Magic Kingdom’s hottest attraction is Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, a family-friendly curler coaster in Fantasyland primarily based on Snow White. This Walt Disney World trip information covers the best way to keep away from lengthy strains and reduce the hour-plus wait instances, with technique for efficiently beating the crowds with out shopping for an Individual Lightning Lane.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is now almost a decade outdated, and its reputation hasn’t dropped a lot in any respect throughout that point. It stays the preferred trip in Magic Kingdom with a median each day wait time above an hour on low to reasonably crowded days and triple-digit waits on busier days. While TRON Lightcycle Run will undoubtedly move it in reputation, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train may even command lengthy strains as a result of its relatively-unique mixture of thrills and all ages attraction.
Over the previous a number of years, we’ve executed Seven Dwarfs Mine Train extra instances than I can depend. Never as soon as have we bought Lightning Lane line-skipping entry, nor have we waited wherever near an hour for it within the final a number of years. (I can’t say “ever” since I’m fairly positive we did a number of instances when it first opened.) This trip information breaks down how, explaining your finest and worst choices for doing Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
One factor to notice up entrance is that technique will not be static. In the final year-plus alone, there have been loads of different modifications: Walt Disney World’s fiftieth Anniversary plus the debut of Early Theme Park Entry for on-site lodge visitors plus the controversial Lightning Lane and Genie+ system. Then there have been different curveballs because of park hours, particular occasions in Magic Kingdom, and extra.
As with our different trip guides for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, we’ll be diligent in conserving this up to date. Be positive to examine again earlier than your journey for the most recent information–or subscribe to our free Walt Disney World electronic mail publication for immediate updates about this and all the different newest information, when reductions are launched, and so on.
Currently, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train makes use of a conventional standby line and is Magic Kingdom’s Individual Lightning Lane (ILL) sights, which suggests it’s not included within the flat-rate Genie+ service.
While it nearly definitely received’t use a digital queue (by no means say by no means with Disney!) it’s unknown whether or not Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will stay an ILL trip (properly, it’s fairly “ill” within the parlance of the youth!) or will transfer to Genie+ when TRON Lightcycle Run opens in Spring 2023. Our guess is that it’ll transfer to Genie Plus, however maybe not instantly.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is the least common Individual Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World, routinely having capability after park opening besides throughout peak seasons. In common, we’re not followers of paying additional for ILLs. Our Individual Lightning Lane Info & Tips publish covers the why of that and exceptions to our common rule–however Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will not be one in every of them. We all the time do it by way of standby and suggest the identical for many visitors, until cash is not any subject.
With that stated, that is largely as a result of we often do suggest that guests to Magic Kingdom buy the Genie+ service. This makes the remainder of the day a lot simpler, and never having to attend in lengthy strains for Peter Pan’s Flight, Jungle Cruise, the Magic Kingdom Mountain Range, and extra is large. For recommendation on that, seek the advice of our Guide to Genie+ at Walt Disney World and Lightning Lane FAQ.
Now let’s get right down to the brass tacks of doing Seven Dwarfs Mine Train with minimal wait. Before Magic Kingdom formally opens for the day, there’s the choice of Early Theme Park Entry, which changed morning Extra Magic Hours.
Officially, Early Entry is obtainable in any respect 4 theme parks each single day and gives 30-minute entry to visitors staying in on-site motels at Walt Disney World. (See our Guide to Early Entry at Walt Disney World for more information & technique.)
On a standard morning proper now, Magic Kingdom opens at 9 am, which places Early Entry at 8:30 am. Despite Magic Kingdom being the preferred park at Walt Disney World, it’s the park that opens newest–and at a time that doesn’t current a ‘barrier to entry’ for most individuals.
This is important, as you’ll discover Early Entry at Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios to be massively advantageous. That’s as a result of it begins earlier at these parks, and the time is an insurmountable hurdle for lots of visitors. In different phrases, there are much more folks at Early Entry in Magic Kingdom than another park.
Another noteworthy element of Early Entry at Magic Kingdom is that solely Tomorrowland and Fantasyland are open, relatively than the complete park. This consolidates the (bigger) crowd to 2 lands of the complete park. It ought to go with out saying, however extra folks and fewer rides is a recipe for bigger crowds and longer strains.
To that time, there are two “starting points” at Magic Kingdom the place crowds are held till Early Entry formally begins–the bridges to Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. Typically, there are exponentially extra visitors ready on the Fantasyland Bridge. Approximately 90% of these persons are planning on doing Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
The temper can also be extra tense on the Fantasyland facet. Guests are revving up their double-wide strollers, making ready to do some severe harm to the ankles of anybody strolling too gingerly. The dash to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is a excessive stakes, eat-or-be-eaten sport.
