As the Disney brand continues to take steps toward mobile capabilities, through Magic Bands and various mobile applications, it also is aiming towards an increase of sales, given consumers’ increasing confidence in purchases made via mobile. To promote its Halloween Time and all the accompanying events to coincide with it, Disneyland is opening the doors for an increased volume of traffic.

“We’re happy to offer this mobile capability for the ease and convenience of our guests,” said Michele Himmelberg, public relations director at Disneyland Resort, Anaheim. “They can use the mobile device of their choice to complete their entire transaction, from purchasing tickets to entering our parks.”

Riding on mobile
Magic Band wearables have attracted frequent Disney World visitors as well as Disney movie viewers have responded well to mobile app Disney Movies Anywhere.

While Magic Bands are offered to attendees at Orlando, Fla.’s Walt Disney World theme park, they are not currently offered at Anaheim, Calif.’s Disneyland.

For Disneyland’s Halloween Time, which began September 12 and goes through October 31, the theme park is rewarding visitors who book in advance via mobile for certain dates. Tickets purchased at the gate on the day of the event will cost $70, but tickets cost $63 when purchased ahead of time via mobile or desktop.

Users can visit Disneyland.com/party on their mobile devices and will be met with mobile optimized screens. The price for these tickets are displayed in large-sized font with a clear icon labeled “Purchase tickets.”

The homepage includes detailed information about the event’s offerings.

Users can select the number of tickets they wish to buy and select a date using a monthly calendar that is provided. The calendar is clearly marked, as available dates are colored blue and unavailable dates are white. The date selected in highlighted green.

There is also a link available to annual pass holders for easy log in.

Users can continue to scroll down and select “Checkout” once completed and are then requested to log in or create an account.

Disney directs customers to additional links to book hotels, theme park tickets, annual passes, special events and parking.

Increasing sales
Entertainment commodities have geared their efforts toward mobile ticketing to attract mobile device users, knowing that consumers are becoming more willing to make purchases via mobile.

In July, a company that bundles pre-paid admission tickets for top attractions in several cities around the country made plans to go mobile.

CityPass, a family-owned company based in Victor, ID, launched a test in Chicago through which customers can pick up their physical booklet of tickets using a voucher on their mobile phone. The plan was to eventually digitize the whole coupon booklet for mobile use, the company said (see story).

In June, Ferry operator New York Waterway updated its mobile ticketing application to make purchasing fares more seamless.

Since the app was released in January 2012, it has been downloaded 190,000 times. The app’s success and latest update point to the public transportation sector’s continued move toward a wider embrace of mobile ticketing (see story).

Mobile ticketing allows consumers to make purchases while they are on the go, giving brands more profitable opportunities given the ease of use.

“Mobile ticketing saves time, saves paper and is much more convenient for consumers,” said Paula Rosenblum, managing partner at Retail Systems Research, Miami. “It’s also harder to counterfeit.”

“Mobile ticketing doesn’t increase sales per se. What it does do is increase velocity In other words, you don’t necessarily see a direct correlation of mobile ticketing equaling more sales, but what you do see is similar to the rest of retailing, which is mobile ticketing equaling more convenience.

“More convenience equals more satisfied customers. More satisfied customers equals telling their friends, and then you get more sales.”

Ms. Rosenblum is not affiliated with Disney Land but agreed to comment as an industry expert.

Final Take
Caitlyn Bohannon is an editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York