Tips for Staying Off Your Phone in the Park

Everyone needs some Disneyland tips these days. It's getting harder to avoid spending all day on your phone at in the park. Genie+, posted wait times, mobile orders, virtual queues, show times, park tickets, dining reservations, Photo-Pass, and customer service are all handled through the Disneyland App. It's becoming a frequent complaint from park goers. And since the Disney apps are not well optimized for battery usage either, so many guests have to take battery packs to extend life. Some of it is unavoidable, but here are some tips you can use to reduce the time you spend on your phone.

Prioritize experience over recording. There are Point of View (PoV) videos of full ride throughs and shows all over YouTube. You can find a video of just about anything you'd like to see, and it'll be higher quality than you can get. Focus on enjoying the experience, not recording it.
Set alarms for Genie+. People using Genie+, the service that gets you into most of the Lightning Lanes at the park, will check their phones often to see if the window is open for them to get their next Lightning Lane. Instead of checking back frequently, you can set an alarm on your phone for the time. Then, just wait for the alarm to go off.
Wear a watch. I often find myself pulling out my phone to just to check the time. And then while it's out, I'll look at other notifications. A watch can help you avoid this - just look at your watch to check the time, and don't worry about seeing your phone.
Don't answer calls and texts. If you're carrying on a text conversation or answering a phone call, it's easy to get absorbed into looking at your phone. Don't answer, especially if you're on a ride. Focus on the experience.
Turn off notifications. Lots of your apps will give you notifications that aren't really urgent. You could silence the notifications so that it's not buzzing at you throughout the day.
Create memories together. Theme parks give you a new environment. Instead of scrolling through social media, play games with your friends or family. You can play I-Spy, search for Hidden Mickeys, play charades, or just talk... The queues can give you some great time to spend together.

Walt Disney created Disneyland as a place for people to spend time together, and the company has continued to build the environments with that in mind. There's art, architecture, music, and entertainment all over the park. Most things on your phone can wait. Live in the moment and enjoy the experience you're paying for. Use these Disneyland tips to get the most out of the experience.

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