Just “checking-in” to Disney theme parks and resorts with your smart phone is a thing of the past.  In addition, visitors to Disney’s theme parks in the U.S. can now use their smart phones to earn digital versions of the parks’ popular pins and go on custom-designed tours.  This new technological initiative is part of a recent partnership between the Walt Disney Co. and Gowalla, one of a growing number of startups that lets users broadcast their location to friends and strangers using a phone application. By far the biggest among them is Facebook, whose Places feature lets users share where they are and get special deals and coupons from businesses for doing so.

As part of the Disney promotion, Gowalla has created custom trips its users can take as they make their way through Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California.  An example of how this benefits you the traveler is; families with kids “under 44 inches” at the Magic Kingdom in Florida are guided to “Mickey’s PhilharMagic,” Dumbo the Flying Elephant and Peter Pan’s Flight, among other attractions.  Trip advice, along with the ability to share photos, recommendations and trips you went on with friends, make Gowalla locations and places application great for graciously finding the right Disney accommodations.  Visitors will also be able to get more than 100 virtual passport stamps and pins using Gowalla when they visit the parks.

Staying at a Timeshare is a great option to save money while enjoying Disney