I remember when I first learned about Disney World.

It’s the 90s and I am sprawled out on our navy plaid couch, eyes glued to the box television as a commercial flashes across the screen. A little girl answers a phone call from Goofy, then you see her family vacationing in Disney World. After a few scenes of what looks like a memorable day, she seems a little down until she gets a glimpse of Mickey Mouse. Beaming, she glances up and says, “I’ve been waiting my whole life to meet you.”

My adolescent self had stars in her eyes and I have ever since. I couldn’t help but hope to go there; and as I grew up, I couldn’t wait to bring my kids one day.

So, when my Mickey-loving, Woody-toting, Rapunzel-watching daughter turned 3 and we had flight credits to use and credit card points saved up, Disney was on my mind.

PLANNING FOR DISNEY

With the help of a friend who works for A Pair of Ears Travel, we booked a last-minute, quick trip set for January 2022. The plan was to fly into Orlando, spend the following day in Magic Kingdom and fly home the next morning. Sadly, our plan was derailed when our family got COVID and we had to cancel the trip. (Thankfully, we hadn’t told our daughter after we were exposed just in case.)

One year later, almost to the day, we decided to try again–our trip was set for January 2023! We told our daughter on Christmas morning and began the countdown.

We flew in to Orlando and used MEARS to transport us to our hotel, All-Star Movies. I would absolutely recommend this resort. It was adorable, affordable, and it had everything you could want–a large Disney gift shop, food court with lots of options, an outdoor pool, a park and more.

After we settled into our room, we decided to eat a quick dinner in the food court at our resort and rest for our big day ahead.

ONE DAY IN MAGIC KINGDOM

That title should probably have an asterisk by it that says “with our 4-year-old daughter.” A day in Magic Kingdom can be spent countless ways depending on the ages and interests of those you’re traveling with. For example, we knew that we would spend the majority of our time in Fantasyland.

Here’s what worked well for the three of us on our recent trip:

MORNING

Breakfast with Winnie-the-Pooh at Crystal Palace
This was absolutely worth it. You can help yourself to a delicious buffet–complete with Mickey waffles–while you wait for Pooh and his friends to come around and greet you.
Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin
This was first on my daughter’s list. She is obsessed with Toy Story and since we were not going to visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios (where Toy Story Land is), we knew we had to make this ride a priority.
Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
Character Meet & Greet: Rapunzel and Tiana
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
“Festival of Fantasy” Parade
We were so lucky to walk out of Mickey’s PhilharMagic right into the start of a parade in front of Cinderella’s Castle.
Lunch at Cinderella’s Royal Table
We made the CRT reservations a couple months in advance. I probably wouldn’t say it was a “must-do,” but it was a neat experience being inside the castle. When we walked in, Charlotte got to meet Cinderella before going up to dine. It was a great way to break up a busy day, giving us time to sit for a longer lunch. The view looking over Fantasyland was beautiful and the food was delicious, but it was definitely the priciest thing we did.

AFTERNOON

Balloon vendor on Main Street
All my daughter could talk about was getting a balloon. It may have been her favorite thing all day! We got a balloon on and walked up and down Main Street!
Dumbo The Flying Elephant
Prince Charming Regal Carousel
Peter Pan’s Flight
Entertainment: Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire
This was a show on the castle stage. Charlotte loved sitting on her daddy’s shoulders to watch the characters dance and sing!
Snack in Fantasyland
There are snacks everywhere! We opted for a Mickey-shaped pretzel and a Mickey-shaped ice-cream sandwich–because everything is better when it’s shaped like Mickey Mouse!
The Many Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh

EVENING

Main Street shopping
We went back to Main Street and moseyed in and out of stores selling the sweetest memorabilia. You’ll definitely want to factor souvenirs into your budget.
Dinner at Pinocchio Village Haus
As it got darker outside, we decided to grab some an early dinner before going to get a good spot for the firework show. This was the perfect little pizza place with some great outdoor seating.
Disney Enchantment
This is Disney’s firework show and an absolute MUST in my opinion. It is one of the most magical things you’ll do when you’re in Magic Kingdom. And, watching the awe on my daughter’s face was just as magical as the show! We did plan to find a spot on Main Street at about 7:30. We knew the show was going to start at 8:15, but we wanted to make sure we had a nice view.
Meet & Greet: Mickey Mouse
We could not leave Disney without meeting the Mouse! Although it was late and we were tired, it was worth it to get a hug from Mickey himself.

TIPS:

Use a Disney travel agent. Your travel agent will be the expert on everything when it comes to planning your special vacation! They will be most helpful when it comes to selecting a hotel, navigating strollers, breaking down your day, explaining Genie+, scheduling dining experiences and more.
Download and learn how to use app beforehand. I wish this was something I would have done a little bit more. Thankfully on the bus ride into the park I sat next to someone who showed me how to utilize the features of the app so you can see what times. A YouTube video may have been helpful to watch before our trip.
Order Magic Bands. This is a cute way to tell your kid(s) about your upcoming trip. There are so many fun colors and characters to choose from. When you put these on, you can unlock your hotel room, scan yourself into the park, make dining or souvenir purchases, scan into your Lightening Lane reservations, etc. You are also able to use them on returning trips to Disney!
Get Genie+. We did purchase Genie+ with each of our park tickets. It’s about $25/day. We did this because we knew we were only going for one day and didn’t want to waste a lot of time waiting in lines. Genie+ allows you to “reserve” attractions ahead of time. When you arrive in your allotted time-slot, you can scan your Magic Band and go through the Lightening Lane to breeze through the line more quickly. (The only downside was that you can only have 2 things reserved at a time. Once you finished one of the things on your reservation list, then you’d be allowed to book something else.)
Build in moments of rest. I was thankful that between rides and experiences, we had sit-down time as well. It was nice to grab a snack and relax or have a dining experience planned in the middle of all the busy!
Plan out your day beforehand to the best of your abilities. The park is broken up into 6 areas: Main Street, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Liberty Square and Adventureland. It’s a good idea to write down the rides and experiences you and your crew are interested in and create a loose plan in order to make the most of your time.
Buy a Disney autograph book. All the characters you meet will sign your child’s autograph book and it’s a special keepsake!

Even just our one day was one of the most magical days! Let me know your favorite things to do in Magic Kingdom and your tips and tricks!

While I continue to reminisce about our wonderful time at Disney World, I am dreaming about our next visit!