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How to Purchase Magic Kingdom Tickets

Whether you’re young or simply young at heart, a trip to Disney’s Magic Kingdom is an unforgettable experience. Before you plan your trip, consider how you’re going to purchase tickets for your family so there are no surprises when you get to the gate.

One-Day Park Passes

One-day park passes allow you access to one Disney park for one day. If you want to visit the Magic Kingdom for a single day, this is the ticket you want to get.

You can purchase tickets at the gate on the day of your visit, but this is not the only ticket purchasing option. If you plan to stay on Disney property or visit other parks during your Florida stay, there are other ticket options that allow you access to Magic Kingdom.

Park Hopper Tickets

Park hopper tickets are Disney tickets that allow you to visit more than one park during the day. If you want to visit a few attractions at Magic Kingdom and view a show at Epcot, for example, you may wish to consider a park hopper pass for each member of your group.

This pass adds an additional charge per guest per ticket per day, so take this into consideration when planning your budget. Again, you have multiple options for purchasing these tickets, and can even wait until you get to the park to make a decision.

Purchasing Tickets Online

Many Disney guests prefer to plan their trips months and even years in advance, and can do so online. If you choose to purchase online tickets, you can do so directly through the Disney website. This is particularly helpful if you are booking a hotel on Disney property, or are purchasing a meal package, since you can simply book everything at once.

Use a Travel Agent

If you’d prefer to leave the details to someone else, consider using a Disney-certified travel agent. These agents are able to book Magic Kingdom tickets for your entire group, and can sometimes help you find arrangements that aren’t available directly to the public. For your Disney vacation, you may want to call on the assistance of a Disney travel agent who knows the ins and outs of planning a magical trip.

Search for Deals

Occasionally, you might be able to find discounts on portions of your Disney vacation by purchasing Disney packages that include hotel, meal plans and park tickets. While these deals might not apply to the park tickets themselves (which rarely go on sale), your overall savings on items like meals or reservations may help you save money on your Disney vacation.

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BREAKING: Disney Announced WHEN the Hatbox Ghost Will Come to Disney World!

By Brianna LeCompte 1 Comment

We’re reporting LIVE from Destination D23 , Disney’s biggest fan event of the year!

Destination D23 stage

This morning, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro is hosting a panel all about the Disney parks, and we’ve already got some exciting updates, like a sneak peek at an animatronic from Tiana’s Bayou Adventure , info about a HUGE change to a Star Wars attraction , and more. And now, we’ve also got an official timeline for the addition of a fan-favorite character to one of Disney World’s most iconic rides!

If you’ve been to Disneyland — or seen this year’s Haunted Mansion   film — you might be familiar with the Hatbox Ghost, one of the spooky characters that inhabit the mansion at the ride in Disneyland Park.

Hatbox Ghost

Even though this haunting character is well-known for living in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion attraction, he hasn’t previously appeared in Disney World’s Haunted Mansion ride…but that will be changing SOON!

Disney had already announced that the Hatbox Ghost will be added to the Haunted Mansion in Magic Kingdom , and now, we have a timeline for his arrival! During this morning’s panel, Josh D’Amaro revealed that the Hatbox Ghost will make his debut at Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion in late November of this year!

Hatbox Ghost in Disneyland

As far as a backstory for his absence in Magic Kingdom up to this point, it was explained that the Hatbox Ghost was one of the original 999 of the mansion’s haunts, but he left quickly after the mansion was discovered by us foolish mortals. We’ll continue to report back with all of the big news from this weekend’s Destination D23 event, so stay tuned for the latest updates!

Haunted Mansion CHANGE Hints at Hatbox Ghost Arrival in Disney World

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Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Today, we were invited by Disney World to attend the Destination D23 event. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy . Thank you for reading. — AJ

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September 14, 2023 at 11:17 am

Not cool that he won’t be there before Halloween and when we go on October 21, 2023 😞

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Hatbox Ghost in Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom: New Details, Location & More!

Walt Disney World has announced new details about Hatbox Ghost coming to Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom later in 2023. This post shares where the new Audio Animatronics happy haunt will materialize, when work is slated to start, and more about the addition to the iconic attraction. ( Updated September 9, 2023 .)

You might recall that Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro originally announced that the Hatbox Ghost would be added to Magic Kingdom back at the D23 Expo in September of last year. At the time, the announcement was brief: “Foolish mortals, prepare yourselves for a new happy haunt at the Haunted Mansion. The Hatbox Ghost has heard your calls and will materialize next year.”

Since then, not much has been shared. During the “Halfway to Halloween” festivities back in April, there was a teaser on TikTok featuring a video of the Hatbox Ghost Audio Animatronics figure, but presumably the one that already exists at Disneyland. This is the first substantive update on the AA since the initial announcement.

Destination D23 Update: Imagineer Daniel Joseph indicated that Hatbox Ghost is materializing whenever and wherever he wants in Haunted Mansion, because he is not actually a ‘happy haunt.’ (This is likely an indirect attempt to address concerns about the placement of the character by diehard Haunted Mansion fans.)

Joseph also shared that you’ll see Hatbox Ghost for the first time in late November 2023 at Magic Kingdom. No specific debut date was provided.

Here’s the update from Walt Disney World: “Later this year at the Walt Disney World Resort, one of our most iconic specters will set up residence in the Haunted Mansion of Liberty Square in Magic Kingdom Park.”

“The Hatbox Ghost will appear to guests as they pass the Endless Hallway, welcoming himself inside from the swinging wake in the cemetery and grinning at the Doom Buggies as they set off deeper into the mansion. Guests will soon see temporary barriers materialize as we await his apparition.”

Just a couple of weeks ago, Haunted Mansion was added to the 2023 Walt Disney World Refurbishment Calendar for a closure August 7-9, 2023. This iconic attraction will be shutting its doors for what is, according to Walt Disney World, a “routine refurbishment.” The company later clarified that Hatbox Ghost would  not  be added during that refurbishment. It’s a near-certainty that the temporary barriers will appear then, though.

For reference, Hatbox Ghost was added to Disneyland as part of a 4-day closure back in May 2015. However, that was  after  a ton of prep-work was done during the annual Haunted Mansion Holiday removal closure, during which time a scrim went up and the attraction returned to normal operations for the next couple of months. None of that has happened yet in the Magic Kingdom incarnation of Haunted Mansion.

The Hatbox Ghost coming to Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom is the second version of the character, so it’s possible that not as much prep work or install time will be necessary. On the other hand, there’s been a ton of turnover in Imagineering and maintenance in the last decade, so it’s also possible the teams that worked on the first Hatbox Ghost are no longer around. It wouldn’t be the least bit surprising if this entire process is starting from scratch again.

Either way, it seems unlikely that Hatbox Ghost will debut in August 2023. The best case scenario at this point is probably staging work being done and the temporary barrier being added to the attraction during the quick August closure, and Hatbox Ghost materializing in October 2023 in time for the heart of the Halloween season. Maybe he’ll debut in September, but this announcement not containing a specific date or even timeframe beyond “later this year” does not bode well.

Frankly, we’re a bit shocked by the timeline for Hatbox Ghost at Magic Kingdom. Disney’s Haunted Mansion  movie hits theaters today (July 28, 2023) and features Jared Leto as the Hatbox Ghost. After that, the first Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party  of the year is on August 11, 2023.

If you asked me earlier this year to choose two dates by which the Hatbox Ghost would be added at Magic Kingdom, those would’ve been my picks. However, as we’ve said repeatedly in reaction to Encanto  still not having a permanent park presence at Walt Disney World, this company is not actually as good at synergy as many fans believe.

Missing the start of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party season is also really something. With that, it’s not just a matter of synergy. Walt Disney World could sell more tickets to the special event, as Hatbox Ghost would create more demand for Haunted Mansion, and in turn, increase overall capacity to the event. (That’s really how it works–and precisely why they’ve added ride overlays to MNSSHP and MVMCP in recent years.)

