What to skip at Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom has SO MANY great rides, which is what makes it such an amazing park.  However, that also makes it pretty much impossible to do every single attraction in one day.  It’s especially hard to narrow it down at Magic Kingdom, since so many attractions are classic or just plain wonderful.  Nevertheless, choices must be made.  Here are my picks for what I would skip if I only had one day in the Magic Kingdom:

Astro Orbiter

I’ve done this ride exactly once, and I don’t really see any need to ever do it again.  It’s another “spinning” type ride like Dumbo, just higher up in the air and you have to take an elevator to get to it.  If I’m doing a ride like that it will be Dumbo for the nostalgia.

The Barnstormer

This is about the most basic sort of kiddie coaster you can get.  That means it’s a great one for younger kids who are trying their first roller coaster, but for me it lacks any sort of thrills or excitement.

Country Bear Jamboree

I know the Country Bears are kind of a cult favorite, but I can’t get over how ridiculous, cheesy, and borderline offensive this show is.  I will tell you one of my absolute favorite stories from my very first trip to Disney when I was 9 years old.  Our first day in Magic Kingdom and we got there at rope drop to get to the best rides first.  My dad got some great advice from his boss about how he needed to Country Bears first because it was the best thing in Magic Kingdom.  So we’re going along with the giant crowd to Frontierland, whom we assume is all headed for the Country Bears… and then watch them all pass us by for Splash Mountain.  It was us and one other family in the first showing of the Country Bear Jamboree of the day, and we basically sat there and watched that show saying “WHAT IS THIS.”  So the Country Bears have kind of become an inside joke with my family since then.

Liberty Square Riverboat

This is a nice, pleasant ride around the Liberty Square/Frontierland section of the park, but that’s basically all it is.  And it takes a good chunk of time to go all the way around as well, so unless you’re really into boats or riding around a small river, it’s more fun to look at and take pictures of from a distance.

Tom Sawyer’s Island

If you have rowdy kids that really need some time just to run around and explore, Tom Sawyer’s Island might be a good place for that.  Otherwise it’s mostly just different paths, some cool stuff to see, but not really any attractions.  It’s not a must-do.

Mad Tea Party

I guess I’ve officially become an old person when I say that spinning wildly around in circles makes me feel kind of sick.  So I’ll usually pass on the teacups.

Magic Carpets of Aladdin

We’ve got a ride here that’s mostly identical to Dumbo except for an Aladdin theme stuck in the middle of Adventureland.  If I’m doing something like this it will be Dumbo – both because it’s a classic, iconic Disney attraction and because it has the cool interactive queue now.

Swiss Family Treehouse

This is a simple walk-through attraction.  It’s cute, but nothing amazing.  There’s also a lot of stairs to climb up and down, so if you’re already tired from walking around the parks you might not want to add stairs on top of that.

Tomorrowland Speedway

If the idea of driving around a track at 7 miles per hour sounds like fun for you, go for it.  Otherwise it’s a slow loading ride which means long wait times for a ride that doesn’t feel uniquely Disney.  The only time it was worth it for us was when we were on our honeymoon and they stuck a cute “just married” sign on the back of our car.

Carousel of Progress

It was a bit hard for me to add this to the list, because I really do enjoy the Carousel of Progress.  However, it’s not a “must do” for me.  It’s cute and has some historical significance, but it’s also takes a bit of time and is a bit outdated at the end.

Enchanted Tiki Room

This is another one that might be a bit controversial, because it’s such an iconic Disney attraction with a significant place in Disney history.  However, as amazing as it might have been at the time, at the end of the day it is just a room of animatronic birds singing cheesy songs.  I’d only hit it up if you’re a huge Disney history fan, or you need a place to sit for a bit.

The Hall of Presidents

As I write this The Hall of Presidents now has been closed for almost a year to make way for our 45th president, so you have no choice but to skip it.  In general I do find it interesting and educational (I like educational) but another one that doesn’t land in the “must do” category.  Now, the “Great Moments in American History” presented by the Muppets right outside… that’s another story 😉  Definitely take the ten minutes or so to see that one!

Even if you skipped all of these, you still probably wouldn’t be able to do everything else in the park!  There are just so many attractions in Magic Kingdom – not to mention the fireworks, characters, parades, and restaurants.  If you have a longer trip I would recommend at least 2 days in Magic Kingdom!

Which attractions do you skip when you’re in the Magic Kingdom?