The Nintendo DS is one hell of a portable machine, and it seems like the limits of Nintendo's Little Portable That Could have yet to be discovered.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that the Imagineers at Walt Disney World have started a beta test which would utilize the Nintendo DS as an interactive tour guide, map, and GPS device.  Disney has previously experimented with toys that would make park navigation easier, but the transition into the Nintendo DS is a true surprise.

The Nintendo DS tour guide always shows you where you're located within a particular park in a GPS-style fashion, and can provide you with accurate directions to any of the park's attractions, help you find the nearest bathroom, and even show you which park attractions have the shortest lines, no matter where you are in the park.  Once the Disney DS program is completed and rolled out, the interactive DS guide will also offer features such as bevy of games to entertain both adults and kids while waiting in lines (including some games which are specific to each ride's line), lists of Disney characters currently appearing within the park, and where to find particular photo opportunities.

It's not yet clear if Disney will offer these enhanced DS units for rental or purchase.  Unfortunately, though, you won't be able to bring your own DS. 

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Crazy_Colombiano said:

awwwww no my own ds thas dumb oh well looks cool

January 22, 2008

KING JIMBOB said:

looks cool

January 22, 2008

Atomic#47 said:

I was into it until the last sentence. Just 1 more extra to pay for after lunch with Cinderella in her castle (for my daughter)...

January 22, 2008

JoeSetsFire said:

Good idea

January 22, 2008

Jobeth66 said:

This is incredibly cool! I'd rather have it for my own DS, but well...it is Disney, after all. I'm willing to bet they do rentals and not purchases, though - mainly because when they need to be updated, it'll be easier if they don't have to do it piecemeal as people come back to the parks. Of course, a Disney-branded DS for sale would be hugely popular, too, and would command a higher-than-DS-retail sale price. So maybe they'll go both routes.

January 22, 2008