It’s truly wild to me that something announced almost a year ago that already exists at Disneyland and will be prefabricated off-site (it’s not like Imagineers are hand-chiseling Hatbox Ghost inside Haunted Mansion!) won’t be ready for the two big, logical dates that the AA’s debut would make the most sense. We make a lot of jokes about how slowly Disney does everything…and stuff like this is precisely why.

In terms of non-timeline commentary, the other surprise is the location of Hatbox Ghost in Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom. Walt Disney World has confirmed that the Audio Animatronics figure won’t be in the same spot as at Disneyland. In the New Orleans Square version of the attraction, Hatbox Ghost appears following the end of the attic scene after the Bride.

The figure is slightly shoehorned in even there, but it makes sense and more or less works. If you didn’t know Hatbox Ghost was added in 2015, you’d probably never question the placement. Hatbox Ghost fits with the flow of the attraction and fills some dead space at Disneyland.

Walt Disney World has indicated that Hatbox Ghost will appear as guests pass the Endless Hallway. This is much earlier in the ride, where guests see a candelabra floating in a never-ending hallway (hence the name). Outside the Endless Hallway, there’s an armor suit on one side and a chair on the other; our guess is that one of those is being replaced–probably the chair–by Hatbox Ghost.

This means Hatbox Ghost will appear before Madame Leota’s Séance Circle, and the narration indicating that the “happy haunts have received your sympathetic vibrations and are beginning to materialize. They’re assembling for a swinging wake…”

The placement of Hatbox Ghost in Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom is thus bound to upset some fans. He’ll be the first ghost to appear in the attraction, and come before Madame Leota has summoned them. Prior to this point in the attraction, there’s the casket–but that’s technically a corpse and not a ghost.

Honestly, it’s been a while since I’ve dug deep into the lore of the Haunted Mansion (obligatory plug for the excellent Boundless Realm ), but I think this contradicts the story of the attraction. With that said, a lot has been modified over the years, with fan theories becoming canon, other ‘rules’ being retconned, etc.

Basically, what I’m saying is that I don’t think this is an acceptable placement for the Hatbox Ghost. And, if it is acceptable, by what standards? 1969? 2007? 2023?

For me, it comes down to a smell test more than anything else. When I think about it, the placement strikes me as slightly odd–the logical progression of Haunted Mansion seems to suggest that a ghost shouldn’t appear prior to Madame Leota’s Séance Circle. With that said, perhaps there’s a compelling story or historical reason for this, of which I am unaware.

Moreover, that’s what I’m thinking while sitting at home. I’m honestly not analytically scrutinizing or dissecting Haunted Mansion while riding it. From my perspective as a guest, the attraction is more a series of vignettes, and there are multiple points at which ominous or foreboding imagery protends of something to come.

Hatbox Ghost could pass muster as that, especially if were added in a similar spirit as the eponymous character from Phantom Manor. (But that might present its own problems, with Hatbox Ghost suddenly appearing and dominating the story.)

To be clear, none of this is to say that Haunted Mansion should be a total free-for-all, with story and history both being meaningless because the attraction is all about vibes. To the contrary, I have more reverence for Haunted Mansion than any other attraction, and believe that it is, to this day, the pinnacle of Imagineering. (Right up there with Pirates of the Caribbean.)

Consequently, every change should be done carefully and it’s all well worthy of scrutiny. Haunted Mansion is a work of art, not just mindless theme park escapism. Treating Haunted Mansion with respect and reverence is not the same as being a Dino-Rama disciple.

If you don’t care about any of this, fine; that’s your prerogative. But this type of thing does matter and isn’t simply a matter of diehard dorks taking theme parks too seriously. You’re probably a fan in the first place because someone took all this stuff so seriously when creating it.

Ultimately, what I am suggesting is that the story and history of Haunted Mansion  do  matter. The placement of Hatbox Ghost strikes me as off, but it could work. I’ve been around the block a few times with Haunted Mansion changes, and still vaguely remember the backlash followed by the “ well, actually… ” in response to the 2007 reimagining. As someone who is not an expert in Haunted Mansion lore, I’ll defer to those who are on this one.

All I can say with certainty is that Hatbox Ghost appearing that early strikes me as suboptimal placement when thinking about it now, but will probably strike me as ‘cool new foreshadowing’ while riding. I am even more certain that the installation of Hatbox Ghost is taking way too long, and the figure should’ve debuted  today. 

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Your Thoughts

What are your thoughts on Hatbox Ghost finally coming to Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney World? Disappointed by the long delay between announcement and installation, or that he won’t materialize until after Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party season starts? Thoughts on the placement of the Audio Animatronics at Magic Kingdom vs. Disneyland? Any insight into whether this breaks any ‘rules’ or lore for Haunted Mansion? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!

Written by Tom Bricker

Just saw movie- it was ok. The haunted mansion is one of my favorite Disney rides- hoping they add him in a way that isn’t too noticeable if that makes sense

Agree, though I’m afraid they are going to try to revamp the whole ride about this, which would be a huge mistake, and ruin the delicious balance between humor and creepy. It almost feels like someone at Disney said, “You want us to include your beloved Hatbox Ghost? Fine. Let’s see how you like him NOW.” They should have just put him up in the attic doing his disappearing head trick and left it at that.

In terms of the new movie, it’s going to bomb (sorry, just being realistic) and from a cultural impact perspective it’ll make the previous Eddie Murphy version feel downright iconic by comparison. If anyone at Disney feels there’s a synergistic benefit to reshaping the ride experience/narrative based on the 2023 film then they must truly be possessed.

Disney’s film production units have historically gone through multiple eras when the ideas and storytelling lapsed and quality suffered. We just happen to be in one of those eras now. And as Tom noted, the company can barely move a muscle to integrate elements of their rare successful new films into the parks/rides (e.g., Encanto) so investing in the duds would truly be a fool’s errand.

I guess (per Tom’s post) in this case the movie was the impetus to grant the budget for the “fan service” of bringing Hatbox Ghost to WDW, while at the same time the producers drastically overestimated the penetration of Hatbox Ghost into our cultural zeitgeist (um, Oscar winner Jared Leto?). So they had to stick it somewhere and are putting it into the most convenient spot with least downtime required vs. spending time trying to thoughtfully integrate. We get a brief burst of cross platform marketing and a shoehorned animatronic. Yay!

The Hatbox Ghost was one of the few REAL announcements they made at D23, so I think they just wanted to put him up front where he’ll be the most visible. Probably easier to get the money for it that way, too. Anyway, he doesn’t look too happy, so he’s probably not counted with the other 999…

I just saw the movie, and without giving anything away, the Hatbox Ghost in the film is distinguishable from the other ghosts for reasons relevant to the plot line. But that makes me dislike the placement even more because if that’s their reasoning, they’re turning the(decades old, much beloved) ride into an adaptation of the (while fun for Disney parks guests, not in any way a blockbuster or cult classic) film. And in a manner that is more disruptive to the vibe of the ride than adding Captain Jack to Pirates.

If you have not yet seen the new Haunted Mansion movie, you REALLY need to, as Hatbox Ghost not only appears, but figures VERY prominently. (The movie btw was much more enjoyable than the Eddie Murphy version, though perhaps not quite as fun as the Muppets Haunted Mansion. This one definitely goes for spooky rather than comic like the other two.)

We think the Hatbox Ghost should go after the bride on the balcony before falling off the roof.

I tend to agree that the hatbox ghost needs to come later, but thats prinarily because he feels like he belongs more with the other literal ghost figures as just a matter of balance and flow, rather than as a matter of “storytelling.” (Never really bought that story should be the principal value of a theme park attraction.)

