Disney World Emphasizes New Technology
Friday May 6, 5:44 pm ET
By Mike Schneider, Associated Press Writer
Disney World Emphasizes New Technology, Over New Rides, to Offer Personal Touch
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) -- Visitors to Walt Disney World may soon be greeted by "Happy Birthday" or "Happy Anniversary" under plans to use technology to create a personal touch or improve efficiency.
Walt Disney World this week unveiled a host of new attractions, many copied from other Disney parks, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the company's first foray into the theme park business. Absent, though, were announcements on new big-ticket attractions for the future -- usually a staple of media events held at the Florida resort for such celebrations.
"You're going to see us have traditional growth ... adding new shows, new attractions and new lands into our parks," said Al Weiss, president of Walt Disney Co.'s Disney World unit, said on Friday. "But we're going to look at technology as a way to continue to grow our business."
Some of that technology has taken the form of gathering voluntary information for a database on visitors so that a vacation plan can be tailored for their tastes when they call the Disney World reservation phone line.
During the past five years, Disney World has introduced a wide range of technological innovations, such as the popular FASTPASS computerized system, which issues tickets indicating a window of time when visitors can go to a ride with little or no wait. And starting this month, the resort will offer a baggage-pickup service that lets visitors on domestic flights, who are staying at Disney hotels, bypass waiting at the luggage carousel at Orlando International Airport.
Disney also plans to use a global tracking system that can keep tabs on where its buses are on the resort property in a move that could save visitors time and streamline the service.
"You're going to see us continue those advances, and that's what the landscape is going to look like in the future," Weiss said.
The new attractions that debuted this week at Walt Disney World include a motorsports stunt show at Disney-MGM Studios that originated at Disneyland Paris; a ride at Epcot that simulates hang gliding over California, copied from Disney's California Adventure park; a musical show at the Magic Kingdom that recreates Cinderella's coronation, imported from Tokyo Disneyland; and an animatronic dinosaur that roams Animal Kingdom.
Disney World's next big-ticket ride will be Expedition Everest, a 200-foot tall, mountain-themed roller coaster ride scheduled to open next year at Animal Kingdom.
Friday May 6, 5:44 pm ET
By Mike Schneider, Associated Press Writer
Disney World Emphasizes New Technology, Over New Rides, to Offer Personal Touch
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) -- Visitors to Walt Disney World may soon be greeted by "Happy Birthday" or "Happy Anniversary" under plans to use technology to create a personal touch or improve efficiency.
Walt Disney World this week unveiled a host of new attractions, many copied from other Disney parks, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the company's first foray into the theme park business. Absent, though, were announcements on new big-ticket attractions for the future -- usually a staple of media events held at the Florida resort for such celebrations.
"You're going to see us have traditional growth ... adding new shows, new attractions and new lands into our parks," said Al Weiss, president of Walt Disney Co.'s Disney World unit, said on Friday. "But we're going to look at technology as a way to continue to grow our business."
Some of that technology has taken the form of gathering voluntary information for a database on visitors so that a vacation plan can be tailored for their tastes when they call the Disney World reservation phone line.
During the past five years, Disney World has introduced a wide range of technological innovations, such as the popular FASTPASS computerized system, which issues tickets indicating a window of time when visitors can go to a ride with little or no wait. And starting this month, the resort will offer a baggage-pickup service that lets visitors on domestic flights, who are staying at Disney hotels, bypass waiting at the luggage carousel at Orlando International Airport.
Disney also plans to use a global tracking system that can keep tabs on where its buses are on the resort property in a move that could save visitors time and streamline the service.
"You're going to see us continue those advances, and that's what the landscape is going to look like in the future," Weiss said.
The new attractions that debuted this week at Walt Disney World include a motorsports stunt show at Disney-MGM Studios that originated at Disneyland Paris; a ride at Epcot that simulates hang gliding over California, copied from Disney's California Adventure park; a musical show at the Magic Kingdom that recreates Cinderella's coronation, imported from Tokyo Disneyland; and an animatronic dinosaur that roams Animal Kingdom.
Disney World's next big-ticket ride will be Expedition Everest, a 200-foot tall, mountain-themed roller coaster ride scheduled to open next year at Animal Kingdom.
