🛑 STOP. 🛑 You could be making some HUGE mistakes in Magic Kingdom that you will seriously regret. But we can help.

Disney World might be magical, but it’s far from perfect. You could experience a whole bunch of issues and mishaps on your upcoming vacation — from a favorite ride being suddenly closed to not being able to get that coveted restaurant reservation. Even the weather might not be on your side. Sometimes things can get so bad you might be left wishing for a “redo” button. So we asked YOU, our DFB readers, about the one thing you would redo during your last visit to Magic Kingdom if you had a chance, and you had some THOUGHTS.

HUNDREDS of you chimed in and shared your Magic Kingdom regrets, and now we’re sharing them so everyone can learn some valuable lessons from these tricky situations. (Also we want to note that some of these might have shared a little TOO many details but hey, we appreciate the honesty!)

1 — Careful With Your Clothing Choices!

One reader, Brittany, shared, “I did [Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party], and my zipper broke.” That left Brittany a little…exposed…for the last few hours of the night. They shared, “would’ve avoided that and gotten a stronger zipper ” OOPS!

This is an important lesson in clothing choices! That stylish outfit you had planned with all the frills might look nice, but if it’s got pieces on it that aren’t quite as strong as some more “regular” clothing, you might want to rethink your choices.

While style and fashion can be an important part of your day, it’s equally as important to pick clothing that’ll survive a full day of getting up and out of attraction seats, up and out of park benches or restaurant seating, and even perhaps sitting on the floor for the parade. Pack wisely!

Speaking of style, have you checked our DFB exclusive graphic tees and merch? It’s super fun stuff to wear to the parks, or to rep your happy place at the grocery store!

Click here to visit the DFB Merch Store!

Click here for the ULTIMATE Disney World packing list!

2 — How Much Time You Spend in the Park

Crystal shared their regrets about how time was spent in the park. She said, “I would have skipped fireworks and rode more rides instead. ” That is a fair consideration. When the fireworks go off, that can be a great time to get on a number of attractions with a shorter wait (while the rest of the crowds are watching the sky).

Diana said, “Our daughter isn’t a huge fireworks fan so we’ve always started at [Magic Kingdom] for rope drop and stayed alllll day through right before fireworks when we would leave. It was always perfect. Last time we did the highly suggested split your day and swim and nap at midday and trying to leave [Magic Kingdom] at night was the biggest nightmare ever.”

This is important to keep in mind. If you aren’t a fan of the fireworks, you can spend that time capitalizing on lower wait times at rides in the park. But be aware that once the fireworks are finished, the crowds of people trying to get out can be…intense. Our advice? Stick around for a while! Stop by any rides that may still be open, check out nearby shops, or just grab a seat on a park bench and take in the atmosphere. If you can hang back and let those crowds empty out for a while, you could be left with a beautiful sight — a mostly empty park — and a much easier transportation situation once crowds have eased.

3 — Fireworks Woes

Speaking of the fireworks, Ashley regrets not double-checking the fireworks schedule while in Magic Kingdom. They shared, “the ONLY thing [their bestie] wanted to do was to see the fireworks!! I told her there were 2 shows each night, turns out just a week before we went, they had switched it to 1 show a night…I am STILL hearing about it and this was back in September…even if you “think” you know everything about Disney/a park…things change all the time so make sure you check the app each visit or you’ll end up like me…still getting grief about missing the fireworks over 6 months ago!!”

This is an amazing tip. Fireworks times (and times for other shows) can change a LOT in Disney World. You’ll want to check the schedule ahead of your trip to plan, but you’ll also want to check the My Disney Experience app, Disney World website, or times guide in the park for updates ON the day of your trip — you never know when something might have changed at the last second.

In other fireworks struggles, Danielle felt like they wasted a lot of time waiting in a fireworks spot. They shared, “I’d either pay for the dessert party viewing or skip it to go in shorter lines… or just watch it from farther away. It’s so much lost time!”

Whether a fireworks dessert party is worth the cost for you will definitely depend. It’s also important to know that there is a more expensive version and a cheaper version, so that can factor into your evaluation (click the links for our reviews).

