I've Tried Every Ride Hack in Magic Kingdom, And I'm Sharing the 5 That Work Every Time

There are a lot of Disney “hacks” out there, but we’re sharing five that actually work at Magic Kingdom.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

We go to Disney World as part of our job, so we want to share some first-hand experiences we use daily to get on Magic Kingdom’s attractions. There is a lot to do at this park, and you might feel overwhelmed at first. But we’re here to help! Below are five ride hacks we use that work, and you can use them on your next trip, too.

1. Utilize Early Theme Park Entry

If you are staying at a Disney hotel, you should take advantage of Early Theme Park Entry. Early Theme Park Entry means you can not only enter a theme park 30 minutes before opening, but also begin riding attractions. It’s worth the early morning to knock out at least one of the most popular rides, like Space Mountain or Peter Pan’s Flight.

Early entry sign!

2. Skip the Fireworks

OK — hear me out. If you want to skip the fireworks at Magic Kingdom, or maybe you have already seen them once this trip, then it’s a good time to get on one last ride. Wait times can drop around then, and as long as you’re in line when the park closes, you’ll be able to ride.

Happily Ever After

This can also work for the parade, the Festival of Fantasy. Many guests will want to see the parade and will start waiting for it to begin around 30 minutes in advance. This is the perfect time to hop on a ride. We have seen wait times drop significantly around this time, so why not take advantage of it?

TRON Lightcycle / Run

3. Strategize Your Lightning Lanes

If you are purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass and you want to ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, we recommend using your Tier 1 on it. The reservations for that ride are typically gone by 9:09 AM on average, so you will likely not be able to book it later in the day.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

For your first ride of the day, try to get a time as early as possible so that once you scan in, you can grab another Tier 1 attraction. Space Mountain or Jungle Cruise are good options to grab here, as they will usually not fill up early.

Line for Jungle Cruise

4. Head for Kid Rides First

If you have young kids, this is a great time to knock out a lot of the Fantasyland rides. Rides like Dumbo, Mad Tea Party, The Barnstormer, and “it’s a small world” are rides that will have a short wait time and run rather quickly, allowing you to move on to the next one.

Dumbo

5. Head to One Last Ride at Right Before Park Close

A big ride hack is getting in line for an attraction right before the park officially shuts down. As long as you enter the queue before the posted closing time — yes, even one minute before — Disney will still allow you to ride. That means if Magic Kingdom closes at 10PM and you hop in line for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train or Space Mountain at 9:59 PM, you’re good to go! Cast Members will close the line at the official park closing time, but anyone already inside the queue can still experience the attraction, pending mechanical or weather issues. This strategy can seriously maximize your park day, especially if you save a high-wait attraction for the very end of the night.

Space Mountain

We hope this will help you on your next day at Magic Kingdom. Be sure to follow DFB for more tips for Disney World!

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