The Good
- Full-featured maps with wait times
- GPS-enabled
- Restaurant menus and reservations
The Bad
- No maps for water parks
Disney World Magic Guide (US$4.99) is a full-featured travel app that includes practically everything you’ll need for your next trip to Disney World. It may cost a bit more than other Disney apps, but Disney World Magic Guide brings a variety of features in a neat, easy-to-use package.
Read More: Best Walt Disney World Apps for the iPhone
Plenty of information and features
The first thing you’ll notice when you launch Disney World Magic Guide is the info-packed interface. Normally I would be worried to see so much information on the homepage (apps can look cluttered very fast), but the interface is designed so that all the information is accessible without being overwhelming. You’ll see navigation links for various features, but the best part is a small scroll bar at the bottom of the page that lists opening times for that day. A swipe allows you to browse opening times for the rest of the week as well.
Disney World Magic Guide is divided into several sections, including maps, wait times, dining, park hours, nearby attractions, and favorites. Under the maps tab, the app includes GPS-enabled maps for the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and the Animal Kingdom. These are probably the most popular maps, but I was disappointed that the app doesn’t include maps for Downtown Disney, Typhoon Lagoon, or Blizzard Beach.
The maps themselves are easy to use, and you can tap on any attraction or restaurant to view photos, dining menus, or ride descriptions. I generally prefer the layout of the maps in the Disney World Maps and More app, but I love that Disney World Magic Guide includes wait times right on each map. That gives you a quick overview of wait times at rides near you.
The Disney World Magic Guide app includes much more than just maps. You can view wait times near you or by park, browse full restaurant menus with prices, create restaurant reservations, make your own dining schedule, or view up to six months of opening and event times.
The Bottom Line
There are a variety of apps that offer maps, restaurant menus, or wait times, but the Disney World Magic Guide brings all those features together into one easy-to-use app. My only disappointment is that the app doesn’t include maps for Downtown Disney or the water parks. Otherwise, the app works well and includes an impressive amount of features. Overall rating: 4.5 stars out of 5.
What You’ll Need
The Disney World Magic Guide app is compatible with the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. It requires iPhone OS 3.1.3 or later.