But even if a fireworks dessert party isn’t for you, it is important to note that you can get a good view of the fireworks in some less obvious places. Those spots might not always guarantee you a view of the projections on the castle — which is admittedly a big part of the Happily Ever After show, but if you’re okay with that — it could be a good solution to opt for an emptier spot you won’t have to get to as early.

3 Tricks to Getting the BEST View of Happily Ever After Fireworks in Magic Kingdom

4 — Food Mistakes

We have to appreciate the number of responses we got about food. Loretta certainly had a regret related to that: “I never enjoyed my usual Mickey bar. Still sad about that one. Next vacation, I’ll make up for it, multiple times.”

Rachel said, “Eat more Cheshire Cat tails. I LOVE them!!!” We feel this Rachel! This is a simple yet delicious snack you don’t want to miss.

April regretted not grabbing one particular snack, sharing “wish I would’ve gotten a coconut [DOLE] whip.” Ooooooooh yes! The Coconut Cup from Aloha Isle (technically listed on the menu as “coconut soft-serve,” not DOLE whip) is absolutely delicious for those who love tropical flavors.

You can get it on its own, swirled with DOLE Whip Pineapple, or even as part of the Tropical Serenade drink (SO GOOD!).

If there is a snack that is a must-do on your trip, be sure to prioritize it! The vacation can go by in the blink of an eye, and before you know it, your chance to get that snack is gone. Make a list of the snacks you simply MUST try so you don’t miss those when walking around the parks.

And check out our list of the BEST Magic Kingdom restaurants below so you know where to eat and what to try!

We’ve Eaten at Every Magic Kingdom Restaurant. These Are the BEST.

5 — WATER. WATER. WATER!

This isn’t necessarily a Magic Kingdom-specific regret. Rather, it’s one that we think can apply to all of the parks, but we are SO happy some of our readers brought this up because it is critical to talk about.

One thing we always stress at Disney World is to NOT pay for water when possible. You can use a water bottle and water fountains or water bottle refilling stations throughout the parks to stay hydrated or opt to get a FREE cup of ice and water from most Quick Service restaurants. Staying hydrated is ultimately most important, but saving a few bucks along the way is helpful too.

Michal agreed and said, “I would have brought a water thermos and drank more water. It is important to stay hydrated! Also, it is less money to bring your own thermos verses needing to buy a water bottle.”

Ann had a somewhat similar regret: “Not drinking enough water which I’m normally good at doing but messed up and I was so sick that night.”

Disney sells a number of water bottles in their parks, so you can pick one up there if you forget yours at home. And remember that — as we mentioned above — even if you do NOT have a water bottle, you can generally get a FREE cup of water at many Quick Service dining spots in Disney World.

But to save some cash, stay hydrated, and be prepared, consider ordering water bottles for the whole family now and remember to pack them!

Click here for info about the refillable water bottle stations in Disney World

6 — Phone Issues

Another thing we recommend for ALL the Disney parks is to bring a portable phone charger with you because you’ll be on your phone A LOT in Disney World between using the My Disney Experience app to check wait times, check into dining reservations, make Genie+ reservations, buy Individual Lightning Lanes, and more.

Michele learned that the hard way: “Bring a phone charger. I was on my phone so much trying to maximize my [G]enie plus purchase that my phone ran out of battery, and I had to buy a portable charger in the park to recharge so I could Uber back to my hotel.”

While you can buy FuelRod portable chargers in the parks, bringing your own can be much more convenient (and cheaper). There are a whole bunch available via Amazon and other retailers for you to pick up, like this small and portable iWALK Small Portable Charger.

This one is convenient since the adapter is built into the charger, but there are plenty of options to check out.

Click here to get this charger on Amazon

It sounds like a LOT of our readers have things they would like to redo. We also saw a few answers from readers about not rushing so much and relaxing a little more (hey, we get it, that is HARD to do in Disney World). What do YOU regret from your last Disney World trip and wish you could redo? Tell us in the comments.

For more trip planning help, check out our DFB Guide Everything Bundle here.

You will get ALL of our best-selling eBooks with details on Disney World Dining, EPCOT Festivals, the BEST snacks in each park, and soooooo many tips and tricks we’ve learned over decades of visiting our happy place. 

Get the bundle here!

 

What do you wish you could get a redo of during your last trip to Magic Kingdom? Let us know in the comments!