O'Sentinel - NextGen - 1/17/10

[techgeek]

Personal privacy hasn't existed to any great extent for years. Credit card companies know what you spend and where, as do banks. Your movements can be tracked to a certain extent by ubiquitous surveillance cameras. Having an RFID chip that identifies me to a ride and offers "personalization" within the experience or being able to charge purchases seamlessly is the least of my privacy worries. Living "off the grid" may seem vitally important to some, but I neither care nor worry about it. I'd rather have an RFID implanted that can contain every single piece of information about me, all my credit cards and my various and sundry Government-issued ID including my Passport than carry all that crap around with me constantly at the risk of being lost or stolen, let alone having to sort through it all to find the currently required one. As long as only those who need to see specific bits of the data have access to it, why would I care if it's all in the same chip?

I'll take whatever Disney develops and use it to my advantage in whatever way I can.

Yes, there is a LOT of our information out there. No one is worried about it much right now, because for the most part the holders of that information keep it very close, and benefit from it in ways that keep the individual data producers (you and me) mostly anonymous. The information from a cashless theme park pales in comparison to the amount of information Wal-Mart, your ISP, cell provider and financial providers have on you. You're right.

One thing I find interesting about this is that it could be the 'public debut' of this kind of information tracking. Don't think that other companies won't be watching. If the general public's reaction is a collective shrug, then that's a green light for Wal-Mart to start having the plasma TV at the door talk to you by name, and tell you about the great price on a DVD you might like. Or for my ISP to sell off my web surfing preferences to a direct mail company. Or for your cell provider to send you a text message to check out the great pizzeria two streets over from where you are right now. Where exactly do you, and do we as a society draw that line? Most would say it's ok for that information to be available if we seek it out, but at what point does it become allowable for them to push it to us?

Maybe only while we're in a theme park?

What if you leave your RFID theme park ticket in your wallet after your vacation, and it starts interacting with a kiosk down at Wal-Mart?

I'm sure there are very good honest imagineering applications for the technology. I'm not worried about what the creative types are going to do with the information. I find it very hard to believe that this kind of money is being spent for you to 'use it to your advantage', and for 'good show'. This comes down to being able to track and maximize guest spending, improve the bottom line, and produce more profit.

 

[ttalovebug]

Your comment is completely unjustified, considering how controversial this project actually sounds.

Seriously, a lot of people are concerned with privacy today. I don't like the prospect of Disney stalking me so they can call my phone and tell me to spend money on a sit down meal. And I haven't been a fan of Disney's "interactive screen" experiences like Turtle Talk, MILF, or even TSMM, so I'd rather have some incredible additions to the parks, as opposed to Donald saying hi to me.

Furthermore, I hate super-planning. I prefer to be spontaneous - for example, I decide which park I'm going to when I wake up in the morning, or while waiting to see which bus comes first. If Disney created a system where you could reserve ride times in advance, I would never be able to ride my favorite attractions again.

We're not just being negative. This project sounds seriously controversial, and while it could "enhance the guest experience" for some people (aka so they spend more money), it will harm the experience for others. Especially those who are spontaneous, like to have privacy, or would rather have better rides then characters addressing us by name.

My thoughts exactly. With that amount of money there's bound to be some impressive stuff (one would hope :lookaroun), but I would rather TDO use that kind of money to solve problems, not potentially create new ones. There's just so much work to do be done elsewhere. I guess I just don't have a lot of faith that projects, even ones that sound fantastic, are done correctly in FL.

 

[T-1MILLION]

Just saying it because it is what I feel but...

I would rather Disney be Disney and instead of give a bit different show to Jimmy because his name is Jimmy or a random water effect going off. Instead of having random gimmicks and guest trackers, how about just going the way it is supposed to be and giving everyone the best show they possibly can?

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Misplaced confidence, perhaps?

The chatter has quieted considerably, which usually means something is about to happen (hey, is that shoes dropping? ... I hope they're designer!)

I do think there are some troubling security issues with this technology. Just like I don't feel I should have to give Disney any info (let alone the song and dance they put you through) just to get a rate quote on say WL for 2/22 for six nights with an AP discount.

This is the culmination of what began with FastPass and Pal Mickey and Magic Your Way and Destination Disney.

It's a way for Disney to either craft a magical WDW vacation for your family based on your preferences OR for them to control ever aspect of your visit by almost tracking you like a dog around property and monitoring everything from spending to what attractions you go on to what you eat and when etc ... I do believe the USA/DVCer AP has some part of this too.

What I'm waiting to hear is the ONE HUGE thing that will make fanbois foam with glee ... that's the big unknown ... or is it?

I don't think that you are wrong about the controlling aspect, but I DO think that it won't be the main proponent of it. I think it will be more park based than just resorts/tracking.

And from what I understand it will be foamfull. Or Foamy. You choose. :lol:

 

[jt04]

It's the 1.5 billion that bothers me. New technology is always most expensive in the early roll out and testing. Then the costs rapidly decline. Let someone else (Vegas?) pioneer the tech. Disney should build attractions and expand the existing parks if they have that much cash to spend. IMO of course.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

It's the 1.5 billion that bothers me. New technology is always most expensive in the early roll out and testing. Then the costs rapidly decline. Let someone else (Vegas?) pioneer the tech. Disney should build attractions and expand the existing parks if they have that much cash to spend. IMO of course.

