# Colonial Williamsburg Explorer — user reviews > 60 indexed App Store user reviews of Colonial Williamsburg Explorer by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, rated 2.22/5 from 123 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colonial-williamsburg-explorer/id903170412/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colonial-williamsburg-explorer/id903170412.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 19 · 4★ 13 · 3★ 13 · 2★ 9 · 1★ 69 ## Newest reviews (16 of 60) ### 1/5 — What happened *2023-07-04, version 3.0.0* The app used to give us times and locations for all the events happening that day. Now it just directs you to the website? This is crazy. ### 1/5 — Disappointing *2023-04-23, version 3.0.0* Wow what a waste. Gives you three options: 1) main page with a brief intro 2) virtual tours 3) link to home page They could have provided so much more. ### 1/5 — No longer great *2023-04-19, version 3.0.0* This app was an amazingly helpful map and event schedule, great for both pre-trip planning and on-site options. Now it just links to the website, and is completely useless as a mobile tool. Miss it already. ### 1/5 — Was a decent app at one time *2023-04-09, version 3.0.0* App has become a useless shell of what it once was. As long time visitors of, and donors to Colonial Williamsburg, I can see no reason to have this app on your phone. Colonial Williamsburg should be embarrassed by this and just withdraw it. ### 1/5 — New version *2023-03-31, version 3.0.0* The new version is useless. Everything nice and useful about the earlier versions is gone from the new update. Bring it back. ### 1/5 — Don’t bother *2023-03-30, version 3.0.0* The only thing that was on the app when I downloaded it was a bunch of virtual tours. No maps, no helpful info, just a redirect to the website. ### 1/5 — App is completely broken and useless *2023-03-13* This app is completely broken and useless, as it hasn’t been updated in well over 3 years. The prices listed are outdated, and you cannot even log into your account or view your tickets via the app. How about investing some of the ticket proceeds/donations towards keeping your app up to date. ### 1/5 — App was great… for awhile *2023-01-29* I loved this app, until about a month ago. We used this app every time we went it CW. Great place to keep track of our event tickets, plan what or where we wanted to go or do while we were the colonial city. Now? Not so much. Every time I try to use this app I’m told I don’t have permission to see anything. I can’t sign in or sign up again. I’ve tried deleting it and reinstalling it. No luck. Definitely needs a fresh. Too bad that it has failed. It seems like the CWF is going the same way. What a tragedy ### 1/5 — App hasn’t been updated in over 3 years *2023-01-23, version 2.2.1* Unfortunately, this has seems to have been abandoned as it hasn’t been updated in over 3 years. ### 1/5 — This app isn’t functional. It doesn’t even load. *2022-12-27, version 2.2.1* The app is linked from the CW Foundation at the bottom of Colonial Williamsburg’s webpage, so this is the official app. It doesn’t seem to have been updated for the last decade. It’s a quick download but just launches to a grey screen. It’s truly useless. ### 1/5 — Fie! Servers always down *2022-12-22, version 2.2.1* I had high hopes for this app, as we just got annual passes. Every time I try to use the app, there is a pop-up message that says “Fie! The servers are down. Try again later.” I’ve been trying for 3 weeks now. Fie that! ### 1/5 — Next to useless *2022-09-08, version 2.2.1* Payment systems fails resulting in payment card issues whilst on vacation. Ticketing locations show app errors too. All in all one of the very worst activity apps on Apple. A random Spanish Cathedral I went into beats this hands down. Useless and amateurish. ### 1/5 — “Servers down” *2022-06-28, version 2.2.1* Visited Colonial Williamsburg one year ago and used the app well. This year, the “servers down” message appeared each day of our trip. We were able to utilize the website for the same info, but ended up deleting the app because it was useless. ### 1/5 — Not working *2022-06-22* I just downloaded the app today and the only thing I can access is buying a ticket or the tutorial. Everything else just has a loading screen and then unexpectedly quits. Not a great first experience. I’ve tried restarting and troubleshooting but nothing fixes it. It won’t even let me sign in. ### 1/5 — Don’t rely on this for any planning or onsite use *2022-04-16, version 2.2.1* Across every bit of the app, it’s really clear that absolutely no testing was done either by the developer or the customer. It’s truly embarrassing. The map resets at the slightest touch, the interface fights you wherever possible and it doesn’t even have a good sense to not list vending machines as eating options and properly display menus.You have to scroll endlessly to find things so you can’t really use it to plan out your next stop. Do yourself a favor and do your planning outside of this app and rely on a print map for navigating. ### 1/5 — Lacking in so many ways *2022-02-13, version 2.2.1* Out of date and very poor interactive app. Ben Franklin could have designed a better app. Expect more, got less. This app needs a lot of work to be interactive, accessible, and useful. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Not Good *2024-04-10* An app with little use and doesn’t even open web pages inside of it. I’d give it a little more credit if it was a shell for a web app but opening links in chrome from items in the main nav bar is an amount of lazy app development I can’t condone. Add more integration or don’t have this app. ### 1/5 — Useless *2023-12-22, version 3.0.0* The app used to be useful but now it just launches web pages and all the good features are gone ### 1/5 — Now with zero functionality *2023-11-22* This app has always been our go-to for tracking timed events and which buildings were open. Since the latest "upgrade" it does...nothing. No map. No schedule. Just virtual tours on a website. Why would we want those when we are HERE? ### 1/5 — No more map. *2023-11-21, version 3.0.0* Without the map, there isn’t much use ### 1/5 — New Update Rendered App Useless *2023-11-08* Prior to the recent update, the app was fantastic. It had a live map to direct you to the sites, current events and activities, hours and status of the houses/sites with what was open vs closed, and more. Now all that is gone. We had been using the app for years but this new version is not useful at all. ### 1/5 — What happened? *2023-10-23, version 3.0.0* This app used to be incredible now it is 100% useless. It is a real shame. ### 1/5 — No app features *2023-09-02* This app seems to have been completely abandoned. There are only two options in the app—“Virtual Tours” and “Visitor Information”—and clicking on either will just open the webpage in your internet browser. The app doesn’t actually have any content. ### 1/5 — Useless *2023-08-12* There’s literally no point to this app. It has absolutely nothing helpful. It takes you directly to the Colonial Williamsburg website and only has two options, both of which take you to the website. Seriously one of the stupidest apps I’ve ever seen created. ### 1/5 — App does nothing, literally nothing *2023-07-23, version 3.0.0* The only thing this apps does is open safari to the Colonial Williamsburg website. That’s it, nothing else. No tickets, no account log in, nothing ### 1/5 — No longer a useful app in 2023 *2023-07-05, version 3.0.0* Please build a new app or rebuild the previous functionality in the app. The current iteration is useless. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Great map *2022-06-06* So glad I downloaded this! The map was very useful. I could see where I was and find where specific things were (food, bus stops…). It also allowed me to mark favorite activities and places. I also appreciated that it told us which shops were open at the time. ### 5/5 — Only Way to Get Full Experience of Colonial Williamsburg *2022-05-21* This app cued us into the events that makes this visit the rich, immersive experience that it is. By means of ‘Intersections ‘ and ‘Visit a Nation Builder’ encounters (and others!) I felt that I had come as close as possible to actually listening to and conversing with people living in a time on the cusp of Revolution. It can’t be done justice by a single day’s visit, but this app helped assure that every hour was put to best use. ### 5/5 — I know the ratings are low, but trust the app *2022-05-21* If you take the time to learn the app, it will significantly enhance your visit. I didn’t use it the first day, and the day was relatively useless. I used the app to plan my subsequent days and they were fantastic. ### 5/5 — Great app! *2017-10-02, version 2.2* Helpful for planning my trip and navigating around Colonial Williamsburg. ### 4/5 — Never crashed *2018-03-30* This was very helpful during our 4th grade field trip. I wish there was a little more information about each site just to prep the children before walking in. The app was accurate and the walking directions were excellent! I loved that it showed where we were on the map as well. I would suggest they change closed locations to red icons instead of blue so it’s easier to plan your trip at a glance. ### 4/5 — Convenient *2017-12-19* This app was so convenient to a family of first timers. Sometimes finding the actual location was a little difficult and the actual names of shops weren’t the same as the app. It was nice to know which sites were open, the times they were open, and what we were learning at each site. ### 3/5 — Huh? *2020-11-14, version 2.2.1* For whatever reason when I click on tickets, it takes me to tickets for the Art Museum but NOT Colonial Williamsburg proper. What’s up with that? ### 3/5 — This app is valorous *2019-04-14, version 2.2* I very much liketh this app all except one thing. Wherefore is th're misprise to the british? England is most wondrous. Prithee addeth m're british patriotism ### 2/5 — Bugged! *2023-02-25, version 2.2.1* Try to sign in to my account = error, you do not have permission. Same error when clicking to sign up for an account. Link to add physical barcoded tickets does not load. Looks like someone needs a new developer. ### 2/5 — Not very useful *2021-02-02* This app seems to be stuck in the 18th century. It’s primary purpose is to keep track of selling things, not enriching ones experience. There isn’t even a tab for dining — no info on restaurants, menus, reservations— nothing. But you CAN upload your credit card info. Deleting... --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*