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Mad Tea Party

Map location 21

Spinning pastel cups, propelled by their riders, swirl around the Soused Mouse, who periodically pops out of his teapot. Because you largely control how fast your teacup spins, this ride can be enjoyed by all ages. Just don’t go right after lunch.

Time-Saving Tip

Rider volume ebbs and flows at the Mad Tea Party. If the line looks daunting, grab a drink or make a bathroom stop. By the time you return, the crowd may have dispersed.

Castle Stage Show

Map location 17 & 18

The characters come out in full force for these 20-minute stage shows, which run several times daily in front of the castle. While the premise changes every year or so, the productions are always full of songs, dancing, and fun. Consult your map for show times, and if you want the best view, try to arrive 15 minutes in advance. Everyone stands, and it can be tiring, especially on a hot day, so don’t worry if you arrive late and have to watch from the sidelines. These shows are entertaining but it’s not worth missing other Magic Kingdom attractions to see them.

Tomorrowland

Tomorrowland has a 1930s sci-fi look of “the future that never was.” We’re talking metal, chrome, robots, and neon.

Tomorrowland Touring Tips

Ride Space Mountain early—by 9:15 it has substantial lines. If there’s a 30-minute wait, get a Fastpass.

Looking for fast food during peak dining hours? Tomorrowland stands are rarely as busy as those in other lands. Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café, the largest such place in the Magic Kingdom, moves you in and out fast.

Insider’s Secret

Princess alert! The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, fashioned on the popular Downtown Disney location, is appropriately situated inside Cinderella Castle. A variety of packages starting at $50 let young princesses receive fairy-tale makeovers: glittery new hairstyles, shimmering makeup, and sparkly nails. The complete Castle Package includes all of the above plus a costume and photos starting at $190. (Note: Several parents have written to complain that it’s nearly impossible to get the glitter out of their children’s hair afterwards.)

One mother got a little snippidi snappidi at my suggestion, in a previous edition of this book, that parents would have to have lost their minds to spring for the full package. “Yes, we paid almost $200 to have our daughter transformed into Princess Tiana,” she wrote, “but they did it like only Disney can do it, and it was her favorite experience of the trip. Besides, they gave me all the leftover hair and makeup supplies, and I was able to reuse them when we got home. She ended up with the best Halloween costume ever.”

In a gesture toward gender equality, boys can get the $15 Knight Package which translates to hairstyling and a plastic sword and shield. Children must be at least 3 years old and, for the Magic Kingdom salon, theme-park admission is required. Reservations, which can be made 180 days in advance, are a must. Call 407/939–7895 (407/WDW–STYLE).

One thing for cost-and-time-conscious parents to note: It takes a while for the hairstyling and makeup, and that’s an hour that you won’t be riding rides and exploring the park. Considering the price of Disney tickets, you might want to let the girls get the princess treatment at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in World of Disney at Downtown Disney. You don’t need a theme park ticket for that.

Tomorrowland Attractions

Space Mountain

Map location 23

This three-minute roller-coaster ride through inky blackness is one of the few scream-rippers in the Magic Kingdom. The cars move at a mere 32 mph, a tame pace compared to other monster coasters, but since the entire ride takes place in the dark, it’s almost impossible to anticipate the turns and dips. Space Mountain underwent a major refurbishment in 2010 and the special sound-and-light effects inside the mountain have been jazzed up. Best of all, they added some video games to the queue area to make the long waits more bearable. Nonetheless, use