Cedar Point Mobile Site

Hi everyone. We're asking for your opinions on a little project.

We've produced a mobile web site that we're inviting you to beta test for us. This site is not yet public or advertised.

We'd like your opinions, thoughts and feedback on the entire site - from page layout to technical issues to positive notes. Please post your feedback in this thread. Obviously, we ask that you view the site on a cell phone. Even though it will work in a normal browser, we're looking for results from actual cell phone use (sorry, we won't reimburse you for minutes or data time used :)).

For those of you with the iPhone, you'll notice that it's optimized for you, too.

m.cedarpoint.com

Happy surfing! And thanks in advance for your feedback.

Tony,

Seems to work pretty well. I'm not exactly sure I like how the map functionality is (Although, I can't think of anything super awesome off the top of my head to do it better)

Webcams are a good touch.

What is the target audience exactly? People in the park already or just people coming to the park who just use their phones for everything? If the primary visitor is supposed to be someone in the park, you might consider better placing things like show times and hours and weather forecasts. Just a thought.

Ideally, you'd use this site in the park. It's a work in progress that will likely morph as we add new features.

Works pretty good on Blackberry.

The map didn't really work though, I had to use the links at the top of the page rather than the keypad because the Blackberry browser was over-riding it.

I agree with Ben, the webcams are a good touch, and a quicklink off the front page for all the live-e shows and times would be great.

I could see this working well for getting wait times if you ever automate the system.

Morph = mobile wait times! ;)

I already talked to Jeff P. about my suggestions but I'll add that it's very easily navigated and pretty simple in order for it to be compatible with all cellular phone wap browsers.

I'd suggest maybe after this is ironed out maybe making a more intense mobile version for pda's and such.

This seems to be working very well on my Blackberry 8830. I will dig around the menus a little more tonight, but everything I went to so far is quick and nicely formatted.

Also, I am utilizing Blackberry’s internal browser 4.2.2 in case you are tracking the browser versions for testing.

Yeah I did forget to let Jeff know that I'm using Blackberry's new 4.5 browser.

It does work very well on my 8310.

As John said, the zoom features do not work with the number shortcuts on the map.

How about making a GPS program with coordinates for all of the major rides, restrooms, smoking areas and restaurants? I know, I'm thinking a little too far out of the box but what the heck. :)

Also, from the main page you can click on "At the Park" and it takes you to "In the Park", just nitpicking.

Using Blackberry 8310, with 4.2 browser.

Things are working smoothly for me. I really like the Find Near Me function!

This is a great start!! As others have said I would love wait times added to the functionality.

I really like this site. I know it is a beta but is there going to be a way to buy tickets or book hotel rooms? I see the ticket prices and daily hours and love that. Also the webcams look amazing and being able to see the weather is very nice. As mentioned before I had problems using the map functions (on an HTC Touch with Windows Mobile And Internet Explorer). Great start though I love it.

I can see using this on my iPhone on the way to the Point if I choose not to bring my laptop. Good work guys. :)

buying tickets on there would really be great. You could just have them scan the barcode on your phone's screen (I've heard of that working with airline tickets) and go into the point. That would be super convenient.

How about putting WIFI in the hotel rooms so we can use your site on property? I'm sorry but the lobby doesn't cut it.

I've been using this for a little bit now on my Palm Centro. Given Jeff P. plenty of feedback as well, and I can say that this is seriously awesome.

I've yet to play with the in-park features, but I'll be up on Thursday to give it a chance.

This is a great idea, it worked great on my Blackberry 8130, I'll try it out at the park Wed.

One thing I noticed is the pages are dark text on a white background, it should make it easy to read in the sun.

Works pretty good on the iPhone. Loads pretty quick, especially on EDGE which is important because ATT (and perhaps Verizon/Sprint too) don't have 3G coverage of the park.For some of the longer pages (Trip Tips, Special Access Info, ect) you have "Back to Top" links which are very tiny on the iPhone and hard to press. Also on those long pages, links at the top to some of the sections below would be useful. I don't want to drag through dozens of other sections to find out the Re-entry policy.The map doesn't work very well. A good idea (for the iPhone at least, I dont know how other phones handle images) might be to offer a very high def image of the map so I can drag and zoom around as I need it. But if you are going to keep it as you have it, being able to click on the map itself on the first page to zoom into a section would be the best.Overall, very good. Since your target is people already in the park make sure those features are featured (ie. first not last)

Jay McKinney said:
How about putting WIFI in the hotel rooms so we can use your site on property? I'm sorry but the lobby doesn't cut it.

I will second this one. This is the only place I cannot readily get wireless while paying over $200 a night for a room (I spent a lot more than that though). Not that I am trying to do work or anything while in the Breakers, but it would be nice to have for general web browsing I do in the evening or morning (mainly weather channel and a few news sites).

This past trip I had to drag my heavy a$$ IBM Stinkpad,because I have a Verizon Wireless card for it. This was running one bar at dial-up speed. I would have much rather of taken my MacBook Air and connected to an in-house wireless. I do have a USB to RJ-45 adapter for my Air, but there is no connection for that and I am not purchasing a USB to RJ-11 just for this trip to get dial-up (mainly, because I cannot roam to my balcony to view the lake and pool with it. I could, but I do not want to trip over a piece of cable to do it).

I can understand that running wireless through the park and Camper Village \ Lighthouse Point may be a little big for of an investment, but Sandcastle Suites and The Breakers should not be that hard and costly.

Back to the website... If the target audience is going to be mostly folks in the park then the "At the park" link definitely needs to be the top link.

And, it might be tough to do.. but some sort of real-time weather updates of rain/storms moving into the area. Radars on phone stink, and most people are really too stupid to read them anyway. This might take significant overhead, though, so might not be feasible.

I tried it out today, and it works well with my Palm Centro. The real time weather updates would be a good idea to put on there. One way that it might be accomplished is by putting a link to weather.com with Sandusky's zip code on the site. Good choice of background and text colors. I like the show times on there also. Nice job overall.

I could not find the ride status page. (may just be me though). Are there plans on having real time status of ride availability? I know it is hard to predict a downtime, but extended downtime may be helpful.

Aaron_toledo said:
I really like this site. I know it is a beta but is there going to be a way to buy tickets or book hotel rooms?

This was the first suggestion I made to the creator a week ago. The reservation process will be too involved for most mobile devices but I did suggest at least having a "Contact" page with all of the pertinent numbers such as reservations.

Yes, I realize the main number will get you to the switchboard but being able to directly dial reservation's number as well as any other places in teh park you're trying to reach cuts back on manpower.