Epic Park Hopping: All The Best Things At Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Introduction

Hey there, fellow adventurers and Disney enthusiasts! If you’ve ever dreamed of stepping into a world where magic comes to life, then you’re in for a treat. We’re about to embark on a virtual journey through two of the most captivating realms on Earth – Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. From whimsical castles to thrilling safaris, we’ll be your guide to uncovering the absolute best experiences these enchanting parks have to offer. So, buckle up and get ready to explore the wonders that await around every corner. Let’s dive into the spellbinding realm of Disney like never before! 🏰🦁🎢

Getting to Magic Kingdom

I was staying in Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Disney Springs Resort Area, and took an Uber to the Disney’s Transportation & Ticket Center. From there I took the Monorail and could see the Cinderella Castle from it already…

At 9:00 AM, park opening time, I was already walking around the Main Street. But before explaining what is next I need to let you know what I did earlier today.

Getting Disney Genie+ ready

Before even setting foot in any of the parks, it is almost imperative nowadays to do some kind of preparation. Besides buying the tickets, and doing the park and restaurant reservations with 60 days in advance, now, Disney wants us to also have the chance to pick a Lighting Lane for our favorite rides for a fixed price. That’s Disney Genie+, and it allows you to skip the lines for many of the attractions, in the 4 parks. I got to buy the service on the app, before 7 AM.

Disney Genie+ could only be bought from 12 AM on the day of your visit, but at 7:00 AM I got to join the Virtual Queue for Tron Lightcycle/Run, and immediately, meaning right after, I had to secure the first Lighting Lane using the Disney Genie+. I could buy the Individual Selections when the park opened at 9:00 am.

This is a marathonic experience but would make your life 100% easier especially if you are doing the park hopping in such a short amount of time.

My Recommendations

These are some recommendations for getting ready for this stressful process of booking Virtual Queues and Lighting Lanes. Do this 10 min before the required times:

• No Disney Wifi: Do not use the WiFi of Disney Hotels or parks, use your own data, and measure your internet speed if possible.
• No save battery: Turn off Battery Saving, this option makes the internet slower sometimes.
• LTE no 5G: Turn off 5G, since this service is not available everywhere or could be very slow.
• Isolated spot: If possible, go to a spot where no one is around you. Internet in very crowded places like the parks tend to be very slow.
• Turn off wifi / Bluetooth, etc: Again, do not use WiFi, and turn off unneccessary settings on the phone like Bluetooth.
• Battery and device care optimize button: If you have an Android you can optimize your cellphone to run smoothly. You can find similar options in Iphones.
• Memory clean now: Clean the memory and cache of your cellphone, that way it will run smoothly and fast.
• Virtual Queue First, Disney Genie+ Second, and Individual Selections Third: Always follow this order since this is the perfect way to go from the most available to the public to the least available option.

Now that I secured my Lighting Lane for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and my Virtual Queue for Tron Lightcycle Run, I can continue with how my day with Genie+ developed.

Virtual Queue: Tron Lightcycle/Run

Virtual Queue for Tron had already called me when I arrived to Magic Kingdom, so I headed to Tomorrowland, and walked to the VQ line. At this time (Summer 2023), there is no leverage for Tron, meaning you have to get there as soon as you’re called or within the given time. They cast member will not let you in (like in other attractions) if you called time has expired.

This was my first time on this ride, and I was so excited. I had seen reviews saying it was very fast (like duration wise), and I was still excited to go in it. I had also book a Individual Lighting Lane Selection for later tonight in case I liked it and wanted more.

My rating: 8/10. Like the reviews said, you get so into it when you start and suddendly time is up. At least it was smooth and entertaining.

Opening with Tron was Energy Bytes, the quick stand right next to the attraction.

Lighting Lane: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

My first Lighting Lane of the day was Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The traditional roller coaster is the best thing in this part of the park since Splash Mountain closed to build Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid

As I always say, use Disney Genie+ AT ALL TIMES. Every time you pass the last touch point of the ride, immediately look for the next ride. In my case and while I was still in line for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, I got a Lighting Lane for Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid. You do not have to wait 2 hours as long as you do the last booked lighting lane, and since I had booked one at 7:00 AM and one 2 hours later, at 9:00 AM then I was free to get another one.

I had seen The Little Mermaid (2023) and kinda remembered that I had never been on this ride, so I booked it just to see what the fuss what about, and also to get some AC in the always hot Florida.

Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire

The Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire happens a few times a day, and this is the description from the website:

It takes a whole enchanted kingdom to put on this show—and you’re cordially invited. Look for Tiana and friends from The Princess and the Frog and Rapunzel and Flynn from Tangled. Mickey even recruits Olaf, Anna and Elsa from Frozen to join in!

Watch as classic and contemporary Disney Characters interact in a magical, musical extravaganza featuring lively dancing, dazzling effects and music from the films.

Walt Disney World Railroad

Due to the construction of Tron Lightcycle/Run, the Walt Disney World Railroad was closed for years, and I had not being able to ride it since like 2017. Now, I needed to get in it, just to see the new narrations and the passing through Tron!

The ride is relaxing, and since I still had some time before my park hopping at 2 PM, I needed to kill some time here in this park.

It was one of the last few days of June, but the Pride decorations were still out, and I just was amazed of Disney really investing in LGBTQIA+ rights, even in the more important park like it is Magic Kingdom.

Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade

The Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade also happens a couple of times in the day, and it is a good opportunity to see some not so common characters.

I was using this day at Magic Kingdom just to relax, and I did not do any rides for a while, mostly because my favorite rides are not in this park, the Lighting Lane for Space Mountain was kind of impossible to get, and I was using my Lighting Lanes for later in the day in Animal Kingdom, so I had a lot of rides ready for me (all stack) when I arrived there.

In the meantime, I got a Dole Whip Float from Aloha Isle, and I do not think I ever had a float, so this was a first time for me, and it was very yummy as expected.

Also, I did not do rides, because, even if I just did the lines and not a Lighting Lane, I did not want to be in line for +20 minutes, and the park was definitely busy.

On the way to Animal Kingdom

Why did I pick Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom as my parks for the day? Well, I wanted to do Magic Kingdom first, so I could do the Tron Virtual Queue at 7 AM. And the park I was going to hop at 2 PM had to be an easy park I could go, and then leave again to come back to Magic Kingdom for the fireworks at night. Epcot and Hollywood Studios are not easy parks, because those have my favorite rides. Animal Kingdom was definitely more manageable in a short period of time.

But now I was hungry, and needed something to eat. Yes, I left a bit earlier to finally get some of the famous Ohana noodles, which you can order on the app, not from Ohana but from Tambu Lounge in Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. To get there, I decided to use the Resort Monorail.

And very quickly you arrive at the Polynesian Village Resort, in which I had not been, so it was another first for me.

Polynesian Village Resort

After tapping on “I am here, prepare my order” on the app, I got my noodles very quickly.

The noodles were really good, but to be honest, I do not know why they are so famous. I think, I have tried many other better noodles in other places, like back in NYC. But this is theme park food, so I was not going to be too strict about it lol. After eating, and getting closer to 2 PM, I got on an Uber from the resort, and got to Animal Kingdom.

The park was not too crowded, one of the reasons to do this park in the afternoon. A lot of people think that this is a morning park, but it is less crowded in the PM.

Kevin from Up was out and about.

Lighting Lane: Expedition Everest

The first Lighting Lane I had stack for this park was Expedition Everest, one of my favorite roller coasters of Walt Disney World, and despite the fact that it has a Single Rider line, I think I did not waste the Lighting Lane on this. The lines were kind of long. And as always, as soon as I tapped the 2nd touchpoint, I got to book another Lighting Lane.

Lighting Lane: Kilimanjaro Safaris

Finally it was time to do the Kilimanjaro Safaris, one of the most relaxing rides of Walt Disney World, and I got to use a Lighting Lane I had reserved in the morning while in Magic Kingdom.

