Cinderella Castle is the heart of the Magic Kingdom — a place where dreams come true. The 189-foot landmark boasts lofty spires and ornate turrets and is the gateway to Fantasyland. It is much the same today — only a little painting and minor sprucing up have taken place over the years.

Here the castle is reflected in the tranquil moat — a perfect spot for a memorable photo.

A vintage horse-drawn trolley provides transportation up and down Main Street — a perfect break to get off your feet and relax for a few minutes.

Over in Tomorrowland, one finds the Star Jets. You board one of the spacecraft which rotates around the rocket in the middle. An onboard control allowed you to raise and lower the craft. Sometimes people would follow the vertical path of the one in front of them resulting in an undulating pattern.

Everyone knows Space Mountain, an indoor roller coaster where the ride takes place in the dark. Of course, since you cannot see much, there is no way to anticipate the turns, the dips, and the climbs until you feel them — which is a large part of the excitement. Here, like in Disneyland, long lines mean fewer rides during your visit, when compared to the less popular attractions.

The Skyway connecting Tomorrowland and Fantasyland at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom was one of the original attractions when the park opened on Friday, October 1, 1971. Technically, it was two attractions—Skyway to Fantasyland and Skyway to Tomorrowland. I loved this ride because of the views of the park from above — and the shortcut it provided between those two lands. It has been retired and very few signs of it remain.

Prince Charming Carousel is actually the oldest ride that was present on Disney World’s opening day. It was originally built in 1917 for Belle Isle Park in Detroit. Only the Roy O. Disney Steam Train, built in 1916, is older, but it was not present on opening day. It’s been delighting Guests at Walt Disney World Resort since 1971 when the Magic Kingdom opened.

I always enjoy seeing and photographing the kids on a carousel — some of my all-time favorite photos are of this subject.

Of course, Disney being Disney, had to throw in a little magic from, in this case, Cinderella.

It’s no secret that Walt Disney, the man, loved all kinds of transportation. The Magic Kingdom’s Liberty Square Steamboat attraction did not open on the first day, but it did sail for the first time on the second day of the park on October 2, 1971.

This Mississippi Steamboat replica took guests on a 17-minute ride guided on an I-beam that is buried under the green and brown dyed water. The ride operator sat on the upper deck and was responsible for blowing the whistle, ringing the bell, and prompting the narration that accompanied the cruise on the Rivers of America.

Country Bear Jamboree was a stage show featuring audio-animatronic figures. Most of the characters are bears who perform country music. Characters rise up to the stage on platforms, descend from the ceiling, and appear from behind the curtains. The audience includes audio-animatronic animal heads mounted on the walls who interact with characters on stage. I always enjoyed the bears although fatigue often pushed me to doze off during their performance. This was one of the original Magic Kingdom attractions and has been performing daily at Magic Kingdom park ever since.

Over in the area near Pirates of the Caribbean are a number of shops to prepare you for the Pirates or the Jungle Cruise or the Enchanted Tiki Birds. Another way that Disney separated you from your money. 😎

More shopping but I do really like the imaginative architecture.