Not actually, however the environment does really feel tense earlier than the gang begins shifting. Once it does, it’s extra like a gradual trudge in a sea of humanity. No one is doing something even resembling operating. We name it the “SDMT Shuffle.” Ironic that that is for Fantasyland, because it’s a bit nightmarish.
We strongly suggest skipping the SDMT Shuffle. For one, it’s a easy numbers sport. If there are 5 instances as many visitors heading to Fantasyland and the overwhelming majority of these persons are racing (at sloth velocity) to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, that leaves loads of different sights in each lands with decrease crowds and considerably shorter waits.
Heading to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is uncomfortable and unsightly, with everybody “competing” for the very best spot in a line that kinds rapidly and aggressively. It doesn’t set the suitable tone for a very good day in Magic Kingdom.
To make sure, when you’re at or close to the entrance of the pack–within the first few hundred folks–your wait time for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will probably be brief. You can doubtless be out and in in beneath half-hour, which is much better than common.
However, you needed to stand up and arrive to Magic Kingdom super-early to “accomplish” that. So you’ve merely shifted your wait from the precise queue to standing in a sea of individuals for 30-45 minutes ready for Early Entry to begin. By distinction, it’s easy to indicate up a couple of minutes earlier than Early Entry begins and knock out Peter Pan’s Flight or something in Tomorrowland with none stress and a ~5 minute wait.
Another variable is that Seven Dwarfs Mine Train routinely has delayed openings as a result of technical difficulties. While the trip doesn’t endure from a lot downtime all through the day, it (and all the mountains, for that matter) is infamous for not being able to open firstly of Early Entry. Granted, that will solely occur 20% of the time or much less, so the percentages are in your favor. But it’s a really irritating feeling while you dedicate loads of time to beating the gang to SDMT and get unfortunate.
Given all of that and the chance price of doing Seven Dwarfs Mine Train as a substitute of brief waits elsewhere, it’s simply not value it more often than not. This is why we’re anti-Seven Dwarfs Mine Train throughout Early Entry or at rope drop. It’s a subjectively unhealthy strategy to begin the day, dangerous, and there are good alternate options.
With that stated, there may be one exception to this rule: Magic Kingdom Early Entry on Party Days. (Or actually, any day when the park opens earlier than 9 am. Right now, that’s solely social gathering days, although.)
The motive for that is easy, and what’s intimated above. Moving from a 9 am opening time to eight am is enormous. It shrinks the pool of potential visitors who’re prepared and in a position to stand up early on trip. This is very true for households with babies–the core viewers for Fantasyland sights.
In brief, that 7:30 am begin time for Early Entry reduces the gang to such a big diploma that doing SDMT is much less of a disturbing sloth-like shuffle and extra…regular. You can simply be executed with the attraction in <20 minutes with minimal effort or lead time, and nonetheless do Peter Pan’s Flight after as a close to walk-on.
With Early Entry out of the best way, this brings us to regular park opening time or “rope drop” for everybody else. This is actually the worst time to do Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. There are two causes for that.
First, the fact that the overwhelming majority of Early Entry visitors are doing Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, even those who arrive later. This signifies that the road is often getting longer over the course of Early Entry. Regular park opening remains to be below-peak for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train’s each day wait time, but it surely isn’t too far off.
Second, and the larger motive, is as soon as once more the chance price. Racing to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, a trip that has been open for half-hour, to affix the again of a line that’s already fairly lengthy would possibly prevent 5-20 minutes as in comparison with lining up at 10 am or 1 pm. But it’s nonetheless a foul concept.
That’s as a result of, as mentioned above, solely Fantasyland and Tomorrowland open throughout Early Entry. This means that you may rope drop each single different land and be on the entrance of the pack–not becoming a member of a line already in progress. This means doing Jungle Cruise, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, or actually any trip on that facet of the park as a close to walk-on. That will prevent far, much more time within the grand scheme of issues.
To this level, seek the advice of our 1-Day Magic Kingdom Itinerary for step-by-step technique for attraction order and beating the crowds at rope drop and all through a day within the park.
If you need the very best time to do Seven Dwarfs Mine Train within the first half of the day after the preliminary rush, line up round 11:30 am to midday. The posted wait time will nonetheless doubtless be above 60 minutes, but it surely’s sometimes falling at this level relatively than rising. Typically, the posted wait time will drop within the 12 pm hour, however that’s reactionary–as a result of fewer visitors lining up pre-lunch.
This is as a result of the inflow of park opening visitors is biking out, and fewer new visitors are leaping into line as a result of the wait will battle with lunch. Objectively, that is the optimum time until you’re staying late–assuming no trip breakdowns.
