Ten Things You Want to Experience at Disney’s Magic Kingdom – Round Two
Hello again Main Streeters! Erika here to bring you the monthly list of things you want to pencil into your visit to Walt Disney World. This month I am rounding out the Magic Kingdom with another 10 fantastic experiences that add a little extra magic. Let’s pick up where we sort of geographically left off in the park last time; when you’re done rolling down the river.
1. Get Locked Up in Liberty Square
If you didn’t pay your respects to Master Gracey outside the Haunted Mansion, it’s time to pay the price. Right in front of the Liberty Square Riverboat entrance is a curiously placed form of physical punishment and public humiliation used back in colonial American time. Behold! The village stocks and pillory. Parent’s, you can’t leave your kids here if they misbehave, but you can lightly suggest you will if they don’t get back in your good graces. This spot in Liberty Square serves as a most hilarious stop for a picture with the family or friends. Stick your head and your hands through the holes and look miserable or grin. If you prefer to sit and be shamed, there is even a smaller version on the ground where you can put your feet and hands through the holes. Snap a pic and caption it with your small crime to share with all on social media.
2. Cast Spells Year Round
I know you are probably thinking to yourself “wait a minute… isn’t that something you do at Universal?” Well, yes, you can become a wizard at Universal, but at Magic Kingdom, you can cast spells to defeat classic Disney villains all over the park for one truly amazing and free experience. A Disney map will point you to the firehouse on Main Street U.S.A. to begin playing Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, but I happen to know firsthand that you can also get started with the game right outside of Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe. There is a small kiosk with Cast Members who are equipped to provide you with everything necessary to begin 9 exciting quests that last anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes based on degree of difficulty. To start casting spells, you’re going to need a Sorcerer Key Card, Merlin’s mystical map, spell cards and training on how to unlock Magic Portals and defeat the evil that threatens Magic Kingdom. There are 20 portals all over the park, and about 70 cards currently in circulation. If you attend ticketed events like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party you can collect special edition cards that boost your Sorcery to a whole other level. Collecting cards is free, you get a new pack of cards every time you complete a quest and start a new one. I’ve seen families spend all day at MK just enjoying the adventures of playing Sorcerers of Magic Kingdom, so whether you make it a short experience or a whole day’s worth, definitely make this an experience on your list.
3. Walk through the last attraction Walt Disney designed
Walt Disney himself designed the plans for Tom Sawyer’s Island that originally opened to the public at Disneyland in 1956. Walt was inspired by the world that Mark Twain created in his classic novels, and less inspired by the original blueprints contractors gave him. So he took the plans home and reimagined the island to incorporate much of what we see today. When working on the Florida project Walt made it known that he was interested in Tom Sawyers Island to be a part of the Magic Kingdom landscape. Even after Walt’s passing Imagineers made it so, constructing a replica of the Disneyland attraction, which was later renamed Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyers Island in 2007. However the Tom Sawyer Island we know today at the Magic Kingdom is the closest thing we have to the only attraction designed wholly by Walt Disney. This nugget of nostalgia is also a great location for adventure of all ages. Get lost on dusty dirt roads, and pounce over deep streams on suspension bridges. You’ll journey to the island via a log raft, and the rest of your time on the Island is up to you. Take a self-guided expedition or find one of the Mill’s and plop yourself down in a rocking chair as the river boat sails on by.
4. Pin Trade in the Wild Wild West
I get a lot of questions about pin trading and if it’s worth doing and admittedly my pin trading game is weak. I only collect the pins of characters I love. I forget to bring my pin trading bag with me practically every visit, and end up kicking myself for it when I come across a pin I want on a Cast Member’s lanyard, so I am scrambling to the nearest kiosk to buy one and trade it for the one I want. I am nowhere near the level of hard core pin traders who dedicate time and effort to collecting whole sets of pins. However, no matter what level of pin trade game you have, when you walk into the Frontier Trading Post you’re in pin trading heaven. This little hideaway in Frontierland looking out towards the Rivers of America is probably the BEST spot in Magic Kingdom to find pins if you’re into pin trading. It’s also a great spot to get started with pin trading while inside the park. You can pick up pin trading starter packs, lanyards, and even storage supplies for the pins you plan on collecting. If you get stuck on one series of pins or one character, this experience makes you more aware to pay attention to pins that Cast Members have or even other guests. It’s like an all-day scavenger hunt. If you want to trade with anyone other than a cast member make sure to ask permission, as some guests like to wear the pins to accessorize and aren’t pin trading.
5. Blow off some steam
The Walt Disney World Railroad, a steam powered locomotive, runs through the park and has stops in Frontierland, Fantasyland and Main Street U.S.A. – Personally, I love starting the train trek in Frontierland. It just reminds me of a time where travel by train was part of the American experience, and people were pushing frontiers of transportation in hopes to be a part of the gold rush in the Wild Wild West. The train ride around the park is approximately 20 minutes and trains arrive at the stations every 4 to 10 minutes. As your ride you get to experience some of the picturesque scenery often unseen by guests who don’t venture to ride the railroad. There are lush canopies on the property that the train travels through, and you even get to witness a birds eye view of Splash Mountain, traveling through the attraction itself. This is an extremely relaxing experience and a way to get around the park effortlessly.
