New wait time application for iPhone

[Master Yoda]

This is not the top of the line, directly connected to Disney's wait time system app we would really like but it is a start. It is dependent on use input and as with most thinks like this could be subject to a good bit of error.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/orl-disney-app-lines-061009,0,3846136.story

 

[Pete C]

Disney should have a mobile website that shows wait times. This should be a piece of cake for them.

 

[patsfan24]

This is not the top of the line, directly connected to Disney's wait time system app we would really like but it is a start. It is dependent on use input and as with most thinks like this could be subject to a good bit of error.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/orl-disney-app-lines-061009,0,3846136.story

Definitely a start. I wish that Disney would come out with an official one for iPhone/iPod touch, although it's looking like that won't be the case. Oh well, I'm sure this one will work just fine for me when I go, whenever that may be.

 

[DisneyJoe]

I believe they announced a deal with Verizon for some mobile apps...not sure when they will be released. Supposedly Verizon will have the greatest functionality, but other providers phones should be able to access too.

Twisney.com, now dead, tried the same things as this iPhone app and failed as it was too dependent on user input.

We need one with Disney providing the data.

 

[Master Yoda]

I believe they announced a deal with Verizon for some mobile apps...not sure when they will be released. Supposedly Verizon will have the greatest functionality, but other providers phones should be able to access too.

Twisney.com, now dead, tried the same things as this iPhone app and failed as it was too dependent on user input.

We need one with Disney providing the data.

Hopefully the insane popularity of the iphone will allow for a little more success than twisney but I am not holding my breath. Bottom line I don't think that there will be enough people that will be willing to enter in data to an iphone app while on vacation to make this thing worth much.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Bottom line I don't think that there will be enough people that will be willing to enter in data to an iphone app while on vacation to make this thing worth much.

I agree that is the bottom line - people don't want to work on vacation, they want to open the app and find the latest updated wait times - not spend time entering wait times to help someone else - unless they got something in return for doing so.

I can picture someone with the app standing in front of the wait board - or a ride with the wait time posted - and arguing with a CM - "but my iPhone app says...! which wait time is the right one?"

 

[SCDizney]

Yeah, I know. Touring Plans is trying with Twitter, but I think it is falling short. I'm just not into telling people what the wait time is when I'm on vacation.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Yeah, I know. Touring Plans is trying with Twitter, but I think it is falling short. I'm just not into telling people what the wait time is when I'm on vacation.

Twisney used twitter - it would even show your location on a map if you told it where you were....

 

[Master Yoda]

I agree that is the bottom line - people don't want to work on vacation, they want to open the app and find the latest updated wait times - not spend time entering wait times to help someone else - unless they got something in return for doing so.

I can picture someone with the app standing in front of the wait board - or a ride with the wait time posted - and arguing with a CM - "but my iPhone app says...! which wait time is the right one?"

I'll give it a week before that happens.:lol:

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Ah, that's a pretty cool idea... I would use this.

 

[SCDizney]

I could see someone posting bogus info just to skew the data to see if he could make the lines shorter somewhere else. :drevil:

 

[Thurp]

I actually considered writing just this app for the iPhone but I never got around to it, except that I was going to make it free. Server resources are relatively minor and if they get out of hand, one could add advertisements to the app and sell an ad-free at a small premium to pay for those expenses.

Like others have said, this relies on people taking the time to enter the information so I'm afraid that it will not take off, but you never know.

 

[WDWFigment]

Disney should have a mobile website that shows wait times. This should be a piece of cake for them.

Why would Disney want people who aren't at the parks to know wait times? People would do research, see some of the wait times, and determine not to go to a particular park (or possibly on vacation at all).

 

[DisneyJoe]

Like others have said, this relies on people taking the time to enter the information so I'm afraid that it will not take off, but you ever know.

This is the 4th attempt that I know of, the previous 3 are either no longer around or about to fail....

Pay me to do it on my vacation, or pay someone else who is local and is in the parks anyway, but unless there is an incentive to do it, no one will.

 

[DisneyJoe]

People would do research

LOL - the amount of people who do research before a Disney trip is minuscule compared to those who don't.... it wouldn't have an impact at all.

 

[CrashNet]

Its a great idea, but the only problem is wait times are invalid in less than a day. Wait times have to be constantly updated by park visitors for it to be even remotely accurate.

 

[nolatron]

http://www.coasterq.com/ has wait times for WDW and DL rides. It works on a mixture of historical data as well as user entered times on their website or iPhone web app site.

Curious to learn how accurate it actually is.

 

[EpcoTim]

Why would Disney want people who aren't at the parks to know wait times? People would do research, see some of the wait times, and determine not to go to a particular park (or possibly on vacation at all).

I highly doubt any significant number of people would NOT go to Disney because of wait times they see online.

On the flip side, it makes sense to Disney because it would help them level out crowd levels.

Of course the percentage of people would use this, I'm guessing, would be minimal.

 

[kcnole]

This is one area where Universal is ahead of the curve on Disney. They have a site just like this and I love it. When I'm in the park, I can just pull out my phone and see what the current wait times are registered as and make my decisions from there. I've linked their site below.

http://66.77.171.132/mobileweb/

 

[joel_maxwell]

Hopefully the insane popularity of the iphone will allow for a little more success than twisney but I am not holding my breath. Bottom line I don't think that there will be enough people that will be willing to enter in data to an iphone app while on vacation to make this thing worth much.

I think in parks that dont have wait time boards that are visible from 50 yards away (like Epcot), this would be nice. Just needs to be tapped in to the system as said on page 1

I can picture someone with the app standing in front of the wait board - or a ride with the wait time posted - and arguing with a CM - "but my iPhone app says...! which wait time is the right one?"

see below

I'll give it a week before that happens.:lol:

^ I give it the first day.

Why would Disney want people who aren't at the parks to know wait times? People would do research, see some of the wait times, and determine not to go to a particular park (or possibly on vacation at all).

Nice angle... but i think that people that are traveling to the parks (locals) would know the seasons and the average wait times. I think it has to much potential for people "in the parks" (MK DHS and AK)