Disney World is The Most Magical Place on Earth, right? But what about…when it’s not?

Some people might even feel disappointed with their visit to Magic Kingdom. It probably happens every day. So what can RUIN your visit to this magical park, and how can you AVOID those issues? We’ve got all the details and tips here.

Right now we’re taking a look at 5 reasons people leave Magic Kingdom disappointed, and we’ve got great advice for how you can avoid these problems during your own trip!

1 — You Didn’t Get to Ride Enough Rides

There are more than 20 rides and attractions in Magic Kingdom, so you might not get to all of them in a single day. And during crowded times (which seems to be all the time lately), there will likely be long lines at the most popular rides. Not getting to go on all of the rides on your must-do list or not feeling like you got to “enough” rides can make you feel like you didn’t really get the full value of your day. And that can lead to disappointment.

So how do you get on all the rides you want to experience in this park? Great question!

Really, it all comes down to having a plan. If you’re a go-with-the-flow kind of person, be prepared to toss that out the window (at least for a little bit) to make your must-dos happen.

Before your vacation, have everyone decide on one or two attractions that they really want to ride or see. Put them all together, and you’ve got your list of must-dos for Magic Kingdom. Everything else that you get to ride should be viewed as a bonus!

Click here to see our list of the 5 BEST rides in Magic Kingdom and the 5 WORST.

During the day, you’ll want to prioritize the rides on your list and get them done first. Once you’ve accomplished everything on your list, see what else you have time to visit. This way, you can feel good about how you spent your time in the park because you know you focused first on your TOP priorities.

Then anything else you get to ride is like bonus icing on top of the cake — sweet and fantastic, but not strictly “necessary.” Focusing on those top rides and (hopefully) accomplishing them, rather than trying to bite off more than you can (potentially) chew, can help fight off those feelings of disappointment and instead leave you feeling satisfied.

To ensure that everything on your list is possible to get done in one day, you will want to make a plan before your visit. We’re not saying you need a detailed itinerary that plans out every minute of your day (although we may or may not do that sometimes 😅), but we do think you should do a little bit of research before you enter Magic Kingdom.

Check out a map to see which rides are close together so that you’re not zig-zagging all over the park with cranky kids (and sometimes adults) in tow just to make it to all of your must-dos. Tell Genie your likes and dislikes, so it can help guide you. We think the free version of Genie can be especially useful if you are new to the Disney Parks.

Look at height requirements for all of the rides ahead of time. You don’t want to arrive at the entrance to a ride only to find out that the little ones are too short to get on it. (Remember that you can still use rider-swap if this happens! One person in the group will wait with the non-riders while the rest of the group goes on the attraction, and then that person who waited can switch and go on the ride with a limited number of other guests from their group without having to wait in the full line again.) Do note: Rider Swap is not available for every attraction.

There are plenty of rides with no height requirement in Magic Kingdom, so there should be lots of attractions for even the littlest members of your group to enjoy.

You can also check out our post on the best places to sit at each ride because sometimes you may want to request a certain seat when boarding a ride vehicle! For example, if you want a truly wild experience, head to the back row of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Keep in mind that the Cast Members can’t always accommodate these requests, but it never hurts to ask politely! Especially if you’re willing to wait for a bit, you could get the seat you want. Click here to see our ultimate guide to the BEST and WORST seats on Magic Kingdom’s rides

Also, make sure you look at Disney World’s refurbishments schedule. Rides in the parks will close periodically for updates or maintenance, and Disney (typically) plans these closures months in advance so that you know when your favorite ride will be closed. We do posts on Disney World’s refurbishments weekly and monthly, so subscribe to our newsletter for the most up-to-date refurbishment info!

Click here to see our page full of updates about Disney World’s refurbishments schedule.

Keep in mind, however, that there could also be non-scheduled closures, such as if there are technical issues or bad weather that cause a ride to close. So consider visiting your favorite rides first. That way, you’ll get them done before any problems arise or — if they’re closed when you visit — you can plan to return later in the day.

Keep an eye on the weather as well, because some outdoor rides will close in bad weather. If you know it’s going to storm in the afternoon, get to the outdoor attractions in the morning and save those indoor ones for the rainy weather.

See which Disney World rides typically CLOSE for bad weather.

When it comes to rides, you also now have to take Disney Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selection (or pay-per-ride) into consideration. These are the paid systems that have replaced Disney’s FastPass+ system. With Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selection (or pay-per-ride) you’ll be able to SKIP the lines at some of the rides around the park (including some of the super popular ones).

But remember — it’ll cost ya! Genie+ costs $15 per person, per day, and Individual Attraction Selection prices can vary depending on the ride, park, and day. You’ll have to determine whether you feel like the cost is worth it for you and your family. But in a park like Magic Kingdom where there is a LOT to do, it might be a tool that can prove incredibly useful in helping you achieve all of those must-dos. Just keep in mind you’ll want to prioritize some rides over others when it comes to Genie+.

