Disney Parks Mobile on Verizon

[magicalmemories]

Has anyone used this app on their Verizon phone while they were at the parks? Any feedback on it? If I am looking at it right, it is a $1.99 download fee and then counts against your data and other uses on the plan. Is this what anyone else has found?

 

[Zummi Gummi]

Does it work on a blackberry yet? Every time I've tried to download, I got the message that it wouldn't work on my (Verizon) blackberry.

 

[ThatMouse]

I've not used it, but have used the text message service Disney provides (which works on any phone not just smart phones). It doesn't give you exact wait times -- it just texts you back with something like low, moderate, high, which is kind of useless. I'm not sure if it's even linked to any real time data. Is that all Verizon is doing?

Android/iPhone phones have crowd sourced apps which gives exact times, but can be inaccurate if some idiot enters in wrong times. The ultimate app would enable users to set alerts when an attraction is under a certain wait time. I really see this as the year Disney fans will use social media more to alert each other of events/wait times. I can envision mass meet ups getting out of hand even. But then again look at how many people fail to do Online Check-In.

 

[Rob562]

I've not used it, but have used the text message service Disney provides (which works on any phone not just smart phones). It doesn't give you exact wait times -- it just texts you back with something like low, moderate, high, which is kind of useless. I'm not sure if it's even linked to any real time data. Is that all Verizon is doing?

Android/iPhone phones have crowd sourced apps which gives exact times, but can be inaccurate if some idiot enters in wrong times. The ultimate app would enable users to set alerts when an attraction is under a certain wait time. I really see this as the year Disney fans will use social media more to alert each other of events/wait times. I can envision mass meet ups getting out of hand even. But then again look at how many people fail to do Online Check-In.

The Disney Parks app from Verizon gives you exact numerical wait times for the park that you're in (using the Location feature of your phone to determine that), as well as the times that the FastPass machines are currently issuing slips for. It gets the data directly from Disney.

For the parks that you're not currently in, it will give you the same "See Now/Moderate/High Demand" listings that you can get via text message or the WDW mobile site (m.disneyworld.com).

Haven't used it in-park yet, though. Won't get the opportunity until June.

-Rob

 

[minniemickeyfan]

I used it last June and last September in the parks and thought it was great. When I was out of the park the wait times would say something like "moderate, see now, etc" but in the parks it would give the time in minutes and the FP return times. I also found that it worked on the monorail on the way to MK. It would also know where I was in the park and first bring up the times for where you were.
When waiting for shows or something we liked playing the trivia games on it.
I only had the $9.99 a month data plan with Verizon and it didn't really use up any data at all, (which I still can't figure out if you are really charged/use up data after you buy the app)
Highly recommended! I found people around me wished they had it too.

 

[HopLow]

I just downloaded the Disney World app by Undercover Tourist on my Droid for my next trip (in 2 weeks). I like that it has all the wait times plus the times for all the parades.

 

[TampaGuy]

I had the Verizon app the first half of last year and loved it. It was great knowing what the wait times and fast pass return times were for an attraction, especially if we were thinking about going to do something on the opposite side of the park. I have a Droid phone now, which I really like, but the Verizon app isn't compatible with it.

 

[mr_braver23]

How or where do you go to get the app?

 

[magicalmemories]

You can go to Verizon's website, or do a Google search for Disney Parks Mobile and get the info that way. I can even download it straight from my phone under the menu to get new apps. I have an Envy Touch phone.

 

[mickey2008.1]

What i dont get is why WDW only uses verizon, why not make it available for all mobile devices. i can pull up weather, wdwmagic, and many others on devices other than verizon in the parks. Why not get money from all companies for $1.99 download fee. Im not charged for weatherchannel on any device. So why cant i pay$1.99 on any device? sounds like someone is losing money somewhere. And does verizon sponsor any rides or attractions?

 

[Rob562]

What i dont get is why WDW only uses verizon, why not make it available for all mobile devices. i can pull up weather, wdwmagic, and many others on devices other than verizon in the parks. Why not get money from all companies for $1.99 download fee. Im not charged for weatherchannel on any device. So why cant i pay$1.99 on any device? sounds like someone is losing money somewhere. And does verizon sponsor any rides or attractions?

I'm sure there were many facets to the decision. First, I'm sure every company would want some kind of exclusivity deal.

It would also require upgrades to the phone network and towers in the viscinity of the parks. What good is an application if your phone doesn't have service? Verizon was willing to do that, including extra antennas in many places around property to ensure as complete coverage as possible. Smaller companies wouldn't want to/have the ablility to be that complete. And you know that there would be complaints to Disney when the apps didn't work on smaller carriers' networks because of spotty reception.

As for why specifically Verizon and not one of the other major carriers, it's simple numbers. Verizon has the most subscribers of any cell phone company in the U.S. More subscribers equals more potential customers to pay for and use your application.

And as for pulling other things up, you're accessing mobile websites. Disney World has a mobile website that gives out the generic info, http://m.disneyworld.com to anyone with web access on their phone. But going back to finding a company that would ensure coverage, Disney had to make sure that the application itself gave people additional benefits beyond what's available to everyone. So that's why you get the actual numbers on the Verizon app, and generic wait time descriptions elsewhere.

-Rob

 

[magicalmemories]

Well, since it looks to be just the $1.99 app fee with no additional fees unless you go over your plans allowances, I think I will most definitely have to buy the app and give it a try next month when we are down there. :animwink:

Thanks for the feed back!! :wave: