System and Method for Theme Park Line Queue Management

• US 20090313062A1
• Filed: 06/16/2008
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Natsuyama, Keizo, Schwartz, Justin Michael, Blum, Steven C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,082,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a method for managing theme park ride lines by providing an identifying device to a guest, the device configured to uniquely identify the guest, using the identifying device to ascertain an amount of time a guest spends at a predetermined location and reducing the amount of time a guest spends in a line queue for a predetermined ride by the amount of time the guest spends at the predetermined location. A system for managing theme park ride lines is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for managing theme park ride lines comprising:

providing an identifying device to a guest, the device configured to uniquely identify the guest;

using the identifying device to ascertain an amount of time a guest spends at a predetermined location;

reducing the amount of time a guest spends in a line queue for a predetermined ride by the amount of time the guest spends at the predetermined location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the identifying device to apply a credit supplied by the guest that is equatable to an amount of money the guest spends at the predetermined location.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the identifying device to apply a credit supplied by the guest that is equatable to an amount of time the guest spends at the predetermined location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a predetermined location comprises an activity location or a primary location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying device comprises an RFID tag, a barcode ticket, a magnetic strip ticket, a pin number, a credit card, or a cellular phone identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the use of a guest earning point table and a guest consuming point table to ascertain the amount of credit a guest earns and spends.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the credit supplied by the guest is obtained by the guest via a purchase of line queue time at a predetermined rate.

8. A system for managing theme park ride lines comprising:

a guest identification device, the device configured to uniquely identify the guest;

a processor in communication with the guest identification device and configured to ascertain an amount of time a guest spends at a predetermined location,

wherein the processor is further configured to reduce the amount of time a guest spends in a line queue for a predetermined ride by the amount of time the guest spends at the predetermined location.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the identifying device is further configured to apply a credit supplied by the guest that is equatable to an amount of money the guest spends at the predetermined location.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the identifying device is further configured to apply a credit supplied by the guest that is equatable to an amount of time the guest spends at the predetermined location.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein a predetermined location comprises an activity location or a primary location.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the identifying device comprises an RFID tag, a barcode ticket, a magnetic strip ticket, a pin number, a credit card, or a cellular phone identifier.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising the use of a guest earning point table and a guest consuming point table to ascertain the amount of credit a guest earns and spends.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the credit supplied by the guest is obtained by the guest via a purchase of line queue time at a predetermined rate.