Honestly, they should just redo the entire attic sequence to make it scary again with pop up heads and throw the hatbox ghost in either as the transition in or out. The redone bride scene has never worked for me.

Who thought it would be a good idea to release the Haunted Mansion film in July? Very weird timing all around, for the film, and for the release of the AA.

Not just in July, but one week after the movie ‘event’ of the last several years and two weeks after the latest Mission Impossible.

Kinda surprised they didn’t blink on the release date, honestly.

As an engineer, I think you may be underestimating the amount of work that goes into creating the robotic character that is the hatbox ghost, especially one that has to run all day, essentially forever.

Yes, Disney already has base robotic units, and they just created one in Disneyland, never-the-less this would have been a full time job for a small team.

It would be interesting to know exactly what the Imagineering teams *have* been working on given the limited state of new projects at the parks at the moment.

You’re right that I have no clue how long it would take to create this. Regardless of whether it takes 6 months or 6 years, I don’t think it’s the type of thing that should be announced a full year in advance.

I also don’t think it’s unreasonable to think they should’ve started work on this at a time sufficient to have it installed by the movie’s release date.

I sure hope that we don’t lose the chair near the endless hallway! It’s arguably the item that is most reminiscent of Rolly Crump artwork in the attraction!

I think the line goes something like “Actually we have 999 happy haunts here, but there is room for one thousand. Any volunteers?” So I am wondering, with the addition of the Hat box ghost…..

I was wondering this, too! I guess the implication is that the Hatbox ghost kicked out one of the minor background ghouls, hahah. Or one of the hitch-hiking ghosts finally got out…

The particular phrasing “welcoming himself inside from the swinging wake in the cemetery and grinning at the Doom Buggies” at first made me think they were going to install *two* Hatbox Ghosts, one by the hallway and one by the wake scene. However, upon re-reading it, it sounds as if he’ll be coming into an ‘exterior’ door near the endless hallway. There are certainly plenty to chose from (and IIRC there is a picture of him in that area as well.) I don’t like him being before the seance, though, and I like it even less if he’s coming in and giving us a preview of the swinging wake at a time in the attraction when the music is still very slow and plodding. The musical build in Haunted Mansion is one of my favorite aspects of the attraction, and I’m not seeing a way that this ghost fits in with the somber and exploratory mood that’s set right by the endless hallway. Not unless he’s a different version that looks more alive somehow…

The wording is really awkward, and it could be interpreted to mean that 2-3 Hatbox Ghosts are coming, Jack Sparrow in PotC style.

Social media posts are a bit clearer, and seem to suggest it’s only one AA–in the Endless Hallway. Personally, I think it might be kind of neat to have build up to him, with a hat in the chair and reflection in a mirror before finally seeing the figure. But I doubt that’s what’s happening.

I hope there are multiples of the HG as well. We saw the movie this weekend and loved it – way better than the Eddie Murphy version. Spookier but still with humor, more logic (to us anyway) as to why the ghosts are there, and the HG figures prominently. He makes multiple appearances in the film, so having multiple appearances at the Mansion makes sense in that respect – and in the film the ghosts are in evidence well before they are called to appear. I don’t think the average fan is going to even notice that he’s making an appearance before Madam Leota does her thing. I would just love to have the HG in more than 1 spot. We’re going in December, and I hope they’ve got him there at that time. I do agree that they lost an opportunity by not having him installed by the movie release – it could’ve boosted both park and movie attendance. I know it takes time to put the animatronics together, but it’s not like the movie was filmed in April and they got caught off guard. They started filming back in October of 2021, and pre-production would have started way before that.

Why do you have photos in this article that are not the Hatbox Ghost? They show a figure likely created solely for display purposes since there is no way its head could be made to disappear. It appears to be based on the figure in the Western Ghost Town at the end of Phantom Manor.

That’s the Hatbox Ghost that appeared in the Imagineering booth at D23 Expo prior to the AA’s return at Disneyland.

Created just for display. That was never going to be the Hatbox Ghost.

