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The Magic Kingdom is definitely the most popular of the Walt Disney World Resort theme parks, and is home to lots of rides that kids and adults will love. When visiting Walt Disney World, you may be wondering what Magic Kingdom rides your kids will enjoy during your visit.
We’ve been visiting the park since my kids were 10 months and 2 years old, and the kids have always found something fun to experience on our trips. Now, with the introduction of the TRON Lightcycle/Run, there are also some rides that are great for older kids.
The Magic Kingdom is separated by different “lands”, each with a different theme. These lands are all home to different rides that fit in with the theme. It can be hard to do the Magic Kingdom in one day – but it definitely can be done.
Keep in mind that rides regularly go down for refurbishment and updates, so check the Walt Disney World website before leaving on vacation so that you aren’t disappointed. You’ll also want to check the height restrictions in advance so your kids aren’t upset when you arrive if they aren’t able to ride.
Wondering what rides are at the Magic Kingdom? Check out our complete guide to the Magic Kingdom attractions and rides, including our picks for the best rides at Magic Kingdom.
Disclosure: I’ve been on some complimentary trips to Walt Disney World, some through Disney Social Media Moms, and some at my own expense. In the past, I was a member of the Disney Parks Moms Panel, but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. A purchase/click through one of these links may result in a commission paid to us at no additional cost to you.
When booking your Walt Disney World vacation, consider purchasing through our affiliate Get Away Today. They offer great prices on tickets and can book many hotels.
| Ride | Land | Height Requirement | Best For | Thrill Level | Lightning Lane |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRON Lightcycle / Run | Tomorrowland | 48 in | Older kids, teens, adults | High | Single Pass |
| Space Mountain | Tomorrowland | 44 in | Older kids, teens, adults | High | Multi Pass |
| Seven Dwarfs Mine Train | Fantasyland | 38 in | Families, first bigger coaster | Medium | Single Pass |
| Big Thunder Mountain Railroad | Frontierland | 40 in | Kids ready for a classic coaster | Medium | Multi Pass |
| Tiana’s Bayou Adventure | Frontierland | 40 in | Families okay with drops and getting wet | Medium – but you will get wet! | Multi Pass |
| Peter Pan’s Flight | Fantasyland | Any height | Toddlers, preschoolers | Low | Multi Pass |
| Dumbo the Flying Elephant | Fantasyland | Any height | Toddlers | Low | Multi Pass |
As you walk past Main Street USA, you’ll see the entrance to Tomorrowland to the right of Cinderella Castle. As a kid, I always loved Tomorrowland the most because I loved the concept of the future and the rides within the land. Now, the future in the land is a bit dated – it’s more focused on our perception of what the future may have been like.
Compete with your family to see who can get the most points! This popular ride has you controlling the vehicle to spin around, gathering points by hitting targets. While it’s a bit similar to Toy Story Mania at Hollywood Studios, I love this ride.
It offers Lightning Lane, and the lines can be pretty long as the day goes on. Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin was recently updated and is even more fun!
This is my all-time favorite ride at Walt Disney World because I loved it so much as a kid. This dark Magic Kingdom roller coaster takes you on a ride through space. It offers Lightning Lane and is still very popular. It has a harness-style restraint, and the ride vehicles have one seat in each row. If your child is a little nervous riding this roller coaster, the seating can make it a bit difficult because you won’t be able to sit side by side.
Take an elevator up to this ride, where you can control your vehicle to go up and down over the park. It’s a similar movement to the Flying Carpets and Dumbo, but because it’s already elevated, you’ll be up even higher than on those rides.
This tame ride is a nice place to relax and enjoy a little downtime. It takes you around Tomorrowland and generally has little to no line. Young kids can ride it as well.
This isn’t a ride, but an amusing show. It runs all day, and during the show, you’ll be treated to jokes in the Monsters Inc. style. It’s a nice place to get out of the sun and rest your feet, and the show is really fun. This has consistently been one of my kids’ favorite attractions.
The newest ride at the Magic Kingdom is also one of the most exciting. Board a cycle and ride through this coaster, which is mostly outdoors. It’s a thrilling ride, though a bit short.
In this ride, you can “speed” along in a small car on a mini speedway. Kids over 54 inches can drive alone, while kids over 32 inches are able to drive if accompanied by someone 54 inches or over. Young kids really like this ride, but it isn’t the most thrilling.
Fantasyland is probably the most popular of the lands at Magic Kingdom and includes many of the most iconic Disney Magic Kingdom rides.
This, surprisingly, is one of the most popular Magic Kingdom rides. It offers Lightning Lane, and the lines can get very long. In this dark ride, you’ll board a ride vehicle and travel through the story of Peter Pan. It’s best for younger kids, since older kids won’t want to wait in line for this mild ride. But younger kids absolutely love it.
I never skip riding “it’s a small world” when I travel to the Magic Kingdom. Known as “The Happiest Cruise That Ever Sailed”, it’s a small world takes you through various cultures on this slow-moving boat ride. You’ll still be singing the song hours after visiting. My kids went on this as babies and still love riding it.
