Your favorite iPhone apps for DisneyWorld?

[duggett]

Does anyone have any favorite apps for DisneyWorld?
I see there are many to choose from - far too many to actually use them all.
So I was wondering if any of them are useful plus easy to use?
I am looking for ones for planning our trip and for use in the park and resort areas when we are actually there in late May.
Thanks for any ideas!

[jrcohen]

I can suggest apps on Android but I think there is a version of each for iOS. The first one I would recommend is WDW lines put out by http://www.touringplans.com. The site is by the people who put out the unofficial guide to Walt Disney World every year. The app is great you can check crowd levels in the parks each day, check and post wait times for rides, and access and edit personalized touring plans you can create for the parks. You do need a subscription for the site to use the app, but it's only about $12 for the year. I think it's well worth it.

The next one I would recommend is My Disney Experience put out by Disney. It also let's you see posted wait times for rides, check dining availability and make reservations. I actually did not find this one as helpful but it does have great maps of the parks.

[Wizzard419]

I am surprised that the Disney one didn't perform the job as well as/better than the third party ones. One slight flaw that the third party ones have is that they rely on the users to populate them with times, so the app needs to be popular and you may also need to be there on a busy day to get the best experience with the app.

At the same time, if it's a slow day, wait times may not be an issue so the app isn't as useful.

[wewantsdaredhead]

I used one this last time from Disney called "Disney Parks". Well at least that's what it's called on my iPhone. It's the only one I have ever used but it worked well. Wait times were accurate and it had all show times listed. I made several ADRs with it also. Like i said, I have nothing to compare it to, but I really liked it and it was FREE!!

Enjoy POR it's my absolute favorite! Love love love it.

[duggett]

I can suggest apps on Android but I think there is a version of each for iOS. The first one I would recommend is WDW lines put out by http://www.touringplans.com. The site is by the people who put out the unofficial guide to Walt Disney World every year. The app is great you can check crowd levels in the parks each day, check and post wait times for rides, and access and edit personalized touring plans you can create for the parks. You do need a subscription for the site to use the app, but it's only about $12 for the year. I think it's well worth it.

The next one I would recommend is My Disney Experience put out by Disney. It also let's you see posted wait times for rides, check dining availability and make reservations. I actually did not find this one as helpful but it does have great maps of the parks.

Thanks. I will see what I can find for free before checking out the Touring Plans one, although it sounds like it is probably worth the $12.
Since I booked our vacation thought the Disney website, our reservations are available online at the new Disney website under the tab "My Disney Experience". I checked out the iPhone app, but found it to be extremely slow - at least here at home - both to load each time I open it, as well as each time I move to a different page - certainly not like other apps which are lightning fast. Also, when I tried to link my reservation confirmation number so I could see my itinerary that was loaded online, it came back with an error message saying the confirmation number was invalid and to try again. So evidently the two systems (online and mobile app) aren't as linked as they would appear. I guess I could call and try to get some help, but it hardly seems worth the effort. I'm sure they will get it fixed - sooner or later - hopefully before we go in late May.
Anyway, thanks for your input.

[duggett]

I can suggest apps on Android but I think there is a version of each for iOS. The first one I would recommend is WDW lines put out by http://www.touringplans.com. The site is by the people who put out the unofficial guide to Walt Disney World every year. The app is great you can check crowd levels in the parks each day, check and post wait times for rides, and access and edit personalized touring plans you can create for the parks. You do need a subscription for the site to use the app, but it's only about $12 for the year. I think it's well worth it.

The next one I would recommend is My Disney Experience put out by Disney. It also let's you see posted wait times for rides, check dining availability and make reservations. I actually did not find this one as helpful but it does have great maps of the parks.

Thanks. I will see what I can find for free before checking out the Touring Plans one, although it sounds like it is probably worth the $12.
Since I booked our vacation thought the Disney website, our reservations are available online at the new Disney website under the tab "My Disney Experience". I checked out the iPhone app, but found it to be extremely slow - at least here at home - both to load each time I open it, as well as each time I move to a different page - certainly not like other apps which are lightning fast. Also, when I tried to link my reservation confirmation number so I could see my itinerary that was loaded online, it came back with an error message saying the confirmation number was invalid and to try again. So evidently the two systems (online and mobile app) aren't as linked as they would appear. I guess I could call and try to get some help, but it hardly seems worth the effort. I'm sure they will get it fixed - sooner or later - hopefully before we go in late May.
Anyway, thanks for your input.

[duggett]

I am surprised that the Disney one didn't perform the job as well as/better than the third party ones. One slight flaw that the third party ones have is that they rely on the users to populate them with times, so the app needs to be popular and you may also need to be there on a busy day to get the best experience with the app.

At the same time, if it's a slow day, wait times may not be an issue so the app isn't as useful.

Thanks, I agree, I tried one of the free apps about two years ago, and the wait times were awful, probably due to low volume of input from users. I would think that it will be a lot better now, but still may be splintererd if there are many apps out there. I was hoping the Disney Experience app would provide good data, maybe even link to the signs at the parks, but the app seems very slow and cumbersome - not sure about the accuracy. Does anyone know if it links to the actual signs posted in the parks?

