Disney Reportedly Pulling the Plug on Play Disney Parks App Next Month

Disney is reportedly planning to close down the Play Disney Parks app in mid-September, according to Scott Gustin, who covers theme parks.

Designed to “turn wait time into play time,” the app was introduced in June 2018 allowing players to achive badges by visiting different attractions across Disney World and Disneyland, as well as playing games against other players while waiting in line. It also contains quizzes and parks trivia.  The app also powers the Star Wars: Datapad, Batuu Bounty Hunters and DuckTales World Showcase Adventure, which is currently down.

Disney has not made any official announcement on this or what will happen when it shuts down the app on Sept. 16.

Note that you would still be able to play Batuu Bounty Hunters by using your MagicBand+ and the existing screens throughout the land.

Disney could take the app and eventually move its content into the My Disney Experience and Disneyland apps to consolidate and keep everything in one place, similar to the philosophy behind collapsing the Hulu app into the Disney+ app.

It could also be coming out with something that replaces it with new features. Or, it could just be sunsetting the entire concept, but that would mean giving up eyeballs to something other than Disney, defeating the purpose of trying to keep people entertained while waiting in line, or providing additional experiences one can have in the parks.

This could also be a move by Disney to help guests cut back on cell phone use and be more in the moment. Walt Disney Imagineering President Bruce Vaughn has acknowledged that phones can get in the way of the theme park experience. Looking down at the phone “breaks the spell” of being in the park, he has said.

We will just have to wait and see, stay tuned for updates.