same day.
The parks are very close to one another. You can easily walk from one park to the next in less than 5 minutes, so you don’t have to worry about building in transportation time like you have to in Walt Disney World.
Purchasing a park hopper ticket gives you a lot of flexibility and freedom. You are able to do what you want throughout the day without being confined to a single park. You are able to hop from one park to the other to avoid crowds and make the most out of your time.
It is important to purchase a park hopper ticket if you’re only going to be at Disneyland Paris for one day. There are unique attractions in each park that you won’t want to miss. There are must-ride Disneyland Paris attractions in each park, so you will definitely want to have a park hopper ticket in order to ride them all!
Information regarding ticket pricing can be found here.
FastPasses
To make the most out of your time at Disneyland Paris, you should use FastPasses. FastPasses give you front-of-the-line access to various Disneyland Paris attractions.
You have to scan your paper ticket at a FastPass kiosk located near the ride. FastPass kiosks are clearly marked, so you shouldn’t have any trouble locating them. Once you scan your park ticket, you will receive a FastPass that has a return time on it. You can return to that attraction during the designated time slot and go through the much quicker FastPass queue.
Your FastPass will tell you when you are eligible to get another FastPass. You normally have to wait 90 minutes or use your current FastPass before you are eligible to get a new one. This helps spread the FastPasses out to all the guests and prevents people from hoarding them.
FastPasses are included in the price of your ticket, so you should make the most out of them! You should try to get FastPasses for the rides that have the longest wait time. You can ride attractions that have a short wait time while you are waiting to use your FastPass at a popular attraction. This is the most time efficient way!
You are able to get a FastPass in Disneyland Paris then go to Walt Disney Studios while you are waiting for your return time and go back to Disneyland Paris to use your FastPass. You have a lot of flexibility with FastPasses. Just be sure not to miss your return time!
It will take approximately 30-45 minutes to get from central Paris to Disneyland Paris using public transportation.
There is a shuttle bus Disney provides from central Paris to the parks, but it is overpriced and not as efficient as the train. I wouldn’t recommend using the shuttle unless you have an impairment that prevents you from riding the train.
Disneyland Paris Attractions
Fantasyland
Fantasyland is home to some of the most iconic and nostalgic Disneyland Paris attractions. It is filled with bright colours and child-friendly rides. This land is often what people think of first when they think of Disney. It is truly classic.
Fantasyland is located behind Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. It is located in the middle of the park. You are able to access it from Discoveryland, Adventureland, and Main Street, U.S.A.
Sleeping Beauty Castle
This is the castle that you see as you are walking down Main Street, U.S.A. when you first enter Disneyland Paris. This castle design is unique to Disneyland Paris, and, frankly, it is one of the most beautiful Disney castles.
You are able to go inside the castle. There are scenes from Sleeping Beauty depicted inside the castle. You are also able to go outside on a balcony where there is a fantastic view of Fantasyland.
Note: You are required to walk up a flight of stairs to visit the inside of the castle. This may be difficult for people with mobility issues.
La Tanière du Dragon
What would Sleeping Beauty’s Castle be without an evil dragon lurking underneath it?
You are able to walk through the bottom of the castle to see a sleeping (or is it?) dragon. Be sure to wait around for a few minutes: the dragon just might wake up.
You are able to access this attraction from both Main Street, U.S.A. and Fantasyland. It is dark in the cave, but the floor is flat, so this is one of the Disneyland Paris attractions that is suitable for people with mobility issues to participate in without having to be accommodated.
As I mentioned, it is dark in the cave, so children (and adults) with a fear of the dark may not enjoy seeing the dragon. It isn’t pitch black, but there is just enough light to see where you are walking.
It’s a Small World
This is a classic Disney attraction that is found in every Disney park in the world except for Shanghai Disneyland. This is a slow-paced boat ride that takes you through various scenes that shows people and animals from all over the world.
It is a brightly coloured attraction with tons of animatronics wearing clothing traditional to the part of the world they are representing. It is filled with classic, Disney nostalgia and is great for people of any age because there isn’t a height limit.
While It’s a Small World is popular amongst hard-core Disney fans, it normally doesn’t have a very long queue. It is a great option if you have a FastPass for a different Fantasyland attraction and have a few extra minutes to spare before their return window begins.
Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups
This is another classic Disney attraction. The Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups are themed based on the tea party scene in Alice in Wonderland. It is a colourful ride that is perfect for taking a picture of!
This attraction consists of various tea cups. You pick a tea cup, get in, and then spin around and around and around and around. The tea cups themselves spin, but there is also a wheel in your individual tea cup that lets you spin even faster if you choose to.
This attraction is beloved by both children and adults alike. It is a fun attraction that oftentimes doesn’t have much of a wait time.
You can get rather dizzy on this attraction, so you may want to give it a miss if you get motion sick or have just eaten.
Alice’s Curious Labyrinth
Continuing with the theme of Alice in Wonderland, the next attraction is Alice’s Curious Labyrinth. This is a walk-through maze where you get to see all the main characters from the movie.
You get to choose your own path, so be sure to choose wisely otherwise you will have to retrace your steps to find the proper route!
This attraction is a lot of fun- especially if you have children in your group. It allows them to run around a little and burn off some energy.
The maze isn’t too long, so it won’t take you more than 10-20 minutes to complete depending on how long you spend looking at all the theming. It can get busy in the maze during peak times (aka mid-afternoon), so you may want to try to visit it mid-morning or early evening.
This is another one of the Disneyland Paris attractions that people with mobility issues are able to participate in without having to be accommodated. If you are able to walk through the maze, you will be able to experience it! You are able to walk as slow as you want, and you can stop and rest mid-maze if you need to.
There is one section of the maze that requires you to walk up a few stairs. You can easily bypass this portion of the attraction if you are unable to climb stairs. There is often a queue to climb the stairs, so many people bypass it in any event.
You aren’t able to bring motorized scooters or wheelchairs into the maze. You will have to walk by yourself if you want to go through the maze.
Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains
This translates to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It is a dark-ride where you board a wooden mine train and go through the scenes from the movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
It is a slow-moving ride that is suitable for children of all ages and sizes. Other versions of this attraction can be found in Disneyland California and Tokyo Disneyland.
It can be a popular attraction, and it doesn’t offer a FastPass. If you really want to ride this attraction, I would recommend riding it in the morning before the park gets busy or in the evening after most of the children have gone home for the day.
Warning: This attraction has a number of scenes that may scare young children. The attraction focuses more on the relationship between Snow White and the Old Hag than on Snow White and her relationship with the Seven Dwarfs.
Le Carrousel de Lancelot
This attraction is the classic carrousel ride that you will find in the centre of every Fantasyland in every Disney park around the world.
Similar to any other carrousel, this attraction allows you to climb aboard a horse of your choosing and spin around slowing in circles. It is great fun for people of all ages. It has no height limit, there are seat buckles for smaller children, and parents are allowed to stand by their small child and help to hold them up.
The best part of the carrousel is that if you’re very, very lucky, you may get to ride with a Disney princess! Occasionally throughout the day a princess (normally Belle) will go for a ride on the carrousel. It makes for a very special memory if you are lucky enough to experience the attraction with a Disney character.
Peter Pan’s Flight
This is undoubtably the most popular attraction in Fantasyland. It is a cult classic amongst adult Disney fans and children love it too. This is one of the most popular Disneyland Paris attractions, so you will want to either ride it first thing in the morning or get a FastPass for it.
Peter Pan’s flight is a dark ride where you board a boat and soar above the story of Peter Pan. You start in the Darling children’s bedroom and end by defeating Captain Hook. You get to float through all the iconic scenes the make this movie the Disney classic it is.
Peter Pan’s Flight in Disneyland Paris is quite similar to other versions throughout the world. If you’re a huge Peter Pan’s Flight fan, you should definitely take the time to ride it. However, if you’ve ridden it in other parks throughout the world and are only a so-so fan, you may want to spend your time riding Disneyland Paris attractions that you can’t find anywhere else in the world.
This is a slow boat ride that takes you through miniature dioramas that depict your favourite Disney fairytales. You see scenes from Tangled, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and more!
The scenes are quite well designed. This attraction rarely has a queue, so it is a great way to relax during the middle of the day when your feet start to ache.
There is no height limit for this attraction, so it is suitable for children of all ages. The is a lot to see, so your young children will have lots of sensory stimulation (I mean, what at Disney isn’t sensory stimulation?).
Casey Jr.- le Petit Train du Cirque
This attraction is specifically geared towards young children. You board Casey Jr. and go for a fun ride through Storybook Land.
