If you’re spending 2 days in Magic Kingdom, this provides a time-saving plan for efficiently experiencing Walt Disney World’s most popular park. Our itinerary covers step-by-step ride recommendations, dining advice, tips & tricks, and how to “stop and smell the roses” to enjoy the exceptional atmosphere. (Updated April 6, 2025.)
This 2-Day Magic Kingdom Itinerary has been updated for 2025 in light of recent changes. There are a number of reasons for that, including both TRON Lightcycle Run and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure switching to standby lines (from virtual queues), year-long closure of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and change from Genie+ to Lightning Lane Multi-Pass. (See our Guide to Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World for more info about that and to determine whether it’s worth the money for your party.)
The good news is that if you have two full days in Magic Kingdom (or even 1.5 days), you should be able to enjoy everything Walt Disney World’s flagship castle park has to offer, and at a more leisurely pace. You’ll probably even be able to do several re-rides, depending on crowds! We visit Magic Kingdom regularly, while also monitoring wait time data, and fine-tuning our strategy. This is the 2-day Magic Kingdom itinerary we’ve devised as a result…
The 5-day ticket is Walt Disney World’s most popular ticket, so many of you are going to spend more than one day in at least one of the four parks. Without a doubt, we spend the most time in Magic Kingdom. It’s the most-visited park at Walt Disney World, so it’s not just us.
Quite simply, the vast majority of guests who are going to spend 5 days in Walt Disney World should spend their “bonus” day in Magic Kingdom. A big component of this is Magic Kingdom’s reputation as the iconic park, the original, and the one with Cinderella Castle at the end of Main Street. Alongside Disneyland, it’s the quintessential American theme park. Then there’s the practical reason: Magic Kingdom simply has more rides and attractions than any other theme park at Walt Disney World.
If you do opt for a second day, much of it can be spent repeating favorite attractions. Rather than following this unique plan, you could take our 1-Day Magic Kingdom Itinerary, and do that a second time, making modifications and skipping things as it suits your tastes and interests. Or simply have a more laid back and spontaneous visit, not using a touring plan at all.
If you want maximum efficiency and don’t want to simply “double up” on our 1-day Magic Kingdom Itinerary, this is the plan for you. This is a stand-alone post that reevaluates what your priorities and pace should be if you’re spending a second day in Magic Kingdom. You might even opt for a “best of both worlds” approach and follow the steps laid out here for each morning, and then do your own thing for the afternoons and evenings.
It’s also worth noting that we do recommend buying Lightning Lane Multi-Pass at Magic Kingdom. There are more attractions offering Lightning Lane access in any other park, which can be extremely useful even if you have plenty of time (assuming you want to do re-rides. If you want to know the basis for that suggestion, see our Lightning Lane Multi-Pass Ride Rankings for Magic Kingdom.
Additionally, if you’re staying on-site and can arrive early, check out our Guide to Early Entry at Walt Disney World. Likewise, if you’re staying at a Deluxe Resort or Disney Vacation Club property, read about our experience during Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom. Either of those things will help you save time and avoid crowds, giving you a big advantage. However, neither are strictly necessary for a productive day in MK.
Finally, more changes are on the horizon that will soon require further tweaks to this plan. That include the permanent closure of Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island, debut of Disney Starlight Dream the Night Parade, and temporary ride refurbishments in Tomorrowland. For now, our tentative recommendation is watching the second Starlight showing after the fireworks on night one–and determining whether you want to view it again night two.
With all of that out of the way, on with the 2-day touring plan for Magic Kingdom!
Magic Kingdom – Day 1
A Fantastic Morning – For families, Fantasyland is the heart of Magic Kingdom. Saying Fantasyland is “for families” misses the point of Walt Disney World entirely and how it’s for the young or young at heart. Fantasyland sets the tone for that, and is where you should start your day.
If you have two days in Magic Kingdom, you don’t need to be quite as aggressive, but we’d nevertheless recommend consulting our Guide to Rope Drop & Early Entry at Magic Kingdom and picking one of those plans that begins in Fantasyland. Knocking out a lot of rides at the beginning of your first day sets a good tone for the trip and relieves the pressure and sense of urgency from the rest of the day(s).
If you’re eligible for Early Entry, start at Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train. If not, begin with Peter Pan’s Flight, followed by the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid, and other iconic dark rides. Running around doing these Fantasyland attractions is like walking barefoot over burning embers–both equally likely to hurt your feet–it’s a rite of passage among Disney fans.
