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Disneyland Explorer iPad App – Magical Fun for All Ages

3 February 2012 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

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Disneyland Explorer iPad App The past week has been a whirlwind of activity around the zannaland headquarters (aka my house) so I haven’t been keeping up with all the latest tweets and blog posts and news…However, I happened to see one of my favorite Disney cast members re-tweeting something about a new Disneyland Explorer iPad app. Hey, I thought, I’ve been to Disneyland! And I have an iPad! I’d like to explore Disneyland ON my iPad! So I downloaded it. I instantly fell in love, and wanted to share my thoughts here with you all.

When I heard the title, “Disneyland Explorer” I figured it would be more of a “fun” app vs. planning or facts etc. And this is true. This is exactly how I like my Disney information and entertainment. This may shock some, but I’m actually not a planner when it comes to Disney Parks. Maybe I take visiting Walt Disney World so often for granted, but even on my first visit to Disneyland last summer, I didn’t read one guide book or really do anything before I arrived. I just walked in and explored. That being said, I do want to put that little disclaimer in that for anyone looking for solid planning information, this is not the app for that. This is more like a way to be in Disneyland Resort virtually, with some extras thrown in too.

As you would expect from an official Disney app – it is breathtakingly beautiful. As you press the screen to enter the app, you are instantly transported to Sleeping Beauty Castle, with Walt standing in front. An image that makes any Disney fan just sigh with contentment. From there you can just start touching various park icons to discover how you can explore. Some attractions will feature a photo, others a short video of the ride in action, and still others will offer an interactive game or activity.

Disneyland Explorer iPad App
Pirates of the Caribbean game

As you scroll through the different lands, the music blends seamlessly from one area to the next and each new land offers lush backgrounds and foregrounds with all your familiar favorite scenes. It’s just wonderful. Once you explore all of Disneyland, the landscape continues to the Disneyland Resort hotels, Downtown Disney District and then on to California Adventure. There’s even a section for Cars Land, opening soon – so I’m sure the app will be updated in the future with more interactive elements. [edit: just heard from one of the developers that they are working on this update and the Buena Vista Street area as we speak!] You then end up back on Main Street, U.S.A. and back down to the Castle to explore all over again. (I won’t give away all the surprises, but there are a lot of them!)

Quite a few of the interactive games are perfect for little ones and rated my 3 year-old’s seal of approval. Now I know I can keep him entertained with Ariel’s undersea friends, any time of the day. I think my favorite games were trying to capture a photo of the Yeti from Matterhorn (I wish it saved these to my photos on my iPad!) and the epic pirate battle within Pirates of the Caribbean. You can even enter the Animation Academy and learn how to draw one of the Fab 4 characters. There’s also a menu button to press and see all of the location choices in list form, in case you want to look for a particular attraction or dining location.

Disneyland Explorer iPad App
Ariel's Undersea Adventure offers fun for the littlest fans

I know I will spend hours just relaxing and enjoying the magic of this little app – free from the AppStore. It is the perfect pick-me-up in between Disneyland visits. I can imagine something like this for the Walt Disney World Resort would require many more months of creation time, but I have hope they’ll be releasing one for the Florida parks and even better – the international parks. I may never let my iPad leave my side if that were to happen. If you need even more convincing, enjoy the Disneyland Explorer preview video below —

 


Here is the official press release for the app:

 

The magical sights and sounds of Disneyland Resort can now be discovered with “Disneyland Explorer,”the official Disney Parks app available for iPad. The free app invites parents and kids to explore some of the many thrilling and whimsical experiences that can be found at Disneyland Resort, a premiere, multi-day, family vacation destination in Southern California.

With “Disneyland Explorer,” users can swipe their way from Pirates of the Caribbean to “World of Color” to themed suites at the Disneyland Hotel, discovering more than 100 exciting things to see and do across the resort. Users tap beautiful images, animation and interactive touch points that represent experiences inside Disneyland park, Disney California Adventure park, Downtown Disney District and all three hotels of the Disneyland Resort.

Touch points within the photo-realistic carousel reveal photos, videos and special activities inspired by classic attractions and entertainment.  As users explore the Resort, day changes to night with spectacular colors, lights, and fireworks.

Animations are triggered as users scroll through the parks, hotels and Downtown Disney District, revealing surprises such as Dumbo in flight above Sleeping Beauty Castle. Users  discover items that are both fun and historical, from the Mad Hatter popping out of a tea cup to vintage video of Walt Disney dedicating Disneyland.

Users will:

  • Tour the galaxy with Star Tours – the Adventures Continue
  • Learn to draw their favorite Disney characters at the Animation Academy
  • Create their own musical water show in “World of Color”
  • Steer a Soarin’ hang glider over California, while collecting and sharing personalized postcards
  • Bring the iconic dolls of “it’s a small world” to life and hear the classic song in five different languages
  • Snap photos of the elusive Yeti as he roams across Matterhorn Mountain
  • Take part in a raging sea battle in Pirates of the Caribbean

“Disneyland Explorer” is a free app, available exclusively from App Store on iPad (www.itunes.com/appstore). More of the fun and excitement at the Disneyland Resort will become available on “Disneyland Explorer” throughout the year.

