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Next Gen Pal Mickey...
- Thread starter TheDScoop
- Start date
RogueHabit
Well-Known Member
It all sounds very interesting but, as someone mentioned, what about out of country visitors.
FL and WDW are the #1 holiday destination from the UK but very few people actually take their mobile with them. Why is this? Well here's a few reasons.
1. Extortionate international call costs. You pay something like £1.50 ($2.75) a minute to make or recieve a call PLUS call charges for outgoing calls.
2. You have to pay extra for Text Messages.
3. Two UK phones call each other in the US, your call is routed via the UK and you therefore pay 2 x £1.50 per minute plus call charges on that phonecall.........
4. CLID doesn't work as you're working via a roaming provider.
5. Many UK phones do not work in the US, dual band phones don't work, you need a tri-band phone to operate in the US.
FL and WDW are the #1 holiday destination from the UK but very few people actually take their mobile with them. Why is this? Well here's a few reasons.
1. Extortionate international call costs. You pay something like £1.50 ($2.75) a minute to make or recieve a call PLUS call charges for outgoing calls.
2. You have to pay extra for Text Messages.
3. Two UK phones call each other in the US, your call is routed via the UK and you therefore pay 2 x £1.50 per minute plus call charges on that phonecall.........
4. CLID doesn't work as you're working via a roaming provider.
5. Many UK phones do not work in the US, dual band phones don't work, you need a tri-band phone to operate in the US.
Gregory
New Member
Woah... Where do I begin?
First off, I've never seen Jim Hill wrong... He is usually pretty good about that... Al Lutz- I havn't read much of his work, but I know Jim doesn't seem to think he's all that good (though Jim only dislikes him because of his strong opinions- not because he doesn't have good sources... Jim said that Al Lutz has the best sources out of any site on the web)
And the Orlando Sentinal? I don't read that, as I don't live anywhere near Disney... but if I'm not mistaken, they are the first people to figure out WDW was coming to Orlando, and they were the first to officially report it...
And about other boards- why would that matter? What if TheDScoop posted it over at wdisneyw.com first, and someone then posted it here.. would that make it any less meaty? Just because its not WDWMagic doesn't mean its not credible... (though it does seem that WDWMagic does seem to have the most insiders...)
Raidermatt
Active Member
The DScoop is a "refugee" from another board. His sources are pretty good when it comes to the happenings at WDW, and generally, when he says something is happening or being discussed, it is.
I don't always agree with his interpretation of what the rumors/news "mean", but that's a different question, eh Scoop?
I have the Pal Mickey and pretty much use it for the jokes, as Scoop says most people do.
I don't have a problem with the wireless idea, in and of itself. I don't see it replacing printed maps or show schedules anytime in the next decade or so at least, so I'm not worried about that. If I don't like it, I won't have to use it. At best, WDW might be able to get away with printing fewer maps/schedules if they can get a lot of people to use the wireless service, but not that much. Even people who use the wirelss service will still pickup the printed stuff because its there, and because its a free souvenir.
My only problem with it is that I wonder if the investment could be better spent elsewhere.
I don't always agree with his interpretation of what the rumors/news "mean", but that's a different question, eh Scoop?
I have the Pal Mickey and pretty much use it for the jokes, as Scoop says most people do.
I don't have a problem with the wireless idea, in and of itself. I don't see it replacing printed maps or show schedules anytime in the next decade or so at least, so I'm not worried about that. If I don't like it, I won't have to use it. At best, WDW might be able to get away with printing fewer maps/schedules if they can get a lot of people to use the wireless service, but not that much. Even people who use the wirelss service will still pickup the printed stuff because its there, and because its a free souvenir.
My only problem with it is that I wonder if the investment could be better spent elsewhere.
MaxPower
Member
If it sounded like I was bashing Scoop, let me state that this was not my intention. On the contrary, I was attempting to commend, while conveying the idea that this board has gone through a recent dryspell of original (1st person sourced), big news/rumor.
Rather than just an anecdote about seeing some activity at wdw and providing conjecture (which i'm not saying that there's anything wrong with) or posting quotes from Jim Hill and the like, Scoop has provided us with some well fleshed out (hence the descriptor "meaty") news. I've not seen this in a while on this board.
And to make sure that no possible offense is made to anyone (most especially webmaster Steve), I'm also in no way saying that this board has become stale or that I don't appreciate any of the posts I've read in the News/Rumors section of late.
