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A Disney Obsession

A Disney Obsession

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1 Day In Disney World

This post was actually a request, and has been in my long list of posts for a while, but I’m happy to finally be getting to it! So what do you do if you only have one day in Disney World? Which park? Well, I can’t tell you exactly what to do, but I can tell you what my ideal day looks like, and tips for making the most out of a single day in WDW.

I'm incredibly happy when I'm standing here!
I’m incredibly happy when I’m standing here!

First of all, go to Magic Kingdom. It’s the epitome of Walt Disney World, and it really isn’t a trip to Walt Disney World without seeing that beautiful castle. My first suggestion? Get there early! And by early, I mean before park opening! If you are only able to go for one day, chances are you are not going to be staying at a Disney Resort hotel. If you aren’t staying at a Disney Resort you can still book Fastpass+ in advance, 30 days before you visit to be exact. If this trip is a last minute thing and you didn’t book in advance, don’t worry! You can still take advantage of Fastpass+ by using the in park kiosks, which is important. Also, I suggest doing some research before you go. Get to know the attractions and shows, the things that you know you would want to do. This will help you prioritize when you get to the park, because there is no way you can do everything in one day.

This is about as good of a picture of the castle I got on my last trip!
This is about as good of a picture of the castle I got on my last trip!

This is where it gets hard. If you’ve never been to WDW before, you are probably not going to want to run around and ride everything, you are going to want to enjoy yourself! Because you are at Magic Kingdom at park opening, wait times are going to be very low. I would suggest riding all of the attraction that appeal to you “thrill wise” (that could be Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad) and Seven Dwarf Mine Train if it looks like something you might enjoy. If you have booked your Fatpass+, you just have to show up to that ride during the times you booked, and head to the Fastpass+ line. If you did not book your trip in advance and therefore do not have any Fastpass+,  find a Fastpass+ kiosk. Select 3 Fastpasses for the day, any attractions that appeal to you. Keep in mind the early afternoon is when parks are busiest, so you may want to have a Fastpass for this time, so you won’t be waiting in line forever. It’s hard to say exactly what to do in which order, but taking advantage of Fastpass+ is a must do.

If you are looking for an exact plan of what to follow, I suggest checking out the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World (click the picture below to check it out). They have plans that will tell you exactly which ride to do in which order to avoid high wait times. Being prepared is the most important piece of advice I can give you. It will help to avoid disappointment, and you can try to prioritize when you get into the park. Because it is very hard to write a plan that will appeal to everyone, I thought I would write what an ideal day in Magic Kingdom would include for me.

My ideal day at Magic Kingdom includes:
  • Seeing the Welcome Show (which means being there before park opening)
  • Seven Dwarf Mine Train
  • Festival of Fantasy Parade
  • Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Jungle Cruise
  • Haunted Mansion
  • Under the Sea: Journey of The Little Mermaid
  • Splash Mountain
  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Space Mountain
  • Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover
  • Carousel of Progress
  • “It’s A Small World” (only if it has a short wait)
  • Wishes!

Pluto

My ideal day would include Extra Magic Hours at the end of the day, so I can hit some other attractions I enjoy but don’t want to wait in a really long line for (I’m looking at your Peter Pan’s Flight!). It would also include enjoying a Citrus Swirl, and eating at Be Our Guest Restaurant (if I could have anything I wanted), and would probably include lunch at Columbia Harbour House.

A day in the Magic Kingdom has to end with Wishes! You’ll appreciate staying until the end, I promise! Also, even if the park closes when Wishes starts, you can stay in the park. This is when I like to take pictures and just take in the ambience. It also makes waiting in line for transportation smaller! If you stay for 30 minutes after the park closes, keep an eye out for The Kiss Goodnight. It’s awesome.

Wishes

Sidenote: If you have rented a car and driving, to visit the Magic Kingdom you have to park at the Ticket and Transportation Centre (TTC), and take either the Monorail or Boat to the entrance.

Well, as you can see, there is a lot to do at Magic Kingdom, so it’s hard to give you a formula equal a great day. If you are looking for ideas of attractions you might like, check out the Not to Miss series I posted over the last few months. I hope this post helps you if you are spending a single day in Disney, or even just a single day in Magic Kingdom!

An evening in Magic Kingdom

What does your ideal day in Magic Kingdom look like? Let me know in the comments!

* please be advised some of the links provided are affiliate links, and I receive a (very) small commission if these links are used when purchasing . This does not cost you anything extra, and I greatly appreciate your support in my blog by doing so!*

Thank you so much for reading!

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Hello!

I’m Kelsey. Welcome to my little corner of the internet! I love to read books, drink coffee and tea, and talk about Disney! I created A Disney Obsession to share my love of all thing Disney with you, and all things accessible about Disney! Thank you for stopping by!

 

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  • Disney & Disabilities | Accessibility at Aulani Resort! March 10, 2021
  • What’s Open at Walt Disney World? March 3, 2021
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Want to know how accessible Aulani Resort is? Toda Want to know how accessible Aulani Resort is? Today's post breaks down the different areas of the resort as well as the accessible rooms available. Check out the post by heading to the link in my bio!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It's been a while since I've introduced myself, so It's been a while since I've introduced myself, so hey there! 👋 I'm Kelsey. I share about Disney and accessibility on my blog adisneyobsession.com and I've loved Disney as long as I can remember. I've been to Walt Disney World TEN times, to Disneyland once, on one Disney Cruise, and even visited Disney's resort in Hawaii, Aulani. My favourite Disney movie is The Little Mermaid and my favourite park is Magic Kingdom. My husband had never been to a Disney park before we got together, and now he's been to WDW 5 times. He proposed in front of Cinderella Castle in 2016!❤️⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Want to know what's open at Walt Disney World? Hea Want to know what's open at Walt Disney World? Head to my blog from the link in my bio, and check out all of the different posts I've written for each park and for the resorts! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Raise your hand if you can recite the monorail dia Raise your hand if you can recite the monorail dialogue? 🙋‍♀️That was something I enjoyed about staying on the monorail loop, I was really good at it! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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There's a new post on the blog today, breaking dow There's a new post on the blog today, breaking down exactly what's open at Hollywood Studios! We're covering attractions, dining options, and what you can expect for entertainment! Check it out, link in bio!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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