Disney/Verizon Phone App Has Arrived?

[JoeMickey]

No wait times, I just played with it to see, it gives me the weather, times for the shows but no wait times, from what I've read that feature only works when you are in the park.

 

[dolphindan1]

Via http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...-first-disney-parks-mobile-app-now-available/

It’s here. Our first official Disney Parks mobile application is now available and you’re invited to check it out.

Trying Mobile Magic is simple. Verizon Wireless customers can download the application for $9.99 for 180 days. Just go to the Media Center to “Browse & Download,” then “Get New Applications.” You’ll then find Mobile Magic in the “Travel & Navigation” folder. The app can also be found by texting Magic to 2777 later today.

You should know that there’s a 24-hour free trial available for a limited time if you’d like to test it out. In either case, download and message charges may apply. Airtime or megabyte data charges may also apply when browsing, downloading and using certain applications. You can access the Disney Parks mobile web site by going to either m.disneyland.com or m.disneyworld.com on your mobile web browser.

The application is ready to use but the team will be fine tuning it until January. Mobile Magic is bringing FASTPASS return times, attraction wait times for the park you are in, extensive information on character locations and more for Walt Disney World and Disneyland theme parks to your Verizon Wireless phone. And, even if you are not a Verizon Wireless subscriber, you can still use your mobile phone to access select park information and on the Disney Parks Mobile web sites.

Here’s the list of phones that the app is currently available on:

– LG Glance
- LG VX Chocolate
- LG Chocolate 3
- LG Decoy
- LG VX 8700
- LG Venus
- Moto Adventure
- Nokia 7205
- Samsung Renown
- Moto 325
- Samsung 540
- Samsung 550
- LG 5500
- Nokia 6205
- Moto 755
- UT Starcom 8950
- UT Starcom GC1-c711
- GZ1 – S Boulder
- Moto K1 -M
- Moto – L7c
- LG 8350
- Samsung Trance
- Moto V3m
- Moto Barrage
- Moto VU204

The list of Verizon Wireless phones that Mobile Magic will be available on is expected to grow to include “touch” handsets and smartphones in the upcoming weeks.

Of course, there are some official details you should know about: The downloadable Mobile Magic application for Verizon Wireless subscribers is available for purchase. Message and data rates also may apply. Coverage not available everywhere. Availability subject to handset limitations. If you’re under 18, get your parent’s permission first. Valid theme park admission required.

dang no Palm Centro

 

[eweiss1979]

anyone else get this to work?

 

[wmharley]

they were filming the commercial yesterday at the Living Seas in Epcot. I nabbed 2 pics (post later) but didn't see the verizon dude

 

[ktkerber]

I have the LG Dare which I bought about 3 months ago and I am getting the same error message when I text 2777 to magic. I hope they get this up and running to more phones. I would love to use this for our trip in 17 days.

 

[phatltlgirl]

The only bad thing is the phones it is available on are the ceapest ones from verizon. It is not compatable with blackberry or any of the higher end phones. This is frustrating.

 

[Dis_Dreamin]

If it doesn't give wait times without being in the park, how will it know when I'm in the parks if I don't want to pay for GPS service? I think that's pointless on a phone if you have a separate unit in your vehicle.

I was excited about this application, I have an LG Voyager so it's not available for me yet, but if I have to pay extra fees on top of the 9.99 for 6 months service just to get the wait times, no thanks.

 

[doconeill]

If it doesn't give wait times without being in the park, how will it know when I'm in the parks if I don't want to pay for GPS service? I think that's pointless on a phone if you have a separate unit in your vehicle.

I was excited about this application, I have an LG Voyager so it's not available for me yet, but if I have to pay extra fees on top of the 9.99 for 6 months service just to get the wait times, no thanks.

I happen to know that Disney has a lot of wireless repeater antennas on property to allow the cell companies good coverage in the parks without having to have a big obtrusive antenna tower.

