SeaWorld San Antonio is connecting consumers with the theme park via a mobile application designed to enhance their visit.

The company debuted the application specifically for the San Antonio location, which claims to be the first park to create a park application. Among its several capabilities, the application offers GPS-guided directions inside the park.

?Foremost, the app is meant to enhance the park visit by offering up-to-the-minute info and enhanced wayfinding capabilities,? said Brian Carter, director of communications at SeaWorld San Antonio, San Antonio, TX.

?We think it'll be a big help for guests planning their visit to the park, too,? he said. ?Most of the promotion about the app will occur online and in-park.

?We've added it to our Web site, included it in e-newsletters, but we expect that most people will downloaded it in park once they've seen the app promoted on our signage and paper map.?

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment operates 10 parks across the United States, including SeaWorld parks in Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio.

Sea mobile app
Visitors can use the application to help navigate their way around the park.

In addition, users can search for what they want and the map will draw a highlighted route.

Users can stay connected via the application

Visitors can also use step-by-step directions to get the quickest routes to restaurants, animal habitats and restrooms. 

The application features information on showtimes, as well as wait times for roller coasters, water rides and waterparks.

?[There isn?t any monetization] at this time,? Mr. Carter said. ?Our focus so far has been about using the app to enhance the guest experience.

?Because this is our first park app, we'll take some time to see how our guests are using the app before we make changes in its scope,? he said.

Visitors can see ride wait times

Theme park features
The application features a park calendar with park hours, a camera that lets users take pictures without leaving the application, live weather forecasts, links and phone numbers to make reservations for tours and a link to the park?s conversation message and sites.

?In November, we'll be testing the Android version of the iPhone app,? Mr. Carter said. ?Once we release that app, we'll have an park apps on the nation's top two operating systems for smartphones.

?You can already check in to all of our shows, rides and attractions on Foursquare, but we want to do more to involve location-based services into our social media and mobile plans,? he said. ?Also in 2011, SeaWorld will strengthen its offerings in mobile Web.?