Disney World is a place where magic happens right before your very eyes. This is a must-visit spot when you visit Orlando and just one day wouldn’t be enough to truly experience it. If you want to spend a great time here at Disney World, you will want to allocate several days of your vacation just to see all there is inside the Magic Kingdom.

There are a lot of things you can do inside Disney World, which is divided into four theme parks, the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. Each park has unique attractions and shows to offer to its visitors, along with totally different environments and themes on display.


If you want to start with your Disney World adventure with the best of the best, then you should head on over to the Magic Kingdom. It is the most magical place on Earth after all, hence the name.

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This was the first park to be built by Disney of the four theme parks and has been a proud home to everything magic since October 1, 1971, when they opened their gates for the very first time. (Fun Fact: The first guest inside the park was William Windsor, Jr. and tickets cost a whopping $3.50 for adults, $2.50 for juniors, and $1 for kids 12 and under…talk about inflation!).

This theme park has some of the best rides for smaller kids and shows Disney World has to offer. Today, we’ll focus on the best entertainment inside the park, including some live shows and parades that you can only see inside the Magic Kingdom. These shows are those that you shouldn’t miss when you are visiting. It takes time for you to plan your visit to the park, and endurance to go over all the different shows and attractions while you’re there, so here’s a helpful guide for all the shows you shouldn’t miss.

Let the Magic Begin


Get greeted personally by Mickey, Minnie, and bunch of Disney Princesses. This is the very first show inside the park, but you will have to arrive early to see it. If you are a morning person and want to start your Disney day right, this is what you should see first. It is a welcome show that happens in front of the Cinderella castle. It is a kick-off party where you will be welcomed to the park by Mickey and the rest of the Disney characters inside.

The show starts few minutes before 9 in the morning with some fireworks to wake you up. For you to have the best possible view of the show, you must be there an hour before the park opens. Just go to the Main Street and as long as you have a Magic Kingdom ticket for the day then you can enjoy this welcome show.

This is actually a new welcome show at Magic Kingdom since before it was right at the train station which is somewhat a tragedy waiting to happen so they moved it into this spot. Nothing too exciting here, just bunch of characters to greet you for a great day at the park, but a great way to get your little ones excited, and it only takes 5 minutes to watch. Zip-a-Dee Doo Dah!

The Dapper Dans


While you’re still in Main Street USA make sure to watch for and enjoy this is a show. It features a barbershop quartet. While walking around the shops and going to the rides and attractions, the Dapper Dans while serenade you through. This act has been in Magic Kingdom since 1971 and at Disneyland in Anaheim, California since 1959.

They have 9 sets a day 7 days a week to serenade Disney fans from around the world. The Dans are not just 4 since they do substitutions after each of the shows and sometimes perform as an ensemble with up to twelve of them singing. They not only feature amazing harmonies, but also some groovy moves to go along with it, and all with a great sense of humor. They even bring the audience in at times, as seen in the video above.

This is one of the best classic shows inside Magic Kingdom, sometimes they’re even joined by the Citizens of Main Street as seen above. A scheduled show lasts about 20 minutes for the whole set, which includes classic songs like Mr. Sandman, If You’re Happy and You Know It, Zip-a-Dee Doo Dah, Yankee Doodle Dandy, and more. The Dans do, however, perform many impromptu shows throughout the day. You will want to set aside at least a few minutes to listen to them. You will for sure find yourself smiling the whole time.

Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire


This is a daily stage show which is found in front of the Cinderella Castle. This show, which features Mickey along with some other famous and popular Disney characters, allows you to join in the celebration of stories and magical moments. They follow some storylines, with sing-alongs from great Disney movies like Frozen, Tangled, and more. Definitely a show you shouldn’t miss while inside Magic Kingdom.

This show has been winning the hearts of Magic Kingdom goers for several years now and you should definitely see it for yourself (and for your kids). You’ll see characters like Rapunzel, Tiana, Minnie Mouse, Anna and Elsa and others.

Move it! Shake it! MousekeDance it! Street Party


That was a mouthful to say, but when you see this parade show you will be in awe. You might not be closing your mouth the whole time due to your amazement. I know that was a little exaggerated, but this is another show that is a must-see.

This is actually an upgraded version of the previous Move it! Shake it! Celebrate it! Show and showcases new songs and characters and some innovative ways to have some guests join in and be part of the show. The show lasts about 35 minutes and showcases several floats and performers. They will be dancing and singing all the live long day.

One cool feature of this street party is that guests can join in by taking pictures and posting them online which may then appear on the big screen on the float itself. This is a festive parade in the middle of the day and a great way to help maintain the hype and energy of the crowd.

Just take a look at the video above. You can literally hear the kids losing it over seeing their favorite Disney characters.

Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade


If you’re going to see any of the shows or parades on this list, make sure it’s this one. This show is performed daily inside Magic Kingdom and is scheduled for around 3 PM. This show has been a not-to-miss show inside the theme park since 2014 with the theme of New Fantasyland.

It’s really a tribute to the most iconic and loved Disney character and is all about the best Disney films you’ve seen. The characters go around riding on elaborate and elegant floats while wearing illustrious costumes to match the theme and contribute to the overall experience of the street affair. The stories on each film are being carried out by the fleet of floats that have been meticulously well-designed and detailed to perfection.

Fairytale princesses like Cinderella, Tiana, Belle, Elsa and Anna are accompanied by their respective princes on the Princesses float. You’ll also see Peter Pan and Wendy from Neverland, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider from Tangled, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Alice, Pinocchio and whole lot more in a short amount of time, as the whole parade takes less than 15 minutes. This is one of the best shows to see if you want an overload of Disney characters, fun and festivity.

Some of the characters also take time to hug and come up to some of the (younger) audience members, so make sure to have your camera ready, too! A hug from Cinderella or a high-five from Daisy Duck is not something you will want to miss.

What was mentioned above is not nearly all the shows and parades the Magic Kingdom offers. There is a lot of happenings around the park, like numerous Meet and Greets with the Disney Princesses and other characters, so make sure to grab an entertainment guide on your way in for show/parade times and locations for the day. Some of the other notable ones are the Main Street Trolley Railroad or you may simply enjoy soaking up the sun while listening to the Main Street Philharmonic at Storybook Circus while they play some nice tunes for everyone around.

And We All Live Happily Ever After…


It’s no secret that Magic Kingdom has some of the best rides and attractions around Central Florida, but whenever you need a little break or want to refuel with a Dole Whip or other delicious treat, you should consider watching some of these amazing shows and live entertainment. They all offer a bit of extra fun and excitement and are worthwhile and will leave you with a huge smile.

If you rush on to the rides and forget to take some time to watch this street parades and live performances, you are missing out on a lot of the fun inside Magic Kingdom. Make sure to take a moment to look around, spend time with your family watching the shows and for sure you’ll be blown away of what Magic Kingdom can offer and the magical moments you’ll cherish forever.