Mobile apps growing in use to engage theme park guests throughout the day

Or, as a nod to the parks' benefit, "PROFIT" Gonchar.

Cell phone for virtual queue purposes? I like it. However, doesn't it kind of negate the no loose articles policy? Plus, if you have to take your phone on the ride, you run the risk of damaging or losing your phone with all that data on it AND your FOL access. That's a craptacular day waiting to happen right there. A zipper compartment right on the trains could make that a non-issue, I guess, and doing some sort of compartment would also do away with the confusion at the station as to "locker" versus "cubby" versus "toss your stuff on the platform" issues. Definitely not an insurmountable problem, but I wonder how many parks would take the time for the additional tech, logistics, etc.

It's already been done. Which park tried it again?

By the way, that's one of the reasons I question Disney's massive spend on RFID. (Well, I did until I saw people voluntarily buying MagicBands and accessories.) It seems like the tech already exists in phones to match people to their entitlements.

Speaking of using your phone as part of the travel/hospitality industry:

Hilton Hotels will soon turn your smartphone into a room key

They expect 100% compliance by the end of 2016 and they're spending $550 million to do it.

This sort of thing is just going to become more commonplace and as it does, it's going to feel weirder and weirder that the parks aren't doing the same thing.

In the next couple of years? No. But it's coming.

What if not everyone in your party owns a smartphone? What if grandma just owns a Pay-as-You-Go flippy phone? What if little Billy just owns an iPad Mini and little Suzy owns a Nabi? What if papa still carries around his old Blackberry?

I admit that I didn't read the article. It may have the answer in there.

But my point is, will Hilton Hotels really want to alienate those without smart phones? Seems kind of silly when RFID keys work just as well. If it aint broke...

If you don't have a smart phone, you probably aren't staying at a Hilton.

Can you guys imagine all the red tape they're gonna have to go through for that?

LostKause said:

What if not everyone in your party owns a smartphone? What if grandma just owns a Pay-as-You-Go flippy phone? What if little Billy just owns an iPad Mini and little Suzy owns a Nabi? What if papa still carries around his old Blackberry?

My guess? You'll still have to stand at the front desk, check-in and get a room key.

And furthermore, you probably won't have any idea that anyone else is doing it differently.

LostKause said:

little Suzy owns a Nabi?

Well, she's just gonna have to wake up.