The animals were out and about too. Love a busy safari, but nothing like the real one I had in South Africa.

Animal Kingdom Entertainment

Animal Kingdom has some of the best entertainment in Walt Disney World, that, and the animals and food is what makes this park so interesting to visit.

And the best way to see the flotillas in my opinion is when at the “secret” passage from Harambe Theater to Pandora.

Pandora – The World of Avatar

Welcome to Pandora, the World of Avatar, the busiest land of this park, and for a good reason. It has some of the best immersion in any park, some of the best food and some of the best rides as well.

The food from Satu’li Canteen at Pandora is just out of this world. The Cheeseburger Steamed Pods are so good, but literally anything in the menu would be a good option.

Even though the park was not too crowded on this afternoon, it was definitely busy on the rides. The wait times were all over the place.

Another delicacy from Animal Kingdom, and Pandora especifically is the Night Blossom – Non-Alcoholic Specialty Beverage from Pongu Pongu. It is inevitable to get it everytime I come to this land. It is a requirement for a very hot June day like today.

Lighting Lane: Na’vi River Journey

One of the attractions I can almost never do is Na’vi River Journey, just because the lines are so long, but I got the chance to get a Lighting Lane earlier today, and I was so glad that worked out. The wait time was about 55 minutes.

Individual Lighting Lane Selection: Flight of Passage

At 8:30 AM, when the park opened I got the Individual Lighting Lane Selection for Flight of Passage, the most famous attraction of this park. It is a 3D simulator that you cannot miss during your visit to this park.

Back to Magic Kingdom

And just like that, after Dinosaur was shut down, I got on an Uber and went back to Magic Kingdom for a few reasons. Some Lighting Lanes I had booked, the Individual Lighting Lane for Tron that I had at night, and to see the Happily Ever After fireworks for the first time in years.

The park was definitely more crowded in the afternoon, evening times, and it makes sense, since a lot of people just come for the fireworks, or park hop here since it is the park that closes the latest.

Lighting Lane: Peter Pan’s Flight

Another first one for me today was riding Peter Pan’s Flight. I know! It’s crazy. But this attraction ALWAYS have a long line, so I got to use a Lighting Lane to finally get in here. And it was kind of fun, very short tho.

Pirates of the Caribbean

But not everything was Lighting Lanes, I got to ride Pirates of the Caribbean on the regular line as well, since for some reason, the wait time was not too long.

Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress

And another first one for me and another ride where I did not use Lighting Lane was Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. This is the perfect attraction to relax, and just get some AC after a hot sunny day.

After this, I bought a Chicken sandwich from Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café, and it was ok. That’s the problem with Magic Kingdom, not giving us good food options. In Epcot and Hollywood Studios I always have a long list of items I want to get lol.

Individual Lighting Lane Selection: Tron Lightcycle/Run

And it was finally the evening, and dark enough to go into my second ride of Tron, this time using the Individual Lighting Lane Selection I got a 9:00 AM when the park opened. I had booked it for an earlier time, but I went to those Cast Members on the blue umbrellas, and they were so generous to allow me to change it to the nighttime, just because look at it. It is so beautiful with all the lights on at night.

Amazing ride, and I did not have to go to another Disney Park in Asia to experience it.

Happily Ever After

And the time had come, for Happily Ever After, the most anticipated returning show in Disney history.

It is just so magical.

After Thinkerbell flew by, the show was over and now I had to decide if staying longer or what, but since the crowd was leaving, I decided to stay for a bit longer.

Lighting Lane: Haunted Mansion

I had a Lighting Lane for Haunted Mansion, but I was not sure to use it, and since the movie was coming up, I decided to ride it.

I left the park and the return using the Monorail was very difficult because of the crowds. But while I was waiting I got to see the Electrical Water Pageant, and it was kind of cute.

You can see the next chapter of this adventure HERE.