Best Smartphone Apps For Beating Lines at Disney Parks: Part 1

Going to Disney Parks can be fun but sometimes it is headache waiting in those long lines. These apps for iPhone and Android will help tell you which lines are the best to go on during certain times or show you where your favorite rides are.

Disneyland

1. MouseWait

Mousewait for iPhone

MouseWait for Android

                

MouseWait: (iPhone: Free), (Android: Free). MouseWait is the best way to check wait times while you are in any of the parks because it has the largest user base out of any of the Disneyland iPhone apps, which means that the wait times are always accurate. You are allowed to post wait times while you are in the parks and when you do, you get a higher "MouseRank". Some of the features that make this application stand out from all of the others is its special features that are only inside of the app. One of those features is "whatNEXT'; in this feature, it finds out where you are in the park and tells you which ride is the closest with a small wait time. Another feature is the lounge. In the lounge you can see live photos from Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, win prizes, talk to other Disney fans, and find out what celebrities are in the parks at the time. One of the best features that will probably help you in the parks the most are the menus section, where you can view full menus of all restaurants at the Disneyland Resort, and "eventTIMES? GPS", where you can see what entertainment is happening near you at a certain time. I have used MouseWait every time I have gone to the parks and it hasn't let me down yet. It is available on all iPhones and most Android devices.

     2. Disneyland Wait Times

Disneyland Wait Times for iPhone

Disneyland Wait Times: (iPhone: $0.99). This simple iPhone app lets you look at wait times of attractions in both parks. It also lets you see the wait times of attractions near you and lets you post wait times for attractions. 

New Year's Eve Events At Disney Parks

New Year's Eve at Disneyland Photo by Flickr User andycastro

There are many ways to celebrate New Year's Eve at the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World. Here are all of the special events happening at all the parks.

Walt Disney World

• Magic Kingdom
• Park Hours: 8 a.m.-2 a.m.
• “Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It!” Street Party at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. & 5:15 p.m.
• “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade” at 12 p.m. & 3:30 p.m.
• “Main Street Electrical Parade” at 7 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.
• “Holiday Wishes” fireworks at 8:30 p.m.
• “Fantasy in the Sky” fireworks at 11:50 p.m.

• Disney's Hollywood Studios
• Park hours: 8 a.m.-12 a.m.
• “Block Party Bash” parade at 3 p.m.
• “Fantasmic!" nighttime extravaganza at 6:30 p.m., 8 p.m. & 10 p.m.
• Live performances by in-park band “Mulch, Sweat and Shears” at Mickey’s Sorcerer’s Hat at 8, 9, 10 and 11 p.m.
• “Lights, Camera, Happy New Year” fireworks starring “Mulch, Sweat and Shears” at 11:55 p.m,

• Epcot
• Park hours: 8 a.m.-1 a.m.
• Special version of “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” at 7:30 & 11:40 p.m.

• Disney's Animal Kingdom
• Park Hours: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
• “Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade” at 3:45 p.m.

• Downtown Disney
• Bay Lake and Seven Sees Lagoon
• “Electrical Water Pageant” at 10:25 p.m
• Cirque du Soleil
• 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. performances of La Nouba
• Special New Year’s Eve champagne toasts
• Guests will receive a limited-edition La Nouba pin created for the New Year’s Eve event
• DisneyQuest
• Party Hours: 8 p.m.-1 a.m.
• Ring in the New Year at DisneyQuest with favorite cyber attractions and games, a DJ Dance Party with a New Year’s Eve countdown, party favors and a coupon for a personal pizza and soda at FoodQuest
• $39 per person, advance/$45 per person, day of
• Disney's Boardwalk
• Party Hours: 8 p.m.-2 a.m., ages 21+
• Dance into the New Year at Atlantic Dance Hall at Disney’s BoardWalk
• $35 for access to the main floor of the Dance Hall, party favors and a champagne toast at midnight
• $75 for a VIP ticket that adds a private upstairs area with seating; limited viewing for Epcot fireworks with guaranteed seating and coffee, tea or hot chocolate with dessert bar and a premium bar
• Dining
• La Hacienda de San Angel is offering a special six-course prix-fixe menu and live music starting at 9 p.m.
• $199 per person, or $225 with wine and spirits (plus tax and gratuity), $49.95 ages 3 to 9
• Epcot admission required
• Bistro de Paris is offering a special prix-fixe New Year’s Eve menu
• $150 per person, $225 with wine pairings with each course
• Epcot admission required
• California Grill will host a New Year’s Eve party featuring food stations, an open bar, a casino-style  game room, DJ, dancing, Disney characters, live entertainment and a great viewing location for the Magic Kingdom fireworks
• $525 per person, all inclusive

Disneyland

• Disneyland
• Park Hours: 8 a.m.- 2 a.m.
• Three performances of “Fantasmic!” at 9 and 10:15 p.m. and immediately following the midnight fireworks show
• “Fantasy in the Sky” New Year’s fireworks show at midnight
• DJs will encourage guests to dance into the new year at Sleeping Beauty Castle and small world Promenade

• Disney California Adventure
• Park Hours: 10 a.m.- 1 a.m.
• Special entertainment along the Paradise Pier boardwalk
• “Fountains and Fireworks” countdown to midnight in Paradise Park, immediately followed by the first “World of Color” show of 2011
• Earlier New Year’s Eve performances of “World of Color” will take place at 8 and 9:15 p.m.
• ElecTRONica will run from 6:00 p.m. to 1 a.m.
• Party Hats and Noisemakers
• Will be handed out at 6 p.m.
• Disney California Adventure: Condor Flats near the vintage airplane just west of the entrance to Soarin’ Over California
• Disneyland: Festival Arena near Big Thunder Ranch

Holiday Crowds at Disneyland Resort

New Orleans Square at Noon. Photo by PrinceCorey on Mousewait

 Today Disneyland and Disney California Adventure closed their gates to visitors as both parks filled to capacity 1:00 P.M. Wait times in both parks were high with wait times up to 125 minutes in Disneyland for Indiana Jones and 110 minutes for Tower of Terror in California Adventure according to Mousewait. Here is a word of advice for people planning to go to the parks today, if you aren't at either of the parks right now, don't go.