Amazing Uses for Your Smartphone at Walt Disney World
School, mealtime, and vacations have (and always will be) regarded as phone-free environments in my household. It doesn’t matter if you were raised with your cell phone serving as an extension of your hand; when you’re with me and we’re spending quality face time together, the phone goes away! Without texting, without so much as checking social media.
I’ve recently come around to the notion that pocketing my phone on a Walt Disney World vacation isn’t only impossible, but quite naïve of a thing to attempt! I wholeheartedly believe in spending in-person time with the people you love, but there are quite a few reasons why you should whip out that phone when you’re at the Resort; here’s why!
Wait Times at Your Fingertips
I could just list all the features of the MyDisney Experience app and call it a day, but there are three features of that app that I use each and every time I visit without fail, and they deserve highlights and explanations all their own!
When I’m in between Fastpass+ reservations, my go-to move looks like this: reach into pocket, unlock the MyDisney Experience app, and check the wait times at the attractions in my immediate vicinity! Gone are the days of walking to the attraction entry displays to view the wait times.
Although our waistlines are probably suffering from the reduced walking, I love the ease of checking the wait times right on my app and heading straight to the attraction with the lowest time.
No-Wait Grub
In recent years, the Quick Serve dining options across Walt Disney World Resort have majorly upgraded everything from the quality of menu options all the way down to renovations of the dining locations themselves. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I actually prefer many of the Quick Serve locations across the Resort over Table Service options…especially since Mobile Order was introduced.
At select Quick Serve locations, guests can order their meals with a few taps on their phone screen. Delivered directly to the kitchens, this customizable Mobile Ordering allows your family’s order to skip the long lines.
My favorite part of this feature is that I can place my dinner order through the app at 3:00pm, and when I decide I’m hungry a few hours later, my order is already set and all I have to do is tap ‘I’m here’ and the kitchen will make my meal to-order! I use the Mobile Order feature often at restaurants like Satu’li Canteen and D Luxe Burger that boast some of the longest waits on Property, and I’ve never had to wait longer than 5 minutes for my meal!
Play Disney Parks
If you (or your very social teenager) really can’t part with their phone in the Parks, there’s an app for that. When you’ve mastered all the categories in Heads Up, the Play Disney Parks app is the solution for riding out long attraction queues with impatient travelers. The app is free to download and features trivia games, attraction-specific games, and customizable playlist options through Apple Music!
Unlock Your Room Without Your MagicBand
I like to head to my Walt Disney World Resort’s fitness center or out for a run around one of the beautifully-maintained lakes before I start my day in the Parks. I haven’t upgraded to a Garmin to track my runs just yet (I know, I know I really need to get on that), so I’m one of those runners who rely solely on their phones for directions and mileage tracking.
On my most recent visit, I was able to leave my MagicBand in my room while I hit the pavement and unlock my room through my linked reservation on my phone!
Even if you’re not an early morning exerciser, it’s easy to leave your room in the morning without your MagicBand. I talked with a fellow guest at Landscape of Flavors who was picking up a large breakfast order for his family to take back to his room, and he was panicked when he realized he forgot his MagicBand!
We chatted, and pointed out that, if he had his reservation lined to his MyDisney Experience app, he’d be able to unlock his room without an issue. That day, the room unlock put a huge smile on at least 2 guests’ faces!
Fuel Rod
Credit: ThisFairytaleLife.com
All of these smartphone features truly do make for a stress-free Walt Disney World vacation, but they’re not useful if your phone is dead! With technological advancements come correlated improvements, and Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts have a solution for those days when your phone battery can’t outlast the human will to stay until the fireworks.
Around the Resort, you’ll find many Fuel Rod locations that let you purchase, re-charge, and re-up your mobile charging device for your cell phone! The price is worth it, especially because they can be used when you get back home too! So, with all of these new and exciting Disney Parks smartphone upgrades and accessibilities, which is most useful for your visit?
Have you tried Mobile Order? Do you and your family check wait times from your phones? Leave me a comment and let me know!
Are you planning to book a Disney vacation for you and your family? I’d love to help! I am a proud MickeyTravels Authorized Vacation Planner (Platinum Level) specializing in all Disney destinations. From hotel to FastPass+ reservations, I will help with each and every aspect of your trip. And the best part about my services is that they are completely FREE!
You can find me over on Facebook, or contact me directly at msalerno@mickeytravels.com, or 800-308-6257. I can’t wait to start planning your dream Disney vacation!
