System and method for theme park line queue management

• US 8,082,165 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2008
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• 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, Blum, Steven C., Schwartz, Justin Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): JABR, FADEY S
• Application Number:
  US12/139,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20090313062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705 5- 6, 370/412, 340/286.06
• US Class Current: 705/5
• 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 system for managing attraction queues comprising:

a device-reader system configured to communicate with an identification device assigned to a guest and configured to ascertain an amount of time spent by the identification device at one or more accrual locations; and

a processor configured to receive data indicative of the amount of time spent by the identification device at the one or more accrual locations from the device-reader system and configured to assign the guest a location within a queue of an attraction at a redemption location such that a wait time in the queue for the guest is reduced relative to an otherwise available wait time by an amount of time correlative to the amount of time spent by the identification device at the one or more accrual locations, wherein the processor is also configured to reduce the wait time in the queue for the guest based on a purchase of an item by the guest or based on acquisition of service at a particular accrual location by the guest and configured to assign the guest the location based on the reduced wait time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to assign the guest the location within the queue of the attraction at the redemption location during an initial visit by the guest to the redemption location.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more accrual locations comprise primary accrual locations and secondary accrual locations, and wherein the processor is configured to reduce the wait time in the queue for the guest more heavily for time spent by the identification device at the secondary accrual locations than for time spent by the identification device at the primary accrual locations.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more accrual locations comprise a restaurant and the processor is configured to reduce the wait time in the queue for the guest in a one-to-one ratio based on time spent waiting to be seated at the restaurant.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to assign the guest the location within the queue such that the wait time in the queue is reduced for the guest by one minute for every dollar spent on the purchase.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to assign the guest the location within the queue such that the wait time in the queue is reduced for the guest based on time spent waiting at a table service restaurant and based on the purchase occurring at the table service restaurant, a self service restaurant, and a vending stand.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to assign the guest the location within the queue of the attraction at the redemption location by providing a time value that represents a credit for an amount of time waiting in the queue.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more accrual locations comprise a ride and the processor is configured to reduce the wait time in the queue for the guest based on time spent waiting to get on the ride.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to assign the guest the location within the queue of the attraction at the redemption location by alerting an operator to an equivalent wait time to credit to the guest or alerting the operator to a physical location to place the guest between other guests in the line.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to assign the guest the location within the queue such that the wait time in the queue is reduced for the guest based on a direct purchase of queue time or a purchase of an annual pass.

11. A system for managing attraction queues comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive data indicative of an amount of time spent by an identification device assigned to a guest at one or more accrual locations;

assign a location within a queue of an attraction at a redemption location to a guest that has been assigned the identification device such that a wait time in the queue for the guest is reduced relative to an otherwise available wait time by an amount of time correlative to the amount of time spent by the identification device at the one or more accrual locations; and

reduce the wait time in the queue for the guest based on a purchase of an item by the guest or based on acquisition of service at a particular accrual location by the guest and assign the guest the location based on the reduced wait time.

12. The system of claim 11, comprising a device-reader system configured to communicate with the identification device, configured to ascertain the amount of time and currency spent by the identification device at the one or more accrual locations, and configured to communicate the amount of time and currency spent by the identification device at the one or more accrual locations to the processor, wherein the amount of time spent by the identification device at the one or more accrual locations comprises an amount of time spent by the identification device at a first accrual location and an amount of time spent by the identification device at a second accrual location.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the device-reader system comprises a plurality of kiosks and register readers configured to monitor a location of the identification device and money spent by the guest.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to assign the location within the queue of the attraction at the redemption location such that the wait time in the queue for the guest is reduced by an amount of time corresponding to a first amount of time spent by the identification device at a first accrual location multiplied by a first multiplier assigned to the first location plus an amount of time corresponding to a second amount of time spent by the identification device at a second accrual location multiplied by a second multiplier assigned to the second location.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to assign the location within the queue of the attraction at the redemption location such that the wait time in the queue for the guest is reduced by differing amounts for the same units of time spent at different accrual locations and based on an amount of money spent by the guest for the item or service.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to assign the guest the location within the queue of the attraction at the redemption location during an initial visit by the guest to the redemption location.

17. A method of queue management, comprising:

monitoring a location of an identification device assigned to a guest with a monitoring system to ascertain an amount of time spent by the identification device at one or more accrual locations;

assigning the guest a location within a queue of an attraction at a redemption location with a processor such that a wait time in the queue for the guest is reduced relative to an otherwise available wait time by an amount of time correlative to the amount of time spent by the identification device at the one or more accrual locations; and

reducing the wait time in the queue for the guest based on a purchase of an item by the guest or based on acquisition of service at a particular accrual location by the guest and assigning the guest the location based on the reduced wait time.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising:

assigning the guest the location within the queue of the attraction at the redemption location during an initial visit to the redemption location by the guest such that the wait time in the queue for the guest is reduced based on time spent at a first accrual location multiplied by a first multiplier assigned to the first accrual location, time spent at a second accrual location multiplied by a second multiplier assigned to the second accrual location.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising alerting an operator to position the guest in a physical line based on the location assigned within the queue.