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TMCNet: Dad's iPhone apps show wait times at Disney, Universal theme parks

[June 26, 2009]

Dad's iPhone apps show wait times at Disney, Universal theme parks

Jun 26, 2009 (The Miami Herald - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- A Jacksonville father of four was inspired to create a new iPhone application to make his theme park visits a little more magical . . . and a little less stressful on his feet.

Brent Pope, 44, released a series of applications called Wait Watchers, which show wait times for Disney and Universal theme park attractions -- and cost 99 cents per theme park.

First came the app for Disney's Magic Kingdom, released two weeks ago. This week he released versions for Disney's Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot, as well as Universal's Islands of Adventure. He also has created an app for Disneyland, Disney's California Adventure and Universal Studios Hollywood. One for Universal Studios Orlando is on its way.

The applications depend on parkgoers to keep the information up to date. Using GPS, the application only allows users to submit a wait-time update if they are in the theme park.

Think you can shoo away crowds by greatly exaggerating a ride's wait time? Think it would be funny to say the hardly-ever crowded Carousel of Progress is a 110-minute wait? Pope's prepared for that, and will block an iPhone ID if a user gets flagged multiple times for sending totally wrong times.

"They say necessity is the mother of invention, and in my case, recession was the mother of invention," said Pope, who was laid-off three months ago from his job as a creative director at an advertising firm.

But losing his job didn't stop a spring break family trip to Walt Disney World. On the trip, he said, he often wished he could know a line was going to be long before having to trek across an entire park with four kids in tow.

It wasn't until he returned that the idea sparked. He hired programmers from a company called Phodder to build and manage the app.

Disney has been working with Verizon Wireless for several months to create a richer mobile application that would allow Verizon customers to get updated information on attraction wait times, as well as locate shows, restaurants and Disney characters in the parks. It also will let guests play mobile games and get messages from Disney characters.

The application will be released sometime in 2009, according to Disney. And there will be some mobile features available for park guests without Verizon.

Disney fanatics have been creating books, online guides, podcasts and forums centered around a love for the Mouse for years. Social communities that share information -- what Pope's app depends on -- are no exception.

"It borrows on that notion that end users have a play or say in the conversation and can provide feedback," said Forrester analyst Neil Strother. "It's sort of that Twitter phenomenon." Pope said his app will be useful if at least 12 people in each park contribute data to it throughout the day. He said his next update will include a countdown for showtimes.

Pope is not the only one with apps for theme parks. There are several fan-created apps in the iTunes store for things like park maps, Disney trivia and guides to finding Hidden Mickeys, which are hidden images of the big cheese throughout the parks.

"It shows the strength of our brand," said Disney spokeswoman Andrea Finger.

Disney's partnership with Verizon is currently available in an Epcot park attraction, the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure, where guests go on a scavenger hunt around the park and are given Verizon devices to interact with clues.

Pope said this is just the first wave of theme park apps he plans on creating. But he says don't count on him to create any versions for Disney's Water Parks: "I don't even like my iPhone being next to a glass a water!" To see more of The Miami Herald or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.herald.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Miami Herald Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

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