Disneyland looks like it is getting ready to take advantage of the Next-Gen technology developed under the MyMagic+ banner out at Walt Disney World. A new mobile app is available for download on iTunes and Google Play. You’ll definitely want to use it on your next trip to the Happiest Place on Earth.
You can use the new Disneyland app to buy tickets, see wait times, check out the park map, find Disney characters, and more. There are a few benefits for Annual Passholders too. This might put a little dent in the popularity of fan made apps that also do similar things.
Disneyland VP Mary Niven has been quoted as saying that MagicBands won’t be coming to the Anaheim resort. But it looks like this mobile app could potentially do some of what Disney World guests experience with the wrist bands. You still won’t get the RFID enabled MyMagic+ experience though. My preference would be to diminish the elements of MyMagic+ that require advanced reservations (70% of Disneyland visitors are local and don’t plan that far ahead), but keep the cool next-gen stuff like photopass, and using RFID to scan into the park and activate your fastpasses. Obviously that would be the costlier option for Disneyland, but the potential MyMagic+ has to remake the theme park experience is worth it in my book.
Out in Florida we have the My Disney Experience app. It’s our primary entry into the world of MyMagic+ and FastPass+, but there’s a lot more inside like park maps, dining reservations, and even suggestions on what to do based on crowd levels and wait times.
Do you have a favorite unofficial Disney Park app you use when you’re planning a trip or visiting the parks?
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Magic Bands themselves are really cool technology. Opening your hotel room, paying for a quick snack, claiming ride photos, and even getting into the park and storing fastpasses are all amazing uses for the technology. What people push back against (in my experience) is associating that technology with reserving fastpasses ahead of time. That implementation is off putting and such a departure from the previous fastpass system that it creates friction for a lot of people. In my opinion fastpasses should only be given out for the current day and only to people in the park. They can use kiosks or apps or a stand at each ride, the technology is not the problem. I agree, with the number of locals in Disneyland, advance fastpasses would not fly.
I have never seen a 15 minute wait for Peter Pan so this app screenshot is just taunting me.
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