Traditions and parks: Magic Kingdom

[ChevisMickey]

We all have attractions, restaurants, and things we always do in each park, and at Walt Disney World. What this thread is for is to know SPECIFIC rides, attractions, restaurants, etc. that you do at SPECIFIC times, and/or at SPECIFIC places (other than given locations). It doesn't have to be exact, just specific. This will give others a look inside why others do things the way they do, maybe give us a few tips and hints, and even a few ideas for our next trip.

UPDATE: Let's change this to all parks and trips in general, not just MK.

 

[englanddg]

We always visit MK the first day and eat in the Castle for dinner.

We always visit MK the last day, watch the 3p parade and leave afterwards. In fact, I plan our flights around that...

 

[luv]

I'm confused.

I don't think anyone rides anything at a specific time.

Are you looking for more general advice, like, "It's better to ride Toy Story during the first or last hour of park operation"?

Who has to ride Peter Pan at 2:20????

 

[englanddg]

I'm confused.

I don't think anyone rides anything at a specific time.

Are you looking for more general advice, like, "It's better to ride Toy Story during the first or last hour of park operation"?

Who has to ride Peter Pan at 2:20????

People who have Magic Bands.

 

[KLeigh]

Bookend the trip with MK, and ride the WDW railroad around the entire park the first day.

 

[mergatroid]

On our last evening we always try to visit the Sci Fi Dine in for a meal, followed by Fantasmic.

 

[jw24]

Yeah, I think for the most part, we ride whatever we want and if there's a long wait time, most of us either skip it and come back, Fastpass it if applicable or wait in the standby line. Things can change. Rides can break down, rain may close some attractions. So I would think most of us don't really have a set time to ride our favorite attractions, etc. I mean, we try to make sure we ride our favorites as early as possible but that's about it. But generally speaking, I can't think of anyone who must ride Splash Mountain at 2 o'clock or Thunder Mountain at 10 am or must eat lunch at 1 pm at Columbia Harbour House or something like that. For shows and parades, on the other hand, well, that may be different. Everyone is there to see the 3 o'clock parade or 9/10 pm fireworks. As long as we don't miss out on the show, then it's all fine from there.

 

[Susan Savia]

Epcot the first day and the last day. First ride (and last) is always Spaceship Earth. We always have lunch at Liberty Inn our first day and make sure to catch several sets of Off Kilter.

 

[luv]

People who have Magic Bands.

Lol, I stand corrected!!

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

My family and I do Magic Kingdom on our first full day. We go to Tomorrowland first and then go to the other lands. We usually do lunch at Crystal Palace.

 

[cslafferty]

We almost always begin our trips to WDW at the MK. The only exception (and it'll happen this year) is if the first day on property is the first Sat. in Dec, which is parade taping day. We will go to Epcot or DHS that day, and MK later that night. However, I ALWAYS end our vacation at MK. The first thing we do when we enter the MK for the first time is POTC, in honor of my dad. It was his favorite ride, although he lived 15 min. from Disneyland, and never went to WDW - it doesn't matter to me. Whenever I hear "Dead men tell no tales" or "Yo-Ho, Yo-Ho, a Pirate's Life for Me," it's like he's right there with me.

 

[erasure fan1]

We always visit MK the first day and eat in the Castle for dinner.

We always visit MK the last day, watch the 3p parade and leave afterwards. In fact, I plan our flights around that...

That is how we do it as well. Except this year we went to star wars weekend first but we are doing MK on our last day (tomorrow).

We always eat at the Columbia harbor house once a trip. We always stop by the main street bakery and pick up a few Nestle toll house cookies as the park is closing for the ride back. (Not this year though since the bakery is closed for the Starbucks refresh. )

 

[Disney Shib]

My family and I always try to fit in a breakfast at O'Hana. There's never really a set date but we usually plan to do MK right after and walk over. Make the reservation early so you can get to MK when it first opens.

 

[DisneyDebNJ]

Our first night and last night of our vacation is the same.... watching Illuminations at Epcot. First night, I get teary eyed because I'm back in my favorite place in the entire world, and last night, get teary eyed because I'm getting ready to leave my favorite place in the world LOL. We usually visit during the Food and Wine festival and every year after we check in, we hit Epcot!

 

[MY_NAME_STITCH]

We like to bookend our visit with full days at MK. Lunches at Casey, Cosmic Rays, and Tortuga Tavern are musts. Breakfast at OHana and 1900 Park Fare are musts. The greatest feeling ever is standing in front of the castle on the first night watching the fireworks and having the chill run up your spine. Because you know there are many more magical days ahead. The saddest feeling is walking back to the bus stop after the last day knowing that you go home the next morning.

 

[stevehousse]

We always do MK for 2 days on our trips. Day 1 there, we always eat breakfast at ohana and then take the monorail over and head straight over to pirates!

 

[LuLaSue]

First Day in the parks is always MK, walk up Main Street USA, first stop Art of Disney!
Last Day in the parks is a visit to Epcot and then finishing with a Train Ride in MK.
The last day is shopping in DTD and lunch at Earl of Sandwich.

 

[ChevisMickey]

Yeah, I think for the most part, we ride whatever we want and if there's a long wait time, most of us either skip it and come back, Fastpass it if applicable or wait in the standby line. Things can change. Rides can break down, rain may close some attractions. So I would think most of us don't really have a set time to ride our favorite attractions, etc. I mean, we try to make sure we ride our favorites as early as possible but that's about it. But generally speaking, I can't think of anyone who must ride Splash Mountain at 2 o'clock or Thunder Mountain at 10 am or must eat lunch at 1 pm at Columbia Harbour House or something like that. For shows and parades, on the other hand, well, that may be different. Everyone is there to see the 3 o'clock parade or 9/10 pm fireworks. As long as we don't miss out on the show, then it's all fine from there.

This is true. The only 'set' traditions we have are based on rides at parks other than MK. This, in part, is why I started this thread. I wanted to see what traditions, any, others had. Looks like some do, specific or general, and some let the wind take them.

 

[ChevisMickey]

People who have Magic Bands.

SEE! This in itself may become a tradition setter. Plan your trip, plan your usual time for so-and-so ride, and BAM(!), tradition.

 

[Soarin2u]

We don't really have much of a tradition at Disney. Unless you count me always running off to do Space mountain by myself or with my father the first second we step into MK.... But it's not really a particular date or time.... Another must is to walk around the entire resort right after we get our room at the Coranado.

HOWEVER, we do have one in Orlando, outside Disney! We always stay in a Hilton before we head to Disney early the next morning. We love to walk down to the Denny's down the lot for Dinner. They now us fairly well, since we go there before and after the trip... Plus we are always the family covered in Disney Merchandise, and we get same waiter over and over again... So sometimes we might get a Mickey shaped pancake if I order one... Best Denny's ever!