This attraction does not have a height limit because it was designed with children in mind. It doesn’t normally have much of a queue, so it is another great choice for the middle of the day when you and your child(ren) are getting tired and need a bit of a break.
Les Voyages de Pinocchio
This attraction is very similar to the Snow White dark ride in Fantasyland. The ride layout and vehicles are the same.
The difference is that you are riding through Pinocchio’s story on this attraction rather than Snow White’s.
This attraction is also a lot less scary for young children because it has brighter colours and fewer scary characters. There are still a couple of scenes that a young child might find scary but not nearly as many as in the Snow White attraction.
This attraction does not offer a FastPass and can be quite popular. You should try to ride it first thing in the morning or in the evening when most of the children have left for the day. This will allow you to experience the attraction without queuing for a long time.
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
This is the second most popular attraction in Fantasyland behind Peter Pan’s Flight. It is a staple attraction that is found in every Disney park in the world, and is a favourite among children.
The ride vehicles are in the shape of an elephant. You choose your elephant and are lifted into the air. The elephants go in a circle, and there is a controller in your vehicle that allows you to raise or lower your elephant, so it feels like you are flying.
You get amazing views of Fantasyland while riding the Dumbo attraction. You should make sure to have your camera ready to make sure you get a couple of great pictures.
This attraction does not offer FastPasses, which is surprising considering how popular it is. You should ride it first thing in the morning if you have a child that loves Dumbo and has to ride it everything s/he is at the park.
If you can’t ride it first thing in the morning, later in the evening is another good time to ride it. Many children leave the parks early in the evening, so the queue is shorter near the end of the night. There will still be a queue, but it will be shorter than during the day.
There is no height restriction for this attraction, so your entire family will be able to ride it with no problem. It makes for a great family memory and tradition!
Discoveryland
Discoveryland is equivalent to Tomorrowland in the rest of the Disney parks around the world. It is home to futuristic attractions and metallic colouring.
It is located on the left-hand side of Main Street, U.S.A. You can enter Discoveryland either from Main Street, U.S.A. or Fantasyland.
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
This is the newest Disneyland Paris attraction. It is a 4D show that features Donald getting into trouble and Mickey helping save him.
Mickey’s PhilharMagic takes you on a musical journey where you get to hear your favourite classic Disney songs. Other versions of this attraction can be found in Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Tokyo Disneyland.
This attraction doesn’t normally have much of a wait time and can fit a large number of people into one show, so it is perfect for people who are looking for something to do in the middle of the day when the queues are long. Or people who are looking to catch a midday nap (Disney really is exhausting!).
There is seating for people in wheelchairs, so this attraction is accessible to people with mobility impairments. If you have a wheelchair or motorized scooter, you will be shown into the theatre first, so you don’t have to try to fight the crowds and find your designated seating area.
Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast
This is a great attraction for people of all ages. It is a slow-moving game where you try to shoot targets with a laser gun to defeat evil Emperor Zurg.
Each ride vehicle has two laser guns, and you are competing to see who has the best score. This is one of the longer non-show Disneyland Paris attractions. The ride takes approximately 5 minutes. You are shooting the entire time, so five minutes goes by pretty quickly, and you might end up with a hand cramp by the end of it.
There is no height limit for this attraction, so anybody in your party can ride it. If you have a small child and two adults, the three of you will go into one car with the child seated in the middle for safety.
This is a very popular attraction in every Disney park around the world- including Disneyland Paris. FastPasses for this attraction don’t run out too quickly, so you can get FastPasses for another attraction you want to ride and then come back and get a FastPass for Buzz Lightyear later in the afternoon.
Les Mystères de Nautilus
This is a walk through attraction where you board a submarine and explore the world Jules Verne created with 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. You get to explore the submarine and see some of the discoveries the crew has made deep in the ocean.
This is a fun attraction for people who are a fan of the novel or people who love sea-themed things. It isn’t the most engaging attraction at Disneyland Paris. You may want to give it a pass if you’re not into 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea or submarines.
You don’t have to walk up or down any stairs in this attraction, so it is suitable for people with mobility issues. The hallways are wide enough for a wheelchair, but you will have to check with a cast member to see if wheelchairs are allowed in the attraction or not.