This mild roller coaster in the new Fantasyland section of the park is the perfect first coaster for younger ones. It’s definitely the easiest of the Magic Kingdom roller coasters. We started with this one and moved up to the larger coasters. Visit early to avoid the lines.
My kids were little before the new Fantasyland section of the park was open, and we used to wait in long lines in the sun to ride Dumbo the Flying Elephant. Now, there are two separate carousels, with an indoor queue. In this ride, you can control the elephant vehicle to go up and down as it spins.
This attraction in Fantasyland is a dark ride that takes you through the story of the Little Mermaid. It’s a pretty easy, mild ride, although the sections with Ursula may feel a little scary for the littlest ones.
One of the newest of the Disney World Magic Kingdom rides is the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, which is part dark ride, part coaster. It’s the smoothest ride you can imagine, and you’ll want to ride over and over again. There’s an interactive queue, but Lightning Lane is also available. It’s extremely popular.
Younger kids will love this dark ride, which takes you through a story featuring Winnie the Pooh and Friends. Older kids probably won’t be as interested in this one.
Because I absolutely cannot spin without feeling sick for the rest of the day, this is the only ride at the Magic Kingdom that I haven’t been on. My kids love it, though, and now that they are old enough, they can ride it on their own (much to my husband’s relief).
This isn’t a ride as much as it is a movie. It’s fun to watch, and it’s usually a great way to rest and get out of the sun. We always try to see it when visiting the Magic Kingdom.
The smallest land of the park is Liberty Square, between Fantasyland and Frontierland. Although it’s small, you won’t want to miss it. It’s also home to my favorite quick-service Magic Kingdom restaurants, the Columbia Harbour House.
This iconic ride has one of the best themes at the Magic Kingdom. It’s definitely too scary for little ones, but older kids will love the storyline and the fun spooky touches throughout the ride.
This is another great spot to take a break from the sun. My kids find it boring, but I think it’s a great idea to spend a little time there and learn a bit more about US history and the US presidents.
Visit the Wild West in Frontierland, where you can ride two of the three “mountains” at Walt Disney World. It’s located between Liberty Square and Adventureland. Frontierland is being reimagined soon with the addition of the recently announced Piston Peak National Park (the WDW version of Cars Land at Disneyland).
Board this train ride through the mine. It’s one of my family’s favorite rides (although we preferred the one at Disneyland Paris). It’s not too scary of a coaster, but some kids may still be a bit scared (and height restrictions do apply).
As of 2024, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has replaced Splash Mountain in Frontierland. It’s still a flume water ride, but has a different theme where you can embark on a journey through the bayou with Tiana and other characters from The Princess and the Frog.
Between Frontierland and Cinderella Castle is Adventureland. While you are there because to get a Dole Whip, one of the most popular and delicious treats at Walt Disney World.
The ride that inspired the movie franchise is definitely a must-do at Walt Disney World. It’s a relatively tame ride but is dark, so young kids may be a bit scared. This is another attraction that we always have to ride during our Disney vacations.
Prepare for some of the best (worst?) puns as you go on this cruise through the jungle. If you like the Jungle Cruise, you may want to visit the new Jungle Cruise-themed restaurant at the Magic Kingdom.
This ride, similar to Dumbo and the Astro Orbiter, lets you control the vehicle up and down as it travels in a circle. My kids always loved riding this one and Dumbo, and we never missed it. Lines generally aren’t too long, but are shortest in the mornings.
There are other Magic Kingdom rides and attractions not mentioned here, including the carousel, Philharmagic, Enchanted Tales with Belle, the Carousel of Progress, the Country Bears Jamboree, and the Enchanted Tiki Room.
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Families visiting the Magic Kingdom may wonder what the best Magic Kingdom ride with toddlers is. That will often depend on what your kids’ specific interests are. As little ones, my kids generally loved the rides in Fantasyland. “It’s a small world” and Dumbo the Flying Elephant were their two favorites.
If your kids are on the edge of possibly riding the roller coasters, you may want to start with the Barnstormer to see how they do. The first time I tried to take my son on the Barnstormer, he walked ahead of me onto the ride vehicle and immediately off. I had to run to chase after him, but I knew at that point he wasn’t even close to being ready for the bigger coasters!
Looking for some thrill rides? The Magic Kingdom really isn’t home to any really scary thrill rides, although there are several coasters. The scariest ride at the Magic Kingdom is probably Tron – although it’s not scary, it does go fast!
See more about scary rides at Walt Disney World here.
This one is almost impossible to answer because there are so many iconic rides there. Our current favorite is the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train because it’s so unique and fun. Luckily, you most likely won’t have to choose just one!
Best Magic Kingdom rides for toddlers
Best Magic Kingdom rides for preschoolers
Best Magic Kingdom rides for older kids and teens
Best Magic Kingdom rides to book with Lightning Lane
What is your favorite Magic Kingdom ride?
More Resources: Want to know more about Disney World rides? Click here to read all of our posts about Disney rides and attractions.
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