Best iPhone Apps for Walt Disney World

Image source by Tom Arthur via Wikimedia Commons

Long gone are the days of just booking flights and hotels in order to plan the perfect Walt Disney World vacation. With continued expansion of the parks, increased attendance, hard-to-come-by dining reservations, and the evolution of the FastPass system, planning a successful Walt Disney World vacation has become somewhat of an art form.

Thankfully, as Walt Disney World has evolved, so have the planning resources. There are a number of apps available now that help with your pre-planning needs and keep you on track once you arrive at the parks. Here's a look at seven of the best iPhone apps for Walt Disney World.

WDW Radio (Free)

Lou Mongellos popular Walt Disney World Podcast is the ideal place to start your vacation planning. He covers everything from travel tips, dining options, hotel reviews, upcoming events and more. His show has won best travel podcast eight years in a row, so rest assured that you are getting valuable and up-to-date information. Be sure to check out his other content, including forums, a blog and videos.

Walt Disney World Hours (Paid)

Keeping track of the various operating hours for each of the theme parks within the Walt Disney World Resort can be dizzying, especially when you factor in Extra Magic Hours if you are staying at an onsite resort. Download the Walt Disney World Park Hours app to keep you abreast of seasonal operating hours, daily schedules and parade times. The app covers Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and Walt Disney Worlds water parks.

Disney World Dining (Paid)

Unsure where to eat while you visit Walt Disney World or have special dietary restrictions? Download the Disney World Dining app that includes full menus for the parks restaurants. Search by food type or restaurant. For those on the Disney Dining Plan or utilizing a Tables in Wonderland discount, the app tells you how many credits and which restaurants provide discounts. The handy Disney World Dining app will also pinpoint restaurants closest to your present location and provide one-touch dialing for Disney dining reservations.

Walt Disney World Wait Times (Free)

Once you are at Walt Disney World, wait times can dictate how you spend your day at the parks. Download one of the free Walt Disney World Wait Times apps to keep abreast of the current wait times at the attractions you most want to experience.

WDW Countdown (Paid)

This app is a must for the Disney enthusiast who plans multiple trips to Walt Disney World. This cool app keeps the anticipation alive with a countdown timer, daily notifications and app badges. You can upload your own Disney photos or choose from the large selection of existing backgrounds. Users can then download and share their countdown images on Facebook, iMessage, or set as your phone background.

Hidden Mickeys: Walt Disney World (Paid)

One of the coolest things at the Disney Parks are the various Hidden Mickeys concealed by Disney artists and imagineers throughout the attractions, restaurants, hotels and other areas. You might've seen the official guides to Hidden Mickeys, but now the wildly popular books are also available as a paid app. The official app utilizes your GPS tracking and tells you the closest Hidden Mickeys to your immediate location. There is even a built in scoring system so you can build separate profiles for each of your family members and keep track of who finds the most Hidden Mickeys.

Beers and Ears Walt Disney World Beers (Free)

This app is for the over 21 crowd visiting Walt Disney World. The Beers and Ears Walt Disney World Beers app keeps track of the 150 or so beers found throughout the Walt Disney World Resort. The app not only features the full list, but also contains reviews of the beers and will tell you which beers are nearby your current location.

Please drink responsibly and use a designated driver, as your RoamRight policy does not cover loss resulting from or caused by being under the influence of alcohol.

Have you used any of these apps before?

Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.