Click here to see if feelings have CHANGED toward Disney Genie+.

Not sure where to start when planning those must-dos and more? Check out our ultimate guide to the Magic Kingdom below!

2 — You Didn’t Try All the Food You Wanted

This might come as a shock to you, but we’re BIG fans of Disney food. 😉 Magic Kingdom might not be the BEST park for unique food items, but it’s still got some pretty iconic snacks that many people want to try. Leaving the park without trying a DOLE Whip or Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bar? An absolute travesty in our opinion.

We recommended having a must-do list for the attractions, and we’re going to make the same suggestion for snacks. Check out some of our posts on the BEST snacks in Magic Kingdom and compile your top picks in a list.

Remember that you can get a lot of similar snacks in other parks and even at the hotels, so don’t panic if you didn’t get to all the treats on your list. For example, you can find DOLE Whips in Animal Kingdom and at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. There are Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bars and Mickey pretzels at most snack stands in the parks. And that giant Mickey cinnamon roll at the Main Street Bakery can generally be found at Creature Comforts as well! So don’t panic!! (Though there are some unique snacks you’ll want to grab IN Magic Kingdom.)

Not sure where to start on that snack list? Check out our post about the BEST snacks in Magic Kingdom, watch our video below about the 25 best snacks in Disney World for 2022…

…and consider checking out our DFB Snack guide for Magic Kingdom! In our guide, we have photos, reviews, and prices for over 200(!!) of the most popular snacks from Magic Kingdom to help you plan your trip!

If you get all the way home and realize you forgot to try a snack, you might even be able to make it yourself. Check out our LONG list of Disney recipes to see if your favorite snack can be created at home!

Besides snacks, you might want to dine at a sit-down restaurant in the park. To make sure you get the reservations you need, be ready to reserve a table 60 days before your trip. That’s the earliest that you can make reservations, and seats do run out quickly at the most popular restaurants.

Plan where you want to eat before the 60-days-out mark hits so that you’re ready to make reservations ASAP. And if you STILL can’t get the reservations you were hoping for, keep checking back! Seats might open up if other people cancel. This happens fairly often, especially when you get closer to the time of your trip. But make sure you have a backup option in case plan A doesn’t pan out.

Want details on ALL of the restaurants around Disney World, our top picks, photos, links to our reviews, and more? Check out our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining! Our guide has info that’ll make planning dining at Disney easy. We even walk you through a step-by-step process to get your dining planned for your entire Disney World trip!

Other dining tips: Don’t forget you can join a walk-up waitlist at some restaurants around Disney World. See if the restaurant you want has walk-up availability on the My Disney Experience app. These lists can also fill up quickly, but it can’t hurt to try!

And what happens if you did everything right and got seats at your favorite restaurant, but something happened and now you’re late to your reservation? You’ve still got a few options.

If you know a few hours ahead of time that you won’t make it on time, see if there’s a different (later) reservation available at the same restaurant. You can check on the My Disney Experience app or call the restaurant.

But if there aren’t any later options, call the restaurant and explain that you’re going to be late but you’re still coming. They might be able to hold your table if it’s not too far past your reservation time.

But, most importantly, plan ahead for your reservations and give yourself plenty of travel time so you can avoid missing those important meals!

See which Disney World reservations will be the HARDEST to get in 2022.

3 — The Rain Ruined Your Plans

Here’s something you should know about Florida before you visit Disney World: The weather can be pretty wild at times. We often see days that start off sunny and end up with pouring rain by noon. Storms can clear in a matter of minutes, and they can pop up just as quickly. So it’s important to be prepared for possible bad weather during your trip!

If you’ll be in Disney World for a few days, it’s likely that it’ll rain at some point. Keep an eye on the weather forecast, and plan for those times when it won’t be “blue skies and sunshine.” You can bring an umbrella or rain poncho into the parks (we recommend doing this even if it doesn’t call for rain), and schedule your plans to ride outdoor attractions around the rainy time.

We did a review on Disney World ponchos. See if they are worth the extra $$$ HERE! 

Just remember that as reliable as some weather forecast sources can be, you can’t ever be totally sure about the weather.

And when it does start to rain, don’t jump ship! A lot of people hide out in gift shops or even leave the park altogether because they don’t want to get wet. But if you’ve got your rain gear, you’re prepared to keep rockin’ and rollin’ through the rain.

Keep having fun in the parks by visiting indoor attractions (or any outdoor ones that remain open — you’ve got your poncho, so why not?). You can also take the time to shop or grab a snack. By the time you come out of a gift shop, it might already be sunny again!

See 8 things you’ll regret not having when it rains in Disney World.