6. Pillage and Plunder the Park
Are you looking to bring home some additional treasures other than what you find at the Emporium? Well Matey, sign yourself up for A Pirate’s Adventure ~ Treasures of the Seven Seas in Adventureland. Much like the Sorcerer’s of Magic Kingdom experience, this is an interactive adventure that takes you on missions to aid Captain Jack Sparrow. To acquire the treasure, you will have to complete 5 challenges that will require you to escape iconic enemies like Captain Barbossa and Blackbeard, follow clues, cast spells, and lay traps. As you complete the challenges you collect treasure finder cards, collect all 5 and get a special card signed by Captain Jack Sparrow himself. There is no time limit on your quests, so if you have fast passes to get to, or other plans in the park, you can pause play and come back to them later. Sign yourself up at the Crow’s Nest outside of Pirates of the Caribbean, grab your crew and raid the treasures of the seven seas.
7. Help Monsters Power Monstropolis
I am giving you a big old heads up for this experience, so get your thinking hat on, pull on your funny bone and start saving jokes in your phone for your next visit. Why? Because you can help Mike Wazowski power the city through laughs at the Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor Comedy show. When you visit this attraction in Tomorrowland, you can text your favorite joke right before the lights go down, and possibly have the joke chosen to be used in the show. Talk about a hilarious extra bit of magic. Even if your joke isn’t picked, you stand a chance to become a part of the show too. Guests are often singled out and put on the big screen since the monster’s of Monstropolis love to engage the audience. The best part about this experience, it’s never the same show twice.
8. Tinkerbell Sighting before Wishes
Need a little bit more fairy dust before you leave Magic Kingdom? I’ve got you covered. If you stay in the area of Tomorrowland odds are you will be in a prime position to catch Tinkerbell fly down from the castle before Wishes. As Tinkerbell descends illuminated in the night sky she waves at guests below.
9. A Water Pageant of Electric Proportions
Often overlooked after Wishes ends, in the hustle and bustle of guests exiting the park, you can miss an extra bit of magic on the Seven Seas Lagoon. Feast your eyes and ears on the Electric Water Pageant. This aquatic spectacle of lights actually inspired the Main Street Electrical Parade which isn’t at Magic Kingdom anymore. You can only see the parade from outside the park, so unless you have more than one night at Magic Kingdom on your trip, you’ll have to choose between this experience and the last on our list.
10. The Kiss Goodnight
After the fireworks are done, the majority of guests are gone, and the park officially closes if you wait a little while, usually 30 minutes, the Magic Kingdom grants you possibly one of the sweetest and most magical experiences wrapped up in a little over 2 minutes. This final bit of Disney splendor is called The Kiss Goodnight. I recently witnessed it from the hub grass and can say this is something that will stay with me forever. It begins with Cinderella’s Castle twinkling and you hear music slowly building around you. The melody filling your ears is When You Wish Upon a Star. As you watch the castle glistening, a voice greets the last guests who have braved the long day, and says:
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, on behalf of everyone here at the Magic Kingdom, we thank you for joining us today for a magic gathering of family, friends, fun, and fantasy. We hope your magical journey with us has created wonderful memories that will last a lifetime. Walt Disney said that the Magic Kingdom is a world of imagination, hopes, and dreams. In this timeless land of enchantment, magic and make believe are reborn, and fairy tales come true. The Magic Kingdom is a place for the young and the young at heart. A special place where when you wish upon a star, your dreams can come true. Until we see you again, have a safe trip home. Thank you, and goodnight.”
The beauty of this moment is the simplicity of the show. There are no state of the art pyrotechnics, nothing flashy, just a simple castle and a message that rings true for all who love Disney. If you aren’t a mess after hearing that, or at least a little choked up, I don’t know what to tell you…. except you can’t eat your feelings because everything is closed and you need to get the heck up out of the park now.
So Main Streeters, there is plenty of extra magic packed into the Magic Kingdom, and most of it is absolutely free (with park admission of course). I hope that you’ve found these 10 and the last 10 helpful to plan your next visit. In March, I will bring you 10 more extra magic experiences to consider when visiting Walt Disney World, so stay tuned!
Check out Erika’s shop on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/imagineering.emporium/
Erika is excited to be on the TMSM team and where Disney Parks are concerned, you won’t catch her dead on It’s a Small World. If she asks to ride that, this is a clear indication that she is in danger and you must send help. You will, however, catch her performing Random Acts of Disney (R.A.D’s), park hopping with her amazing group of impressively talented and kind friends (usually in some themed attire), hanging out by The Haunted Mansion, and ugly crying during fireworks… then begging for a Mickey Premium Bar to eat her feelings…this is a judgment-free bio.
Otherwise, Erika works for the State of Florida and is actively involved in her community. Erika believes in empowering others and spreading kindness to people from all walks of life. Erika also makes custom designed Disney inspired ears, etched glass, gifts, and accessories. You can check out, like or follow her work on FB, which also links to my shop’s Instagram: www.facebook.com/imagineering.emporium. She looks forward to getting to know everyone and sharing the magic of Disney!
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