Disneyland LBS: Theme Park Navigation

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Written on Friday, November 14, 2008

Keeping up with the last couple of posts about some eyebrow-raising mobile marketing campaigns from a couple of big players, today I am bringing you an update about kids and adults alike favourite, Disney! As I haven't been to Disneyland (yet.. ), I am using information from this article:

Now news comes that Verizon and Disney are striking a deal, where Verizon customers can have an applicaion added to their phones that will allow visitors to track where they are, wait times on rides, where Mickey is, etc.

Anyway, I'm pretty excited about this, because theme parks are ideal places to offer all sorts of mobile services, and run successful mobile marketing campaigns, mainly because there is content, and mobile devices can be used to provide some mobile services that can really affect the quality of each visit to the theme park. (Unfortunately, this will only be available to Verizon customers it seems, but at least it's a step in the right direction.)

The best example of how the experience will change is queues, where people can pre-book their rides, based on current and future queuing times, in order to reduce general queue waiting times. Another great example is navigation. Visitors often need to get from ride A to ride B, and there aren't always instructions available at the time. It is obvious and handy to have it on the visitors' mobile, so all they have to do in order to access the navigation instructions is simply pull their phone out of their pockets.

There's a whole lot of other services that can be run in that context. Location-based or not, there's just endless possibilities to do with entertainment; imagination is the limit, and with entertainment imagination is pretty limitless.. mCoupons, live offers, proximity services, interactive quizzes + questionnaires, treasure hunts using the camera phone, interactive games, ride information on the phone (such as age/height restrictions), etc, etc..

Well, either way, now I've got at least one more reason to want to go to Disneyland!

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2 Comments

  1. vanton | November 14, 2008 6:58 PM

    I am not sure I understand how they have implemented it. Do they use GPS or Proximity sensors? How do you know where you are?
    It is a very interesting idea though.

     
  2. Giorgos Saslis | November 16, 2008 12:31 PM

    Well, I looked into this a bit deeper, than the original article I linked to in my post and found the original announcement from Verizon.

    "Beginning next year, guests will be able to access an array of features on their Verizon Wireless phones while at the Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort to help them make the most of their Disney experiences. Planned services include an exclusive mobile application that will give guests with Verizon Wireless service the ability to easily locate shows, restaurants and the Disney characters anywhere inside the Parks; get real-time attraction availability information; access mobile games; receive messages from characters and more. Verizon Wireless is also continuing to invest in its wireless network from coast to coast, and the relationship with Disney means wireless users will benefit from further enhancements to the Verizon Wireless network in the Parks."

    Though it mentions the 'ability to easily locate shows' it doesn't actually mention anywhere the visitor's location. So I guess if the navigation is done without knowing the current location, which, to be honest, is a let-down. I couldn't find anything more specific, but if you or anyone else knows, or comes up with something else, please let me know!

     

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