PDA at Test Track

jcrb

New Member
Original Poster
Last Friday PDA or Palm Pilots were at Test Track. The devices are at the end of the ride. In about 2 weeks the PDA will be distibuted in the lines.

- note the new PDA havea distuct time - if someone takes a PDA they have 2 hours and then all memory wipes out.

-this week security system will be added to them. Go into the gift shop and an alarm will occure.
 

Maria

New Member
Could you explain to me why are they giving them away for the day?

In 1999, they were giving those Motorola "mobileaccess" things (the ones that look like a mini laptop) to guests to send messages to them for when the Flower and Garden Seminars and events were to begin. I wonder why are they giving them to guests now, at Test Track... :veryconfu
 

Testtrack321

Well-Known Member
I tested them out this past Thursday. They are in covers and are Compac iPaq's. They have hard trivia on them about GM cars, concept cars, and other things. Very cool. Now they need to make it so when you walk up to an attraction, they will swich over to that attraction for trivia and other things.
 

Testtrack321

Well-Known Member
Test Track is the only one now, but Animal Kingdom had it a while ago for testing. They had about 48 of them and handing them out is probably a random thing.
 

Pioneer Hall

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by MKCustodial
They should this kind of stuff to provide subtitles or dubbing for international guests.

Actually they have started doing this. Somwhere they have little translators that work on rides. They are also good for the hearing impaired.
 

MKCustodial

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by Disney4648



Why give the advantage to Intl Guests?

Because they're the majority during peak seasons? :D

Besides, like DisneyInsider stated, it's also good for Guests with hearing disabilities.

And frankly, do you feel you'd be missing out on all the fun and magic if you don't have trivia questions about cars on your PDA? :p
 

MKCustodial

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by DisneyInsider


Actually they have started doing this. Somwhere they have little translators that work on rides. They are also good for the hearing impaired.

I read about this on the main page, but never saw further development on the subject. Does any CMs, like Tiggerman and Tyler, have any info on this?
 

Domboy

Member
One of the major issues with Disney is that you have to wait in queue for so long - and with kids etc getting very grumpy for standing in the heat etc something had to be done.

Along came FASTPASS which enabled guests to jump queues and experience more "magic" in a shorter space of time.

FASTPASS is increasing and I believe being enhanced. However, queues still maintain.

The use of a PDA will enable Disney to give families access to "online" material from areas like disney.com etc and thus keep the whole family happy.

In time it will probably also be able to track where customers go, what they do, how they do it and when. I woudl also assume they are not going to miss out on the ability to "upsell" with guests being able to make purchases of items for themselves and those away from WDW, book restaurants and also buy other premium services

I think I read somewhere that the future plan of Disney is that you turn up - say what you wnt to do - they system engineers your day including lunches and shopping etc and guides you from one ride to the next to minimise waiting time and thus maximise happy guests buying more and generating revenu

at least I think it was :)

but its a kewl idea and will only increase - thats why Compaq and Disney are really pushing together with their strategic partnership and not necessaily offering cash for the Mission:Space project - see another thread for that one :)

ta
x
 

Testtrack321

Well-Known Member
Lets see what I can dream up (puts token in DreamSeeker net)....

Hmmm....

Now Imagine What It Means
The World Around You Dreams
Like A Tapestry of DREAMS!

---====***WOSH!***====---

In the future, packages will be sent through beams of light......


I can see people renting a flat fee for one over a vacation. There will be built in GPS and 802.11b. When you check in at the hotel, you then receave one PDA or one for each family memeber. You then power them on, see your name (Hi Bob! Welcome do the Walt Disney World resort! I'll be your guide to to places that never were, what is happening now, and the dreams of the future! Come on! We have lots to do!) As we walk to our rooms, we pass a resturant. After posting your prefrences, the PDA tells you what they have and if they think you'll like it or not. When you arrive at your door, the PDA starts to play a magical song (When You Wish Upon A Star, perhaps?) and then you enter. The PDA Welcomes you and tells you a few things about your room. The TV channels will be displayed, and the PDA will use infared and it'll be your remote! The PDA also has phone numbers to other places and direct access to Guest Services and the Front Desk if you want more towels or another pillow. As you unpack, the PDA beeps and tells you that the MK parade begins in 2 hours, and if you hurry, you can see it. As you run off to MK, your PDA is thrown in your purse. It then shuts down and waits till it gets another signal. Then when it senses the MK signal of 802.11b, it turns on and off you go! As you enter, it tells you wich tunstile is least crowded. It tells you shoud get little Susie a stroller and a Magical Monets pin for the parade. As you rush off with a new stroler with a PDA holer and Suse's new pin, you position yourself along the parade route. As you wait for the parade, the PDA spits stuff at you, a blend of ADs geared for the family/person's taste and other triva, kinda like at the movies before a movie. As the parade begins, the PDA turns into entertainment mode. Music, stuff about the movies featured in the parde, and perodically lights to further break the boundaries of Disney magic.

When the parade ends, the PDA warns you that you haven't eaten today! There is an open spot at the Liberty Tree Inn in 30 mins if you want to go. You hit "OK" and off you go! Your priorty seating is already set and there you go.

When you arrive, the Libetry Inn welcomes you and they know you have arrived by the built in GPS. The menu is displayed as an option when the warning comes up (see above paragraph) and when you wait. You then order your drinks and food at the same time since you have already seen the menu. Since the menu is digitized, they don't have to print out tons of new menu's every few times. Now they can update daily or hourly if they want. As you exit, the PDA directs you to head over to the Haunted Manson, the wait is non exestant and they warn you of the "scare factor". You head over, loving your PDA to bits, you then ride. As you exit, you ride your own rides, but as you wait, the 802.11b kicks in and you can answer triva about the subject, the ride, or send an e-mail post card from that ride via-email (Just thinking of you before riding Space Mountain)! As you head around, the PDA informs you of a live show. You decline, but you say you would like to See/hear a portion of it. It then shows you a pre-made video with audio of what you missed for a wrap up. As you exit the park, it reminds you where you parked (life saver:D ) and then you go to bed for day 2....

Day 2 with more options at... Epcot....
 

Domboy

Member
Well blow me down - another technical person :)

I really do think it will revolutionise the way themed parks work and is ideal as a VIP value add or a resort additon

I guess they will originally start with VIP packages at the resorts.

But who else thinks this is a cool way to go :)
 

Kontra

Member
I've been wondering what those oversized pocket PC's were for. I saw a whole family with them while dining at the Canadian Steakhouse. I read about them somewhere on the Magic's website before. It would be nice if they could make them much slimmer. I've been looking into the pocket PC market for sometime now and an alternative to the iPaq could possibly be the Alorus' Vesna. This one has it all; wireless streaming video, internet, built in camera (take a picture of Spaceship Earth and instantly send it to your email, or check in on your house from inside WDW), cell phone, IrDA port (software is available to use this function as a universal remote), possibly GPS (I heard it might or may not have it), expandability slots (add a 1 GB micro drive flash card into the type 2 slot), and along with all standard features of a packet PC (games, mp3, software, ect.) it is still as slim as the iPaq when it's bare.

Of course I can see all these added features to a WDW vacation being beneficial, it seems like it would be less of a relaxing experience when your glued a 102 mm screen instead of the beautiful landscapes around you. I think I'd rather take myself around the parks and explore more spontaneously rather than having it all planned ahead in a computer. That's just my opinion though.
 

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