Orbitron
You get a bird’s eye view of Discoveryland on the Orbitron! This attraction is based off of one of Leonardo da Vinci’s drawing of the solar system.
You board a space ship and shoot into the solar system. You are able to control the height of your space ship just like on the Dumbo attraction. The two attractions are very similar. The main differences between them are the theming and that the Orbitron lifts you higher into the air.
This attraction is similar to the Orbitron in other Disney parks around the world. If you aren’t a fan of the attraction at any other park, you should give it a pass in Disneyland Paris as well.
There is no height requirement on this attraction, so anybody is welcome to ride it.
This attraction doesn’t offer a FastPass. It can get pretty busy at times, so you should avoid trying to ride it during peak hours to limit your wait time.
Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
Star Tours is a simulator attraction. You board a Starspeeder and go on a thrilling trip through the Star Wars universe.
The best part about this attraction is that the scenes are random. You never know what part of the universe you will be visiting until your Starspeeder takes you there.
This is a very popular attraction. The queue can oftentimes being more than 60 minutes long. FastPass is available, so if you have a Star Wars fanatic in your group, you will want to make sure you get one!
Star Tours in Disneyland Paris is identical to Star Tours in other Disney parks around the world. The characters speak in French, so you won’t be able to understand them if you’re an Anglophile, but you will be able to follow along with the story line through watching the show.
This is a simulator attraction, so you shouldn’t ride it if you get motion sick.
Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain
What could be better than a mashup between Star Wars and on the most popular rollercoasters in the Disney universe? This attraction is amazing. It is one of the few Disneyland Paris attractions that is better than the original, classic version found in the US parks.
This attraction not only has a great theme, but it is also a lot more thrilling than the original version. The Disneyland Paris version has an upside down loop and a corkscrew, so it takes the thrill level up a notch.
Hyperspace Mountain is one of the few Disneyland Paris attractions that offers a single rider line. This line is normally shorter than the normal line. The only downside is that you will not be able to ride with anybody else in your group. You will be used to fill an empty seat when a party in the normal line has an odd number of riders.
Unsurprisingly, Hyperspace Mountain is a very popular attraction. It does offer a FastPass. If your party wants to ride the attraction together, you should get a FastPass or ride the coaster first thing in the morning.
If your family doesn’t mind splitting up, the single rider line is a great option. It allows you to ride a popular attraction with a short wait time while having a FastPass for another popular attraction. This is a great strategy for people trying to optimize their time in the parks.
Autopia
Autopia is a driving attraction geared towards young children. Children are able to drive a motorized car through a closed course.
There is a metal track along the track under each car that prevents children from driving out of their lane, so you don’t have to worry about your child crashing the car or getting crashed into by another child.
Children love this attraction, so a long queue can form during peak hours. There is no FastPass for this attraction. You will have to strategize when you want to ride this attraction around all the other attractions you want to ride that don’t offer a FastPass.
Autopia in Disneyland Paris is the same as the Autopia attractions found in the US parks. There is nothing new or special about it, so you may want to skip this attraction unless it is a favourite of someone in your party.
Adventureland
Adventureland is located to the left of Fantasyland and the right of Frontierland. You can get to it from Fantasyland, Frontierland, or Main Street, U.S.A. It is one of the larger lands, and it has a number of popular and adventurous attractions.
This is a self-paced walk through attraction. You enter the world of Agrabah and get to see scenes from the movie Aladdin.
The theming of this attraction is great, and the dioramas you look at are intricate and colourful.
This is a self-paced attraction, which means that you can wander through it at your leisure. There won’t be a wait. Visiting this attraction while waiting for a nearby attraction you have a FastPass for or in the middle of the day are great options.
The passage you walk through is flat, so it is accessible to people with mobility impairments. You will have to check with a cast member to see if you have to transfer from a wheelchair or if you are able to take it into the attraction with you.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril
This is an outdoors rollercoaster that can only be found in Disneyland Paris and Tokyo DisneySea, so it is one of the more unique Disneyland Paris attractions.
This rollercoaster has an upside down loop and a couple of big drops (for Disney standards). It is a lot of fun, so you should plan to ride it while you’re in Disneyland Paris if you like coasters.
You are able to get a FastPass for this attraction. The FastPasses aren’t the most popular, so you can normally get FastPasses for another popular attraction and still be able to get a FastPss for Indiana Jones later in the day.
