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Waiting in lines is never fun. Whether it’s the grocery store or Walt Disney World, no one likes a long wait. Thankfully, the Play Disney Parks App is now available and makes waiting in those pesky Disney lines so much more fun!

What is the Play Disney Parks App?

Play Disney Parks is an application (or app for short) that was created and launched in the summer of 2018. I had the privilege of talking to some of the creators of the app at the press event for the opening of Toy Story Land in June. They said they wanted to bring families together and make waiting more fun. We all know that waiting is inevitable at a Disney Park, but waiting doesn’t have to equal boredom! Play Disney Parks is available for free in the App Store for Apple devices and through the Google Play Store for Android devices.

How to Use Play Disney Parks

First, to play the app, you’ll need to download it. The download is free, but the app is 230+ megabytes in size, so downloading over WiFi is important to save on data usage. Next, open the app and choose a destination. If you are near enough to the parks for the GPS to locate you, it will automatically choose a resort for you. You can, however, play the app at home, so you may have to decide if you want to play in Disneyland or Walt Disney World. I am a trivia geek, so I love playing trivia, even if I’m at home!

What Games are on the Play Disney Parks App?

Games, games, and more games! I am obsessed with winning all the things, so it was really difficult for me to put down this app when it was time for our ride! Move your finger around on the map of each park to find the different games available to you. Personally, we, as a family, love a good trivia game, and what better trivia to pass the time than Disney trivia? We also enjoyed the games available to play when in line for Slinky Dog Dash at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Some of the games involved two or more players competing against one another arcade style, while others involved quick thinking as you race against a short timer. We were impressed by the variety of games and how many players could be involved. Our last visit to Hollywood Studios saw us rained out of a few rides, but we passed the time interacting with one another and our fellow guests around us.

Cost of the Play Disney Parks App

Thankfully, like most other awesome Disney apps, Play Disney Parks is free to download! It does, however, need to use your location so you can earn badges (more on that in a moment), and that can put a bit of a drain on your battery. One of the biggest tips I give to folks heading out on a Disney vacation is to bring a portable charger. Between playing apps, taking photos, and sharing your fun on social media, your phone’s battery life will take a hit! Another great feature of this app is no annoying pop-ups asking you to purchase more things for the app.

If you want to play their full playlist of music instead of just samples, they do require an Apple Music subscription. I have a Spotify subscription, so I am not adding on with this feature. I hope that the Play Disney Parks app folks will see that there are other music streaming services out there, and one day we’ll be able to choose a service we already use. That is minor, however, in the grand scheme of how awesome this app is!

Why You Should Download Play Disney Parks

Finally, now that I’ve shared all the great features and technical details of the app, I bet you’re wondering, “But why do I need this thing taking up more space on my device in the first place?” Simply enough, it’s a whole lot of fun! Even if you aren’t standing in line at Disney, this app is gorgeous to look at and fun to play (trivia nerds unite)!

Earn badges for riding rides or winning multiple rounds of trivia. The possibilities are endless! Kudos to whoever created the artwork for the maps in the app. I want that on some merchandise, please! Seriously, make it happen, ok? Download Play Disney Parks now, and I promise you won’t regret it!