Fright Row – Next up are Magic Kingdom’s two scariest attractions. Haunted Mansion and ‘it’s a small world.’ One features creepy characters whose words will send shivers down your spine, frightening you to your core. The other has grim grinning ghosts. In between, “schedule” a stop at the nicest restroom in Magic Kingdom, the Tangled Toilets.
Meet & Greet Madness – The second hour of the day is a great time to knock out some character meet & greets if you’re so inclined. A couple of these open after the rest of Magic Kingdom, and they typically have lower crowd levels in the first hour that they’re open because most guests prioritize rides. Accordingly, it’s a good time to visit the following:
- Meet Daring Disney Pals as Circus Stars at Pete’s Silly Sideshow
- Meet Dashing Disney Pals as Circus Stars at Pete’s Silly Sideshow
- Meet Ariel at Her Grotto
- Meet Mirabel at Fairytale Garden
- Meet Various Princesses at Princess Fairytale Hall
You’ll likely know which of these characters matter most to you based on the preferences of those in your party. Kids usually call the shots here. If you don’t know which ones to do but know you want photos with Disney characters to commemorate the trip, our recommendation is Pete’s Silly Sideshow. These are unique, feature clever costumes, and are all indoors with air-conditioning. The “daring” Disney pals are Goofy and Donald Duck as circus performers. The “dashing” pals are Daisy and Minnie Mouse, looking lovely as always.
Ice Cream Antidote – Ice cream fixes everything. There’s a reason Ben & Jerry were (probably) awarded a Nobel Peace Prize, and that’s because ice cream is a known panacea.
After the show, consult our Best Magic Kingdom Snacks & Desserts List for a sweet treat. The Peter Pan Float (pictured above) is highly recommended! That should curb any meltdowns that are brewing as a result of the prolong time in the sun for the stage show.
Lunch: Be Our Guest Restaurant – Still the most popular dining spot in Magic Kingdom, this Beauty and the Beast-themed restaurant now does an all-day prix fixe menu for lunch and dinner.
It is worth noting that Be Our Guest Restaurant has gone up in price a lot and there are mixed opinions as to whether it’s still worthwhile. There’s probably no restaurant that’s as polarizing among Walt Disney World fans. See Is Be Our Guest Restaurant Worth the Money? for our take.
Midday Break – Going back to your hotel and taking a nap or lounging by the pool to prevent your kids from having a meltdown later in the day is a great option. Logistically, transportation and parking eats a lot of time, and you can expect to add at least 90 minutes to your break for transit–possibly 2 hours.
The midday break is a great idea, but here’s an efficient, decompressing alternative: indoor stage shows. Things like Carousel of Progress, Country Bear Musical Jamboree, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, or even back-to-back showings of Hall of Presidents. All are dark, laid back, and feature plenty of refreshing air-conditioning.
While sleeping during Hall of Presidents may not work for everyone, if you think it will work for your kids, give it a shot. If they are really zonked, they’ll likely fall asleep within the first 5 minutes. That is, unless you’re raising little Rutherford B. Hayes aficionados.
Festival of Fantasy Parade – One of the biggest advantages of 2 days in Magic Kingdom is being able to do the daytime parade and Cinderella Castle stage show on different days. Doing them back-to-back in a single day is “Meltdown Fuel,” and that applies even if you’re an adult. Even if you don’t consider yourself a “parade person,” Festival of Fantasy is worth catching.
While the easiest parade views are found in Frontierland, we favor watching from the end of Main Street. It’s the iconic spot, and if you care about photos, nothing beats having Cinderella Castle in the background!
Mickey Meet & Greet – If you watch Festival of Fantasy from the end of Main Street as recommended, you can quickly dip into the Mickey Mouse Meet & Greet in Town Square Theater with a shorter wait time immediately after the parade ends. You’ll need to be fast, as many other guests will have the exact same idea. (Doing this meet & greet immediately before the parade is also a good approach.)
Tom “SERENITY NOW!” Island – Now that your kids are rejuvenated, burn some of that second wind on Tom Sawyer Island. This is one of the biggest chunks of Magic Kingdom, and the vast majority of guests never visit it. I could blame it on “the kids these days,” but I think it’s more on the parents, and not wanting to “waste” time on a play area given the cost of a Walt Disney World vacation.
However, this is a great place to unwind, get away from the crowds, and blow off some steam. I enjoy wandering it even as an adult, and it’s a great change of pace and reprieve from the stimulation of Magic Kingdom.
Sunset Cruises – Late afternoon is the perfect time for the transportation attractions in Magic Kingdom. While you’re in the area, we’d recommend setting sail aboard the Liberty Square Riverboat. It’ll give you another vantage on Tom Sawyer Island, and as with that, it feels far removed from the hustle and bustle of Magic Kingdom.
