The Official Disneyland Resort app makes navigating the parks a whole lot easier, and here at Babes In Disneyland, we rely on it each and every time we’re in the parks. Since it’s release in 2015 there have been several updates and enhancements to the app, two of our favorites being Disney MaxPass and Mobile Food ordering for quick service restaurants. If you haven’t yet used or downloaded the app it is available for iOS (click here to download it) and for Android (available on Google Play here).

Here are the things we think parents (and grandparents, aunts, and uncles) will love about the Disneyland app.

Finding restrooms FAST. When little ones need to go, they NEED TO GO! For those unfamiliar with the park, this app will come in very handy when looking for the closest restroom or while trying to find a spacious companion restroom. It is important to note that the app does not list ALL of the restrooms. Many restaurants (like Carthay Circle) have their own restrooms, but Disney doesn’t necessarily want the entire park populous cruising through to go potty. It also doesn’t list the Tiki Room restroom.

Finding characters just got a whole lot easier. I can’t tell you how many times we have spent the day trying to find characters–having to ask at the Information Board if they could help us track certain characters down. (Check out one such adventure by clicking here.) The app provides parents the ability to search for characters by name or area/location.  One thing the app doesn’t offer is the option to search for characters by name. Although Peter Pan is listed in the character section, if you search his name using the search tool, he does not come up. It is important to note that not ALL characters are listed. We noted that characters like Cruella, the Storm Troopers and Stitch couldn’t be found. We will recommend asking at the Information Boards in the parks for help finding difficult-to-track-down characters.

Attraction info and wait times! Gone is the need for third-party wait time apps because now you can have Disney’s official times. They can be displayed by area of the park (shown in the map view) or in an alphabetical list that combines both parks. This can be really helpful for locals looking to gauge crowds before heading to the parks the same day. When digging deeper on each attraction (you must click on it to open up the attraction) moms and dads can read a short description of the attraction and learn about the height requirement (if there is one) and disability access. You can click here for a list attraction height requirements that is a bit more handy.

Disney MaxPass. The advent of Disney MaxPass has truly been a game changer for us! For an additional cost Disney MaxPass is the mobile version of FASTPASS, which allows guests to make, cancel, and redeem FASTPASS reservations from the convenience of their smartphone. Additionally, the cost of Disney MaxPass includes unlimited PhotoPass downloads.  To learn more about Disney MaxPass and how to maximize its use click here.

Dining information. The app provides locations, menus, and a brief description of each restaurant including price range and cuisine type.  The app also offers the opportunity to “find a table” and make a reservation at the restaurants that accept reservations. (If you are going to make a reservation at a Disneyland Resort restaurant, be sure to read this first about no-show fees.) The app doesn’t allow you to search for restaurants based on price category, but it DOES allow you to search for restaurants by keyword like “hamburger” or “lemonade” and includes many outdoor vending locations. This is an incredibly handy feature!

Mobile food and beverage ordering.  This is another of our favorite app additions!   With mobile food and beverage ordering you can locate your desired quick service restaurant, view the menu, order your meal, and pay for it all through the app.  Additionally, you can choose your desired pick up time and avoid waiting for your food by picking up your food at a specially designated window.

Entertainment information. If you love shows at Disneyland–or if you are there on a crowded day and just want a chance to get away from the crowds–the entertainment section is a great way to get a good feel for all of the entertainment and learn about some of the “atmosphere talent” you may not have ever experienced.

PhotoPass locations. If you are taking advantage of the unlimited downloads benefit of Disney MaxPass being able to quickly and easily locate PhotoPass locations will help you get more bang for your buck.

PhotoPass Review & Storage. The app allows guests to link and store photos taken by Disney PhotoPass Cast Members.  Cast Members can scan the unique PhotoPass code located within the app to link the photos they’ve taken for you or you can link the physical PhotoPass card by typing in the unique code on the back.  If you’ve purchased Disney MaxPass unlimited downloads and sharing are included with the cost.

Hotel information! We adore this section for families visiting from out-of-town because it not only lists the on-property hotels but the Good Neighbor hotels and motels as well. It also allows you to map the local hotels so that you can see where they are located. (Click here for our recommendations on how to pick a local hotel.) Using this info with the mapping on the app will come in very handy for parents planning their trips.) The app does not give price ranges, so you will still need to seek those out on your own.

Find important guest services fast. We really like this section of the app–but not in map form because it is really overwhelming and not terribly helpful. In list form, however, this section of the app provides really valuable information on where to find first aid, the kennels, guest relations, lockers, etc. (The app does not provide information on locker costs or sizes.) It also lists information on ATMs, but we NEVER recommend using the ATMs at Disneyland because of the fees (unless you bank at Chase).

Annual passport information. If you are an Annual Passholder, you are going to get a lot out of this app. It allows you to sync up all of your family’s passes, plus provides you with blackout dates for your passes AND expiration dates (can I hear a “hallelujah?”) for your passes. Having expiration dates handy is HUGE, because let me tell you how NOT fun it is to reach the turnstiles only to find out that your pass is expired (especially if you have a So Cal pass that needs to be renewed BEFORE it expires). Passholders can also check out their discounts at restaurants (but not stores). It is important to note that although you can use your phone at the main entrance to get in because your bar code will be stored on it, you will still need your actual pass for FASTPASS machines and discounts.

The app does NOT provide families the following:

• Complete trip planning information. While the app does show about a month of operation hours, it is not intended to provide parents what they need to sit down and plan their trip with helpful hints and info. As mentioned in #3 above, there is a short description of each attraction if you dig through on each attraction, but I don’t know if it is the best way to “plan your trip.” (We have more user friendly lists with attraction height requirements here on the blog–just as an example.) There is very, very limited planning info in the “Events & Tours” section, but not enough to actually plan a trip. We DO like the “Hotels” section of the app when it comes to planning trips. (See #7.)
• The ability to rotate your phone for a landscape view of the park or information.
  
• The ability to “favorite” things or plan out the day. I suppose this goes along with trip planning, but it sure would be nice to be able to “favorite” all of the rides and shows you want to do before your visit so that it isn’t overwhelming the day of. You will have to go “old-fashioned” on this and write out what you want to do or type it in a notes app on your phone.
• Information on businesses outside of Disneyland. Although the app has outside hotel and motel info, it does not include information on the Target a few blocks away from Disneyland, local shopping malls, etc.
• A great internet connection while in the parks. The Disneyland Resort is notorious for having lousy internet service. There are numerous “dead zones” in the parks where I cannot post to social media.

We definitely recommend parents play around with the app A LOT before heading to the parks so that they can easily navigate it on the go when their hands are full with the kiddos. It takes some getting used to switching from map to list view and getting from one place to another.

Please note that the Apple link in the first paragraph contains an affiliate link. That means that even though the app is free, I may make a small (very TINY) amount of money on any other iTunes purchases you make within 24 hours of clicking on the link.