Walt Disney World and Disneyland to Launch "My Disney Experience" application

[Figment!]

Disney Parks & Resorts has internally announced that they will launch a new multi-platform application to enhance Guest's in-park experience.

The new application, My Disney Experience, will be available at the Walt Disney World resort in August 2012 and at the Disneyland resort in 2013.

The application will be launched for iPhone, iPad, and Android platforms in August 2012 with versions for Blackberry and Windows phone platforms to follow in 2013.

The application has been confirmed to feature the same functions as Disney Mobile Magic (wait times, character locations, maps, etc.) and is semi-confirmed to include interfacing with the forthcoming RFID-based FastPass and Park Ticket system.

As a result of the new application's launch, Disney Mobile Magic will cease operation in Early 2013.

My Disney Experience will be available through individual platform's application marketplaces at no charge.

[missastrocat]

This sounds neat! One thing that makes me curious is why I've been seeing a push for the Mobile Magic App on commercials lately. Why would they sink so much money into it only to stop it in 2013?

Do you think they hope those that are on the Mobile Magic App will like that so much it'll have them jump over more easily to the new app?

[seanyred]

This sounds neat! One thing that makes me curious is why I've been seeing a push for the Mobile Magic App on commercials lately. Why would they sink so much money into it only to stop it in 2013?

Do you think they hope those that are on the Mobile Magic App will like that so much it'll have them jump over more easily to the new app?

Since this app will replace Mobile Magic and is also free they can just force the Mobile Magic app to update to the new version.

I can't wait to give this app a try on our up coming trip. I hope at least part of the new fast pass system is running by then.

[potzie]

As a Canadian, I would love this functionality, but at $5/MB for data or I can pay $10 and $1/MB this makes this functionality expensive. Any chance they are going to create free wifi throughout the parks that would create a way to get around the need for data?

[ChipNDale79]

As a Canadian, I would love this functionality, but at $5/MB for data or I can pay $10 and $1/MB this makes this functionality expensive. Any chance they are going to create free wifi throughout the parks that would create a way to get around the need for data?

I wouldnt think this would eat up a lot of bandwidth, just a guess though. I only have 2MB on my plan and never come close to it.

Now granted I use Wifi a lot, I'd think you'd have to be doing some streaming if you are going to get close to the 2MB. As long as there is no streaming, Id think if you have a normal data plan on your phone, you'd be ok.

[DizneyRox]

As a Canadian, I would love this functionality, but at $5/MB for data or I can pay $10 and $1/MB this makes this functionality expensive. Any chance they are going to create free wifi throughout the parks that would create a way to get around the need for data?

I wouldnt think this would eat up a lot of bandwidth, just a guess though. I only have 2MB on my plan and never come close to it.

Now granted I use Wifi a lot, I'd think you'd have to be doing some streaming if you are going to get close to the 2MB. As long as there is no streaming, Id think if you have a normal data plan on your phone, you'd be ok.

I think the problem is, they are Canadian, and thus will probably eat up International minutes and data while at WDW (a US location). International rates are usually priced high... Courtesy WiFi would be nice, and I think they could limit it to Disney properties if they wanted to (they allow some web access for free on the ship, pay gets you outside sites).

[Quadstriker]

Figured that they were going to add some sort of in-park app like this.

Sounds neat.

Would LOVE to be able to get fast passes on the phone.

[ChipNDale79]

Figured that they were going to add some sort of in-park app like this.

Sounds neat.

Would LOVE to be able to get fast passes on the phone.

As long as the fast passes are for the same day, and not days in advance, Id love that also.

[potzie]

I wouldnt think this would eat up a lot of bandwidth, just a guess though. I only have 2MB on my plan and never come close to it.

Now granted I use Wifi a lot, I'd think you'd have to be doing some streaming if you are going to get close to the 2MB. As long as there is no streaming, Id think if you have a normal data plan on your phone, you'd be ok.

Are you sure you are not thinking GB? 2MB is about 5 webpages for the month maybe less. My wife's iPhone uses about 300MB/month and she isn't streaming anything. My Blackberry which are are known to be much more efficient in how they process data uses about 50MB/month. At $5/MB for international data usage even 10MB would be $50 to use this "free" app for a week.

[ChipNDale79]

Are you sure you are not thinking GB? 2MB is about 5 webpages for the month maybe less. My wife's iPhone uses about 300MB/month and she isn't streaming anything. My Blackberry which are are known to be much more efficient in how they process data uses about 50MB/month. At $5/MB for international data usage even 10MB would be $50 to use this "free" app for a week.

Actually, yeah you are right, i was thinking GB and not MB.

[PopPhan]

The thing I like about this is that it is not Verizon ONLY! The Disney Parks app is OK, but will be glad that this new one will have a but more to it.

Looking forward to putting this on my Tab once it becomes available.

[AgentC]

As a Canadian, I would love this functionality, but at $5/MB for data or I can pay $10 and $1/MB this makes this functionality expensive. Any chance they are going to create free wifi throughout the parks that would create a way to get around the need for data?

Just saw a report that Free WiFi is coming to the Magic Kingdom and that it will be rolled out to all the other parks over the next few months.

[DizneyFreak2002]

And the Data Mining, I mean $1 billion dollar waste, um, NextGen project begins...

[Figment!]

As a Canadian, I would love this functionality, but at $5/MB for data or I can pay $10 and $1/MB this makes this functionality expensive. Any chance they are going to create free wifi throughout the parks that would create a way to get around the need for data?

Just saw a report that Free WiFi is coming to the Magic Kingdom and that it will be rolled out to all the other parks over the next few months.

Yep. Some Guests have even reported that it is now active at the Magic Kingdom.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

I am glad to hear about the WiFi, just so us Canadians (and other international visitors) aren't left out of all of the new functionality coming.

[j2k]

Does anyone know when the new app will be available? I just checked the App Store and didn't see it. I am going to WDW soon and hope to try it out.

[Buttercup]

Anyone else think the Wi-Fi at the parks is going to stink as bad as the Wi-Fi at the resorts? All those tens of thousands of people gobbling up all the bandwidth so it's super slow and kicks you off all the time?!?!

[Dr. Disney]

Anyone else think the Wi-Fi at the parks is going to stink as bad as the Wi-Fi at the resorts? All those tens of thousands of people gobbling up all the bandwidth so it's super slow and kicks you off all the time?!?!

No doubt. "Free" wifi is a great thing, but not in this type of environment. The speeds will be slow, especially with an app like this. I will use my cellular data and hope that is not at a snails pace.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Does anyone know when the new app will be available? I just checked the App Store and didn't see it. I am going to WDW soon and hope to try it out.

I read somewhere possibly beginning of August... But haven't seen any kind of official date yet...

[DizneyRox]

Anyone else think the Wi-Fi at the parks is going to stink as bad as the Wi-Fi at the resorts? All those tens of thousands of people gobbling up all the bandwidth so it's super slow and kicks you off all the time?!?!

They can (and probably will) use traffic shaping to prioritize NextGen traffic over other non essential traffic. They certainly won't be allowing people to run BitTorrent clients all day on their network. Even non Disney sites can be slowed to a crawl if they wanted to. Hey, maybe that's what they are doing now!