US 20060293,103A1 (19) United States (2) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2006/0293103 A1 Mendelsohn (43) Pub. Date: Dec. 28, 2006 (54) PARTICIPANT INTERACTION WITH Publication Classification ENTERTAINMENT IN REAL AND VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS (51) Int. Cl. G06F IQ/00 (2006.01) (52) U.S. Cl. … 463/42 (76) Inventor: Seth Mendelsohn, Tustin, CA (US) (57) ABSTRACT A system of interaction between an electronic theme park Correspondence Address: experience and live theme park interaction and activity earns THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY rewards. The interaction permits for rewards earned in the C/O GREENBERG TRAURIG LLP electronic theme park experience to be redeemed in the live 2450 COLORADO AVENUE SUITE 400E theme park experience and vice versa. The electronic theme SANTA MONICA, CA 90404 (US) park and live activity are interactive in real or delayed time through an Internet connection. Activities on one or both of the live and electronic formats are designed to drive (21) Appl. No.: 11/165,772 increased player visiting of the live and/or electronic ver sions. The Virtual Magic Kingdom is a virtual version of Disney’s theme parks, specifically the “Magic Kingdom” (22) Filed: Jun. 24, 2005 portion of the theme parks. ADVENTURELAND HONTIERLAND FANTASYLAND TOMORROWLAND ºnsº TEEEE|TD | FANTASYLAND O CJ © TOMORROWLAND GAME SHORTCUTS PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN jö?üt E CRUISE P??ó?G SAFAR; CASTLE FIREWORKS STREET PARTY MUSIC [] ADVANCED MODE Patent Application Publication Dec. 28, 2006 Sheet 1 of 6 US 2006/02931.03 A1 S?/01/18/}}}[SIC] SIMIOd SE/SW/97/WG 772/[WHO 7/MOL10/W|0}}d ?E??/8/1707 Patent Application Publication Dec. 28, 2006 Sheet 2 of 6 US 2006/02931.03 A1 Preferences * ETE MY SIGNATURE ADVENTURELAND FRONTIERLAND FANTASYLAND TOMORROWLAND ºnstät Tüßl TD FANTASYLAND %|IHºº c - TOMORROWLAND [] ADVANCED MODE Patent Application Publication Dec. 28, 2006 Sheet 3 of 6 US 2006/02931.03 A1 ADVENTURELAND | FRONTIERLAND FANTASYLAND TOMORROWLAND MAINSTREET |GESIRCONS |XIG) Shrunken Ned's Shop Pirates of the Caribbean Tiki Tiki Tiki Elephant Island Bathing Pool Forbidden Temple Explorer's Tent H Game instructions Skipper your boat through a remote forest, looking for new critters, as they pop in and out of view. Be quick with your camera to get the "perfect shot" before they disappear, And keep an eye on your Gas-your cruise is over as soon as you run out. FIG. 5 HIGH SCORES Patent Application Publication Dec. 28, 2006 Sheet 4 of 6 US 2006/02931.03 A1 FIG. 6 D P Willyou be my fiel [T] [-][12< Patent Application Publication Dec. 28, 2006 Sheet 5 of 6 US 2006/02931.03 A1 G) Hidden Mickey (3) HUNT FOR HDDEN MICKEYS Look closely as you walk around the Virtual Magic Kingdom. It's not your imagination—that is Mickey Mouse you're HIDDEN Mickeysseeing! Discover(silhouettes Hidden of M ICKEY Mickey Mouse's head) in QUEST the Hidden Mickey Quest and take a snap with F.IG 8 winyour exclusive in-game VMKcamera loot. to Check in here at VMK Central to see how many you've found. You haven't found any Hidden Mickeys yet [QUESIDIART] Shopping ROOMS "It's a small world" imports Fantasyland ltems Furniture Aladdin's Flying Carpet Chair Color Blue 150 Credit YoUR CREDIT FIG 9 Patent Application Publication Dec. 28, 2006 Sheet 6 of 6 US 2006/02931.03 A1 X Guest ROOmS C POPULAR GUEST ROOMS FRIENDS ROOMS OWN ROOMS $3???? The Ultimate Game Room- Open! Q? ºff ºf skull Rock $3° ºff The Perfect Model F.I 1 0 $39% who wants to be Disney Expert G * $3% VMK Top Model- open Q??? Haunted Mansion Guest Room Pin **** Disneyland Question Game $3% Chile Cafe- help wanted OWNER: DESCRIPTION: FIG 11 Click on a friend to see more US 2006/0293,103 A1 Dec. 28, 2006 Madame Leota crystal Ball head. She tells t that we can [0168] Park Pass Codes make our own versions of the rides by collecting props and [0169] When visiting the Disney theme parks (and possi teleporting from one room to the next in ride vehicles. With bly through other means), people can get alphanumeric that, the host says, “Follow the leader” and steps inside one codes, which can be redeemed against something of value in of many Mansion-themed vehicles that conned to the His the VMK. The code can be part of a park ticket, a Fast Pass, next room that’s a Habbo homage to the familiar Grand a special VMK print slip, a shop receipt etc. The something Ballroom scene from the tide. of value can be a combination of VMK Credits, VMK Charms, Some VMK status indicator such as “Born in park” [0158] 5. Tour of a Fantasyland Gardens public space. To signifier. The code itself is a unique identifier of a transac show