Disney's New App Makes Waiting in Line for a Ride Part of the Fun

People visit Disneyland and Disney World to ride their favorite attractions—not to spend all day waiting in line. But due to the immense popularity of Disney parks, it's common for the wait times of certain rides to exceed the length of the rides themselves. If you can't avoid queuing up, you can at least make the wait a little more enjoyable with a new app from Disney.

As Travel + Leisure reports, the free Play Disney Parks app for iOS and Android allows park guests to play games based on their surroundings. The app offers games specific to four rides: Toy Story Mania! in Disney California Adventure and Hollywood Studios, Peter Pan’s Flight at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom, Space Mountain at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom, and the Slinky Dog Dash coaster at Hollywood Studios.

While waiting to ride Space Mountain, guests can undergo training missions on their phones, and in the waiting area for Toy Story Mania!, they can virtually explore Andy's bedroom. All the games are multiplayer, so families can actually interact with each other while passing the time.

Not in line for a ride with a tailored gaming experience? The app can entertain you in other ways. Characters like R2-D2 are hidden throughout the digital park map, and using the app unlocks new areas. Riding new attractions earns you special badges, which can act as a virtual scrapbook of your trip. You can also use the app to access Disney-themed music playlists and trivia games: features that are just as fun at home as they are in the parks.

Playing games is one way to deal with long lines; another way is to hack the system to make your wait time as short as possible. Here are some tips and tricks to use on your next Disney vacation.

[h/t Travel + Leisure]