What to See at Walt Disney World: Magical Favorites at the Magic Kingdom

One question that I often get asked by friends when they are taking their first Disney vacation is: "What must I see at Walt Disney World"? Now of course, each family's "favorites" are going to be dependent on the personalities and ages of the family members. Clearly toddlers and preschoolers are going to have different favorites than teens or adults. This article will discuss some favorites that my family has when visiting the Magic Kingdom.

Magic Kingdom has a number of different "lands", each with its own rides, attractions, shows, and theme: Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Adventureland, and of course, Main Street USA. When you enter the park, Main Street USA is the first thing you see, heading right up to Cinderella's Castle. At the end of the street, on the right you will find Tomorrowland, where we will start.

What We Must See in Tomorrowland in Disney World's Magic Kingdom

One favorite that we must see each time in Tomorrowland, is Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy Club: the audience interaction here just makes this show an awful lot of fun. A unique aspect of this ride is that you can text jokes in while you wait, so if you have kids that just love "that" kind of joke, well send it in and the cornier the better! Here is a warning though: every audience member has the potential to be featured on the screen as a part of the show....so if you can't deal with the idea that you may become "that guy" in front of hundreds of others who will enjoy a good laugh at your expense....then skip this. If you do go, and find that your smiling face is suddenly part of the show, then by all means, enjoy and don't worry about looking silly!

Another Walt Disney World Tomorrowland favorite is Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin. A while back, we discovered some "secrets" to getting higher points on this ride: it's all about choosing where you shoot, and certain targets are worth more than others. Each "car" can seat two people, who each control a "blaster" where the idea is to accumulate enough points to defeat the Evil Emperor Zurg. Anyone who enjoys video games and the chance to be score lots of points will love this ride.

Don't Miss These Disney Fantasyland Favorites

If you have small children, you will spend a significant part of your vacation in Fantasyland. But even for those of us who are grownups, there is a special magic to this part of the park. Our family's favorite is Mickey's Philharmagic. This is an indoor 3-D show featuring Donald Duck, and what happens when he takes over Mickey's orchestra. You will wear 3-D "opera glasses" while watching the show and you should be prepared for all kinds of things to come "flying" at you while in the audience. In our experience, this show may be one of the hidden gems of Magic Kingdom, as we rarely, if ever, face a long line here. Mickey's Philharmagic is a great show, and we won't visit Magic Kingdom without seeing it at least once.

We Love Flying Down Big Thunder Mountain

In Frontierland, we love Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. This is a roller coaster of sorts, but not a typical coaster. Big Thunder Mountain doesn't have drops but it is very fast, and even if you don't usually like roller coasters, this is a "coaster" you can ride. No drops, but quite a few curves, and lots of speed. It is a lot of fun, and a ride that is a Disney World Magic Kingdom favorite for our family.

Don't Miss Pirates of the Caribbean

When visiting Disney World's Magic Kingdom, our Adventureland favorite is Pirates of the Caribbean, for several reasons. First of all, it really is a Disney classic, and I am amazed each and every time I ride it, by the incredible attention to detail. Clearly it is such a favorite that it inspired an entire series of movies, and probably a million pirate wannabes all over the world. Beyond this though, this is just a fun experience: pay attention as you ride to the "jokes" scattered throughout, and try to listen to some of the dialogue too if you can, as it can be highly entertaining. This ride underwent a refurbishment a few years ago, to add in some details...and a certain very popular pirate...from the blockbuster movies. So watch carefully to see where Captain Jack Sparrow pops up, as it can be the most surprising locations!

Ending a Magical Day at Magic Kingdom With "Wishes"

There is one last favorite of ours in the Magic Kingdom: not a ride, but not-to-be-missed. The Magic Kingdom has a wonderful fireworks show called "Wishes", and while Disney is known for their fireworks, and deservedly, this show is one of their best. It is breathtaking, it is sweet, it is moving, and you should not miss it. Be sure to check the times it will be shown and plan accordingly. This is definitely not your hometown fireworks!

These are our must-sees at Magic Kingdom, the things which, for us, no Disney World vacation is complete without. There are certainly many other great rides and attractions, and to learn about all of them if this is your first visit, you should refer to a great Disney vacation planner, as well as to the Disney World website to get all the details you will need to decide what is important to your family.