This past weekend, “The Little Mermaid” hit the big — and now the little — screen.
The 1989 classic was re-released as “Disney Second Screen Live: The Little Mermaid” in some theaters bundled with an interactive iPad app.
Playing nautical games, competing with other audience members and participating in a group singalong on the Apple product provide interaction between big screen and moviegoers.
Bruce Floyd, UF’s social media specialist, said customers may accept the concept if they come in expecting bright lights.
“A movie theater, in a general sense, should not be a place for glowing phones and other devices’ screens,” he said. “But a unique experience like this where people are informed of technology being used and they choose to go there … there’s no problem with it.”
Michael Condra, a 23-year-old UF history junior, said he would never like to sit in for an interactive thematic experience.
“I think it would be a distraction,” he said. “When someone receives a text or a call and their screen lights up in a regular movie showing I get annoyed.”
Lyndsey Peck, a 21-year-old UF political science senior, felt similarly.
“This is depriving kids of the ability to enjoy movies the way my generation did,” she said. “The movies should be a family event.”
Floyd said he expects the concept to take off.
“I think that with the multiplexes that we have, and the summer winding down, theaters are looking for any opportunity they can to bring in customers,” he said.
A version of this story ran on page 9 on 9/17/2013 under the headline "Disney classics team up with iPad"