La Cabane des Robinson
This attraction involves climbing up into a treehouse. It is based on the Family Robinson book. You get to walk through various areas of the treehouse and see how the family would have lived if this was their actual house.
There are a lot of stairs to climb. It is a great attraction for children that need to get rid of some energy, but it is not accessibly for people with mobility impairments. If you struggle with stairs, you will want to avoid this attraction.
There normally isn’t a queue for La Cabane des Robinson, so it is a great midday activity to do if you don’t want to wait in a long queue for a different attraction.
Pirates of the Caribbean
Ah, the classic Adventureland attraction. You board and boat and sail through different pirate scenes. It is a classic attraction that can be found in every Disney park around the world.
The Disneyland Paris version of Pirates of the Caribbean is slightly different from any other version. The layout and sequence of the scenes is slightly altered.
There is also a second small drop. This second drop does cause some disruption to the attraction though. The boats tend to get backed up waiting to go down the second drop, and you often get an extended viewing of the scene leading up to the drop.
This is a fairly popular attraction. It can often have a 30-45 minute wait consistently throughout the day. The wait time does tend to shorten as the day progresses, so riding it in the evening can save you some time standing in the line.
There is no FastPass for this attraction. You will have to wait in the queue every time you ride it, so you should try to avoid it during peak hours.
Frontierland
Frontierland is the smallest land, but it is home to two of my favourite Disneyland Paris attractions. It may be small, but it worth spending some time in!
It is on the lefthand side of Main Street, U.S.A. and is the first land you come to on the left when you enter the park. You can access Frontierland from Adventureland and Main Street, U.S.A. There is also a fairly quick way to get there is you leave Fantasyland near Peter Pan’s Flight and keep to the lower part of the path.
Thunder Mesa Riverboat Landing
This is the classic boat ride that is found in most Frontierlands around the world. You board a life-size boat and sail around Frontierland. You get excellent views of Big Thunder Mountain, and you can snap some good photos on it.
This attraction sometimes has a long(ish) queue mostly because there is only one ride vehicle. You will have to wait the length of the attraction if you miss the boat by a few seconds.
People using wheelchairs or motorized scooters will have to transfer and walk onto the boat, so it isn’t totally accessible to people with mobility impairments, unfortunately.
Big Thunder Mountain
This is one of my absolute favourite Disneyland Paris attractions. It is similar to the other Big Thunder Mountain attractions found in other parks in the world, but it is so much better!
It is longer and has more dips and turns than any other version in the world. This attraction is truly a highlight of Disneyland Paris. You should definitely make riding Big Thunder Mountain a priority.
It is outside and doesn’t have an upside down loop, so it is pretty tame compared to the other rollercoasters in Disneyland Paris, but it still extremely fun. Adults and children will love it, so it is perfect for the entire family!
Big Thunder is a popular attraction, so it has a long wait throughout basically the entire day. It is best to get a FastPass for this attraction. There is no single rider queue, and the queue area tends to get very warm and humid during the summer months. It can make for an uncomfortable wait.
Phantom Manor
Phantom Manor is Disneyland Paris’ version of Haunted Mansion. You board a doom buggy and tour through a old manor that is inhabited by ghosts.
It is a slow, dark ride, and there is no height restriction. It is a popular attraction that most guests visit during their Disneyland trip, but it often has a fairly short wait time. They are able to usher large numbers of people into the attraction at once, and that really helps cut down on the wait time. It does not offer a FastPass.
Just like Haunted Mansion, there is a narrator; however, this narrator speaks French. Not being able to fully understand that narration takes a little bit of the fun out of the attraction, but it is still worth going on.
The scenes you go through are similar to the scenes in the US parks, but there are a number of differences.
Must-Ride Disneyland Paris Attractions
There is a lot information to sift through surrounding Disneyland Paris attractions, and it can be difficult to decide what is worth riding and what isn’t.
These are my list of must-ride Disneyland Paris attractions. Obviously this is subjective to my opinion and what style of attraction I enjoy, but it can be used as a starting point to get a quick sense of what attractions a young woman enjoys.
Disneyland Paris Attraction I Ride Every Trip
Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril
Peter Pan’s Flight
Sleeping Beauty Castle
Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast
Phantom Manor
Walt Disney Studios Park Attractions
Toon Studio
This is the largest and most popular land in Walt Disney Studios. It is home to some of the most popular Disneyland Paris attractions, which means it is often very busy in this area.
