How would you improve the Kings Island App?

[BoddaH1994]

I was in a discussion with an employee of the park a few days ago and they asked me for suggestions for the next generation of the Kings Island mobile app. I threw a few at them, but I figured it would be a really good thing to get the input of the KIC Universe.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself, but you don't necessarily have to copy and paste this or anything:

What do you like about the current app?

Has there been any features on other apps that you thought would be great for a Kings Island app?

What is something that you wish you could do with the app, but you haven't seen before?

DO NOT think too logically - be as creative as possible. No idea is too big or too small.

Let me give you an anticdote that I read in Business Week a few years ago that may inspire you.

A wealthy inventor and businessman was interviewed... I don't recall who, though. He was asked what was the best way to come up with business ideas. He said that it was very simple: carry a pad and pen with you for a day or so. Write down every inconvenience that you see each day. After you have several dozen, come up with the easiest and most reasonable way to solve each problem. Eliminate ones that are rhetorical, or are beyond the scope of science today. After eliminating many of the unsolveable problems and coming up with simple solutions for the few that can be solved, you should have 5 or 6 excellent business ideas sitting right in front of you.

I'm not saying that you should carry a pad and pen with you or anything, but try to think of little inconveniences you may have had in the park. In fact - if you don't know much about apps or phones, just tell us about the inconveniences and let the creative mob solve it. IF they do in fact build a new app, you can help make it better for you and everybody else.

[KILateNighter]

A way to see if a ride is down without going to that ride & line wait times on the rides at the park

[kingsrattler]

It would take a lot for implementation, and I'm sure its something that has been thought of, but there's nothing that kills the mood more than getting off of, say, Diamondback, walking across the park to another ride, say, Invertigo, to find an hour and a half wait. It would be nice if the signs in front of the rides were first made digital, then tied to the network infrastructure to be able to shell out the wait times for any given ride (or just the top 10 or 15 would be fine).

[CedarPointer]

I would focus on the mobile site that everyone can use first...

[kblanken]

The picture of the fries on the Rivertown Potato Works should show what they really look like.

[The Interpreter]

Since when does ANY picture of food depict what it really looks like? There are actually food stylists who make their money gussying up food for product as hero shoots.

[CedarPointer]

It's not actually hard to make Skyline food look like the photos of it if you have a lot of time on your hands.

[The Interpreter]

Not hard? Agreed. Unless a manager with food cost on her mind is wandering around loose.

Terp, he of fast food many eons ago: "pickles are pennies, weigh those fries!, If you have time to lean, you have time to clean!". And back then, the counters were stainless steel.

[CedarPointer]

"If you have time to lean, you have time to clean."

I'll just go shiver in the corner for a while now.

[Avatar]

It would take a lot for implementation, and I'm sure its something that has been thought of, but there's nothing that kills the mood more than getting off of, say, Diamondback, walking across the park to another ride, say, Invertigo, to find an hour and a half wait. It would be nice if the signs in front of the rides were first made digital, then tied to the network infrastructure to be able to shell out the wait times for any given ride (or just the top 10 or 15 would be fine).

Maybe the money they make off of the Fast Lane can be used to upgrade to digital networked signboards.

Now for my suggestion;

I would love to be able to add my KI/CF Platinum Pass to my KI mobile app to be scanned as I enter the gates or use it to get discounts at discount locations. Kind of like the Key Ring app does, you take a picture/scan your pass/reward card and then assign/title it. Then when you go to that retail location you pull up that card bar-code on your smart phone to be scanned. Less I can carry in the park the better especially with thrill rides.

Here is a link to the website that may explain it better. Key Ring that same process could be added to a company mobile app to give it that wow factor. I use this app all the time and love that I no longer need to carry those cards in my wallet.

Also a video of it for a quick explained demo.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7lapDedJQdo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Now if you can do that I would use the KI app on every trip to the park.

[The Interpreter]

That would require me to take my phone in the park (actually now my TWO phones, but we won't go there)

Aintgonnahappen.com

[CedarPointer]

I think it'd be nice if they added which rides/food stands/merchandise locations were open and closed at any given time. They could even link it in with a few Pantel TVs showing the same information at various places in the park.

