Jamberoo's Smart Thinking By GREG ELLIS JAMBEROO Action Park is the first theme park in Australia to launch a smart-phone applocation to provide visitors with easier access to park and ticketing information. The move is seen as important to tapping into the western Sydney market. The app went live at Campbelltown Railway Station this week, along with the unveiling of a bus in Jamberoo Action Park livery. Park general manager Dax Eddy said 45 per cent of Jamberoo's business came from the western suburbs of Sydney, and the Illawarra tourist attraction wanted to make it as easy as possible to get information about the theme park. He said generally the business recognised a growing number of Australians enjoyed accessing information at their fingertips. Mr Eddy said the new app was designed to feature useful information that would help guests plan their visit. He said it included details on e-ticketing for quick purchasing and priority entry, an interactive park map that enables users to scroll around the park's facilities, connections to Jamberoo Action Park's social media sites including Facebook and Twitter, and general information including opening hours, location, contact details and directions. Mr Eddy said when visitors arrived at the park this summer they would also experience a more seamless entry process. He said Jamberoo was looking forward to another big holiday season before work started on the major Kangaroo Island expansion in 2012. Further information at www.jamberoo.net

From the 'Illawarra Mercury' on the 12/11/2011. Details on Jamberoo's smartphone app here: http://www.jamberoo....eroo-iphone-app Buy the Jamberoo Action Park smartphone app here: http://itunes.apple....54838?ls=1&mt=8 This is not an announcement of a new bus service from Campbelltown Railway Station to Jamberoo Action Park and return. A bus service has been running for some time and currently runs between Kiama Railway Station and Jamberoo Action Park. They have only announced that they have a bus that runs on the current bus service route which is totally decorated with Jamberoo Action Park marketing. A picture was provided in the 'Illawarra Mercury' article of the new bus but I cannot post it.

Edited November 12, 201114 yr by Jamberoo Fan

Personally, I think many of the iPhone apps produced by companies are absolute gimmicks, unless they are actually doing something with the functions of the phone. There is nothing described in the functions of the Jamberoo app that couldn't be achieved through a mobile version of the website. The advantage with that is that any brand of phone would be accessing the same information and functionality just as easily, and doesn't require the user to go to the effort of downloading and app, and having it sitting there for a one off/occasional visit. Things like the Woolworths app, which actually do stuff like scan barcodes using the camera, are good. But apps that basically replicate website, but with wanky apple style icon navigation, are shit. And in the poll, who the fuck voted for Yes, I'll download it but won't use it .?

Edited November 12, 201114 yr by Gazza

What if I don't think any park should follow with an app?

I could see there being a point with an app if it overlayed the park map into the Maps data, giving you an interactive park map on your phone. Go one further and set up a Q4U system on the phone, would reduce the cost of actual physical units to the park. Simply bill to the users iTunes account. If you wanted to get really fancy, you could work out a way to feed queue length data to the app - maybe make different coloured icons for the attraction - green is less than 10 minutes queue, yellow up to 40mins, red over 40mins. The app could send notifications to the phone when a show is on soon. Throw in in-park wifi like McDonalds have at their restaurants and your customers would love you for it.

^ Free wi-fi could mean more people tagging themselves at the park and uploading pics of them at the park onto Facebook and Twitter.

Since I agree with Gazza that using a portable website would allow more people to use the program and not just those with iPhones, I voted No and No I won't download. Therefore I don't believe any other parkz should do it. So why do I have to select a park I think should? Vote poll fail.