Dinner: The Plaza Restaurant – While this spot won’t wow you with amazing theme, it’s a table service restaurant that does comfort food really well and offers some great entree and dessert options.
Plaza Restaurant is another table service meal, but it’s a more laid back one–a nice place to relax a bit and enjoy a quality meal without breaking the bank. If you’d prefer a quick service option, the equally-iconic Casey’s Corner (hot dogs) is on the opposite side of Main Street.
Fireworks Finale — For most of the year, Happily Ever After is the nightly fireworks show in Magic Kingdom. This particular show is one of our absolute favorites, plus fireworks exploding over Cinderella Castle is always a good time, so you won’t want to miss it.
Crowds can be heavy in the front of the park, but we still recommend watching the Magic Kingdom fireworks (check out our viewing location tips for Magic Kingdom fireworks) from Main Street. Pyro is popular, so we recommend staking out a spot around 30-45 minutes in advance of the fireworks.
Night Kingdom – When the sun goes down in Magic Kingdom, the park totally transforms and really comes alive. It’s impossible to describe until you’ve experienced it, but virtually everything about Magic Kingdom is better at night, and this includes many attractions.
We highly recommend experiencing outdoor attractions at night, especially those on our Top 10 Magic Kingdom Attractions at Night list. You’re going to have the opportunity to repeat rides over the course of your two days in MK, and now is a good time for that to see the day vs. night difference!
Mine Train Half Court Shot – One minute before Magic Kingdom closes, consider jumping in line for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. This is like sinking a game-winning, half court shot. Or, so I assume…I’ve never done the latter.
You basically avoid the long lines all day by getting in line as late as you possible can, and you will literally feel yourself saving time in line. If you didn’t do SDMT at the beginning of the day, this is essential now. If you already did, you might want to do a different highly-popular ride in this spot. Perhaps TRON Lightcycle Run if your party skews older (although we’ll cover that on day 2).
The shops on Main Street are open roughly 1 hour after the park closes, so don’t feel rushed as you leave–but remember, you have to do all of this bright and early the next morning (or a future morning, if you’re not doing Magic Kingdom on consecutive days).
Magic Kingdom – Day 2
Magic Kingdom Mountain Range – For day 1, we recommended starting with a rope drop plan that began in Fantasyland. For day 2, we’d do the same but for Tomorrowland if you’re feeling aggressive (again) and are eligible for Early Entry. If not, starting in Frontierland is probably the wiser and easier approach.
With Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closed until 2026, you’re not going to actually knock out the entire Magic Kingdom Mountain Range. Just 1-2 of these rides/roller coasters. The truly important piece of the puzzle here is getting to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in the first hour the park is open. If the ride is experiencing downtime or the line is already too long, you’ll have an opportunity towards the end of the evening, but you may not want to do a log flume ride (you will get wet) after the sun goes down. Just something to keep in mind.
As you conquer the Magic Kingdom Mountain Range, take a photo at each (pics or it didn’t happen) and brag to your friends on social media about your glorious achievement. It’s basically as big of an accomplishment as reaching the summit of Everest. (The one in Animal Kingdom…and probably the actual mountain, too.) If you have kids who are too young to do these attractions, consider repeating some of the Fantasyland itinerary from Day 1.
Set Sail for Adventure – Your next stop should be Adventureland, where you should prioritize Jungle Cruise. This has become one of the most popular attractions in Magic Kingdom, with higher wait times as a result. If it’s already at or above 45 minutes, you can always save it for after sunset when the lines are shorter. From there, knock out nearby Pirates of the Caribbean.
Consider doing re-rides on any of these first few stops if wait times aren’t too bad. Same goes for Haunted Mansion or even Fantasyland if you so desire. There’s not the same sense of urgency the second morning in Magic Kingdom as the first.
Dole Whip Break – Same idea as the day before, but this time with a Dole Whip. Morning ice cream is the key to stamina for Magic Kingdom touring.
Quick Diversion – While you’re in the area, consider doing Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room or Country Bear Musical Jamboree. You might want to do these before lunch. Best to avoid falling asleep during these shows and being forever labeled “distinctly unpatriotic” by your friends and family (or as they will call you, “just a casual acquaintance, I swear!”).
Lunch Break – If you’re doing two full days in Magic Kingdom right now, our recommendation would be 3 table service meals over the course of your 4 meals. In part, because counter service is really weak at Magic Kingdom, and in part because sit-down dining takes more time, and you’ll have a surplus of that to kill.