[Wizzard419]

There may be a few factors as to why the app is slow for you, first is which model phone are you using, and are you on wifi or your data plan when you use it?

If you are just on an older phone (which can be really slow) and you don't want to purchase a new phone, you might look into purchasing an ipod touch. As Wifi is now free in the parks it may be a good alternative.

I am not sure how the app gets it's times, but I am going to guess that it isn't a direct link. It most likely is a feed from the central (I forgot it's name, but it was referenced in an article) that monitors the park crowds and the app just checks the feed each time you log in.

[duggett]

There may be a few factors as to why the app is slow for you, first is which model phone are you using, and are you on wifi or your data plan when you use it?

If you are just on an older phone (which can be really slow) and you don't want to purchase a new phone, you might look into purchasing an ipod touch. As Wifi is now free in the parks it may be a good alternative.

I am not sure how the app gets it's times, but I am going to guess that it isn't a direct link. It most likely is a feed from the central (I forgot it's name, but it was referenced in an article) that monitors the park crowds and the app just checks the feed each time you log in.

I am using an iPhone 4S on wifi. All other apps are "closed". It is quick with other apps, so it seems to be the My Disney Experience app that is slow. I will keep trying it though.

[theBIGyowski]

I use the Lines app from TouringPlans.com...and love it. Send me a PM and I can get you a discount code that will make the subscription a little cheaper.

Another free app for wait times and such is from Undercover Tourist. I have never used any of their apps...but I watch their ride videos on YouTube whenever I need a WDW fix.

I also have the official MyDisneyExperience app...but have never gotten a chance to use it in the parks.

[cy1229]

There may be a few factors as to why the app is slow for you, first is which model phone are you using, and are you on wifi or your data plan when you use it?

If you are just on an older phone (which can be really slow) and you don't want to purchase a new phone, you might look into purchasing an ipod touch. As Wifi is now free in the parks it may be a good alternative.

I am not sure how the app gets it's times, but I am going to guess that it isn't a direct link. It most likely is a feed from the central (I forgot it's name, but it was referenced in an article) that monitors the park crowds and the app just checks the feed each time you log in.

My daughter's Samsung mp3 player is similar. It's basically the Samsung Galaxy phone without the phone part. She can download apps and everything except send text messages or make calls. The POINT is that if you don't want to go with iOS (eew) and want to stick with Android, there are options out there that don't include getting an entirely new phone.

[jrcohen]

I can suggest apps on Android but I think there is a version of each for iOS. The first one I would recommend is WDW lines put out by http://www.touringplans.com. The site is by the people who put out the unofficial guide to Walt Disney World every year. The app is great you can check crowd levels in the parks each day, check and post wait times for rides, and access and edit personalized touring plans you can create for the parks. You do need a subscription for the site to use the app, but it's only about $12 for the year. I think it's well worth it.

The next one I would recommend is My Disney Experience put out by Disney. It also let's you see posted wait times for rides, check dining availability and make reservations. I actually did not find this one as helpful but it does have great maps of the parks.

Thanks. I will see what I can find for free before checking out the Touring Plans one, although it sounds like it is probably worth the $12.
Since I booked our vacation thought the Disney website, our reservations are available online at the new Disney website under the tab "My Disney Experience". I checked out the iPhone app, but found it to be extremely slow - at least here at home - both to load each time I open it, as well as each time I move to a different page - certainly not like other apps which are lightning fast. Also, when I tried to link my reservation confirmation number so I could see my itinerary that was loaded online, it came back with an error message saying the confirmation number was invalid and to try again. So evidently the two systems (online and mobile app) aren't as linked as they would appear. I guess I could call and try to get some help, but it hardly seems worth the effort. I'm sure they will get it fixed - sooner or later - hopefully before we go in late May.
Anyway, thanks for your input.

The best thing about the subscription to TouringPlans.com is that it gives you all of the updated information from the Unofficial Guide as well. It's basically getting the book, as well as the personalized touring plans, and wait time info all for one price. I do know from reading the book that their crowd calendar / wait times are based on both historical data, as well as user data. They actually show two different times on the app. They have the posted wait time, and an actual wait time. I was amazed how accurate both were when we were at the parks in January. The crowd calendar data was pretty helpful too. It does a good job showing how busy the different parks are on a given day. If you can get a discount code, I'd say it's even better!

[Wizzard419]

At the same time, it really doesn't matter how much you pay as you will still have some form of a line. Which is why I have never been sold on paying for an app for wait times since there is no noticeable benefit.

[theBIGyowski]

I have used the Crowd Calendar on TouringPlans.com to help me plan when to go to WDW...as my dates are more flexible. So figuring out when the crowds will be lighter or when certain events will take place is what I value the most.

[cy1229]

I have used the Crowd Calendar on TouringPlans.com to help me plan when to go to WDW...as my dates are more flexible. So figuring out when the crowds will be lighter or when certain events will take place is what I value the most.

Agreed. $12 for a one-year subscription isn't anything to pay, really. $6 for DLR.