While I would usually agree here, I'd just like to point out that I think the 1.5 Bil. is a CUMULATIVE cost. It's been in production for a fair amount of years now. Not saying that that decreases the amount by any means, but it IS a indication on how big this project is.

And perhaps it's implications, too.

 

[Ciciwoowoo]

I would be curious to know if the budgeted figure included the cost to upgrade every ride to interact with this new technology. If so, it would make more sense to me.

Also, I would imagine that if Disney does develop some new techniques for application of this technology, they could be potentially licensed and sold to other companies, raising some revenue for their initial investment. The development of a canned system that could be sold to companies around the world, perhaps?

 

[jt04]

While I would usually agree here, I'd just like to point out that I think the 1.5 Bil. is a CUMULATIVE cost. It's been in production for a fair amount of years now. Not saying that that decreases the amount by any means, but it IS a indication on how big this project is.

And perhaps it's implications, too.

I would be curious to know if the budgeted figure included the cost to upgrade every ride to interact with this new technology. If so, it would make more sense to me.

Also, I would imagine that if Disney does develop some new techniques for application of this technology, they could be potentially licensed and sold to other companies, raising some revenue for their initial investment. The development of a canned system that could be sold to companies around the world, perhaps?

This worries me. Why would something not broke need such sweeping expensive changes. I get this sick feeling all of WDW is going to be turned into some twist on the SSE decent. That is cutting edge technology too. I'm just not interested in some device that walks me through a pre-programmed day or one that allows me to grab a piece of merchandise and walk out of a store while my credit card is debited. Just not feelin' it. :shrug:

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

This worries me. Why would something not broke need such sweeping expensive changes. I get this sick feeling all of WDW is going to be turned into some twist on the SSE decent. That is cutting edge technology too. I'm just not interested in some device that walks me through a pre-programmed day or one that allows me to grab a piece of merchandise and walk out of a store while my credit card is debited. Just not feelin' it. :shrug:

There's MUCH more to it. And SSE isn't that cutting edge. Don't read THAT far into their PR.

I wasn't feeling it either, but after I've heard and seen a bit, I'm feeling a tad. Should be interesting when the whole thing comes out. I have a feeling we will have a big change with it.

 

[bellhop13]

put the billion back into the parks... I don't need the mouse knowing when I'm in the bathroom!

 

[StageFrenzy]

My little one would go completely nuts if Snow White or any of the seven dwarfs said her name as she got off of the ride. We would never hear the end of it! :lol:

E.T. has been doing that since 1990, he is kinda dwarfish.

 

[lebeau]

It's the 1.5 billion that bothers me. New technology is always most expensive in the early roll out and testing. Then the costs rapidly decline. Let someone else (Vegas?) pioneer the tech. Disney should build attractions and expand the existing parks if they have that much cash to spend. IMO of course.

Blasphemy.

If Walt hadn't been cremated, he'd be rolling over in his grave.

 

[raven]

I would be curious to know if the budgeted figure included the cost to upgrade every ride to interact with this new technology. If so, it would make more sense to me.

It's going to effect nearly every aspect of guests vacations, not just rides. This will mean a major overhaul all over the property and some very exciting things are planned. RFID is still new but many companies are using it. But the way Disney will be using the technology will be the first of it's kind and I expect many companies to try to follow suit in similar ways. And no, Disney won't be tracking your bathroom visits. :lol:

 

[Mr.EPCOT]

How much monorail track can we get with $1.5B?

(ducks and runs away)

More than enough...

*sigh*

 

[jt04]

I think the secrecy is because the people getting the money, jobs etc from this know that if word leaks out the fan community will give it a collective :snore::snore::snore::snore::snore::snore::snore:


I sense a potential major fail here that's all. :zipit:

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I think the secrecy is because the people getting the money, jobs etc from this know that if word leaks out the fan community will give it a collective :snore::snore::snore::snore::snore::snore::snore:


I sense a potential major fail here that's all. :zipit:

No, that's your own scent.


Usually, though, things are kept quiet, so that they build up. That's how Promotion works.

 

[WDW Vacationer]

How anyone could find a way to put a negative spin on this blows me away. This will customize, improve and evolutionize the theme park experience. Nothing negative about it.

 

[jt04]

No, that's your own scent.


Usually, though, things are kept quiet, so that they build up. That's how Promotion works.

Do you have any idea how much 1.5 billion is? I figured this would cost a tenth of that. And to do what, reconfigure the ride experience across property like they did SSE?

Oh no, something does not add up here. Not on the scale of 1.5 billion dollars! Supreme major fail potential.

 

[MousDad]

Franklin and MacPhee -so who reports to whom?

And yes, this 1.5B better be about experience and not extraction.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Do you have any idea how much 1.5 billion is? I figured this would cost a tenth of that. And to do what, reconfigure the ride experience across property like they did SSE?

Oh no, something does not add up here. Not on the scale of 1.5 billion dollars! Supreme major fail potential.

Of course I do...And so did I. But, apparently, the project is MUCH more expansive than SSE.

It is quite nice to see you waiting for proof, though.

Franklin and MacPhee -so who reports to whom?

And yes, this 1.5B better be about experience and not extraction.

I think MacPhee is the head of this.