I have to confess that like so many others, I have grown very dependent upon my phone. It is especially useful while traveling (Remember trying to find your way using a map?) A lot of great apps are out there that can make your Disney vacation easier and even more fun! Sorting through them all can be a bit overwhelming, though. So I did the work for you! Whether you are going to Disney World, Disneyland, or on a Disney Cruise, here are my favorite apps for Disney vacations:
For Walt Disney World Vacations
My Disney Experience (free)
This app is the mobile version of www.mydisneyexperience.com that you used to make your dining reservations and select fastpasses. You can find everything in this app that you can online, including:
- Purchasing park tickets
- Park hours
- Park maps
- Posted wait times
- Character meet and greet times and locations
- Search for and book available dining reservations
- Make or change FastPass+ selections
- View menus (limited and without prices)
Disney World Lines (free, but limited use without a Touring Plans subscription)
Sure, there are plenty of wait times apps out there, but Touring Plans has the BEST and it is well worth the price of a subscription ($12.95 annually) to use all of the features. The free version features the following:
- Posted wait times for all rides and shows throughout each park
- Park hours
- FastPass+ availability (you cannot select fastpasses through this app, but can see what is available)
- Daily park crowd forecast
- Free sample touring plans
- Menus (with prices) for every restaurant and snack cart throughout Walt Disney World resort
- Searchable option for menu items (in case you want to see where the closest place to find a Dole Whip is)
The features that open up with a Touring Plans subscription include:
- Posted and expected wait times for all rides and shows throughout each park, whether fastpasses are still available and for what time, and advice on whether to ride now or wait until a certain time when lines will go down (This is worth every penny of the $12.99!)
- Park hours
- FastPass+ availability (you cannot select fastpasses through this app, but can see what is available)
- Customized touring plans
- 10-day park crowd forecast
- Menus (with prices) for every restaurant and snack cart throughout Walt Disney World resort
- Searchable option for menu items
Big Day Lite (free)
This is a good, free countdown app that you can customize for your upcoming trip to Disney World! The best part? No ads!
Disney Memories HD (free)
Take, edit, decorate, and share photos from your Disney vacation to show your Disney side! There are even photo templates to pose with your favorite characters.
This app also features a character alarm that you can set for birthday, late, wake up, or today. When the alarm goes off, the character of your choice pops up with a video message related to your alarm type. I love to use the today alarm for our wake up on the day we leave for our vacation!
Heads Up ($0.99)
This is such a fun way to pass time in line. You will even make some new friends as others in line with you try to help you guess the words as well! Well worth 99 cents to keep the kids entertained in line.
Hidden Mickeys ($7.99)
If you don’t want to tote this popular book around, this app will help you find more than 800 Hidden Mickey’s throughout the Walt Disney World resort! This can be a fun activity for older kids (of all ages!) and a good way to pass some time while waiting in line.
For Disneyland Vacations
Disneyland Lines (free, but limited use without a Touring Plans subscription)
Just as for Disney World, there are plenty of wait times apps out there for Disneyland, but Touring Plans is the BEST and is well worth the price of a subscription ($7.95 annually) to use all of the features. The free version features the following:
- Posted and expected wait times for all rides and shows throughout each park and whether fastpasses are still available and for what time
- Park hours
- Daily park crowd forecast
- Free sample touring plans
- Menus (with prices) for every restaurant and snack cart throughout Walt Disney World resort
- Searchable option for menu items (in case you need to find out where to get those famous corn dogs!)
The features that open up with a Touring Plans subscription include:
- Posted and expected wait times for all rides and shows throughout each park, whether fastpasses are still available and for what time, and advice on whether to ride now or wait until a certain time when lines will go down (This is worth every penny of the $7.95!)
- Park hours
- Customized touring plans
- 10-day park crowd forecast
- Menus (with prices) for every restaurant and snack cart throughout Walt Disney World resort
- Searchable option for menu items
Big Day Lite (free)
This is a good, free countdown app that you can customize for your upcoming trip to Disney World! The best part? No ads!
Disney Memories HD (free)
Take, edit, decorate, and share photos from your Disney vacation to show your Disney side! There are even photo templates to pose with your favorite characters.
This app also features a character alarm that you can set for birthday, late, wakeup, or today. When the alarm goes off, the character of your choice pops up with a video message related to your alarm type. I love to use the today alarm for our wakeup on the day we leave for our vacation!
Heads Up ($0.99)
My favorite way to pass time in line. You will even make some new friends with others in line as they try to help you guess the words as well! Well worth 99 cents to keep the kids entertained in line.
Hidden Mickeys ($5.99)
Disneyland also has a version of this app in case you don’t want to tote this popular book around. This app will help you find more than 350 Hidden Mickey’s throughout the Disneyland resort! This can be a fun activity for older kids (of all ages!) and a good way to pass some time while waiting in line.
For Disney Cruises
Disney Cruise Line Navigator App (free)
This is truly the only app you will need for your Disney Cruise! It covers everything you will need including a countdown to your countdown to your cruise and information about cruise activities each day during your cruise, such as:
- Character experiences
- Deck Parties
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Live shows
- Nightclubs and lounges
- Ports of call
- Spa services
- Shopping
- Youth clubs
- Activities
- Ship deck plan
The ship’s wi-fi is free for this app’s use (and only this app’s use).
Now that your phone is all set with your favorite apps for Disney vacations, here are a few tips to help you make it through a full Disney park day without your phone dying.
- Turn off notifications and dim the brightness on your screen as these drain your battery more quickly.
- Pack a Ziploc bag to put your phone in on wet rides… just in case!
- There are charging stations at Magic Kingdom in the Rapunzel rest area, and you can usually find open outlets at indoor quick service restaurants, so be sure to pack your power cord in your day bag.
- Don’t forget your backup battery charger for the times when you don’t have time to sit and wait for your phone to charge!
Did we miss any great apps or phone tips? What are your favorite apps for Disney vacations?
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