5 Must-Download Apps Before Visiting Disney World, Universal Studios And More

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These are the apps that everyone should download before their next big vacation.

1. My Disney Experience

Up until now, Disney World DIS might have been the one place where consumers didn't need a smartphone. It is, after all, the happiest place on Earth. Why would anyone want to distract themselves with a gadget they can use when they get home? Well, with My Disney Experience app for Android and iOS, Disney visitors will be even happier. Designed to help consumers get the most out of their vacation, My Disney Experience allows users to get wait times for attractions, show times for fireworks and parades, peruse character greeting locations and modify their FastPass+ experiences.

Users are also be able to manage their Disney Resort reservations, organize the day with My Plans and share their plans with other users. Interactive maps are also available.

2. Universal Studios

Universal Studios attendees have been frustrated by imitation apps that claim to deliver accurate wait times at the company's theme parks. Those apps can finally be discarded now that the official app has arrived.

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Available for Android and iOS devices, the Official Universal Orlando Resort App allows users to check wait times (for rides, shows and attractions), view maps, plan each day, create a favorites list and receive in-park notifications. The app also claims to provide "hidden surprises" throughout the parks.

3. National Parks

The National Parks by National Geographic app is one of the best ways to explore a national park. The app allows users to view global and interactive map views (which can be filtered by activity and season), look up thousands of points of interest (all of which are tagged with GPS coordinates), and peruse the top must-sees and must-dos of each park.

In 2012, National Parks won an Apple Design Award for its "strong design and attention to detail." Apple praised the app's production quality, including animations, transitions and a number of "stunning" photo galleries.

4. USA Today Travel Experience Las Vegas

If you're headed to the gambling capital of the world, you might want to download USA Today's snazzy Vegas app.

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The app (which is powered by customer engagement firm MyCityWay) has features for foodies and partygoers, as well as those who are on a budget. This allows users to identify their traveler type and build a tailored trip.

5. Stay.com's Travel Guides

City guide builder Stay.com has created one of the most effective apps for visiting new cities.

Available for iOS and Android, the Travel Guides and Offline Maps app offers 1,000 different travel guides that span 150 different cities. The app claims to "hand-pick" the best each city has to offer, including restaurants, cafes, free Wi-Fi hotspot listings, bars, nightlife, landmarks, museums and more.

Users can also create their own personal travel guide to ensure that they don't miss anything on their next vacation. Best of all, the app comes with offline, GPS-enhanced maps that do not require an Internet connection.

Disclosure: At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.

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Posted In: TravelTechGeneralDisney WorldMy Disney ExperienceNational GeographicNational ParksStay.comTravel GuidesTravel Guides and Offline MapsUniversal Studiosusa todayUSA Today Travel Experience Las Vegas
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