 

Disneyland Explorer iPad App
Interactive World of Color
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Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Disneyland Resort, Product Reviews, Reviews, Walt Disney World Tagged With: app reviews, California Adventure, Disney apps, Disneyland, Disneyland Explorer, Disneyland Explorer app, Disneyland Resort, family apps, free apps, interactive apps, ipad, iPad apps, kids apps, Reviews

Gowalla and Disney Reveal Passholder Exclusive Virtual Pin

5 February 2011 by Suzannah Otis 5 Comments

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Gowalla If you’ve ever gone anywhere with someone who uses location-based check-in apps like Foursquare, Gowalla, or even Facebook Places, you’ve probably rolled your eyes at the very least or perhaps cautioned us from walking into a fountain as we attempt to check in. Everywhere.

We are easy to spot; we’re the ones constantly looking at our phones, searching for locations to check in to and of course, share with the world (and cursing the lack of cell service to complete our check in!). Who doesn’t want to know that we are getting our morning coffee at Starbucks, buying socks at the mall, or enjoying seeing a movie with friends? As newbies find out quickly, quite a few people not only aren’t interested but actually get annoyed with constant check ins! Hrmph. Never fear, there are actually settings in all services which allow you to keep your check-ins to yourself, only share with friends, or share with twitter, facebook, or both.

While each of us use the apps or services in a different way – some to meet up with friends in the same location, others to keep family informed, others just to chronicle their every move, we’re all in it for the fun, and yes, tiny pixelated rewards we may get for checking in. Disney teamed up with popular service Gowalla a few months back and created official Disney check-ins, virtual pins, trips to complete and items to pick up along the way. With the huge social media army nestled firmly within the Disney fandom, this was a natural and welcomed partnership.

 

Disney Gowalla places
Some of the most popular Walt Disney World check-in spots on Gowalla. There are Disneyland spots as well.


Fans could now share their Disney visits and experiences as they happened online. Users can take a photo of a location and leave it behind for future visitors to see. Gowalla also uses random items which may be found or dropped along the way and with the Disney partnership, those items now included Mickey Mouse ear hats, Hitchhiking Ghosts, and Walt and Mickey Partners Statues. Disney created their own official “trips” which include checking in to multiple locations, either within one or more parks, the resorts, or a combination of places within Walt Disney property. Committed users will be rewarded by the trip completion and a virtual pin to add to their collection. Another benefit is visitors themselves can make their own trips which guests can also complete, adding to the fun and competitive aspect of checking in.

 

Disney Gowalla trip pins
Some of the virtual Disney pins from Gowalla for trip completion


Gowalla has now announced a new Walt Disney World Passholder exclusive virtual pin. No details have been given as to whether proof of Passholder must somehow be shown to obtain the virtual pin. Perhaps just not publicizing it anywhere but the Passholder newsletter is the level of “exclusivity” mentioned. If there’s one thing the Disney community does, it spreads news, so I’d imagine many guests will be achieving this particular pin, Passholder or not. I’ll have to report back on it when I complete the challenge myself. One of the spots, Disney Junior – Live on Stage! does not premier until March, but the check-in spot is available currently, so there may be some dishonest checking in among die-hard Gowalla users. Below are the complete set of spots you must check in at to earn the Passholder virtual pin.


Gowalla Disney Passholder Virtual Pin check-ins
Disney Passholder Virtual Pin check-ins


Personally, I love the marriage of Disney and Gowalla and for an obsessive personality like my own (hence my blog), it’s just the thing to keep me excited about the next big thing at Walt Disney World. Much to the dismay of my family, my check-in addition is not going anywhere any time soon. Unlike many other Disney collections (Dooney & Bourke purses, Vinylmation, constantly updating Disney merchandise…) this virtual one is compact, portable, and best of all – free! I no longer fear ending up on an episode of “Disney Hoarders” (that would make an awesome show, btw), my fears now involve a drained battery in my phone. My 12 year old son is following along in my footsteps and we now challenge each other to see who can check in to a spot first. Makes a mother proud…

Gowalla is a free app available for Android, Blackberry, iPhone, iPad,  iPod Touch, and Palm devices.

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Filed Under: Disney News, Walt Disney World Tagged With: android, applications, apps, blackberry, Disney, Disney apps, Disney check-ins, Disney Passholders, facebook, foursquare, Gowalla, ipad, iphone, ipod, location-based apps, palm, Passholder exclusive, Passholder exclusive Gowalla pin, virtual pins, Walt Disney World, WDW Passholders

Walt Disney World Complete Travel Guide iPhone App from a Disney Dad

20 May 2010 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

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When I first met Disney Dad Doug Ingersoll last February, I also was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at his new iPhone app. It looked so cool then, and now it’s available to the world! Doug Ingersoll is no stranger to Disney planning and guides, having written The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Walt Disney World among other travel guides. Of course it was only natural that he’d venture into the world of applications for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Here is all the official info about the Walt Disney World Complete Travel Guide app —





[Read more…] about Walt Disney World Complete Travel Guide iPhone App from a Disney Dad

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Filed Under: Disney News Tagged With: applications, apps, Doug Ingersoll, ipad, iphone, ipod touch, wdw complete travel guide app

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