No vacation destination is more magical than Walt Disney World® Resort’s Magic Kingdom® Park in Bay Lake, Florida. Here you can meet Mickey Mouse on Main Street, U.S.A.®, experience amazing attractions like TRON Lightcycle / Run and dine like a Princess at Cinderella’s Royal Table, all before watching fireworks fill the sky or watching in wonder as the shimmering Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away processional passes by. And those are just some of the enchantments that await.
Of course, turning those possibilities into reality takes a bit of planning, but we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ve gathered all you need to know to make your Magic Kingdom® Park wishes come true, with info on operating times, tickets and park transportation. We’ll also share some useful tips to make your visit even better, starting with this one: Disney® Visa® Credit Cardmembers can redeem Disney Rewards Dollars toward admission, souvenirs and snacks!1
Operating Dates and Hours
Make the most of your Magic Kingdom® Park vacation by knowing the schedules of your favorite attractions, shows, stores and special after-hours events.
Attraction Hours
Magic Kingdom® Park is open from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM most days. Exact hours are subject to change, so for the most up-to-date information, refer to the park’s daily calendar. Most attractions operate during the same hours as the park, but you can check specific attractions’ opening and closing times on the park’s Attractions & Entertainment page. The My Disney Experience App, the official mobile app of Walt Disney World® Resort, can help you plan your day and keep you in the know about any time changes.
Entertainment Hours
You’ll find all sorts of entertainment at Magic Kingdom® Park, from stage shows to fireworks displays. Watch some favorite Characters go by in the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade, starting at 3:00 PM, and then catch the Happily Ever After fireworks and special effects extravaganza at Cinderella’s Castle at 10:00 PM. To close out the evening at either 9:00 or 11:00 PM, experience the wonder as you settle beneath the stars to watch Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away, a dazzling nighttime procession where beloved Disney and Pixar stories light up the sky. Don’t want to miss your favorite must-see? Be sure to check the park’s daily calendar and the Attractions & Entertainment page on its website for the latest performance times.
Store Hours
With dozens of stores throughout Magic Kingdom® Park, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to score that perfect souvenir! Shops keep various hours, so visit the park’s daily calendar and the Shops page on its website to get opening and closing times and stay up to date on any temporary changes.
After Hours
Magic Kingdom® Park is extra enchanting when the sun goes down and the lights come on, so if you’re looking to experience a different side of the park, don’t miss Disney After Hours! This special event gives you the chance to explore the park after dark, munching on complimentary snacks and experiencing many of your favorite attractions with shorter wait times, including Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise. Disney After Hours is held on select nights from winter to late spring. For more info, check out the official Disney After Hours page, where you can find future event dates and more details.
Transportation
Getting around the Walt Disney World® Resort and Magic Kingdom® Park is simple, thanks to convenient transportation options that start service 45 minutes before parks open and continue for up to an hour after they close. Air-conditioned buses travel throughout the resort, while ferryboats, water taxis and the famous monorail connect Magic Kingdom® Park with select resorts and the Ticket and Transportation Center. Elsewhere, the Disney Skyliner connects select resorts with EPCOT® and Disney’s Hollywood Studios® via aerial gondolas. Best of all, each of these services is complimentary for Guests of select Disney Resorts hotels!
Guests who prefer private transportation can book a ride with the resort’s Minnie Van Service connected by Lyft, which is subject to additional charges. Its fleet of vans have seating for up to six and include accessible vehicles with space for two mobility devices. If you’re driving your own car, you can purchase a standard or preferred daily parking pass that’s valid at all four parks. (Guests of Disney Resort hotels receive complimentary standard parking.) A convenient tram service will take you from the lot to the Ticket and Transportation Center, where you can board the Monorail or ferry to Magic Kingdom® Park. The My Disney Experience mobile app’s handy car locator feature lets you save your parking details, meaning that when it’s time to go home, you’ll never be left wondering where you parked!
Pro Tips
Want to make your Magic Kingdom® Park visit even better? Here are three tips that will help you do just that!
Early Theme Park Entry
Squeeze even more fun into your Magic Kingdom® Park vacation by taking advantage of early entry! Guests of Disney Resort hotels and other select hotels with a valid theme park admission and reservation can enter the park up to 30 minutes before the scheduled opening time. That’s an extra half hour to ride select attractions, shop for souvenirs and get started making magical memories!
Lightning Lane Entrances
Zoom through attraction queues by purchasing a Lightning Lane pass, which lets you access shorter lines at select attractions. You can buy Single Passes for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and TRON Lightcycle / Run, purchase a Multi Pass to join Lightning Lane queues at three attractions or pick up both passes to really make the most of your day. The following Magic Kingdom® Park attractions qualify for Lightning Lane Multi Pass entry:
Choose up to one experience from this group:
Choose your other two experiences—or all three—from this group:
- The Barnstormer
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Haunted Mansion
- “it’s a small world”
- Mad Tea Party
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
Mobile Ordering
Fuel your fun faster with mobile ordering. With the My Disney Experience App, you can order food in advance and schedule your preferred pick-up time at select Magic Kingdom® Park restaurants. Then it’s as simple as using the app to let the restaurant know you’ve arrived, picking up your food and chowing down! Disney Visa Cardmembers can even use Disney Rewards Dollars toward the cost of their meals at select locations.1
Tickets
With Walt Disney World® Resort tickets, you have plenty of ways to plan your perfect Disney vacation. Regular Theme Park Tickets can be purchased for one to 10 days and provide entrance to one park per day, though optional add-ons offer opportunities for even more fun. The Park Hopper option lets you visit more than one park on a given day, while the Water Park and Sports option lets you enjoy visits to Disney water parks and athletic facilities in addition to your theme park visits. For ultimate fun and flexibility, the Park Hopper Plus option lets you visit more than one theme park on the same day and visit Disney water parks and athletic facilities. Don’t forget to check the tickets webpage for occasional special offers!
We hope this information will help you with planning your next vacation to Walt Disney World® Resort and Magic Kingdom® Park, where fun attractions, spectacular shows and magical moments await. Remember that as you prepare your trip, you can redeem Disney Rewards Dollars toward admission tickets, and that once your vacation begins, you can also use them toward souvenirs and snacks at the park.1
