Averaging more than 20 million guests each year, Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom theme park in Orlando isn’t just one of the best family vacation spots in the U.S., it’s the most visited amusement park for kids in the entire world. And while many of those guests will be perfectly happy to enjoy their favorite Disney rides, watch a parade or fireworks show, or sample the creative Disney foods, more experienced Disney planners may be ready to try something a little more unusual at the Most Magical Place on Earth.
After visiting Magic Kingdom nearly once a month for the last decade (plus plenty of family vacations to the park before that), I’ve found some of the best things to do at the park are the under-the-radar ones. Think of things like getting some of Tinker Bell’s pixie dust sprinkled on you, having dance parties with characters, and getting custom ears made right in front of you. All of these activities and more await you at Magic Kingdom, and even better, some of them are free. Keep reading to find out all of the fun secret things you can do down Main Street, U.S.A. and beyond.
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1. Make a set of custom ears
There’s nothing that goes better with any Disney outfit than a good set of Mickey ears. But did you know that at Walt Disney World, you can get a set of custom ears? It’s true. Simply purchase a set of the black leather ears from any shop around Magic Kingdom, then take them to the Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe in Liberty Square. From there, you’ll pick designs and hand over the ears to some talented artists, who can do everything from your name with pixie dust, to Mickey balloons, to bows. I always think these are a great custom souvenir that you can use again and again if you plan to return to Walt Disney World.
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2. Dance the day away with your favorite characters
Throughout the year, Magic Kingdom hosts a variety of dance parties with kid-favorite characters. This summer, you can catch Stitch in Tomorrowland and Pluto in Storybook Circus, both accompanied by a DJ and games for some fun at the park. This is also a great way to see characters without waiting in standard meet-and-greet lines around the park.
3. Go on a fun, free scavenger hunt for the whole family
Head into Adventureland for a free pirate-themed scavenger hunt that’s fun for the entire family. A Pirate’s Adventure ~ Treasures of the Seven Seas starts at The Crow’s Nest, which is on the walkway past the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction that connects Adventureland to Frontierland. Here, you’ll pick up a talisman that will help you read a secret treasure map.
There are five missions to complete, and each one takes about 20 minutes. Even better is that the missions don’t have a stop or start time, so you can do this at your leisure between attractions and shows, or spend an entire afternoon searching for treasure; it’s completely up to you.
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4. Get pixie-dusted in Fantasyland
Just behind Magic Kingdom‘s iconic Cinderella Castle is the adorable Sir Mickey’s, where you can find everything you need to make an outfit fit for royalty. After shopping around—even if you’re just looking—ask one of the cast members if someone is available to sprinkle pixie dust on you. If the stars align, you’ll be making a wish as a cast member dusts your head and face with sparkly glitter before you venture out to explore the rest of Fantasyland.
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5. Create your own popcorn mix at the Main Street Confectionery
Sweet treats are a huge part of the experience at all of the Orlando theme parks. While standard theme park fare like cotton candy and caramel apples are tasty, sometimes you just want something a little more custom-made. That’s where the Main Street Confectionery at Magic Kingdom comes into the picture. Inside the Main Street Confectionery, you can make your own popcorn creation complete with mix-ins, sauces, and different popcorn flavors. The price depends on how many mix-ins you add. I love to make this just before leaving the park and snack on my creation after I get back to my hotel room while watching a movie.
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6. Get a haircut on Main Street, U.S.A.
One of the funnest things to do at Magic Kingdom that doesn’t require a Lightning Lane reservation is to gett a haircut at an old-school barber shop right on Disney’s Main Street, U.S.A. The Harmony Barber Shop is located near the Fire Department and the gate where parades and character cavalcades enter and exit.
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You will need an appointment to get a haircut on Main Street, U.S.A. They can be made on the Walt Disney World website. If you’re lucky, the cast members who work at the barbershop may even sprinkle some Mickey confetti in your hair before you leave. If you’re bringing any little kids along with you, they can even get their first haircut at The Harmony Barber Shop, complete with a certificate and a cute first haircut ear hat.
7. Take a tour beneath the Magic Kingdom
Adults who don’t care if the perfectly orchestrated illusion of Magic Kingdom is disturbed with a backstage tour will love Disney’s Keys to the Kingdom Tour. This five-hour walking tour (yes, five hours) takes you through some of the most iconic attractions at the park and into Disney’s underground “Utilidor” tunnels.
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While on the VIP tour, your guide will share facts about the park and stories of Walt Disney and his brother Roy. You’ll also have lunch on the tour. Reservations for this underground tour of Magic Kingdom are highly recommended.
8. Enjoy lunch with a view
Lunch at Magic Kingdom can be tricky, not because of the lack of options, but because many of the best places to eat can get busy really quickly. Location-wise, two of the top spots in the park to dine are Pinocchio Village Haus and Columbia Harbour House, both of which serve standard theme park fare.
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But what many guests don’t know about these two quick-service restaurants is that they both have second-floor dining rooms. From Pinocchio Village Haus, you can watch over Fantasyland through the windows, or if you venture to the second-floor patio, you can enjoy the sights and sounds from outside. At Columbia Harbour House, the second floor faces Liberty Square. If you time your meal just right, you may even catch the Festival of Fantasy Parade from your table.
9. Make a wish in a wishing well
At Magic Kingdom, there’s a wishing well to the right of Cinderella’s castle near the Mirabel meet-and-greet location. After tossing a coin into the well and making your wish, you can continue on with your day at the park—but that’s not where the wish ends. Every few months, Disney collects the coins in and around the water features at Walt Disney World and donates the money to a central Florida charity.
10. Watch the flag retreat ceremony
One of the most patriotic moments at Magic Kingdom takes place daily near the front of the park. Just before sunset, Magic Kingdom hosts a flag retreat ceremony where the flag is lowered and folded, and the Dapper Dans sing patriotic songs.
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This Magic Kingdom flag ceremony is a great way to honor America and pay tribute to the men and women in the military. The area around the flag pole at Magic Kingdom does get a little packed just before the ceremony, so if this is something you want to experience, try to arrive a few minutes early.
