Magic Kingdom Day 1 Disney World Genie+ with TRON Itinerary

By Dave Shute

(Note: this is from the Disney World Genie+ with Tron Itinerary.)

SUGGESTED APPROACH TO MAGIC KINGDOM

Magic Kingdom is the quintessential Disney theme park, and the heart of Walt Disney World.

Inspired by the original Disneyland, it offers iconic attractions ranging from Dumbo to Space Mountain. Loved by all ages, it is especially popular with families and younger guests.

Magic Kingdom has both more and a wider range of attractions than any other Disney World theme park. For first time visitors with kids old enough to enjoy everything, favorites will include many of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the evening fireworks show Happily Ever After, Enchanted Tales with Belle, the afternoon Festival of Fantasy parade, the Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan’s Flight, Pirates of the Caribbean, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, and the new TRON Lightcycle Run.

In the “summer” of 2024, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, a retheming of the marvelous Splash Mountain will open and almost certainly join this list of favorites.  I’ll post a new itinerary that includes Tiana’s Bayou Adventure later this spring.

All of these rides except for the evening fireworks show are accessible via Disney’s new paid systems, Individual Lightning Lane (“ILL”) (currently Seven Dwarfs Mine Train  and TRON) or Genie+ (the rest). Among the dozen or so rides not on the list above but also available in Genie+, most notable are Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, “it’s a small world,” Mickey’s PhilharMagic, and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

Magic Kingdom does Early Entry differently than any other Disney World park. First, only two of its lands are open for Early Entry—Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. Second, almost every ride in these lands is open during Early Entry—in Fantasyland, only the character meets are not available, and in Tomorrowland only Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor and TRON Lightcycle Run are not available.

Since Fantasyland has many very short duration rides just a quick walk apart, you can knock off several rides there during Early Entry, so long as you avoid Seven Dwarfs.

Given guest preferences and wait patterns, until Tiana opens the most time-efficient way to visit Magic Kingdom is to

• See both TRON and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train via Individual Lightning Lane
• See Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, and Space Mountain during or right after Early Entry, and then
• Use Genie+ for a few other key rides, with your highest priorities for Genie+ being first Jungle Cruise, and then the other more popular rides outside of the Early Entry lands—Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Haunted Mansion.

Genie+ can also save you time at Magic Kingdom on other rides, especially on busier days, so long as you pick nearby rides so that you don’t dissipate the wait saving by extra walking. It can also save time at the Festival of Fantasy parade for those looking for a great viewing spot, as it will permit a good viewing spot without needing to line up along the parade route so early.

This itinerary includes much loved dining, including among others at three venues in or near Magic Kingdom:

• Chef Mickey’s at the nearby Contemporary Resort, with Mickey, Minnie, etc.;
• Crystal Palace in the park with Winnie the Pooh and friends; and
• The storied Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue dinner show at Fort Wilderness.

These meals add to the time required on Magic Kingdom days. and thus I’ve returned to my pre-COVID standard of three easy days at Magic Kingdom, rather than what would otherwise be two hard days.

A perfect Magic Kingdom multi-day itinerary focuses you in different lands on different days, to minimize walking. This one, however, is not so perfect…

Magic Kingdom Day 1—Wednesday most weeks—puts you largely in Adventureland and Frontierland and ends with the evening fireworks and, if you are eligible, Extended Evening Hours. However, you also have to head to the other side of the park to Fantasyland for your ILL at Seven Dwarfs and to Tomorrowland for your ILL for TRON.

Magic Kingdom Day 2—Thursday most weeks—is literally all over the map. I have loaded into Day 2 from across the park longer-duration, lower key attractions. Day 2 also gives you the option of character meet and greets, also in many lands, and visits to nearby resort hotels.

Magic Kingdom Day 3—Friday most weeks—does better at focus, beginning with Early Entry in Fantasyland, and your day then continuing in Fantasyland then next door Tomorrowland and nearby Liberty Square.