I'm wondering if they are able to leverage that in some way to know that if you are using their wireless repeaters, you get different results.

 

[Dis_Dreamin]

Ah, good point. I didn't think about that. Since Verizon is partnered with Disney on this, I'm sure they can, for lack of better terms, "triangulate your position" in the parks with the in park repeaters and identify you as being in the parks with a system ID and/or phone ID.

It would be awful nice if Verizon or Disney would release exactly what is required to use the application to it's fullest in the parks. Right now, there just seems to be a lot of speculation.

If it's confirmed that it doesn't require a subscription to the GPS functionality, and they get a version working for whatever phone I may have by May, I just might have to get it for our trip.

 

[StrikerObi]

I happen to know that Disney has a lot of wireless repeater antennas on property to allow the cell companies good coverage in the parks without having to have a big obtrusive antenna tower.

I'm wondering if they are able to leverage that in some way to know that if you are using their wireless repeaters, you get different results.

They certainly are. Before iPhones had GPS, it could triangulate your approximate position by pinging the three closest cell phone towers. This is probably what Disney is doing to get a fix on non-GPS phones using this app.

Alternatively, for phones with WiFi, they could be pinging to find the closest wireless access point to get your position. Disney has WiFi access points set up all over the parks so they can take credit cards at snack carts. However I doubt there are many phones out there with WiFi that don't have GPS at this point. I also doubt any of the feature phones capable of running this app have WiFi, as it's pretty much a smartphone only feature.


Did anybody want the video demo of the app on the Parks blog? I'm honestly really underwhelmed. As I posted in the blog's comments: "When it was announced that there’d be a Disney Parks “application” I think the assumption was that it would be a smartphone class app, not something designed for mid-level feature phones. I’m still holding out hope for a mobile application that’s up to the standard set by Google’s Android, Apple’s iPhone, and RIM’s Blackberry."

The animation is choppy.
The resolution is incredibly low.
There's almost no room for information on the display as it's dominated by gigantic images, leaving room for 5 lines of text each containing about 4-5 words max.
It seems to take at least a second or two to respond to anything you do.
It doesn't even "scroll" from one icon to the next on main screen, it just jumps. It can't even scroll text smoothly.
It has frequent "loading" screens.

In short the app is an interface NIGHTMARE. Certainly nowhere near the standard of today's mobile apps.

I wouldn't pay $0.99 for this if were available on the iPhone. I don't know how they expect anybody to pay $9.99 every six months for this. Maybe I've been spoiled by iPhone's fully mature development platform and the insane price competition on the App Store.

I guess they did the best they could given the pitiful phones it's designed for, and given that they can't customize it for a single handset. I'm sure the list of phones it runs on was a Verizon mandate. Verizon wants this app on as many phones as possible. Verizon takes a cut of the sales from each application sold on their feature phones. It is to their advantage to get it running on as many phones as possible so they can sell (more like rent) it to as many people as possible. I don't believe any of the major carries get a cut of the sales for applications sold on the Android Marketplace or the Balckberry app store equivalent. I know for sure that AT&T doesn't get a cut of iPhone App Store sales (though Apple does).

 

[eweiss1979]

Here is a video of it in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=456OHZ5pEYQ

I wish he would of shown us that it was accurate by actualy going to the rides themselves and comparing the results.

 

[Melani]

Anyone get this app yet & use it in the parks?

Does it really give accurate info?
How many Mb of data does it use in an average day?

I went to Verizon on Thurs. to see about activating a phone a friend of DH gave DS1.
Of course it wasn't on the list LGVX 9800, but she did write down a few others that were not on the Disney blog list either. (she said she was not allowed to let me have the print out so I only asked for the LG & Samsung phone not any Moto or Nokia ones)

LG VX7100
LG VX8500
LG VX8550
LG VX8560
LG VX8610
LG VX8800
LGE VX8360

Samsung
SCH A990
SCH U620
SCH U900
U490
U810

 

[g-dad66]

Anyone get this app yet & use it in the parks?