guests yet another way to navigate, the walking-tour tion, which can contain the objects mentioned above. The continues through doorways that connect these 3 consecu information about the contents of the codes is owned and tive screens. Along the way we see a series of character meet controlled by Disney. ºn greets and In each instance the host shows us different ways of saying hello: [0170] When a user wants to redeem a code, the game engine contacts a Disney API and requests a list of actual [0159] 6. Alice In the Tea-Cup room and the host quickly contents of the code. The preferred standard for the integra types a greeting in the chat window. tion is XML-RPC. The call to Disney will include the SWID of the user who is requesting the code and the code. [0160] 7. Dumbo fly by and the host shows everyone how [0171] The reply from Disney can be 1. A list of objects to Wave and/or statuses that should be given to the user. 2. Message [0161] 8. Belle dancing and everyone Joins In, then holds Indicating there was a non-fatal error in redeeming the code, up an emoticon for how they’re feeling so far such as for example the code has already been redeemed or that the user has exceeded a limit of how many codes can be [0162] 9. Tour of the Emporium on Main St. The host redeemed. 3. Message indicating there was a fatal error in introduces the Idea of virtual shopping by showcasing pins, processing the redemption and that the user should try again charms and furniture in different parts of the store. The host later. There is a List of identifiers for the credits, charms and informs the participants they w be rewarded at the end of the other statuses, which is used to compose the reply message. show with credits, which they can use to shop at home. [0172] Statistical information can be on a monthly basis detailing for instance player characteristics, number of [0163] 10. Multiplayer finale game in one of the following unique characters (daily, weekly, monthly), from parks & locations (sequencing these throughout the day). Breaking which park, from outside parks, Geographical Location— into multiple rooms to play against at-home players where Country, ZIP code, total number of characters, average necessary. length of time onsite, popularity of public spaces, most popular spaces, least popular spaces, popularity of multi [0164] In-Park Special Features player games, etc. [0165] The VMK players who log onto the game in the [0173] Billboards park will have the following “special” abilities. Magic effects will be available to the in-park users one release [0174] The public spaces of VMK can contain a billboard, before they become available to home users. The in-park which can load a non-animated GIF file over http from a web users automatically gain access to all magic effects when server and display the contents of the image on the billboard. they log on in the park. In the first release of the game, the The images are prepared to match the size and shape of the home users wont have access to magic at all—the magic is billboard. restricted to in-park players only. With the second release, [0175] The back end tools of VMK allow the system the home users can possess the first five magic effects and administrators to change the URL from which each space the In-park players will gain access to the next five effects. loads the image, which is then displayed to all users who If a multiplayer game which has multiple levels, is started In come to the space. The back end tools also allow for tracking the park, the In-park player who starts the game have access of the performance of billboards, i.e. impressions and click to a level which isn’t available to the borne users. Since thru rates. these games undoubtedly are very popular, the only way to guarantee immediate access to such a game will be to visit [0176] Teaser Site can Include Different Features. the park. In addition to the above features, the DLR and [0177] Avatar builder with a functional avatar builder The WDW spaces (may not be Innovations at WDW). Which is teaser site links to the Disney Global Registration process, built in the park, could have a feature about upcoming which allows the users to create a Disney, account. After the features of the game. account creation, the users are directed to the Avatar Builder which allows the user to create an avatar which is then [0166] In-Park Registration linked to the Disney provided Global Registration SWID. [0167] The in-park spaces where VMK can be played The users are then are notified of the opening of the VMK include computers meant for registering a new character in and are able to use their registered accounts and the linked VMK.