Disney releases Mobile Magic application for Verizon Wireless subscribers

Disney's theme parks have branched out into mobile applications for the first time with Mobile Magic.

Disney has released its Mobile Magic application, a paid-for service which gives Verizon Wireless subscribers access to attraction wait times and information at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

The application is available for a range of Verizon Wireless handsets. In addition to wait times, it also offers current FASTPASS return times, locations of Disney characters and GPS-assisted navigation within the parks. It is exclusive to Verizon Wireless customers, who can buy six months of service for $9.99.

Non-Verizon customers can access a less detailed set of information, including park hours, entertainment schedules and dining information through mobile websites at http://m.disneyland.com and http://m.disneyworld.com.

In order to download the application, Verizon Wireless customers can open the Media Center on their handset, and select "Browse & Download" then "Get New Applications". Disney's Mobile Magic is located in the "Travel & Navigation" folder. Alternatively, customers can text "Magic" to 2777 to get hold of the app.

The Mobile Magic application is currently available on a range of mid-range "featurephones", which are listed below. Disney has promised to expand the range to include smartphones and touchscreen devices within the next few weeks:

• LG Glance
• LG VX Chocolate
• LG Chocolate 3
• LG Decoy
• LG VX 8700
• LG Venus
• Moto Adventure
• Nokia 7205
• Samsung Renown
• Moto 325
• Samsung 540
• Samsung 550
• LG 5500
• Nokia 6205
• Moto 755
• UT Starcom 8950
• UT Starcom GC1-c711
• GZ1 – S Boulder
• Moto K1 -M
• Moto – L7c
• LG 8350
• Samsung Trance
• Moto V3m
• Moto Barrage
• Moto VU204

Disney is the not the first theme park to release a mobile application providing attraction information, wait times and navigation. Rival Universal Studios Hollywood recently launched a similar application for iPhone and Android smartphones. Unlike Disney's application, Universal's is offered free of charge, although it is initially only available during its Halloween Horror Nights events.

There are a number of screenshots of the Disney application over at the Disney Parks Blog.