I was thrilled to hear earlier this month that new dates had been released by Walt Disney World for Magic Kingdom’s Early Morning Magic program. In case you don’t know, Early Morning Magic is a special ticketed event (not to be confused with Extra Magic Hours) that takes place on certain days and offers guests entry to the Magic Kingdom before anyone else (from 7:45 – 9:00am), access to seven popular attractions in Fantasyland, plus a buffet breakfast for you and the little ones! This is a great option if you are a family of early risers or if you just can’t get all of the FastPasses that you wanted. 

I was lucky enough to have my summer vacation overlap with Early Morning Magic, and the experience was completely worth it, so I am here to tell you everything you need to know!

Get there early.
It’s not critical since there are only a limited number of tickets sold and you receive a special wrist band upon checking in, but my family was only 20 people back on line before security opened and I wouldn’t do it any other way. We were among the first people to walk down Main Street! 

Do other rides first
Even if the Mine Train is your top priority (and I’m sure it will be), I would start with the other rides in Fantasyland and work your way back to it later. Trust me, it will be worth it. We rode Peter Pan twice and Small World before heading over to the other rides.

Say YES to riding Mine Train again (and again)
This was the highlight of the morning. After riding Mine Train the first time, there was basically no line and my kids wanted to go again, so we did – FOUR TIMES in a row! We rode in the front car (twice), once in the middle and once in the back.

Divide and conquer – it’s a parenting win.
Take advantage of the smaller crowds and split up if needed. While my one son and I went on Winnie the Pooh and the Carousel, my husband took my older son to ride the Barnstormer. They rode it twice (and then Dumbo) before meeting us for breakfast. 

Speaking of breakfast, it was awesome. 
The buffet breakfast is served in Cosmic Rays in Tomorrowland. We got a table right in front of Sonny Eclipse and waited a quick 5 min on line for our food. And what a spread! We were given full plates of pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausage. I ordered coffees and juices (and grabbed two waters to go) and there was also a continental service including fruit, danishes, oatmeal, etc…plus an appearance by Wreck-it-Ralph. 

Plan your FP wisely
Because of the early morning, it’s important to think about how you want to schedule your Fast Passes. I scheduled ours for 10am-11am-12pm to keep my family moving. Right after breakfast, we walked across the park, grabbed a front row spot to see the opening show with Mickey and Minnie, and made our way to the Jungle Cruise. By lunchtime, we were ready to relax back at the hotel pool.

All in all, Early Morning Magic was one of the highlights of our trip. Tickets weren’t cheap – kids ages 3 to 9 were $79 each, and adults ages 10 and older were $89 each, plus regular theme park admission – but I would definitely recommend this, and would save up to do it again

by Regina Saake – Director of Communications Marketing at ET Family Travel