Subjectively, we nonetheless don’t like doing Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at this level.
Our massive hesitation is because of many of the queue being outdoor, and far of it in direct daylight. This is very true when the overflow line is in use–the pavement displays the sunshine and slow-cooks visitors. The precise queue has some shade because of a partial cover of bushes, and it additionally has followers to maintain issues cool.
Nevertheless, we desire ready till later within the afternoon from a subjective perspective, when the solar is decrease within the sky. The outside line is rather more nice then, and is downright refreshing when these followers hit you with a blast of cool air.
Unfortunately, the wait time between 1 pm and 6 pm doesn’t budge a lot. On common, it varies by 3 minutes throughout that total stretch. In an precise day, the posted wait time vary will probably be larger–that’s the precise common smoothed out over the complete yr.
Trying to pounce on a drop within the posted wait time is counter-productive, too. Walt Disney World wait instances are reactive, and with headliner sights, a drop within the posted time induces extra visitors to leap into line. Those visitors will then wait longer than those that lined up on the tail finish of the upper posted wait time. It’s just like the accordion impact performed out repeatedly over the course of the day.
There’s additionally the fact that the majority wait instances are inflated at Walt Disney World, and never all the time by constant quantities. The finish result’s {that a} posted wait time of 60 minutes may need an extended precise wait than a posted wait time of 95 minutes, relying upon when within the ‘cycle’ of every somebody enters the road.
In common, later within the day is healthier than the primary half for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, with precise wait instances sometimes dropping within the 2 hours earlier than park closing. There are a few stuff you want to pay attention to right here, nevertheless.
First, posted wait instances sometimes don’t drop a lot within the night. That doesn’t imply precise wait instances aren’t nonetheless declining, although. Walt Disney World usually inflates posted instances later within the day to discourage folks from queueing up. Usually, an attraction’s precise wait time will probably be shortest within the final half-hour of the evening, no matter posted waits.
Which brings us to top-of-the-line instances to do Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom: proper because the fireworks finish.
While we don’t suggest it in your first or solely viewing, Fantasyland is definitely an important and highly-immersive spot. In reality, that is our favourite “secret” or “low-stress” location for fireworks viewing in Magic Kingdom. It’s such as you’re within the midst of the fireworks, with bursts each in entrance of and behind you. You’ll additionally take pleasure in pyro over Beast’s Castle above Be Our Guest Restaurant, which is cool.
Towards the tip of the fireworks, we suggest shifting from the realm close to the New Fantasyland partitions to the close by Seven Dwarfs Mine Train entrance. Disregard the posted wait time; once more, it’s reactive and only a few persons are getting in line for the fireworks in the course of the fireworks.
The evening once I took the above picture, the posted wait time was 50 minutes, however our wait time was between 3 and 4 minutes. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train was a walk-on with some empty rows! We acquired very fortunate and that’s not a typical wait, but it surely ought to nonetheless illustrate the massive disparity between posted and precise wait instances.
Our ultimate suggestion is the tried and true method for any headliner attraction: 1 minute earlier than park closing. This is just like the reverse rope drop, or ‘rope rise’ possibility. (We like to consider it because the “buzzer beater” method.)
Walt Disney World doesn’t cease strains for sights till park closing, which suggests you may queue up proper till the clock strikes midnight (or often in Magic Kingdom’s case, 10 pm or 11 pm). This successfully extends your day and is when the precise wait time is lowest for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
Again, you’ll want to ignore the posted wait time. Not solely is it reactionary, but in addition as a result of Disney intentionally inflates wait instances on the finish of the evening to discourage visitors from getting in a single final trip.
Think about it–in case you have an 8 yr outdated that’s on the precipice of crashing, are you going to need to endure one other hour-long wait at 10 pm? Now, what if that was truly solely a ten minute wait?! Probably a special reply.
We have executed the ‘buzzer-beater’ method to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train dozens and dozens of instances within the final 5 years. There have been a handful of instances that we’ve waited 20 minutes or extra (particularly throughout peak season when the climate is heat), however the overwhelming majority of the time, our precise wait time has been between 10 and quarter-hour. (It’s been as little as 7 minutes.)
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is a lot simpler, constant, and extra nice at evening. It’s additionally neat to expertise the trip within the night, and see the park all lit up. It’s a particularly satisfying strategy to finish the right day at Magic Kingdom!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
If you’ve executed Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, what’s your optimum method and time of day to trip? What would you suggest to Walt Disney World first-timers? Do you persist with standby or purchase an Individual Lightning Lane for SDMT? Do you agree or disagree with any of our technique? Any questions we can assist you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!