This is an extremely weird hill to die on.

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Disney World shares new Hatbox Ghost details as ‘Haunted Mansion’ hits theaters

Disney’s new “ Haunted Mansion ” movie arrived in theaters this week, but fans of its namesake park attraction will have to wait a little longer for an iconic character to appear at Walt Disney World.

Disney revealed at its D23 Expo last year that the Hatbox Ghost would be coming to Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion this year.

The fabled character has been captivating Disneyland guests regularly since 2015 , but his history goes back to Walt Disney’s days.

Here’s what fans should know about the Hatbox Ghost, including new details on where he’ll be located at the Florida resort.

Who is the Hatbox Ghost?

The Hatbox Ghost was the brainchild of late Disney Imagineer and Disney Legend Yale Gracey , whom Disney picked to design Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion with fellow Imagineer and Disney legend Rolly Crump .

The ghost was intended to be an opening day character whose head disappeared before guests’ eyes then reappeared in a hatbox in his hand. But there was one problem.

“The lighting conditions were different between where they had tested it and where it was installed, and that difference in lightning condition ruined the effect,” Disney Imagineer Victoria Thomas explained on the Disney+ documentary series “ Behind the Attraction .” ”You could see both faces simultaneously.”

That wouldn’t cut it for Gracey, so the Hatbox Ghost was removed after just a few days.

Decades later, he was resurrected at Disneyland by another Imagineer, Daniel Joseph , who idolized Gracey and his work.

“The Hatbox Ghost was something that I loved since I was like 10,” Joseph said on “Behind the Attraction.” He took great care to stay true to Gracey’s design while incorporating new technology.“I’d like to say he would dig it.”

Is Hatbox Ghost at Disney World?

The Hatbox Ghost will arrive in Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion later this year, though he’s already appearing on merchandise.

No debut date has been announced yet, but Disney said Friday, “Guests will soon see temporary barriers materialize as we await his apparition.”

Where will the Hatbox Ghost be?

“The Hatbox Ghost will appear to guests as they pass the Endless Hallway, welcoming himself inside from the swinging wake in the cemetery and grinning at the Doom Buggies as they set off deeper into the mansion,” Disney revealed Friday. 

Walt Disney World Resort

New Country Bear Disney Songs, Pirates Lounge, Hatbox Ghost Coming to Magic Kingdom

by Thomas Smith , Editorial Content Director, Disney Parks

During Destination D23, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro shared exciting updates on what’s coming to Magic Kingdom Park , including new experiences at the Country Bear Jamboree and Haunted Mansion attractions – as well as something unique for Pirates of the Caribbean fans!

Country Bear Jamboree will be getting new songs and the bears will be performing a new act!

Disney Imagineer Chris Beatty told the Destination D23 audience that when the show debuts, the bears will be reinterpreting favorite Disney songs in different genres of country music – like rockabilly, bluegrass, pop-country and other styles. 

Imagineers are envisioning the new take as a homage to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and they’re working with Nashville musicians to get the authentic country sound.  The popular attraction will continue to have the fun and friendly tone and same characters.

In late November, the legendary Hatbox Ghost will be materializing in the Haunted Mansion attraction in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

The iconic grim grinning ghost will appear in the Haunted Mansion attraction as you pass the Endless Hallway, welcoming himself inside from the swinging wake in the cemetery and grinning at passing Doom Buggies.

Imagineer Daniel Joseph joined Josh on the Destination D23 stage over the weekend for the announcement and shared details about the arrival of Hatbox Ghost. 

Also, a new Pirates of the Caribbean-themed lounge is coming to Adventureland at Magic Kingdom Park in Florida. 

This first-of-its-kind experience will extend the story of Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.  Imagineers are currently in the design process and more details will be coming.

We hope you’re as excited as we are about the new experiences and plans coming to Magic Kingdom Park!  Be sure to keep an eye on the Disney Parks Blog for more details in the future.

Destinations: Walt Disney World Resort , Magic Kingdom

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