If you want to maximize your time at Magic Kingdom, get there early. And if you’re driving or staying off property (or at select on-property hotels), that means navigating the Transportation and Ticket Center in the morning. Here’s what to expect on an average Magic Kingdom morning at the Transportation and Ticket Center.

• The parking toll booths typically open one hour before the park’s published opening time
• Currently under COVID-19 precautions, parking trams are not running
• Since guests have to walk, usually only the front half of the parking lot is used
• The Express Monorail to Magic Kingdom usually has a longer line than the Ferry Boat
• The Express Monorail can often have a wrap around queue first thing in the morning
• Temperature check and security check can have a substantial line first thing in the morning
• Joffrey’s Coffee and Tea is open for grab-and-go coffee and pastries

If you want to truly rope drop Magic Kingdom, or any park for that matter, you’ll want to be at the parking toll plaza one hour before park opening. Generally the parking toll plazas open right around that one hour mark so guests can park and begin the arrival experience at the park.

Parking trams are currently not running at any of the parks. Going to a theme park involves lots of walking, so consider the walk from your car to the TTC and park entrance a warm up. By the way, if you want to reduce the amount of walking you do, you can make that a consideration when using our Lines app and touring plans.

Once you’ve arrived at the Transportation and Ticket Center you will go through temperature check and then bag check. New bag check procedures have sped this process up considerably. It’s still good to mentally prepare for there to be lines in the morning.

Magic Kingdom is 1.5 miles from the Transportation and Ticket Center. The Express Monorail runs directly to the Magic Kingdom and is the more popular choice. But the Ferry Boat is just as efficient and offers a relaxing way to arrive to park. First thing in the morning the Express Monorail tends to have a wrap around queue. It does feel like the monorail moves faster than the Ferry Boat when you’re waiting for the boat, but generally the time it takes to use either one averages out to about the same.

If you need some morning fuel, Joffrey’s Coffee and Tea is in between the Monorail Station and the Ferry Boat landing. There is usually only a few people in line, which is dramatically less than what you’ll find at the Main Street Bakery inside the park.

A note for guests staying off property and select on property hotels that use the Transportation and Ticket Center for bus transportation: the station is on the far right of the TTC when facing the TTC from the parking lot. There are restrooms right next to the bus terminal. On very busy days, first thing in the morning, there can be a queue from the bus terminal to the temperature check and bag check.

Have you ever been through the TTC first thing in the morning? What tips would you add to our list? Let us know in the comments!

 

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