animals at the magic kingdom in disney world

(Who knows how long it’ll last here, though, with Tron: Lightcycle Run opening in April 2023, and Splash Mountain reopening with its new theme in 2024.) Transporting guests to a different time or place is one of the chief aims of a theme park, and Tom Sawyer Island probably does that better than any other part of the Magic Kingdom. I hate to not give it its due, though, so it makes the list now that Splash Mountain is officially closed. It’s billed that way, but it’s more like a distinct area with its own set of attractions-like Tomorrowland or Frontierland, only with a number of walkthrough exhibits instead of any rides. I’ve been reluctant to add Tom Sawyer Island to this list in the past because it’s not really a single attraction. It’s absolutely worth riding but you should do everything else on this list first.

It comes to a stop right when it should be discovering its next gear. I’m a sucker for the classics, but also Tron’s just a little too short to qualify. That’s the same reason the truncated Florida version of Pirates of the Caribbean lands midway on this list, instead of near the top.Īlso, yes, Magic Kingdom’s newest attraction, Tron: Lightcycle Run, is now open. The original It’s a Small World is an amazing work of art the version you’ll find at Disney World is fine, but a notable step down from Disneyland’s. Also, some of the best rides at Disneyland exist in inferior form at the Magic Kingdom. Case in point: the second entry on this list, rocketing in at number 11. If a ride has been neglected for too long, and it’s too hard to ignore, that’ll hurt it on this list, even if it’s one of the best concepts to ever come out of Imagineering.

Rides naturally wear down over time and need periodic maintenance and upgrades to offer the kind of experiences they’re designed for. (Curiously, though, despite a much larger footprint, it has less total attractions than Disneyland.) It might not be as quaint or as cute as the Anaheim original, but there’s something to be said for being overwhelmed, especially when it comes to the significantly larger castle that sits at the center of the park.Īs usual when I write a list like this, I’m considering the current state of the attractions at the time of publication. It’s a bigger, busier version of the original Disneyland, with variations on many of the same attractions, and some original additions of its own. The Magic Kingdom wasn’t Disney’s first theme park, but as the heart of the sprawling vacation destination known as Walt Disney World, it’s the most important of the 12 parks that bear the Disney name around the globe.

Animals at the magic kingdom in disney world