THURSDAY THEME PARK: Twittering the Theme Parks
Theme parks offer an escape from reality, allowing visitors to forget their troubles for a while and just have fun. Often, the Internet can offer the same type of escape, so it’s no wonder there is a plethora of theme park-related content online. But visiting a Web site or watching a video featuring something from a theme park just isn’t the same as enjoying time spent in one with friends and family. Now, it appears that the Internet has an answer to that too, where anyone sitting online at a computer can share the comfort of escaping from the real world for a while by following those who are…
Twittering About Theme Parks
Twitter, for those of you who don’t know, is a service on which registered users can easily and quickly post small messages/updates about what they’re doing, where they are, what they’re thinking about, or really anything they want. Other users can then follow those whom they find interesting to read everything they post. It’s like a blog, but much smaller (each post has to be 140 characters or less). (You can follow me here).
One of the most fun elements of Twitter is its search feature, allowing visitors to search for tweets (that’s what posts on Twitter are called) by entering in any key words or phrases. So in thinking about the combination of theme parks and Twitter, I thought it would be fun to see what came up if I searched for popular park names and attractions. Below are some of the more interesting results, along with my comments about them:
TWITTER SEARCH: “Disney World”
- babyscoop: Suri & Family Cruise Around Disney World http://tinyurl.com/bxf9jm
It’s definitely not uncommon for celebrities to take PR photos while visiting Walt Disney World, so I’m not surprised this came up after Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes visited on Valentine’s Day with their family.
- KelDaMc: is thinking that she might take Disney World up on their offer and go for free on her birthday. Anybody in? I have never been.
Disney’s current promotion to allow guests in for free on their birthdays is clearly getting people interested.
- Joel_P_Reynolds: I ask my son if he would help me with the recycling today…he said “yes…then we will go to Chuck-E-Cheese and Disney World!” awesome day!
Disney World and Chuck-E-Cheese lumped into the same category in the mind of a child. I love it.
- mariethebee: Dreamt I was in line for a Left4Dead-themed ride at Disney World. I totally punched some girl in the face. No cuts.
It’s good to see I’m not the only one who dreams about fictitious Disney rides, though I never dreamt about one involving Left4Dead.
TWITTER SEARCH: “Disneyland”
- rsannicandro: Disneyworld, Orlando > Disneyland, Anaheim
This “something > something else” style of comparison is very common on Twitter. It’s an easy way to express an opinion without filling up the 140 character limit. Of course, in this case, the comparison is a difficult one to make, as Walt Disney World is such a different place than Disneyland.
- JonStrickland: I’m kicking myself. I forgot that I could have met ASIMO at Disneyland. The demo was great though.
Here’s a great example of learning something about a theme park through Twitter. I knew that ASIMO had a home in Innoventions at Disneyland, but I didn’t know you could “meet” him there.
- RFMaston: going to disneyland today. i heard they changed ‘it’s a small world’ to be less ethnic. that would be a shame.
And here’s an example of not-quite-accurate information on Twitter. Disney characters were added to the attraction recently, but I don’t think that makes it “less ethnic.”
TWITTER SEARCH: “Universal Studios”
- gamoid: i had a dream that universal studios built a watchmen theme park
Another dream for a different theme park!
- benatargiraldo: Getting ready for the first show of the year in Orlando at Universal Studios on Feb 28th
A handful of celebrities use Twitter as well. Here Pat Benatar plugs her upcoming concert that’s part of Universal’s Mardi Gras celebration.
- Nymo: I’ll never forgive Universal/Viacom for removing the Nickelodeon Studios at Universal Studios Orlando. Always wanted to go, but never did =(
There’s certainly no shortage of opinions on Twitter and I agree wholeheartedly with this one. As fun as the Blue Man Group show is, I wish Nickelodeon Studios was still around (and still taping great kid-friendly game shows).
- IllegibleMe: Just bought my third copy of Back to the Future – I need that Universal Studios Ride footage!
I previously blogged about this, so it’s good to see that others share my excitement!
TWITTER SEARCH: “SeaWorld”
- iambrimful: Shamu, penguins & rollercoasters? We’re there! #mantamania! @tedmurphy – tweet to win a trip to Seaworld http://urlbrief.com/b4e25e
There isn’t much conversation about SeaWorld Orlando on Twitter, but their marketing partnership with IZEA seems to have worked well, as nearly every tweet I found included the hashtag #mantamania, which enters those who post it into a contest to be one of the first to ride the new Manta roller coaster when it opens in May.
TWITTER SEARCH: “Six Flags”
- pphillip: Just posted a story on the abc2news website. 1500 seasonal jobs available at Six Flags. http://bit.ly/syVDv Hmmm, I wonder….
Most of the Twitter conversation about Six Flags is about their business and job hirings. Many Six Flags parks are seasonally open so it doesn’t surprise me that there isn’t much chatter right now about their rides.
- lizzardx: thanks six flags for offering me a job… cutting hair… in a six flags salon.
Here’s someone who seems happy about getting a job at Six Flags.