I got it on my LG VX5500, and I plan to use it on our December 10-16 trip. Will be glad to report back on how accurate (or inaccurate) it turns out to be.

 

[MyMuse]

Per twitter update:

Update: New Phones Added

- LGE VX-8360
- Motorola RIZR Z6TV
- Motorola VU30 (Rapture)
- Motorola Z6c
- Samsung SCH-A990
- Samsung SCH-U620
- Samsung SCH-U900 Flipshot

Still no EnV Touch?

 

[LMN]

OMG! I just downloaded the new Verizon Mobile Magic app and it is AMAZING! I was surprised that it would work on my phone-thought it would be for higher level phones. I have a Motorola VU204. Navigation is super easy. It let me do a free 2 day trial run and after that I have the option to purchase for 6mos. at 9.99. It let me put in my disney resort and the days we would be there and said it would text me to notify me of things that I would need to know before getting to the parks. It also tells you where specific characters are in the parks that day as well as wait times on attractions. Plus a whole bunch of other stuff! WAY COOL! We are arriving on 12/5, so I guess you know what I'll be doing between now and then!

Thanks to MyMuse for giving the specific directions on how to download the app to my phone!!

 

[MyMuse]

OMG! I just downloaded the new Verizon Mobile Magic app and it is AMAZING! I was surprised that it would work on my phone-thought it would be for higher level phones. I have a Motorola VU204. Navigation is super easy. It let me do a free 2 day trial run and after that I have the option to purchase for 6mos. at 9.99. It let me put in my disney resort and the days we would be there and said it would text me to notify me of things that I would need to know before getting to the parks. It also tells you where specific characters are in the parks that day as well as wait times on attractions. Plus a whole bunch of other stuff! WAY COOL! We are arriving on 12/5, so I guess you know what I'll be doing between now and then!

Thanks to MyMuse for giving the specific directions on how to download the app to my phone!!

WOOT!!!

Disney is actually putting the app out for the oldest phones first, then adding newer phones. Don't know why? I'm glad it worked for you!

I'm hoping that either the Touring Plans app or the Disney app happens for me with my EnV Touch before I leave, but doubtful. Ah well.

 

[LMN]

MyMuse: I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! Looks like we'll be at the parks at the same time- hope your vacation is magical!

 

[terribm]

Does anyone know if it will become available for the droid eris? I am kinda making my decision on which phone to get based on this app. Yes, I am drinking the Kool-Aid.

T

 

[MyMuse]

MyMuse: I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! Looks like we'll be at the parks at the same time- hope your vacation is magical!

Thanks!!
I still have so much to do!

Does anyone know if it will become available for the droid eris? I am kinda making my decision on which phone to get based on this app. Yes, I am drinking the Kool-Aid.

I don't know...the touch phones have not yet come online, the driod is so new.

Disney put the app out on the oldest phones first, then the newer phones....my Touch is not yet available.

 

[boo72]

Of the phones listed as being able to get the app right now, anyone have thoughts on which is the best?
– LG Glance
- LG VX Chocolate
- LG Chocolate 3
- LG Decoy
- LG VX 8700
- LG Venus
- Moto Adventure
- Nokia 7205
- Samsung Renown
- Moto 325
- Samsung 540
- Samsung 550
- LG 5500
- Nokia 6205
- Moto 755
- UT Starcom 8950
- UT Starcom GC1-c711
- GZ1 – S Boulder
- Moto K1 -M
- Moto – L7c
- LG 8350
- Samsung Trance
- Moto V3m
- Moto Barrage
- Moto VU204

DH and I are Verizon customers and we are overdue for new phones. We leave in a couple weeks for WDW and think it would be fun to have the app while we are there. We had been talking about the Droid or Eris but maybe would get something else IF we could get the app before leaving and it was a good phone.

Thanks!