Wait Time Apps

The official app from Disney

The advancement of  technology has made planning your day while in the parks much easier. If you have an iPhone or an Android you have probably looked at the different Walt Disney World wait time apps that are available. How do you know which is the best one? Remember that no app is perfect, the time listed might still vary from the time that you will wait in line, but the right app will give you a better idea of how long each line is.

Just pick where you're headed

There are two free apps that I use when I hit the parks. The first is Disney Mobile Magic. It's the official Disney app so you know that it is going to be loaded with information. All four parks are on the app, as well as the two water parks, Downtown Disney and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The resorts are listed as well, but for our purposes I'm just going to stick with the parks. Just pick which park you're visiting for the information. There's a map, videos and information on attractions, dining and characters. For the full service restaurants you can make a reservation right through the app, which is a nice feature if you arrive at a park and aren't sure where you want to eat. My favorite thing about the app is probably the fact that it lists times and locations for character greetings. Getting a picture with Mickey is an important part of a Disney vacation and this takes some of the guess work out of it.

There's information on each attraction

What I don't like about the official Disney app is the way that wait times are handled. I like to have a number, this app instead gives more of a time frame. Waits are listed as "See now", "Moderate" and "High Demand". If FASTPASS is available the app also gives that information, but it does not give a time frame. It will say "Limited Availability" if they are getting close to running out. For rides like Toy Story Midway Mania where FASTPASS will run out that is a nice feature.

The free version from Undercover Tourist

The other app that I use is from Undercover Tourist. For those heading to Universal Studios they have a free wait times app for those two parks as well. You can buy an ad-free version of the WDW app for $3.99, but I use the free version. What I like about this app is that it is usually accurate. If there is a slight difference in the wait it is usually because the wait is shorter than what the app says, not longer. The wait times are color coded so if you take a quick glance you'll have a feel for how long the lines are. Distance is also a feature on it, you can sort attractions by lands or by your current location. I honestly don't pay much attention to that because I know the parks well but I can see how it would come in handy for someone who doesn't know his or her way around.

Wait times can be sorted by lands...

Undercover Tourist also allows you to make a schedule within the app and to pick favorites. One feature that I love is the Crowd Forecast, which makes predictions on the crowds for future dates. That also includes the times that each park will be open. Parade and show times are also available, they are updated frequently so you'll know that the information is accurate. Undercover Tourist is also an official Walt Disney World ticket agent so you can purchase tickets through the app as well. I am an annual pass holder so I can't tell you much about that because I have no personal experience with their system.

...or by where you are.

All in all, wait time apps are a good thing to have. There are other free apps out there, but I have found these two to be the most useful. If you can cut down the time that you spend waiting in line your trip will be more enjoyable. These will help you to do just that.