Universal Orlando releases a mobile app – A look at all of Florida’s official theme park apps

Universal Orlando’s has released a free mobile app for Apple and Android phones, joining SeaWorld, which also released a free app earlier this year and Disney World, which offers a paid app for Verizon customers. Busch Gardens officials say their mobile app is in the works.

Both the SeaWorld and Universal apps offer some of the same and different features. One of guests most requested features, ride wait times, is available on the SeaWorld app but not Universal’s. But many features on both apps, such as the mapping functions and wait times on the SeaWorld app, are disabled unless it detects you are in the park.

Although Disney has an iPhone app for Disneyland Paris, they don’t currently offer one for their U.S. parks. Instead, they suggest guests with phones other than Verizon go to m.disneyworld.com. This mobile optimized site site offers attraction and dining information, park hours and the ability to make dining reservations. The wait times on their paid Verizon app are up-to-the-minute, but the mobile site offers general times such as “See Now” “High Demand” or “Moderate”.

Here are some of the features of Universal Orlando’s new app:
• Pinpoint your exact location on the app’s interactive maps.
• Discover nearby attractions, dining locations, guest services and more using the application’s GPS-based carousel navigation.
• Learn fun facts about the destination’s attractions.
• Update your adventures in real time on Facebook and Twitter using the app’s check-in feature.
• Reserve a table at Universal Orlando restaurants.

Guests can also play a check-in game that highlights some of Universal’s most popular attractions and gives guests the opportunity to “check-in to win” a savings guide worth up to $150.

Click Here to download the iTunes version of the app.
Click Here to download the Android version of the app.
A Blackberry version of the app is currently being developed.

Here are some of the features for SeaWorld’s app:
• Includes San Diego, San Antonio and Orlando locations.
• GPS navigation provides a highlighted path to your destination.
• Interactive park map with search. Find nearest restroom, place to eat, ATM and more.
• Up-to-date wait times on rides, plus ride height requirements.
• Displays next show times for each park’s SeaWorld’s shows.
• Get basic park info, calendar with operating hours, weather forecast and driving directions.
• Learn about their animals and conservation status, then get directions to connect with them in person.
• Car Finder feature: drop a pin when you park and navigate you back to your car when you leave the park.

Click Here to download SeaWorld’s iPhone app.

MouseFanTravel

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9 Comments

  1. I got the Universal app, but deleted it since no wait times yet. Also, will you iPhone app be coming on the droid?

  2. I know these are designed to be used in the park on phones, but I was hoping that the apps would also be iPad-ified and work properly on the larger screen. For anyone wondering, they aren’t. Of course, you can run iPhone apps on an iPad, but it’s only in the native iPhone sized screen.

    Oh well… they’re still fun to play with and I’m happy the parks are releasing these. WDW needs to get on the ball and release something besides a mobile webpage!