Gregory
New Member
I didn't think you were bashing Scoop... I just wanted to point out that WDWMagic isn't the only site that can be right... (You just made it sound like if it didn't originate here, it wasn't a credible rumor...)
And, I think that we can trust Scoop on this, too- it sounds logical, etc... And I agree- its rare that anyone has good news like this... I wasn't saying anything bad about this rumor, or Scoop...
Now that you explained it, I think I get what you mean...
Moustronaut
New Member
Yes. When you buy/rent one, a cast member will give Pal Mickey a head start with the latest information. Also it registers when that particular Pal Mickey was rented. When you return a rented one, they match up the electronic number in the Pal Mickey with their database to see how much to charge you.
They do all of this through Pal Mickey's IR sensor built into his nose.
As an interesting aside, they do all the interfacing through HP/Compaq Ipaqs with a custom Pal Mickey downloader application.
I have actually read this thread with interest, as a system which seems very similar to what you have described was introduced to Alton Towers in the Uk in 2002, however I don't think they did it for the same reasons (to save money) instead they did it to Make money, as they charged you £5 in order to use the service. The service didnt make it into the 2003 season (I never saw anyone actually buy it)
Basically you went to a vendor, handed over your cash, and they would take your mobile phone number, and then they would text you when it was your turn to ride three of their rides (it was Air, Nemesis and Submission for anyone who knows the park) You then went to the gate, showed the employee who would let you in the Virtual Queue entrance (Alton Tower's name for Fastpass (although this season they renamed it FastTrack... Rip OFF)) You also received Queue information at random intervals I believe (Dont know this for sure, like I was gonna pay £5 for this service LOL) and they texted you with promotions at certain restaurants, though from what I understand, they did it at Stupid times of the day when people dont actually want to eat!
Anyway, as I said above, the service was a totaly failure and didnt make it to 2003. Perhaps if Disney dont charge people for it like Alton Towers did, then it may be well used and may work out to be a very beneficial service, however as mentioned above, there would be a lot of obsticles, Alton Towers didnt have the problem with International roaming, as at a guess I would assumed 95% of their guests are from the Uk, Tri-Band phones arent all that common at the moment (though they are starting to appear more, my phone is now tri-band, though I wouldnt want to pay to receive text messages or phone calls telling me where to go in the park)
Colin
Basically you went to a vendor, handed over your cash, and they would take your mobile phone number, and then they would text you when it was your turn to ride three of their rides (it was Air, Nemesis and Submission for anyone who knows the park) You then went to the gate, showed the employee who would let you in the Virtual Queue entrance (Alton Tower's name for Fastpass (although this season they renamed it FastTrack... Rip OFF)) You also received Queue information at random intervals I believe (Dont know this for sure, like I was gonna pay £5 for this service LOL) and they texted you with promotions at certain restaurants, though from what I understand, they did it at Stupid times of the day when people dont actually want to eat!
Anyway, as I said above, the service was a totaly failure and didnt make it to 2003. Perhaps if Disney dont charge people for it like Alton Towers did, then it may be well used and may work out to be a very beneficial service, however as mentioned above, there would be a lot of obsticles, Alton Towers didnt have the problem with International roaming, as at a guess I would assumed 95% of their guests are from the Uk, Tri-Band phones arent all that common at the moment (though they are starting to appear more, my phone is now tri-band, though I wouldnt want to pay to receive text messages or phone calls telling me where to go in the park)
Colin
Testtrack321
Well-Known Member
I'm another Disboard refugee, so I know Scoop is VERY well informed. He knows a lot.
RogueHabit
Well-Known Member
I look at it this way. If I drop a map then I pick it up.
If I drop my cell phone, or worse my iPaq, then I'm looking at a potentially hefty repair bill.
And if I drop a map of a boat, I go pick up another one. Meanwhile Nokia or HP will be looking forward to getting their hands on your hard earned for your replacement.
Not against the idea, just pointing out the pitfalls.
If I drop my cell phone, or worse my iPaq, then I'm looking at a potentially hefty repair bill.
And if I drop a map of a boat, I go pick up another one. Meanwhile Nokia or HP will be looking forward to getting their hands on your hard earned for your replacement.
Not against the idea, just pointing out the pitfalls.