Why such bouncing around? Well, I think I have some good reasons. They boil down to

• Almost all weeks of the year, Wednesday is the best day to start your Magic Kingdom visit on a trip that begins on a Saturday.
• Wednesday night is almost always the best night to plan see the evening fireworks, and also almost always the night when Magic Kingdom has Extended Evening Hours. Thus, it’s the best day for a late night.
• Fantasyland and Tomorrowland are best seen beginning with Early Entry, but I don’t want to schedule a day for you that requires you to be in the park from Early Entry through late into the night. So these are best seen on a different day than Wednesday.

Moreover, Magic Kingdom ILL is in very high demand. Thus, your opportunities to see successfully book ILL for TRON Lightcycle Run and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train are maximized if you start trying on your very first day at Magic Kingdom, and have two more days as back-ups in case you aren’t successful.

MAGIC KINGDOM DAY 1: WEDNESDAY AGENDA

Your visit to Magic Kingdom begins today.

Your morning includes logistics tasks but is otherwise free.

At the park you will see most of the attractions in Adventureland and Frontierland, with side trips to Fantasyland to see Seven Dwarfs Mine Train via Individual Lightning Lane and to Tomorrowland to see TRON Lightcycle Run, also via Individual Lightning Lane.

You should have dinner reserved at the Crystal Palace at around 6p.

Your last scheduled event is the evening fireworks show, Happily Ever After. If you are eligible for Extended Evening Hours, you may wish to stay for these as well.

LOGISTICS

Before 7a, buy Genie+.

Right at 7a, book ILL for TRON and then Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.  Pick times that avoid the hour following your dinner reservation at Crystal Palace.

Then start looking at Genie+ return times for Jungle Cruise, aiming for a return time noon or later. Some days they will be later than noon as soon as you look, and if so, book immediately. Otherwise recheck to find a return after noon.

Exactly two hours after official park open (official park open will most likely be 9a or 8a, so two hours after will be 11a or 10a) check the Genie+ return times for each of Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Haunted Mansion. Book whichever of these has the latest return time. (You pick the latest as this is the ride most likely to sell out of Genie+ availability by the time you get to pick your next one.)

Today you do not need to use Early Entry. If you are eligible for Extended Evening Hours, you may wish to stay for these as well.

AT THE PARK

Eat a late breakfast/early lunch in your hotel, and arrive at the tapstiles at Magic Kingdom by noon. Your plan today is to see many of the attractions in the west side of Magic Kingdom and in addition Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Fantasyland and TRON in Tomorrowland via Individual Lightning Lane, and dine at Crystal Palace.

Today’s itinerary has a fixed beginning and end, but is otherwise not much structured, as much will depend on the timing of your dining, Individual Lightning Lane and Genie+ windows. You should enter the park with ILL for TRON and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Genie+ for Jungle Cruise and one other ride. As the day wends on, book Genie+ for whatever is available that you have not already booked among Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Haunted Mansion.

You can book your next Genie+ whenever the first of these two events happens: two hours have passed since you booked your last one, or you have fully tapped in to a ride via Genie+.

In Adventureland, your goal is to see the following:

• Jungle Cruise
• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• Pirates of the Caribbean*
• Swiss Family Treehouse

In Frontierland, your goal is to see

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad*

In Liberty Square, your goal is to see

• Haunted Mansion*

Among these, fit in your ILL for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and TRON, and your dinner at Crystal Palace.

You should enter the park with Genie+ for Jungle Cruise, and with another Genie+ for one of the three asterisked rides. As soon as you are eligible, add Genie+ for the other two asterisked rides.

Most will end their day with the evening fireworks show Happily Ever After, best seen from no further away from the castle than halfway down Main Street.

On less crowded days, you may have extra time available to you. If so, wander and explore the park, or see some of the rides that are on the list for Day 2.

If you are eligible for Extended Evening Hours, you may wish to stay for these as well. Revisit your favorite rides from today, or the rides in other lands.

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow’s “standard” itinerary has you starting with a late breakfast at Chef Mickey’s, then returning to Magic Kingdom for another chance at any ILL that you could not today, or want to re-ride, plus other attractions. Tomorrow also includes optional activities before and/or after the “standard” day.

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