I’m getting one more quick post in for 2018! And just like the post from Epcot, this one is again focused on delicious snacks you need to eat, but this time at Magic Kingdom! Of all the parks, Magic Kingdom, to me, seems to have the least appealing sit-down restaurants (I’m no fan of buffets and that’s what a lot of them seem to be), so snacking is my go-to at this park.

We had to pack up the car before heading to the park because we were moving to a different hotel for John’s training, so we decided to just drive to the park. Fun fact: if you stay at a Disney Resort, you get free parking at the park! BUT, you also have to take a bus or the monorail from the parking lot to the actual gate of the park (we were so confused). Luckily, we arrived early, got through the ticket lines without waiting, and scored a good spot so we could run to the Seven Dwarves Mine Train as soon as they officially opened.

The Seven Dwarves Mine Train is a super hot FastPass, and since we had scheduled our trip so late, all FastPasses were already claimed. There was already a huge line when we got there because everyone else was running to hit it before it reached a two-hour wait. And honestly y’all, I don’t think it’s even that amazing. Yes, we still waited in a 30+ minute line, but when it was over, I just felt underwhelmed. I’m just can’t really figure out why it consistently has a two-hour or more wait. Thoughts?

Our next plan was to visit Gaston’s Tavern, which is probably my favorite place at Magic Kingdom (other than the Be Our Guest restaurant). It’s cute, it’s hidden in the back, and the LeFou’s Brew drink is so dang delicious. The description is a little confusing…frozen apple juice with a hint of toasted marshmallow and topped with all-natural passion fruit-mango foam…but trust me. As weird as that combination sounds, I have been craving that thing since we were there in 2016. For some reason, it’s a super strange combo that magically works!

We also like getting one of the big cinnamon rolls (it’s not as good as my mom’s homemade ones, sorry Disney, but it’s still a good breakfast treat!). I love that they dyed the icing red for the holidays!

It’s also worth it to take some time and enjoy the Christmas decorations in the Main Street USA area. It’ll really get you into the holiday spirit (unless you’re dodging strollers and people, and then it’ll just turn you into the Grinch…and yes, I’m totally speaking from personal experience!).

We walked around and looked at several menus before deciding on returning to a place that we both used to visit as kids – Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe. It’s a quick-service restaurant, and it was super busy like most of the other places at MK that day. John opted for chicken tenders and I ordered the bbq pork bacon cheeseburger.

And yes, that is definitely a burger topped with pulled pork, bacon, cheese, and onion rings, and it was delicious and I regretted nothing. The burger didn’t take like the best quality, but it was still a filling and tasty lunch. However, if you’re looking to stay on a budget and healthy, it would probably be smarter to pack a lunch.

After that we got on the peoplemover – I have NEVER in my Disney life seen a line for this ride, but on this day we ended up waiting about 15 minutes to ride. There’s nothing spectacular about it, but it’s a nice ride if you’re tired of walking or want to get out of the sun, and it does give some good views of the park.

There were many rides in between our lunch and the next snack, but there was definitely a next snack. It got pretty warm, so we both ended up craving some ice cream, and earlier that day we had walked by the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor in the Main Street section of the park and saw a doughnut sundae that we obviously had to have.

So we indulged as we waited to head to Space Mountain with our FastPass. You can pick your ice cream (we opted for a simple vanilla, but I think cookies and cream would also be delicious!), and I’m about 99% sure the doughnut was a Krispy Kreme (you can always tell!). Recommend!

After a ride on Space Mountain, it was time to head out. The park was closing at 6 for the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party; that’s an additional cost that we didn’t really want to pay, so we decided the rest of the day would be spent riding the monorail to the different hotels. There was an absolutely beautiful sunset over the lake and the Grand Floridian as we headed to the monorail.

Our first stop, on a VERY crowded monorail, was the Contemporary Resort. I haven’t stayed there since I was a little kid, but it’s always a fun stop to make. The castle in the picture at the bottom was made from gingerbread!

Our next stop was the Polynesian Resort. I love that resort. John had never been inside, but when he saw it, he also loved it and said that’s where he wanted to stay next time (yay!).

Our last stop was at the Grand Floridian – although this is a very beautiful hotel, we both agreed that it was a little too boujee for our taste. There was also a family letting their kid scream at the top of its lungs in the lobby (nobody wants to hear your kid’s screeching, so take them outside, mmk?).

Despite the screeching, the gingerbread house was gorgeous! It’s a little difficult to get good pictures because basically everyone in the hotel is also trying to get a picture or pose in front of it.

The line to purchase something is also super long, so we took a good look and were ready to board the monorail back to the park and to our car.

What are your favorite snacks, meals, and/or beverages at Magic Kingdom? And do you think the Seven Dwarves Mine Train is all that or did you find yourself underwhelmed like me?

Annnnd, I hope you have a fabulous New Year’s Eve!!!!! Bring on, 2019!