This thread comes out of a comment that @snow56border made in another thread.
Looking that Disney’s future, and the role Touring Plans plays in it, what are some Disney annoyances that perhaps TP could solve and offer as part of their business model?
I’m not really meaning this tongue-in-cheek. I mean, legitimately, what are some next generation “features” you’d like to see?
One that comes to mind for me is kind of something that Disney is already toying with…but real-time suggestions based on where you are in the park already of rides and even FPP options.
Oh, another would be automatic calculation of ACTUAL line times based on location services through the phone rather than relying on liners remembering to do it.
(This is non-trivial, I know, since accuracy of GPS information on phones isn’t pin-point…but there are techniques to first calculate PROBABLE entry into a line, and then as the user progresses, CONFIRMS that they did in fact enter the line based on their trajectory and where they end up, etc.)
Oh. I thought of another. Actually, this is based on something @heidelj had mentioned a week or so ago in another thread.
The TP app could be used like Life360 and provide real-time updates of locations of family members while in the parks. The “Family Locator” feature. While it is true we can use other apps, such as Life360…having it built into Touring Plans would be great when you have family members who are adults who aren’t keen on the idea of giving you full Life360 whereabouts information.
Who says I wasn’t being serious? I like the family locator idea a lot though.
One thing I’ve always wanted was the ability to attach a gift card to my magic band/MDE app. I usually bring about $1000 in disney giftcards from target and while I can use disneygiftcard.com to consolidate them, I would really love to be able to be wallet-free one day
(this probably will have to be something disney does though I realize)
Interesting topic. I always thought that it would be useful if the app could hook into the Disney APIs to book ADRs and FPPs. I have a vague recollection that there are issues with this, which is why the Reservation Finder can only send you notifications and not actually book it for you. I also recall WDW clamping down on similar services because they were charging for them, which is why the Reservation Finder is free for anyone, regardless of whether they have a TP subscription.
But even if you could not automate ADR and FPP booking, a better front end that hooked into the APIs might be a winner.
Along with this feature there could be a “Meet At” feature that could give basic directions on how to get to the meet-up point based on current position. Would eliminate the “What do you mean you couldn’t find Spaceship Earth” discussion…
You can sort of do this if you are staying at a WDW resort. Activate the room charging privileges on your MB, and then use gift cards to pay off the balance. You just need to make sure that go to the front desk to pay the balance before you hit your room charge limit when it would automatically be charged to you CC on file.
One thing I think TP could definately help Disney with is matching the requested FP or ADR with the availability. Currently you have to grab and modify. I know this is partially because people are constantly changing a FP or ADR but I do think there is some availability there, to begin with and Disney IT just sucks. My next point is probably something that wouldnt be specific to TP helping but more of an intentional Dsiney design is using flex date when looking for hotel availability. This drives me crazy with Disney.
Oh, yes! You’re right that I’m not sure if TP can help or not…but that IS super annoying. I’d like to just be able to say, “Find me 5-night options at resort X between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31.”
When park hopping it would be nice to make one TP, instead of one for each park. And that one plan would account for the time it takes to change parks.
It would also be nice for it to consider rope drop. You could tell it what time you plan to arrive at the park and then it could calculate the times for ride you are rope dropping.
This would be somethings TP could improve vs an actual Disney annoyance TP could solve but I really like the idea. All these changes we would like to see TP make costs. Tell ur friends, get a TP subscription, lol.
Stroller parking location recommendations included in the TP. Stroller parking seems easy enough because it’s everywhere but I always seem to get it wrong. I don’t know how many times I’ve ended up at the exit of an attraction or just finish with a “land” only to realize we parked the stroller way out of the way somewhere that made no sense.