[jrose530]

It would take a lot for implementation, and I'm sure its something that has been thought of, but there's nothing that kills the mood more than getting off of, say, Diamondback, walking across the park to another ride, say, Invertigo, to find an hour and a half wait. It would be nice if the signs in front of the rides were first made digital, then tied to the network infrastructure to be able to shell out the wait times for any given ride (or just the top 10 or 15 would be fine).

Maybe the money they make off of the Fast Lane can be used to upgrade to digital networked signboards.

Now for my suggestion;

I would love to be able to add my KI/CF Platinum Pass to my KI mobile app to be scanned as I enter the gates or use it to get discounts at discount locations. Kind of like the Key Ring app does, you take a picture/scan your pass/reward card and then assign/title it. Then when you go to that retail location you pull up that card bar-code on your smart phone to be scanned. Less I can carry in the park the better especially with thrill rides.

Here is a link to the website that may explain it better. Key Ring that same process could be added to a company mobile app to give it that wow factor. I use this app all the time and love that I no longer need to carry those cards in my wallet.

Also a video of it for a quick explained demo.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7lapDedJQdo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Now if you can do that I would use the KI app on every trip to the park.

This would be cool to add the pass to scan or have a nexus near field communications and just wave your phone to get in, or to pay.

[CedarPointer]

How expensive would it be to install those readers on every register (there are probably hundreds) in the park?

[flightoffear1996]

I would like to see a ride counter with the ability to start and stop the time you wait in line and that way you could keep track the amount of time you spent in line

[BoddaH1994]

All good suggestions. Keep it up!

[Monroe]

Do you think I can get them to page me with this info? I don't carry a phone in the park, too many distractions.

[EssentiallyCoaster]

I think they could add an indicator as well for the current cost of the paid attractions, and I love the idea of wait times being listed!

[IndyGuy4KI]

Do you think I can get them to page me with this info? I don't carry a phone in the park, too many distractions.

Are you talking on the PA system or do you have an alpha pager you do carry in the park?

[The Interpreter]

Given my experiences at Maple Grove, they could just have Mr. Kinzel or his minions tell me what they want me to know, since one or more of them often seemed to follow me around anyway.

Terp, not paranoid, as they actually were following him.

[flightoffear1996]

The ride opening and closed could be easliey done. Just have an extra button on the operator pannel push to open and that would then update the app. I would like to see maybe a friend locator that would tell you if your Facebook friends are at the park

[Colonel_SoB_fan]

Make it available to BlackBerry phones

[CoastersRZ]

Well, in all honesty, Blackberry`s are kind of on their way out. The firm that I work at has four users (its a company of about twenty to twenty five), who still are on older Blackberry`s. They likely will be swamped out to phones based on the Android OS or iPhones in the coming months. Especially with some planned server upgrades scheduled before the end of the year. (Being the IT guy at a firm has some drawbacks, like when email crashes, lol. But in general, I like the added responsibilities (and job security)).

I have the current ap on my phone. I can`t say that I used it all that much on my visits to the park. Part of that is, I had trouble picking up 3G in the park with any consistency this summer. My suggestion would be for the park to either improve their cell coverage in the park, or, and this is the preferred option, to make available FREE WiFi spots throughout the park. Look how many places now offer free WiFi. Practically almost all of your restaurants offer it. Starbucks, Panera Bread, McDonald`s (newer ones anyway), Frisch`s Big Boy, Bob Evans, Steak `N` Shake, to name a few. I`m sure that using past precedent, Cedar Fair would likely try to charge for it, which would be a mistake, IMO. If anything, it will keep more people in the park longer, as they won`t feel the need to leave the park to check their email, or get the latest sport update. It amazing how addicted we have become to technology!

I`ll get off of my soap box now. Its been a while since I posted here. I`d like to start posting here more often, if I can find the time! There just aren`t enough hours in the day!

[Monroe]

Do you think I can get them to page me with this info? I don't carry a phone in the park, too many distractions.

Are you talking on the PA system or do you have an alpha pager you do carry in the park?

Alpha pager, I'm old but not that old

[KIfan73]

I would like to see "street views" of different areas of the park when you click on them on the map. Possibly have them be live views when the park is open. During the season it might be neat to have a short live video feed with someone in the PR department talking about something interesting in the park that day, or just featuring a certain attraction or show.