Toon Studio is located at the back righthand corner of the theme park. You will turn to the right after you enter the park and follow the path. Toon Studio is narrow at the front of the land, but it widens out significantly the deeper into the land you get.
You can easily access the back portion of this land by walking straight when you enter the park to the Backlot area and taking a right. This will give you quick access to the Toy Story attractions.
Crush’s Coaster
This is one of the most unique Disneyland Paris attractions. You board a turtle shell and go on an ocean journey with Crush the turtle from Finding Nemo. The ride starts off slow and calm then picks up when you start riding the East Coast current.
It is a rollercoaster-type attraction with dips and turns. The unique part is that your turtle shell spins as well, so you are turning in circles as you go along the coaster track. It is an amazing attraction. I hope one day it comes to another Disney park.
Crush’s Coaster is a very popular attraction, and it doesn’t offer a FastPass option. The queue is normally 45-60 minutes throughout the entire day.
There is a single rider line, but it is slow moving as well. The single rider queue is often 30-45 minutes long. You shouldn’t let the long line deter you from riding Crush’s Coaster. It is an amazing attraction, and one of the few Disneyland Paris attractions that I am willing to wait in a long queue for.
Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin
This attraction is designed for young children. The ride vehicle is a giant Slinky Dog chasing his tail. You go around and around in circles trying to catch Slinky’s tail.
Children seem to enjoy this attraction, and it regularly has a long wait. It is not unusual for the wait to be 30+ minutes. There is not FastPass offered, so you will have to watch the wait times on your Disneyland Paris app and try to ride it when there is a shorter wait time.
Les Tapis Volants- Flying Carpets over Agrabah
Les Tapis Volants is the same as the Dumbo ride in the Disneyland Paris park. The only difference is that this attraction is themed around the Aladdin movie.
You board a flying carpet and flying over Agrabah (or at least this section of Toon Studio). It is bright and colourful just like Dumbo. The views aren’t as great as the Fantasyland views you get on Dumbo, but they are still pretty good.
This attraction isn’t as popular as the Dumbo attraction, so it is a good option if your child loves this type of attraction, but you want to limit how long you wait in line.
RC Racer
This attraction allows you to board a giant car and room up and down a half-pipe. It is basically the same as the boat half-pipe attractions that are in nearly every local theme park.
If you like the feeling of your stomach dropping time and time again, you will enjoy this attraction. The theming is cute, and you get a thrill, but it isn’t any different than the standard version of this attraction. You should skip this attraction if you don’t like this style of ride.
This attraction is hit-or-miss in terms of wait times. Sometimes it has a short wait times and other times it can be close to an hour. This is another one of the Disneyland Paris attractions that has a single-rider queue, so that is a great option if you don’t mind being split from your party.
Cars Quatre Roues Rallye
This is another one of the Disneyland Paris attractions designed specifically with children in mind. It is themed around the Pixar Cars franchise.
You choose which car you want to ride in and the cars move in a circles. There are three smaller circles that the cars run on, and they weave in and out of each other. The cars also swing a little bit to the left and right as they are moving.
It uses the same ride track as Alien Saucer Swirl at Disney World or Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree in Disneyland California.
There isn’t a FastPass offered for this attraction, but the line is often fairly short, so you shouldn’t have to wait too long if it is something you want to ride.
Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop
This is the last of the Disneyland Paris attractions that are themed around the Toy Story franchise. It is a child-friendly version of the drop of doom-type attraction.
You sit on a green seat that looks like it has a parachute above it, so it looks like you’re one of the green toy soldiers from Toy Story dropping into action.
It is very mild and designed for children.
There is often a fairly long queue. It can get upwards of a 60 minute wait, but that is pretty rare.
There isn’t a FastPass offered, but there is a single-ride line. If your child feels comfortable riding without you beside him/her, this is a great way to save some time. Each bench holds 4 people, so the single-rider line tends to move pretty quickly if there are lots of groups of 3.
Ratatouille: The Adventure
This is one of the most popular (and best) Disneyland Paris attractions. It is so good, that Walt Disney World is bringing it to Epcot. You should 100% make this attraction a priority.
You shrink down the size of a rat and help Remy prepare a special meal. It is a trackless ride, so you never know where you will end up! Each time you ride the attraction, it will be a new experience. It is also a 3D attraction, so that adds another element of fun to the ride!