Options here include Liberty Tree Tavern/Diamond Horseshoe (same menu at both, better setting at LTT) for a hearty Thanksgiving-style meal with a glorious dessert, Crystal Palace for a Winnie the Pooh character meal, or Cinderella’s Royal Table for dining with princesses. You should know which of those will appeal to your party most. We’re big fans of Cinderella’s Royal Table, but the in-castle restaurant is expensive. Arguably worth it for a rite of passage vacation with small girls, though!
On the counter service front, we’d go with Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn for lunch. That’s our new #1 quick-service restaurant in Magic Kingdom, with a Chipotle-style menu. Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe would be our alternative pick if you’re looking for a wider-ranging, but ordinary menu.
Afternoon Unwind – Just like the midday break from the previous day. There’s a good chance you didn’t knock out all of those, so hit the ones you missed the previous day.
If the tried and true formula of Hall of Presidents did the trick exceptionally well, repeat that. If you want to try something new, go for a spin aboard Carousel of Progress. (Both have the most comfortable seats of any shows in Magic Kingdom, making them equally great for napping.)
Fun with Friendship! – Once the sun is a bit lower in the sky, head to the Cinderella Castle Forecourt Stage for one of the last couple performances of Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire, the daytime stage show.
This is well-worth seeing, with sequences from Princess and the Frog, Tangled, and Frozen, and a new finale with Mickey Mouse and friends in their sparkling, EARidescent fashions. Seeing it later in the day will save you some sunburn, too.
Dinner: Skipper Canteen – The newest restaurant in Magic Kingdom is themed to the Jungle Cruise attraction, and it’s a great option, especially for adults. I recommend requesting the S.E.A. room, which is nicely appointed and includes tons of detail (many of which will be lost on non-Disney fans).
The cuisine here is the best in Magic Kingdom, so that’s another plus. Don’t be scared away by the menu, it’s surprisingly approachable once you get past the window dressing of the descriptions.
Back to the Future – In the early evening, we’d recommend making the trek to Tomorrowland. Knock out Tomorrowland Speedway, Astro Orbiter, and Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover, which are great ways to transition from day to night in Magic Kingdom.
When you’re done with those, you should also find a short wait time at Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. Same goes (hopefully) for Space Mountain after that. Finally, it’s time for finding a fireworks spot…
Alternative Fireworks View – Having watched Happily Ever After already from the iconic Main Street view, we’d recommend viewing from night two from a fresh perspective (if at all).
Our favorites for this are in Fantasyland or by the canopy covering TRON Lightcycle Run. The former is our favorite spot for an immersive view, especially if you stand between the ‘castle walls’ (pictured above). By contrast, the canopy in Tomorrowland is a great spot if you plan on riding TRON ASAP after the fireworks. Both options are described in the Magic Kingdom Fireworks Viewing Guide.
Last Lightcycle – Same idea as the end of the first night. Either immediately after the fireworks or one minute before Magic Kingdom closes, jump in line TRON Lightcycle Run.
What you should do really depends on where you view the fireworks and how much longer Magic Kingdom is open. If you watch from Fantasyland and there’s another hour or more on the clock, you could try Seven Dwarfs Mine Train or something else before TRON Lightcycle Run.
If you watch the fireworks from Tomorrowland, race to TRON Lightcycle Run to beat the crowd there–freeing up your ‘last shot’ ride for something else. At this point, you’ll have done it all, so do whatever appeals most to you. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Peter Pan’s Flight, and Jungle Cruise are also good examples.
Magic of the Kingdom at Night – Even if you’re going on fumes at this point, the experience of being in Magic Kingdom at night should be a nice shot in the arm. At this point, you can either try to hit the other attractions on our top 10 list that you missed, or slow down and take a leisurely stroll through the park, soaking up its brilliant nighttime ambiance. Do some last minute shopping in the Emporium on Main Street, and call it a night.
Historians always blather on about how Europeans scoured Florida for the Fountain of Youth during the Age of Exploration. Obviously, these guys were too cheap for a park ticket, because anyone who has spent a couple of days in Magic Kingdom will tell you that it can be found there. As tiring as 2 full days might seem, I always leave Magic Kingdom energized and with a smile on my face. If you follow the rough plan in this guide, I suspect you will, too.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Did we miss anything you consider a highlight or must-do at the Magic Kingdom? Any other quiet moments or ‘ambiance spots’ you’d recommend? Have any questions about our recommendations? Hearing your thoughts is half the fun, so please share your comments or questions below!