Mickey Mouse has your number

Disney's wireless service debuts early next year at Epcot in Walt Disney World Resort in Florida at the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure. Initially, visitors will receive a hand-held device, dubbed a "Kimmunicator," which they will use as they travel throughout the park, searching for clues and solving puzzles as they help the Disney Channel animated sleuth on her mission to save the world. Over time, park visitors will be able to use their phones to find shows, restaurants and Disney characters inside the parks, and get instant information about wait times.

Charles Golvin, an analyst at Forrester Research, said location-sensitive applications like the one Disney and Verizon are planning are considered the next wave of marketing and advertising. And consumers are willing to surrender some of their personal privacy in exchange for receiving something of value.

"What's most important for the park operator is to be extremely transparent, to say, "This is what we're using your location for and we're not using it for anything else," Golvin said.

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dawn.chmielewski @latimes.com