Comparison

Stakeout vs Park Journal

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Stakeout

Get instant alerts for hard-to-get dining reservations at Disney parks. Set custom notifications for specific restaurants, dates, and times to snag last-minute availability. Seamlessly book through the official Disney app or website.

Highlights
  • Customizable reservation alerts
  • Instant push notifications
  • Direct booking links
  • Supports all Disney parks and resorts
  • Free and premium options
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Stakeout notifies you when reservations at your favorite Disney park restaurants and experiences become available. Popular restaurants at Disney parks are booked fast. But when plans change, reservations open up. With Stakeout, set alerts for specific restaurants, dates, and times and we will notify you when we find availability. Whether you're planning months ahead or looking for a same-day reservation, Stakeout has your back. Features: • Instant Start: Download and start your Stakeout right away! A simple login is recommended, but not required. • Immediate Alerts: Get push notifications as soon as availability is found. • Quick Booking: Tap the notification or link in the message to reserve through the Disney parks app or website. • Basic & Premium: Use the free version for one Stakeout at a time. Upgrade for multiple active Stakeouts and more. Stakeout supports all reservable dining and bookable experiences at Disney World and Disneyland parks and resorts. Facing any issues? Reach out at stakeout@wildcardsoftware.net. By downloading and installing, you agree to the End User License Agreement (https://www.wildcardsoftware.net/eula) and Privacy Policy (https://www.wildcardsoftware.net/privacy) Please note: Stakeout and Wildcard Software LLC are in no way affiliated with or officially connected to The Walt Disney Company.

About

Park Journal

This app helps you meticulously plan and document your Walt Disney World adventures. Track dining, rides, character meetups, souvenirs, and even collect digital achievement pins. Create a personalized keepsake of your trip.

Highlights
  • Daily park planning and itinerary building
  • Log all dining, rides, and character meetups
  • Digital passport with country stamps
  • Festival mode with booth listings
  • Animated achievement pins and pin trading book
  • Printable trip books and memory movies
Features
Read full description

Park Journal is the all-in-one companion for your Walt Disney World trip — track every bite, ride, character meet, souvenir and collectible pin, then turn it all into a beautiful keepsake. PLAN YOUR DAYS • Set which park (or parks — hop all you like) you're visiting each day with one tap • Build a calm first-draft itinerary based on your party's pace, ages and preferences • Track booking and reservation windows with milestone reminders as your trip approaches LOG EVERYTHING • Snap a photo and rate every bite, drink, ride, character meet and souvenir • A real EPCOT World Showcase passport with country stamps • Festival mode with real, up-to-date booth listings for EPCOT's rotating festivals • Real ride, shop and character data across all four Walt Disney World parks COLLECT & REMEMBER • Earn original animated achievement pins as you explore • Keep a separate photographed pin trading book for your real, physical pins — what you paid, how you got them, front and back • Build a private map of where your best moments happened • Turn your trip into a printable trip book, animated memory movie or shareable passport PDF GO PRO Park Journal Pro unlocks the on-device trip planner, Travel Party profiles, Growing Adventurers height and ride-match tools, Memory Map, Year in Review, Memory Movie, printable trip books, budget envelopes, backups and insights — all processed entirely on your device. Unofficial and fan-made. Park Journal is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The Walt Disney Company or any theme park operator. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Stakeout4 screens
Park Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Park Journal at every 2 days against Stakeout's every 2 months. Stakeout's advantage is ratings volume (7K vs 1) and chart position (#29 vs unranked). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Stakeout sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Park Journal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Stakeout against 5.0 for Park Journal. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stakeout has 7K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Stakeout ships an update every 2 months, Park Journal every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Stakeout versus Park Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStakeoutPark Journal
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (7K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings7K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
Best chart rank#29 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size59 MB9 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperWildcard Software LLCPeak Beak LLC

Customer experience

Stakeout

All ratings6,813 ratings
Positive96.8%
Neutral1.1%
Negative2.1%
Written reviews148 reviews
Positive75.7%
Neutral2.7%
Negative21.6%

Park Journal

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Stakeout

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inconsistent notification delivery
  • Account access issues for some users
  • Reservation booking failures

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add option for Harmony Barber Shop alerts
  • Expand Fantasmic Dining Alert time selection
  • Improve hour window selection functionality

Park Journal

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Stakeout

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Membership$9.991 Month
  • Premium Pro Membership$19.991 Month
One-time3
  • Premium$14.99
  • Premium Limited Upgrade$14.99
  • 60-Day Vacation Pass2 variants$24.99
2 purchases

Park Journal

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Pro Annual$16.491 Year

Questions

Is Stakeout free?
Stakeout is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Park Journal free?
Park Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Stakeout or Park Journal?
Park Journal is rated higher. Stakeout averages 4.9 out of 5 from 7K ratings, while Park Journal averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Stakeout or Park Journal have ads?
Neither Stakeout nor Park Journal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Stakeout or Park Journal?
Stakeout ships an update every 2 months, and Park Journal every 2 days. Most recently, Stakeout was updated on October 25, 2026 and Park Journal on October 13, 2026.

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