10+ Reasons You Need the Disneyland App

By Jennifer Stuart

Find out the 10+ reasons that you should download the Disneyland App for your Disneyland Vacation. The official Disneyland App is available for free from both the App Store for iPhone and Google Play for Android.

Maxpass

If you are planning on using Maxpass (Disneyland's digital fastpass) you will need to download the app to your phone before you arrive at the park. If you have a paper ticket you will also want to scan the ticket into the app once you have activated it at the gates. You cannot use Maxpass without the app. Read our post Maxpass - a step-by-step guide for information on how to use Maxpass at Disneyland.

Fastpass

If you have chosen not to pay for Maxpass you can use the app to check what the Fastpass return times are for an attraction.  This can be a time saver as you can quickly see if you should run across the park for Indiana Jones passes or if they are sold out for the day.  For more information about Fastpass at Disneyland, Read our post Fastpass for Beginners. 

Wait Times

This is probably what we use the app for the most. Before Disneyland released their own app you used to have to either run back to one of the information boards or rely on third party apps that were more or less reliable depending on the day. This feature allows you to quickly check what wait times are like near you or even across the park.  We find them to be accurate.

Characters

There is a list of characters that are going to be meeting guests each day in the app.  Look for the character tab at the top.  You can view this as a list or on the map.  This is a great reference as it not only shows you who, but also when and where they will be available. 

Insider Tip:  Some characters have "roaming* listed as their location, such as "roaming  Fantasyland."  Characters at Disneyland are not always tied down to one location and will walk through the park.  There is something magical about turning the corner and finding your favourite princess walking down the path towards you.  Ask a cast member where they are most likely to be wandering.

Menus

​Wondering what to eat?  You can check menus and prices for all restaurant locations on the app.  If a restaurant serves multiple meals, you will be able to browse all of the menu options.  This can be great, especially if you have a picky eater in the bunch and you need to make sure there are options that they will eat.

Reservations

You can make reservations for table service restaurants through the app.  Remember you don't have to be at Disneyland to use this feature and we do recommend making reservations well in advance, especially at more popular meal times or on busier days. Even if you are looking for same day reservations, check the app as there is usually some availability.  Reservations require a credit card deposit that is non- refundable if you don't show up or if you change/cancel within 24 hours.

Mobile Order

​Mobile Order has now come to Disneyland.  You can now pre-order and pre-pay for food in order to skip the lines at many quick service locations in both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.  You will need the app on your phone and a credit card .  Look for our post with more details about Mobile Ordering coming soon.

Washrooms

​When you need to find a washroom, you need to find a washroom. Use the app to find the washroom closest to you.

Map 

The interactive map can be great -- especially for those who are less familiar with the park.  The interactive map is very detailed and you can zoom in or out to find attractions, dining or just the path to another part of the park. -- You can choose list or map view for most of the filter options such as dining locations, attraction wait times, characters, restrooms etc...

Insider Tip: we still like to pick up hard copies of the park map as we enter.  They make great souvenirs.  For craft ideas that use Disneyland maps-- check out our Disney Crafts board on Pinterest.

Guest Services

Swipe to find a list of guest services and where to find them on the map.  Things like ATM locations, lockers, first aid, wifi hotspots and information booths.

Photopass

​If you are getting Maxpass, Photopass will be included for each day of Maxpass.  You can access your QR code to give to Photopass Photographers within the app and add in the reference number of on-ride photos to have these added to your account.  For more information on Photopass at Disneyland read our post   here.

Showtimes

Find out the timing of the Fireworks and other nighttime entertainment like World of Colour in order to plan your day.  The app will also give you time for Parades, theater shows like Frozen and even smaller performances like the Dapper Dans or the Bootstrappers.  

Park Hours

Not sure what time the park opens or closes?  Need to find out which park has extra magic hours?  The app has the information for you.  To find out more about Magic Morning or Extra Magic Hours and how to make the most of this time read our post on The Difference Between Magic Morning and Extra Magic Hour at Disneyland.

Churros

You can use the search function in the app to find churro carts to satisfy your Disneyland churro craving.  Just type in "churro" and the app will give you a list of churro carts. 

The Future

We have clearly seen that Disneyland is loading more and more functionality into the app.  We can only assume that this trend is going to continue for the future.  It only makes sense to get the app and become familiar with it so that you are best able to use the features available to you on future trips (we know you will take more than one).

Important Information

For full functionality in the app you will need to create a Disney account (if you do not have one already). This will let you use Maxpass, Photopass, make dining reservations and mobile order food.  You can also link your profile to that of your Friends and family to share plans or create Fastpass groups.  To link to the site to create a Disney account click here.

For International Visitors

Disneyland does have wi-fi but it is pretty spotty and generally bad from our experience.  Make sure that you are prepared for data usage and either get a U.S. Sim card and plan or arrange a plan with your service provider from home.

If you enjoyed this post check out some of our other useful posts including our Disneyland restaurant reviews.

All Photos and Screenshots by Jennifer Stuart

Questions? Comments?  We would love to hear form you.