Experience More Rides (and Less Waiting!) at Disney With Touringplans.com Mobile App
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I wrote that Touringplans.com is a great tool for researching and planning trips to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Universal Orlando.
But Touringplans.com also has a mobile app, called Lines, which can save you time, stress, and frustration when you’re at these parks! You’ll get real-time updates on attraction wait times, ride closures, and available Fastpass ride reservations.
Plus you can add your own wait time reports and chat with other users – even folks who are visiting at the same time!
I’ll show you how Lines works and how you can use it to make the most of your day at the park!
What’s the Deal?
Link: Touringplans.com
Link: Lines Walt Disney World Mobile App
Link: Lines Disneyland Mobile App
Link: Lines Universal Orlando Mobile App
There are separate mobile apps for each park. Apple and Android mobile devices are officially supported, but they also have a generic app which may work with other smartphones, like Blackberry (but they can’t guarantee it).
You do NOT need a Touringplans.com subscription to download the app. But to use all the app features, you’ll need a membership (~$5 to ~$13 per year, depending on the park).
I downloaded the app for Walt Disney World, but other apps have similar features. Let’s see what it can do!
Ride & Attraction Wait Times
This is probably the most useful app feature! I hate wasting time walking from 1 end of a theme park to the other, only to discover the ride I want has a 2-hour wait!
With the Lines app, you can see current expected ride and attraction wait times.
And it even gives recommendations based on forecast wait times for later in the day! So if it’s a peak time, the app tells you to wait until later. Or if the lines are projected to get longer, it will suggest you ride now.
And if they think the wait time won’t change for the rest of the day, they let you know you can ride any time – it won’t make a difference.
Plus, for popular rides, it will indicate when the next Fastpass reservation is available (“Next FP+“).
Another really neat feature is that you (and other users in the park) can update and view actual ride wait times through the app!
Emily’s friend recently used the app on a trip to Walt Disney World. She says it was a lifesaver, especially having 3 impatient kids in tow!
Knowing how long attraction lines are in advance can help you plan a more efficient day at the park. So you’ll ride more and spend less time waiting!
Fastpass Availability
Disney parks use a system called Fastpass which allows folks to reserve a ride time on their most popular attractions.
Only a certain number of Fastpass reservations are given out for each time slot, and once they’re gone, that’s it!
The Lines mobile app lets you view available Fastpass times for rides and attractions.
You can get a Fastpass reservation at kiosks throughout the parks. But by checking the app, you can 1st see if it’s worth the hike!
Touring Plans
If you created your own touring plan on the Touringplans.com website before you left on your trip, you can access it through the Lines mobile app.
The plan takes you step-by-step through the park, showing current wait times. You can re-arrange the plan if required, and indicate when you’re done visiting a ride or attraction.
Or you can add a new plan directly from your mobile device. Either your own or 1 of Touringplan.com’s custom plans.
These plans are really handy to have on your phone! I like that the app will optimize the plan based on the current day’s wait times and crowd levels, too.
Dining and Menus
By clicking on a restaurant name, you can check out the menu. So if there’s nothing that appeals to you (or if it’s too pricey), you won’t waste time walking to the restaurant!
And if you’re craving a certain type of food, you can use the “Search Menus in the Park” function to narrow down the list. I searched for “sushi” (sorry, Emily).
You’ll see which restaurants serve the food, the dishes they offer, and the price. And you’ll have the option to click through to their full menu.
This is a terrific tool if you want to plan where to eat in advance. Or for families and groups with picky eaters. Or if you’re a foodie and want to sample as many specialties as possible during your visit!
More Cool Tools
Like the Touringplans.com website, the Lines mobile app is loaded with extra features.
You can view:
- Current and projected crowd levels for each park (including a 10-day crowd forecast)
- Ride and attraction descriptions, ratings, and height / age restrictions (you can also add your own rating from the app!)
- Park hours, special events, and show schedules
And from the app, you can chat with Touringplans.com users – even folks who are visiting the park at the same time!
I’m not sure if I’d use the chat feature, but it could be useful for folks who have an urgent question or need advice from experienced Disney visitors!
Are There Drawbacks?
Again, there’s a lot of information included with the Lines app. I’d limit using the app to just the features you need for your visit.
And you could end up using a lot of data! Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando have free Wi-Fi in most public areas, but that’s not the case at Disneyland.
Besides, you don’t want to spend your whole day at Disney with your head buried in your smartphone! There’s too much to see and do!
Bottom Line
You’ll save time and frustration when you use the Touringplans.com Lines mobile app at theme parks like Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Universal Orlando. It’s available to folks who’ve paid for a Touringplans.com subscription. (See my review.)
With the app, you can view forecast and current ride wait times while you’re at the park. And see when the next Fastpass ride reservations are available.
You can load the app with a touring plan for your visit, modify existing plans, and check out dining spots, menus, and prices.
Have you used the Lines app from Touringplans.com? What’s your favorite feature?
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