This attraction is, understandably, a very popular attraction at Disneyland Paris. It offers a FastPass, but they often run out early in the day- especially because not many attractions in Walt Disney Studios have a FastPass option.
There is a single-rider line that moves very quickly. The ride vehicle seats 6 people, so nearly every vehicle has a single rider in it. This is definitely a quickest moving single-ride line, so you should take advantage of it!
Production Courtyard
This is the smallest land in Walt Disney Studios. It consists of only one attraction and serves more of a gateway to the Backlot than an actual land.
You can get to Production Courtyard by taking the path that go to the left when you first enter the park. You will be able to see the single attraction in this land when you enter. It is quite tall, so you can use it as a visual reference point.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
This is a thrill attraction where you board an elevator that stops working and you drop. It is basically a highly-themed drop of doom-type attraction. It is based on the Twilight Zone television show.
A version of this attraction can be found in many Disney parks around the world. It is always a fan favourite and normally has a long(ish) queue. There is now a Fastpass option available for Tower of Terror so be sure to snag one if you’re a huge fan of this attraction!
This version of the ride is similar to the versions found in Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios and Tokyo DisneySea.
If you love this type of attraction, you will want to make time to ride it. However, if you aren’t a huge fan of this attraction at the other Disney parks, you’re probably better off getting a Fastpass for a different, unique attraction.
Backlot
This is the final land in Walt Disney Studios park. It is located behind and slightly to the left of Production Courtyard. You can access it either through the Toy Story portion of Toon Studio or by walking past Production Courtyard.
You can easily miss this land if you don’t know how to get there. Walt Disney Studios isn’t built in a circle like Disneyland Paris, so you won’t just stumble upon a land in this park. It isn’t difficult to find when you know where you’re going though.
This is basically a guided walk-through tour where you learn about special effects. You go through various rooms and see how some of your favourite movie effects were created.
The attraction ends in a room where everybody stands in a circle and experiences an explosion effect. It is very loud, and you shouldn’t participate in this attraction if you have sensitive hearing.
This is a walk through attraction, but people using mobility devices such as wheelchairs or motorized scooters have to transfer and walk through the attraction.
There isn’t a FastPass offered for this attraction, but it isn’t a very popular attraction, so you won’t have a long wait.
The attraction itself is quite long, so it is best to avoid it if you are running short on time and need to get to a FastPass or dining reservation.
Overall, this attraction falls flat for me. It isn’t terribly engaging, and it feels tacky. I wouldn’t make this a priority. There are better Disneyland Paris attractions that you should focus your time on.
Must-Ride Walt Disney Studios Attractions
There are far fewer attractions at Walt Disney Studios than at Disneyland Paris, but it can still be difficult to choose what to prioritize. Many of the attractions at Walt Disney Studios often have a long queue and don’t offer a FastPass.
This is my list of attractions that are worth spending time waiting for at Walt Disney Studios. Again, this is coming from the perspective of a young woman. Your priorities will change if you have a family.
Walt Disney Studios Park Attractions I Ride Every Trip
Crush’s Coaster
Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster
Ratatouille
Conclusion
There are a lot of Disneyland Paris attractions to choose from, and it is difficult to know where to begin- especially if you’re not an experienced Disney addict like I am.
Everybody’s Disneyland Paris experience will be different based on what they prioritize and the style of attraction they prefer. Disneyland Paris attractions range from extremely thrilling to tame enough that an infant can ride.
Disney offeres FastPasses and single-rider lines to help limit how long you have to stand in a queue to ride a popular attraction. These are huge time savers and should be taken advantage of whenever possible. A properly-planned day that takes advantage of these two time savers will be a lot more productive than a day that doesn’t.
In terms of attractions, I hope this guide helped you better understand what each attraction is about. Knowing what an attraction is will help you choose what you do and don’t want to ride before you get to Disneyland Paris. This knowledge will also help you have a well-planned day at Disney.
Overall, planning a trip to Disneyland Paris is no more complicated than planning any other Disney trip. There are a number of Disneyland Paris attractions that are unique to the park that you should be sure to visit, and now that you know what they are, you will be able to make sure you visit them!
Disneyland Paris is one of my favourite Disney parks in the world. I hope you enjoy your time there. Have a magical day!