Magic Kingdom is a tricky park, people, don’t underestimate it!
It’s got the most attractions, and there’s a TON to take in. We’re here to bring you the latest tips and tricks to help you master the parks and check off everything on your to-do list, and of course that means we have to try out the tricks for ourselves! So here’s how we found out that out of these 5 tricks, only 2 of them *really* work every time.
Let’s start out with the positives, shall we?
Mobile Ordering Your Food
It feels like just yesterday mobile ordering was being introduced for the first time (in reality, it’s been about 6 years). We remember people were skeptical at first, wondering what was so wrong with waiting in line, paying, and grabbing your meal like normal.
And we were a little skeptical, too! Why change what isn’t broken, right? But then we tried it, and we’ve been in love ever since.
Mobile ordering is essentially a way to pre-order your food from select quick service restaurants and pay in advance, so all you have to do is tell them you’re near the restaurant during your pickup window, they’ll tell you when it’s ready, and you’ll go in and grab your food!
Are you still waiting for your food? Yes, technically, but you could be across the park, order your food, and make sure it’s ready by the time you arrive, and that’s an AMAZING feature in our eyes. We’re big fans of mobile ordering and highly recommend it for your Magic Kingdom day.
However, just a heads up that paying with cash isn’t an option with mobile order, so if you want to use cash, or you aren’t comfortable with the My Disney Experience App holding on to your card details, you can still order normally!
Holding Out Your Electronics For Security
It’s no fun to be pulled aside during the security screening to have your bag looked through. It takes time out of your day when you just want to be on your way to the park, but it’s also necessary to make sure everyone is safe.
But you know YOU’RE not bringing anything unsafe into the park, so why did your bag chime? Believe it or not, there are a ton of things that can set off the security sensors, such as:
- Umbrellas
- Portable chargers
- Laptops/Tablets/iPads
- Metal water bottles
- Glasses cases
However, there IS a way you can minimize your chance of being pulled aside — just grab these items out of your bag and hold them in front of you as you walk through!
This way, the sensors will go off, but they’ll see it’s the items in your hand, and will let you through with no issues. Trust us, we’ve done it multiple times, and while sometimes there’s still a snafu where we forget something in our bags, most of the time it’s a solid game plan!
But we tried these 3 tips, and while they worked somewhat, they have some caveats to them you should know about.
Rope Dropping
*GASP* Yes, we’re not kidding! Rope dropping has been a fantastic strategy for years to make the most out of the first two-ish hours of the park day with fewer crowds, but we have to be honest — sometimes it doesn’t work out how you’d like.
The truth is that no matter HOW early you get to rope drop, even if you’re the first regular ticketed guest in line…all the Disney World hotel guests will still get in for Early Entry before you do.
That means that once the park opens for you, some Fantasyland and Tomorrowland wait times will still be pretty high because of those guests, so you’re really just starting out on the same foot as the people who got there half an hour after you did.
Waiting Out The Rain
We tell you all the time, “so many people leave when it rains in Disney World! Stick it out for half an hour and you’ll see wait times drop!” BUT…there’s a caveat to this.
Yeah, we mean those quick Florida storms that pass over in 20-30 minutes. While Disney World sees a lot of those, Orlando also sees its fair share of genine rainy days that last HOURS.
In this case, it’s better to head back to your hotel for some rest while you wait out the storm so you’re not stuck inside a Magic Kingdom gift shop for 2 hours. Outdoor attractions will close with thunder and lightning, so if you want to quickly walk to each indoor attraction while it pours and wait in those (likely longer than normal) lines, be our guest, but you may regret it.
This is why it’s a good idea to have a weather app on your phone so that when dark clouds start forming overhead, you can check out the radar to see how long it’s expected to rain. And if you don’t mind getting wet, you will almost certainly enjoy lower wait times while it’s raining, and probably for a short period of time after it stops.
Working “From Home” in Magic Kingdom
Now hear us out — during the cooler months, this is a FANTASTIC idea. No matter where you sit, you’ll find a good place to work. Maybe you choose the fantastic views of Tomorrowland Terrace, or a spot on Center Street.
However, take it from us that doing this in the summer is NOT WORTH IT. Yes, there are a few indoor spots you can work from, but they’re not as picturesque, and could be quite noisy.
If you do want to work from somewhere in the resort on a hot summer day, we recommend some of the Disney hotels! You’ll find some great spots to sit and relax in the cool A/C, and if you choose to work during the hottest part of the day, you may get a boost of energy to help push you along to the rest of your day.
We’re always here to bring you the latest and greatest Disney World tips, so stay tuned to AllEars!
We go to Disney World every day and this is the ONLY way we’ll do Magic Kingdom!
What’s your biggest Magic Kingdom tip? Tell us in the comments!
