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10 Essential Tips for Navigating My Disney Experience App

My Disney Experience is the official app of Walt Disney World, and it has become an essential tool for any magical Disney vacation. With so many features designed to enhance your visit, navigating the app effectively can be a game-changer.

Here are ten essential tips to help you get the most out of My Disney Experience.


10. Check Park Hours

One of the best features of My Disney Experience is the ability to check Park hours, which can be invaluable for planning each day of your trip. Use this feature before you arrive to see each park’s opening and closing times. Then, once at Walt Disney World, double-check the hours as Disney occasionally updates them, allowing you to adjust your plans accordingly and maximize your time in the parks.


9. Monitor Wait Times

With My Disney Experience, you can monitor live wait times for attractions and entertainment throughout the day, saving you from unnecessary steps and long waits. Instead of walking all the way to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run only to find a long line, you can check wait times in real-time.

Four teenagers laughing and talking in front of the twilight zone tower of terror attraction in Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park on a sunny day.
Credit: Disney

This feature covers not just rides but also showtimes for parades, performances, and fireworks, so you can schedule your day to make the most of every magical moment.


8. Personalized Planning Tips

The My Disney Experience app offers many ways to help you plan your day at Walt Disney World. By setting up your must-do experiences and preferences, you can build an itinerary that aligns with your interests and priorities. As you go through your day, you can make adjustments to your plans, and the app will help you stay on top of real-time updates to make the most of your visit.


7. Book Individual Lightning Lanes for Top Attractions

In addition to regular queue access, some high-demand attractions offer Individual Lightning Lane access, which requires a separate purchase. Attractions like TRON Lightcycle Run and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind can be booked individually through the app. Disney Resort Guests can book Individual Lightning Lanes at 7 am, while other Guests can make their selections at the park opening. This feature is perfect for ensuring access to the most sought-after rides.


6. Join Virtual Queues for Select Rides

Certain popular attractions use virtual queues to manage crowds, allowing you to join the line virtually instead of waiting in a physical queue. Currently, TRON Lightcycle Run and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind utilize virtual queues. Guests can join these queues at 7 am and again at 1 pm via the app, receiving a boarding group and approximate return time. This is a great way to experience these headline attractions with less waiting in line.

A family of four, two adults and two children, gather excitedly around a smartphone. The kids wear fun, themed headbands: one with pink sparkly mouse ears and the other with a blue alien hat. The adults smile warmly as they join in the moment of joy.
Credit: Disney

5. Use Mobile Ordering for Quick-Service Dining

Mobile Ordering is a time-saving feature available through My Disney Experience that lets you skip the line at many quick-service locations around the resort. Simply select your dining location, choose a return time, place your order, and once you arrive, hit “Prepare My Order.” Your food will be freshly prepared and ready for pickup, allowing you to spend more time enjoying the parks.

Mobile Ordering is a fantastic way to streamline your dining experience, especially during peak meal times.


4. Make Dining Reservations and Join Waitlists

My Disney Experience isn’t just for mobile orders—you can also use it to make table service dining reservations and even join waitlists for popular restaurants. If you weren’t able to secure a reservation before your trip, keep checking the app throughout the day for availability or join the walk-up waitlist. You can also check in for your reservation directly from the app, making the entire dining process seamless.


3. Check Disney Resort Bus Times

Guests staying at Disney Resorts can check real-time bus schedules through the app, making it easy to know when your next bus is expected. This feature is particularly helpful in the mornings or at night when you’re planning your day. While bus times are approximate, having a general idea of when the next bus will arrive can help you plan your time more efficiently.


2. View and Download Photos with Memory Maker

The My Disney Experience app also serves as your hub for Disney photos, including on-ride photos and those taken by Disney’s PhotoPass photographers. With Memory Maker, you can download and view photos right from the app. It’s a fantastic way to relive the memories of your magical trip, and it’s especially convenient to have your photos all in one place on your phone.

Two Guests checking Disneyland App in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle
Credit: Disney Parks Blog

1. Enjoy the Magic with Memory Maker

The My Disney Experience app also serves as your hub for Disney photos, including on-ride photos and those taken by Disney’s PhotoPass photographers. With Memory Maker, you can download and view photos right from the app.

It’s a fantastic way to relive the memories of your magical trip, and it’s especially convenient to have your photos all in one place on your phone.

Jennifer Retzlaff

Jennifer became a lifelong Disney fan during her first trip to Walt Disney World in 6th grade. From that moment, Disney became a big part of her life. She quickly started to introduce her love of Disney to her family with a Disney honeymoon and then family trips when her youngest was 18 months old. She loves the magic that Disney brings to people through theme parks, cruises, and adventures. As a teacher, she tries to bring Disney magic into her classroom to help kids believe that “If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It.” She is also part of the Magic Vacation Planner team as a personal travel advisor. With this team, she can now help others plan magical vacations. She loves bringing her love to Disney to readers with How to Disney.

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