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Cedar Point
vs
Magic Kingdom

On a typical day Magic Kingdom queues less: about 25 minutes a ride against 28 at Cedar Point, a difference of roughly 3 minutes on every queue you join.

01 · On a typical day

What you would normally queue.

Averages across recent weeks, so one broken ride or one wet Tuesday cannot decide it. This is the comparison to plan a trip on; the live figures below are the one to act on today.

Cedar Point and Magic Kingdom compared on their typical recorded queue times
TypicallyCedar PointUnited StatesMagic KingdomUnited States
Average wait per ride 28 min25 min (best of the two)
Rides with recorded waits 2123 (best of the two)
Longest typical queue Siren's Curse74 minTRON Lightcycle / Run68 min
Shortest typical queue Power Tower Shot6 minPrince Charming Regal Carrousel7 min
Average ride uptime Share of opening hours a ride is running85%92% (best of the two)

Averaged across every ride at each park with recorded waits. A ride that never opened is left out, so a park is not flattered by counting a shut ride as a queue of zero.

02 · Right now

Both parks, this minute.

Live queue times at both parks. These fill in as soon as the page loads, and keep updating while you are here.

Cedar Point and Magic Kingdom compared on live queue times
Right nowCedar PointUnited StatesMagic KingdomUnited States
Average wait right now --
Rides open --
Opening hours today --
Longest queue --
Shortest queue --

These keep refreshing while this page is open. A closed park posts no waits, so its rows read as dashes rather than zeroes.

Verdict, on a typical day On a typical day Magic Kingdom queues less: about 25 minutes a ride against 28 at Cedar Point, a difference of roughly 3 minutes on every queue you join.

03 · Choosing

Which one is your day out.

Every line here is earned by one of the figures above - nothing is a generic sentence with a park name dropped into it.

Pick Cedar Point if…

  • You will accept a longer queue - 28 minutes a ride here against 25 at Magic Kingdom - for what Cedar Point has that Magic Kingdom does not
  • Siren's Curse is on your list - it is Cedar Point's longest typical queue at about 74 minutes, so it is the one to do first
  • You want Cedar Point's own character - the rides, theming and atmosphere described below

Pick Magic Kingdom if…

  • You want shorter queues: Magic Kingdom averages 25 minutes a ride against 28 at Cedar Point
  • You want more to do: 23 rides here have recorded wait data against 21 at Cedar Point
  • You would rather not find rides shut: Magic Kingdom's rides run 92% of opening hours against 85% at Cedar Point
  • TRON Lightcycle / Run is on your list - it is Magic Kingdom's longest typical queue at about 68 minutes, so it is the one to do first
  • You want Magic Kingdom's own character - the rides, theming and atmosphere described below

04 · The parks

What each one is.

Cedar Point

Cedar Point is a legendary coaster park on a Lake Erie peninsula in Sandusky, Ohio. Founded in 1870, it's one of the oldest operating amusement parks in North America and consistently rated as one of the world's best coaster parks. The line-up is staggering: Steel Vengeance, Millennium Force, Magnum XL-200, Maverick, Gatekeeper, Raptor, Top Thrill 2, and many more across the park's 364 acres.

Cedar Point's season runs May to early November, with US summer school holidays, HalloWeekends and weekend days driving the biggest crowds. Midweek days in May, September and early October are dramatically quieter. Check live wait times for Steel Vengeance and Maverick immediately on arrival, and use our crowd calendar to pick a quieter date for marathon coaster days.

Cedar Point live queue times

Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom is the original Florida Disney park, opened in 1971, and still the most-visited theme park in the world. The classic line-up is iconic: Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, TRON Lightcycle / Run, and Tiana's Bayou Adventure. Cinderella Castle anchors the central hub with nightly fireworks.

Magic Kingdom is busy almost every day of the year, with peak crowds during US school holidays, the December holidays, and special events like Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Mid-January through early February is the quietest period. Check live wait times across Disney's free Lightning Lane system, and use our crowd calendar to plan your visit around Disney's Extended Evening Hours and holiday patterns.

Magic Kingdom live queue times

05 · Questions

Cedar Point or Magic Kingdom?

Which is better, Cedar Point or Magic Kingdom?

If you are judging on queues, Magic Kingdom: it averages about 25 minutes a ride on a typical day against 28 at Cedar Point, roughly 3 minutes back on every queue you join. Cedar Point has 21 rides with recorded waits against 23 at Magic Kingdom. Magic Kingdom also runs its rides more reliably - 92% of opening hours against 85%.

Which has shorter queues, Cedar Point or Magic Kingdom?

Magic Kingdom, by about 3 minutes a ride. On a typical day Magic Kingdom averages 25 minutes against 28 at Cedar Point. Queues still move hour by hour, and a midweek day outside school holidays beats the gap at either park. See Cedar Point best time to visit and Magic Kingdom best time to visit to pick a quiet day.

Can I visit Cedar Point and Magic Kingdom in the same trip?

Yes - both parks are in United States, so a two-park trip is realistic over a long weekend. Split the days so you start at whichever opens earliest and drive to the other in the evening.

How many rides does each park have?

See the tables above for ride counts - or jump to Cedar Point and Magic Kingdom for the full ride lists.

Is Cedar Point bigger than Magic Kingdom?

By rides we track waits for, Magic Kingdom is the bigger day out: 23 rides against 21. Acreage matters less than how many you can actually get on, which comes down to queues and opening hours - and on those Magic Kingdom is the quicker park.

Then pick
the quiet day.

Both parks have a crowd calendar with six weeks of forecast and the best day left to go.

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