4 — You Were So Busy, You Didn’t Enjoy the Day

A Disney World vacation can be SO fun, but it can also be SO exhausting. In all likelihood, you’ll spend much of your time running around to the different rides, possibly trying to navigate the My Disney Experience app and Genie+, trying out a ton of different snacks, etc. It actually can feel like hard work sometimes!

Make sure you plan for a little downtime during your trip. Maybe when the afternoon hits, plan to sit down and munch on a treat while you give your feet a rest. Or schedule a reservation at a sit-down restaurant in the middle of the day so that you have a guaranteed spot (in the air conditioning) to chill out.

Check up on your group often to see if people are getting grumpy. If they are, you’ll know it’s definitely time for a rest! You can even head to your hotel to take a nap or go for a swim while you recuperate.

It’s tempting to fill your itinerary from the second you wake to the second you go to sleep with rides, attractions, and other things you want to get done. But you likely won’t enjoy any of it if you’re grouchy and tired the whole time! Try to pace yourself. If you need to, plan for a couple of days in Magic Kingdom so that you’re not stressed about getting everything done in just one day.

And make sure to stay hydrated! That’s a simple thing that can go a LONG way when it comes to walking around in the hot Florida sun. Click here to see where you can get FREE water in Disney World.

There’s not really a way to get around walking a lot while you’re in Disney World, but you can plan ahead to minimize the meandering. Learn how to use the My Disney Experience app (we know we say this a lot, but it really is a helpful tool) to map out your route around the parks.

And stick to that plan we discussed earlier by going to rides that are close together instead of crisscrossing around the park several times. Don’t hit Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, run to Space Mountain, and then hike back to Splash Mountain (unless you’re prepared for what that’ll mean for your feet!). If you know where the rides are and plan your routes accordingly, you could save yourself some time and some pain.

We’ve also got a pretty good list of shortcuts available that can save you some time and steps.

Click here to check out 15 secret walkways to beat the crowds in Disney World!

Another thing you might want to do is to figure out where the bathrooms are and schedule some bathroom breaks into your day. (Pro tip: go to the Tangled-themed bathrooms in Fantasyland. They’re beautifully decorated and there’s a decent number of stalls available so you hopefully won’t have to wait too long.)

In general, if you organize your day well, keep checking in with everyone in your group, and plan for some downtime, you’ll increase your chances of making it through a trip to Magic Kingdom without a full-on adult or child meltdown. Those meltdowns do happen, but many of them can be avoided.

Learn how to NOT be miserable in Disney World during the summer!

5 — You Didn’t See Mickey Mouse

Is a Disney World trip complete if you didn’t see the Mouse who started it all? Meeting Mickey might not be on everyone’s must-do list, but it’s an important part of the theme park for others.

You can meet Mickey Mouse at Town Square Theater right now (and you can even hug him now too!), which is located just past the entrance to Magic Kingdom (before you walk down Main Street, U.S.A.) on the right if you’re entering the park.

Since traditional meet-and-greets have returned, we’ve seen longer wait times for these experiences (as the characters take more time with each guest). But you can use Genie+ to get a Lightning Lane pass and skip the regular queue if you want to make sure you get your time with the Main Mouse without a big wait.

In addition, character cavalcades are a great way spot Mickey and other Disney character friends. Right now, there are a few different cavalcades in Magic Kingdom, including the Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade. That one has almost 30 (!!) characters, including Moana, Woody and Jessie, Pocahontas, and so many more.

You’ll see Mickey and the gang during the 50th Anniversary Cavalcade, which features Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, and others. Cavalcades (which are basically mini-parades) happen frequently in the park, so you can still get a good view at later shows even if you miss out the first time.

And Magic Kingdom’s Festival of Fantasy Parade has also returned, so you can catch Mickey in his hot air balloon float during the finale. Or you can head to the updated Magic Kingdom stage show to see Mickey and the gang on the Cinderella Castle Stage each morning.

And if you really want to guarantee some time with Mickey, you can book reservations for character dining. At some restaurants, you can visit with Mickey and other characters while you eat your meal.

Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is located close to Magic Kingdom, and this spot has classic characters like Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and more. (Note that there is no character meal INSIDE Magic Kingdom where you can meet Mickey.)

Finally, make sure to check out other parks if you don’t get to see Mickey at Magic Kingdom. Mickey is available for meet and greets at EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, and you might spot him sailing down Discovery River in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

See our ranking of all the character dining locations in Disney World.

Overall, the best advice we can give you is to PLAN AHEAD! Know what you want to do and create a schedule that will allow you to (hopefully) get it all done without exhausting yourself. We hope this list helps you plan your BEST Magic Kingdom day!

Want to learn more? Check out our video below with MORE reasons people leave Magic Kingdom disappointed!

Keep following DFB for more tips as you plan your upcoming Disney World vacation.

Click here to see the BEST deals you can still find in Disney World in 2022.

What’s on your “must-do” list for Magic Kingdom? Let us know in the comments.