5 Best Disney Apps You Need Before Your Vacation

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If you're planning your first Disney vacation, or it's been a few years since your last visit, these are the apps I always have on my phone. They'll help you navigate the parks, save time, avoid unnecessary stress, and make your trip run much more smoothly.

The My Disney Experience app

1. Let’s start with the actual Disney apps. Depending on which park you are heading to, you will want the My Disney Experience app for Disney World or the Disneyland app. This is an app I highly recommend being familiar with long before your trip. I also use it constantly throughout the day while I’m in the parks, from checking wait times while enjoying my morning coffee to placing a mobile food order when we need a quick lunch.This app has many uses including:

• joining a virtual queue (when applicable)

• booking Lightning Lane selections

• making dining reservations

• seeing wait times for attractions

• viewing park hours

• downloading your PhotoPass pictures

• placing mobile orders for some of the quick service dining locations 

• and many more! 

2. The other Disney specific app that we find to be fun is the Play Disney Parks app. This one has a few things you can do if you are not at a Disney location, such as listen to some Disney music and trivia. BUT this app really comes to life with interactive games once you enter the parks. Hopefully, you are following a good touring plan and not spending too much time in lines. But if you do find yourself waiting, pull up this app to help the time fly!

3. The third app on my list is Google Photos. This app is so great for storing, organizing and sharing your photos and videos. It also safely keeps your photos and videos backed up to Google so that you can clear up space on your device. This app allows 15GB of free storage.

*(This app also makes getting a new phone easier. All you do is put the app on your new phone, sign in and all your images are there.)

4. Accuweather. Florida weather has a personality of its own. I've watched the radar, grabbed a snack while a storm rolled through, and been back on a ride 30 minutes later. Don't let a little rain send you back to the hotel too quickly!

5. The Lyft app is my favorite ride share app. This is the app that will let you secure a ride in those super cute Minnie Vans you see zipping around Disney. Even though Disney provides transportation (ex. monorail, buses, ferries and the Skyliner), those options can take time or possibly be unavailable. When you need to get somewhere a little quicker, Lyft is the way to go.

My tip: Download every app and log in before you leave home. The last place you want to remember your Disney password is standing at the park entrance.

Disney trips create some of our favorite family memories, and a little preparation goes a long way. My hope is that these apps help you spend less time figuring things out and more time enjoying the magic. After all, the best vacations aren't about having a perfect itinerary, they're about making memories you'll smile about long after you get home.

Honorable Mentions:

• Lightroom - I take so many pictures and videos while we are there, but before I share images, I like to edit them. Lightroom is my favorite editing app. It is easy to use to brighten, straighten or crop your pictures.

• Blurb - I am a HUGE advocate for printing the pictures you take. For our trips, I have started printing books. With the Blurb app, you can load the pictures straight from your phone to have a great picture album printed and mailed to your door. We keep ours on the coffee table and they are great mementos!

Blurb Paperback Photobooks

So let me know if you use any of these or if you know of other apps that can be fun or helpful.

Before You Go...

If you're anything like me, once you start planning a trip, you end up researching everything. 😊 Here are a few more guides that might help as you get ready for your next adventure:

✈️ My Favorite Travel Essentials – The products I actually pack and use on nearly every trip.

🚢 Disney Wish Cruise Review – My honest thoughts after our first sailing, including what I'd do differently next time.

🏔️ Alaska Cruise Packing List – Exactly what I packed for an Alaskan cruise (and what I was glad I brought).

Thanks so much for reading! If you found this post helpful, you’ll love my posts on other travel tips and destinations. Click to scroll through and find inspiration and for your next vacation.

I share real time travel experiences, daily travel inspiration, packing hacks, and product recommendations over on social media, so come say hi!

• IG: this.magical.life.stacy - for Disney, Universal or other theme park content

• IG: thestacycoker - this is my personal account and the place for my family, favorite pictures + travel content that isn’t about theme parks

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