BETAMOUSE #7 – Location Services at Disney Parks

On this week’s episode of the Betamouse Podcast the team discusses location services apps and how one might use them in the Disney Parks. If you have ideas, comments or would even like to be a guest blogger for our site please email us: show@betamouse.net!

You can also download the episode directly here.

• Henry introduces the Panel.
• Thank you to our sponsor Touring Plans. Visit Touring Plans to save time and money at Disney.
• In honor of SXSW the team discusses location based apps.
• Henry asks the panel which apps they have loaded on their phone right now.
• The overwhelming and trended response is a mixture of: Foursquare, Gowalla, MyTown and Plancast.
• Henry asks the panel how they use the apps in life and if at Disney, where they would check in.
• Scott finds it hard to remember to check in and if in Disney would only check in to parks and attractions.
• Jeff loves “checking in” on the apps and finds it easy to remember to do so.
• Katie briefly explains the applications.
• Katie and Henry touch base on the fact that the user has full control over how your location is broadcasted to your friends.
• Nate compares Foursquare and Gowalla on Android and states that he likes the Gowalla interface better but the application is way too slow.
• Henry talks about Foursquare and how, because it became popular where he lives before any others, that is the application that he primarily uses.
• Henry asks the panel how they would use the applications at Disney.
• Scott would use the application to check in and family and friends could follow along with their trip.
• Jeff decides that checking into attractions would be useful with large groups at Disney because people could find each other based on check ins at Disney.
• Katie talks about adding Foursquare to her tweets and how Gowalla could be so great at Disney but sometimes its features are too advanced.
• Henry talks about how businesses can use Foursquare and Gowalla to promote themselves.
• Nate adds to this by talking about Social Media business ideas.
• Henry touches base on the privacy issues surrounding this applications.
• Scott talks about www.pleaserobme.com.
• Henry adds that if you are just starting to use these services don’t tweet or Facebook out your location until you feel comfortable.
• Jeff states that he does not feel unsafe broadcasting his location and will continue to do so.
• Nate talks about young kids who robbed celebrities because they knew they were not home from their Twitter accounts.
• Katie talks about controlling what information you release through these applications.
• Henry asks about the future of these applications.
• Scott talks about an app always locating you so that family and friends could see where he is without checking in and Jeff likes that idea.
• Katie touches base on using Plancast for group events and will go into detail on next week’s show so please check that out!
• Henry talks about check in practices and would like to see Foursquare implemented at the Disney Parks officially.
• Thank you again to our sponsor Touring Plans. Visit them for all your Disney touring plans, a fantastic blog and the official mobile application for Disney wait times: Lines!