- KimberlyJarquin: I DO NOT want to apply at six flags…but i might just have to… D: man…
And here’s someone who isn’t so thrilled with the idea.
- ma800m: Six Flags Magic Mountain is a pretty good park. I took a picture of that coaster from that show Step by Step. http://twitpic.com/1innk
I never knew where the roller coaster from Step by Step’s intro was. Now I know. Thanks, Twitter!
TWITTER SEARCH: “King’s Island”
- Cincienquirer: A sign of the times? King’s Island has received twice as many job applications as this time last year: http://is.gd/jkuz
More theme park job discussion but this time it’s focused on the impact of our down economy.
- chucklasker: First Ride on Cincinnati King’s Island‘s new Diamondback roller coaster on auction for charity: http://bit.ly/INsm
Finally, a tweet about a ride outside of a major theme park!
TWITTER SEARCH: “Haunted Mansion” & “Space Mountain” (Ride names)
- RadioMaverick: Getting into the Haunted Mansion. http://twitpic.com/1k5a8
Many people post updates from inside theme parks, especially Disney parks, letting everyone following them know what ride they’re getting on or what they’ve enjoyed. Searching for specific ride names will often also result in pictures posted from the parks that make anyone sitting at a computer viewing them jealous of the people who uploaded them.
- whyshiroma: Through some mishap we rode Space Mountain twice in a row without leaving our seats. The roller coaster gods are smiling upon us.
And sometimes updates from the theme parks simply involve fun and unique little stories.
TWITTER SEARCH: “twitpic” + Something theme park-related
The most fun search on Twitter is to use the term “twitpic” along with any other key word or phrase. In this case, “twitpic” combined with something theme park-related often yields great pictures.
- FitHCky: Downtown Disney stop http://twitpic.com/1kk43
- AlexCox: Ladies and gentlemen…I present…the Disney utilidors! (yup I took an illegal picture on our tour…) http://twitpic.com/1iw0q
- jonmx: Space Mountain! My fav besides Splash. http://twitpic.com/1hzu8
- perfectporridge: http://twitpic.com/1kk1x – Shamu!
- Route66Guy: http://twitpic.com/19aa7 – Caught the Blues Brothers show at Universal Studios Orlando.
While many consider Twitter to be a complete time-waster, it’s clear that it can also be a wonderful way to escape reality for a little while and live vicariously through other people’s comments, pictures, and stories. When those elements involve a theme park, I think it makes the escape all that much more enjoyable.
Are you on Twitter? Do you tweet about theme parks? Post your Twitter name in the comments!
Tweet
I twitter all the time from the parks, add me on Twitter: @kryptonlogic.
Was there last week, weather was spectacular (coming from New England) and tweeted a few messages and pics. @joescinto on Twitter.
I have to admit however, sometimes I had to just tell myself to put down the internet and just have the fun. :D
I abuse twitter.. I even tweet when I’m on the air at the college radio station. I always tweet when im at a park or going somewhere. @figment1986
hehe, Fun to see that I made it into one of your posts!
And agreed: Twitter is a GREAT time-waster!
I also abuse twitter, but not as much as I would like. I wish that I could also send pictures via my phone from when I am inside a park, but I can only send updates. @disneymaniac
Twitter Search Holiday World:
HolidayWorld: Email from Korey & Chad (Gravity Group) in China, working: We were in downtown Shanghai & bumped into someone with a Holiday World T-shirt.
realdesign: Sketching for Holiday World’s web site…
NOT enough tweets about Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in the Twitternets. I love the idea of this independent theme park in Santa Claus, Indiana.
BJ
We are moving to Key West,FL in June and plan on going to WDW for the first time on the way down. I plan on using Twitter to cover the entire trip, with pictures. Twitter.com/themortis
Someone setup a website at http://www.twisney.com that allows you to tweet your location in Disney parks and the site will then place it on a map. You can also submit queue wait times via the web.
Here are the tweets I sent from back in December: http://www.twisney.com/kevinwelch/
I’m @KevinWelch on twitter.
Great post, Ricky!
I tweet when I’m able to visit the parks, but like Joe said, I have to be careful not to tweet too much so that I don’t lose track of my time in the park or make my companions feel like they’re being ignored.
@EchoFifth
I don’t think I was on twitter back when I went to the parks last year. That may have been a fun experiment.
@scooterb23 if you want my sporadic ramblings.
I often Twitter from the parks on our magazine’s Twitter (@attractions) and my personal (@mattboom). But I think my most interesting Tweets with pictures were recently from the cruise ship I was on (@cruiseguide). I wonder when the first Tweet from space will happen.
twitter user name is ukthemeparks
Calculating Amusement Park Wait Times via Twitter…
As Web Watch asked in our DISNEYLAND PARK PLANNER iPHONE APPLICATION article a few weeks ago:
“One would only hope that they’ll follow this up with appropriate apps for Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySEA, Universal Studios Hollyw…
It is good that we still have these kinds of venue to escape the harsh realities of life. The problem is the time…there is just so little with so much to do.
Yes, what can I say. Apparently there are other opinions, too.