Disney, Verizon to turn the cellphone into a theme-park visitor's tool

[rodkenrich]

,

 

[zulemara]

I had heard rumors about this...interesting it has finally been confirmed

 

[rutgers1]

I am bummed my kids didn't know about this part:

"Last year, for example, children who brought their Nintendo DS hand-held game consoles to Disneyland and Disney World could use the gadget's wireless capability to conduct virtual treasure hunts, seeking out hidden "hot spots" throughout the parks and downloading exclusive content for their Pirates of the Caribbean game."

Is this available in any form at this point?

 

[Condorman]

Gee, thanks Disney. **rolls his eyes**

It's not enough that we get boneheads using their cellphones to make senseless, purposeless calls within the attractions themselves -- nothing I enjoy more than a blindingly bright screen being used by some Chatty Kathy in the Haunted Mansion or Philharmagic -- but now Disney will actually condone such usage anywhere and at all times? That's fantastic.

Here's an idea: How about we just stop turning off the lights on dark rides, not activate the animatronics, induce vomiting and have emergency posts throughout the parks where guests can actively engage the Amber Alert everytime they forget about their child? Keep up the good work, numbskulls!

BTW, Disney inking a deal with Verizon was stupid. They should have had it as a download onto any phone. My God, are they so strapped for advertising revenue that they have to partner with any fisherman who sits down on the pier? They could have made so much more going it alone.

Epic fail.

 

[DisneyDeeva]

I am bummed my kids didn't know about this part:

"Last year, for example, children who brought their Nintendo DS hand-held game consoles to Disneyland and Disney World could use the gadget's wireless capability to conduct virtual treasure hunts, seeking out hidden "hot spots" throughout the parks and downloading exclusive content for their Pirates of the Caribbean game."

Is this available in any form at this point?

It was a test program only - you couldn't use your own personal Nintendo DS. It was a program sealed into specially adapted DS units. Sort of like a next generation, interactive Pal Mickey...without the soft, plushy part. LOL

No word if it will return in some form in the future. However, the Kim Possible interactive adventure that was tested out at Epcot a while back is coming back as a full rollout to the general public.

 

[almckean]

I just joined Verizon. I don't use cell phones in the parks as a general rule since we hardly ever split up, but this sounds intriguing.

Amy

 

[JeffM]

I like the idea. I'd have to see what it was like first before I paid for anything or even downloaded and program to my cell phone.

As for using it in the attractions I have no problem telling people to turn them off as I can see past the brightness of the light.

 

[FireDancer]

With the way computing is going mobile I think a lot could be done with this technology. GPS technology could be used with a mobile OS agnostic web interface that gives you live map technology. If it means printing less paper maps it can accomplish a couple things. First, less paper is less cost and less trash…win win. Second, the maps could be real time. Is Small World down for rehab, it would be indicated as so on the map. Has EE been shut down for technical reasons, the map can tell you before you leave Epcot for a bus ride to AK just to ride the ride. Third, wait times could be integrated. Scroll to the ToT area of the map and see the wait time and current fast pass return. Forth, ADR reservations could be integrated. An hour before your ADR at Boma you could get a reminder. If you are at MK it could indicate not only that the ADR is in one hour but the average travel time from MK to AKL is 45 minutes, so get moving. Fifth, you could get restaurant info right on the phone. Want to see the menu at Chef’s de France. Select it on the virtual map and see the menu, see if they are taking walk ups and what the wait time is if they are, or integrate a client side reservation portal into it and make an ADR for later that day (if they are available).

Think this is unrealistic, walk around Tokyo for a day and you will see that this technology has been a fact of life for a while.

To counter people checking their phones in dark rides jammers could be introduced. The technology is already in the wild which allows for very concentrated blocking so the phone signals could be blocked only during the ride portion of an attraction without effecting the loading areas or CM only areas.

The way we interact with the world is changing and I want to see Disney get back to the leading edge of it. I bet if Walt was alive today he would be embracing the technology himself.

I think the one good thing that does come out of an economic downturn is innovation. This is a general societal rule (a lot of very smart people without jobs looking for something to do or invent) but also a business rule. If you could add value to the guest experience while also seeing a cost advantage you have another win win. With a system like this in place people would have more control of their stay and touring and Disney could automate a lot of the labor intensive tasks they have now.

Just my opinion though.

 

[RustManFan]

How did the human race survive before the cell phone was introduced? Why do some people have it as a permanent fixture to their ear? I don't get it! Especially at WDW.....

Only reason I can see is if a party is split up and a meeting place is arranged. But that call should be brief, I would think.

Part of what I love about my WDW vacations is getting away from all phones...

 

[LoriS]

How did the human race survive before the cell phone was introduced? Why do some people have it as a permanent fixture to their ear? I don't get it! Especially at WDW.....

Only reason I can see is if a party is split up and a meeting place is arranged. But that call should be brief, I would think.

Part of what I love about my WDW vacations is getting away from all phones...

There are a lot of locals who go to Disney just for a few hours, and are not on vacation. I see no problem at all with people using cell phones in the parks. I generally do not use mine in attractions. I will check to see who it is and if I know it is just a chatty call I will call back after the ride.

 

[FireDancer]

Phones are becoming small computers more than telephones now. There are people with iPhones, Android phones, ect that use their phone much more as a small mobile computer than a phone, that is the function I was speaking to when I responded before. You could do all of that without speaking a single word into the phone.