by JollyFrogger Diva
Maybe you’re like me and you’re only a few short weeks away from your next trip to Walt Disney World. Your dining reservations are made (you can read my guide to prepare for that here), your FastPass+ reservations are done (you can read my planner’s guide to making FastPass+ reservations here), and there’s not much planning left to do. It’s just a tad too early to start packing, but my planner brain still feels like there’s something I should be doing. Have you considered getting your phone ready for WDW? Here are a few tips and recommendations I have to make sure your phone is as ready as you are for your next big trip
1) Download the My Disney Experience App
If you’ve made it this far into the planning experience without downloading the My Disney Experience App, I’m impressed. Maybe you’re not a planner or this is a spur of the moment trip. Before you hit the parks, you’ll definitely want to download the My Disney Experience App. Using this app, you can see park maps, find your favorite Disney character meet-and-greets, see park hours, see your reservations, view your Memory Maker photos, and check attraction wait times. You can also use it to book additional FastPass+ reservations once you’ve used your initial 3.
Diva Tip: I like to take a screenshot of my FastPass+ and dining reservations for each day of our trip. I then set that day’s screenshot as my phone’s screensaver. It allows me to see our plans quickly, it doesn’t require trying to connect to the park’s WiFi, and it helps my phone’s battery last longer. It also serves as a back-up in case the app crashes or there is an issue with Disney’s system and I need to provide proof of a reservation. Soarin’ Diva has some tips for when the My Disney Experience App isn’t being so magical here.
2) Consider a locator app
If you’re traveling with other people who may want to break off and do their own thing or with kids who are old enough to have and carry their own phone, you may want to consider finding a locator app so you can quickly and easily find the members of your party. I don’t have any personal experience with a locator app, but I did notice that our phone service provider offers such an app for a small monthly fee so you may want to check and see what your carrier offers.
3) Make space on your memory
If you plan to use your phone to capture photos and videos of your experiences, you’ll definitely want to make sure you have plenty of memory space. That may mean going through and deleting old text messages, apps you don’t use, or backing up the photos currently on your phone to an external storage space. I have an Android phone so I use Google Photo to keep my photos safe and easily accessible without taking up a ton of storage space on my phone. Nothing is worse than going to snap a picture of something special and getting a warning that your memory is too full to take the photo.
4) Have a plan to keep it charged
With all the use your phone will be getting during your vacation, you will probably want to come up with a plan to keep it charged. There are mobile charging stations sprinkled throughout the parks (around the Tangled Bathrooms in Fantasyland for example). You can find all locations using the My Disney Experience app. To take advantage of those charging stations, be sure to pack your charging cord as they are not provided by Disney. Some of the new Disney buses also have USB charging ports for you to use as well.
I’ve found the surest, most convenient way of keeping my phone charged is a portable charger. Disney sells Fuel Rod chargers for $30 in the parks that you can exchange for new, fully charged one when it’s empty. I personally prefer to bring my own as you can get a more powerful charger for less money if you buy it before your trip. I like the small, yet powerful chargers like this one but you may also want one that can charge more than one phone before it needs to be recharged.
So there you have it- my guide to getting your phone ready for a trip to Walt Disney World. A little prep work ahead of time will make your life much easier while you’re in the parks. Your phone can be a tool to make your time in the parks a little easier to navigate and can help you capture memories worth remembering. Do you need help planning your next trip to Walt Disney World? Contact Patricia at All for Dreams travel for a free quote.
