Management of the flow of persons in entertainment environments

• US 7,787,965 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2004
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Craven, Barry Thomas, Stafford, Dale A., Hale, Gregory B., Schwalb, Andrew, Schweizer, Kenneth W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr.; Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US10/875,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20050060173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,261 Days
• Field of Search: 705 5- 6, 700 17- 20, 700/28, 700/79, 340/825.28, 340/825.29
• US Class Current: 700/17
• 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 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/20 Destination assistance within a business structure or complex
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 11/00 Arrangements, systems or apparatus for checking, e.g. the occurrence of a condition, not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/04 related to queuing systems

Abstract

A method and system for the loading of patrons at multiple attractions at an entertainment environment includes the first-in first-out line and a priority based line. A patron can have an additional priority entry at a time selected by the patron to any one of the multiple attractions in the entertainment environment. There can be an entry selected by the patron to at least one of the multiple attractions in the entertainment environment, such entry being affected on a priority basis as selected by the patron. A patron can have an entry at a second time period selected by the patron to the second attraction in the entertainment environment. The second time period can overlap a first time period. Alternatively the second time period can be substantially close in time to the first time period, whereby the closeness in time under essentially normal conditions would be too close for use on a first attraction in the first time period and subsequent use on a second attraction in that second time period. There can be an additional entry at a time selected by the patron to at least one of multiple attractions in the entertainment environment. The additional entry can be at selected return times to multiple attractions and at available return times selected by the computer for the multiple attractions.

Claims

1. A method of managing the loading by patrons of multiple attractions in an entertainment environment via computer wherein different patrons are permitted access to the attraction on at least two bases, firstly, a first-in first-out basis, and secondly, on a priority basis established by a prior allocation of access time to the attraction comprising:

permitting a patron of an attraction priority access to a first attraction;

the priority access being effected by permitting application through an entry of a request for an allocation of a time to access the first attraction including the steps of;

receiving an input from a patron, the input being communicated to a central computer for regulating the load of the first attraction;

making available to the patron potential return times for the first attraction determined by the computer; and

receiving in the central computer a selection by the patron of one of the available return times, the one of the available return times defining a first time period; and

providing to the patron from the computer an additional priority entry at a second time selected by the patron to any one of the multiple attractions in the entertainment environment, such additional entry being effected on a priority basis, wherein the second time selected by the patron defines a second time period, the first time period being adjacent to the second time period by an intervening time period, the intervening time period being about ten percent to thirty percent of the first time period and the second time period.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the patron additionally is permitted to select one of the available return times for each of multiple different attractions allocated on a priority basis.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the additional entry is obtained by the patron at no additional cost.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the input is received from a remote location, the input being received from a telephone keypad.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the input is received selectively through a TV control, IVR, touch screen or distribution unit.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the priority is redeemed through a selected automatic procedure, such procedure being the reading of one of a RF identification, reading of a magnetic code or barcode allocated to the patron.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the priority is redeemed at a time of entry into the environment or the attraction in the environment.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 including a computing process to determine the mix ratio of numbers of accesses granted to the priority access and non-priority access, and feeding back redemptions of the priority accesses such that near real time updates of availability for further granting of accesses may be computed.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the priority basis is further determined depending on at least three of whether the application is made through a mobile system, a TV based application, an internet based application, a hotel access or an on site request.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the priority basis is further determined depending on at least four of whether the application is made through a mobile system, a TV based application, an internet based application, a hotel access or an on site request.

11. A method of managing the loading by patrons of multiple attractions in an entertainment environment wherein different patrons are permitted access to the attraction on at least two bases, firstly, a first-in first-out basis, and secondly, on a priority basis established by a prior allocation of a time to access the attraction comprising:

permitting a patron of an attraction priority access to a first attraction, the priority access being effected by permitting application through an entry of a request for an allocation of a priority time to access a space on the first attraction including the steps of;

receiving an input from a patron, the input being communicated to a central computer for regulating the load of the first attraction;

providing to the patron available return times for the first attraction determined by the computer; and

receiving at the computer a selection by the patron of one of the available return times, such available return times defining a first time period; and

permitting application through an entry of a request for a priority allocation of a time to access a space on a second attraction including the steps of;

receiving an input from a patron, the input being communicated to a central computer for regulating the load of the second attraction;

providing to the patron available return times for the second attraction; and

receiving in the central computer for regulating the load of the second attraction a selection by the patron of one of the available return times, such available return times defining a second time period; and

providing the patron with an entry determined by the computer at a second time period selected by the patron to the second attraction in the entertainment environment, the first time period being adjacent to the second time period by an intervening time period, the intervening time period being about ten percent to thirty percent of the first time period and the second time period.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the first time period is overlapped by the second time period for half of an overall time period as defined collectively by the first time period and the second time period.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the first time period is overlapped by the second time period for a quarter of an overall time period as defined collectively by the first time period and the second time period.

14. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein there is at least a third time period subsequent to the first and second time periods.

15. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein there is at least a third time period subsequent to the first and second time periods and wherein the third time period is separated from the second time period by an intervening time period.

16. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the input is received from a remote location, the input being received from a telephone keypad.

17. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the input is received selectively through a TV control, IVR, touch screen or distribution unit.

18. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the priority is redeemed through a selected automatic procedure, such procedure being the reading of one of a RF identification, reading of a magnetic code or barcode allocated to the patron.

19. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the priority is redeemed at a time of entry into the environment or the attraction in the environment.

20. A method as claimed in claim 11 including a computing process to determine the mix ratio of numbers of accesses granted to the priority access and non-priority access, and feeding back redemptions of the priority accesses such that near real time updates of availability for further granting of accesses may be computed.

21. A method of managing the loading of patrons to multiple attractions in an entertainment environment wherein different patrons are permitted access to the attraction on at least two bases, firstly, a first-in first-out basis, and secondly, on a priority basis

established by a prior allocation of a space to the attraction comprising:

permitting a patron priority access to a first attraction;

the priority access being effected by permitting application through an entry of a request for an allocation of a space on the first attraction including the steps of;

receiving an input from a patron, the input being communicated to a central computer for regulating the load of the first attraction;

communicating with the patron about available return times for the first attraction determined by the computer; and

receiving from the patron a selection of one of the available return times; and

providing the patron with the priority access determined by the computer, the priority access being allocated depending on at least three of whether the application is made through a mobile system, a TV based application, an Internet based application, a hotel access, or an on site request.