Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[71jason]

By saying that Uni is not better than WDW, you are likely to just start another argument...

Not if we all just count to 5 before posting and keep chanting our mantra ... "Obvious troll is obvious ... Obvious troll is obvious ..."

 

[PhotoDave219]

Just a quick thanks to all my friends here who have sent nice notes my way. Much appreciated.

I have something based on INTERNAL WDW Co docs that I wanted to get out and move the discussion back onto what Disney is doing in O-Town versus what UNI is doing. Naturally, it all relates to NGE (which has had Tom Staggs in town ... apparently, he had a heated discussion at the Grand Flo with another 'suit' who may well have been George, but that hasn't been confirmed yet and this stuff really isn.t quite as important to me right now as it normally would be).

Anyway, like many of us in the fan community (and those well outside of it but with a known interest), I've been on a Spirited search for any information on the massive commitment TWDC has made to the nebulous program we have come to know as "Disney's Next Generation Experience." And information I have found as Yoda (soon to be in a 3D spectacular!!!) would say.

It might conflict with what we've been led to believe, it might conflict with some insider information previously posted to this site (including my own) and it may well be that the 'final product' will be a patchwork of all of this combined with work no one is yet aware of.

I do want to reinforce that no one has been able to confirm the current expenditure for NGE. No one knows or will say. It might as well be a government program because you aren't going to find anyone, likely other than 3-4 people at the VERY top of Disney, who know the answer.

We Do know, from reliable sources and company releases, it exceeds $1.1 billion. Looking at the reconfiguring of certain budgets, the movement of monies, many folks believe the $2 billion mark was passed long ago now and the steady march toward $3 billion is inevitable. That's all probably accurate.

Now, we want Disney to invest in the parks, in tangible ways for the casual guest as well as us crazy fans. We want existing offerings maintained and new ones brought on line. Not just E-tickets, but the 'Disney' of Walt Disney World that was not so dated, not so stale, not so out of touch.

We are getting NGE. So, that's what I'm focusing my MAGICal time on right now.

Having said that,keep in mind, some of that NGE budget is going toward required improvements in both IT infrastructure and actual brick and mortar within the parks. No, not new attractions. The redos/renovations of queues, gift shops and window displays, food locations, doorways and door locks...and, yes, even MAGICal toilets (paging @TalkingHead) appear to have made their way into the NGE spend. Much has been speculated about this project, almost nothing has been confirmed beyond certain aspects of MM+ by Disney (mostly relating to FP+). and Disney, no doubt, prefers it that way.

Here's the problem: Disney is declaring publicly the opposite of what the aim/goal/mandate for NGE was and is.

Everything I've read, again from internal docs, about Disney's work on NGE is layered with terminology including data mining, machine learning, and advanced applications for all sorts of embedded systems. Those aren't my words. Those words come directly from NGE's master plan.Those are Disney's words.

Again, reread that.

In everything I have now reviewed, there's not merely an oppressive reliance on data but something more. There is, within the project, specific reference of the need to "overcome" line of sight deficiencies and the challenges of geolocation capture within large structures (i.e., anything from the Main Street's Emporium to EPCOT's Living with the Land biodomes).

ZigBee, in addition to everything else packed into those no-so-MAGICal-bands, is mentioned liberally. The absolute necessity for engineers to employ "mesh networks" and find "reliable methods to locate" parkgoers is emphasized. Whether this was accomplished isn't known, but - given the language - NGE relies heavily on this aspect.

A healthy portion of NGE references, unambiguously, the need to not just capture but exploit and warehouse data. (Both of those words are emphasized. To the point of making one's head nearly explode...and, let's face it, those are not friendly words. HINT: If you do not like the NSA spying, why would you think that it is OK for a for profit corp?)

The "venue" we regard as Walt Disney World is cited as allowing investigation into consumer behavior with "real-life guests and customers" (us) and, in particular, is touted as being 'the only place on the planet' that affords "unique investigations" of a scale and density to best exploit the convergence of technology with consumer behavior.

Now, limited as I may be in the technical aspects of some of this, and wanting as I might be to believe Disney has no interest in our specific behavior(s), some folks appear to be giving Disney a bit too much of that long ago squandered 'trust' as the project screams Big Data. And more.

There are entire coding 'departments' that appear to be focused on pulling stunningly specific data points from A BAND. No, not populations/patterns. From individuals. ID-based folios where minute-by-minute geolocation is coupled with all sorts of stuff. For example, from when you enter an attraction/building to when you exit...that's a given. But, that 'mesh' system designed for WDW seems intent on knowing exactly how your time was spent in that building.

And, of course, when you aren't actually 'hiding' in an attraction, shop or toilet stall. This stuff is referenced, folks. I guess, it appears, Disney wants to be on the forefront of this world without privacy thing. Understand, there is no knowing exactly what TWDC will be able to deliver. This is, however, what NGE was (is?) all about. Well, all of that and exploiting it for maximum profit - as the projects declares in the opening graf/outline of every piece of it I've been made privy to.

Looking at it, and some of the terminology (a fair amount, I admit, I do not have the required background to understand on a first or second read) that appears out of place in a for-profit company's planning and projects, I'm at a loss as to how this was ever designed to be a legit profit engine without the selling that data. From the start, I said that's what this was all about. I'm more convinced of that today that at any time since NGE began at Disney.

They want to know you, and your kids and -- really -- anyone and everyone, on an intimate level. They then want to turn that information into something else. At last check, I think it remains profit.

Holy S, yo.

 

[culturenthrills]

Just a quick thanks to all my friends here who have sent nice notes my way. Much appreciated.

I have something based on INTERNAL WDW Co docs that I wanted to get out and move the discussion back onto what Disney is doing in O-Town versus what UNI is doing. Naturally, it all relates to NGE (which has had Tom Staggs in town ... apparently, he had a heated discussion at the Grand Flo with another 'suit' who may well have been George, but that hasn't been confirmed yet and this stuff really isn.t quite as important to me right now as it normally would be).

Anyway, like many of us in the fan community (and those well outside of it but with a known interest), I've been on a Spirited search for any information on the massive commitment TWDC has made to the nebulous program we have come to know as "Disney's Next Generation Experience." And information I have found as Yoda (soon to be in a 3D spectacular!!!) would say.

It might conflict with what we've been led to believe, it might conflict with some insider information previously posted to this site (including my own) and it may well be that the 'final product' will be a patchwork of all of this combined with work no one is yet aware of.

I do want to reinforce that no one has been able to confirm the current expenditure for NGE. No one knows or will say. It might as well be a government program because you aren't going to find anyone, likely other than 3-4 people at the VERY top of Disney, who know the answer.

We Do know, from reliable sources and company releases, it exceeds $1.1 billion. Looking at the reconfiguring of certain budgets, the movement of monies, many folks believe the $2 billion mark was passed long ago now and the steady march toward $3 billion is inevitable. That's all probably accurate.

Now, we want Disney to invest in the parks, in tangible ways for the casual guest as well as us crazy fans. We want existing offerings maintained and new ones brought on line. Not just E-tickets, but the 'Disney' of Walt Disney World that was not so dated, not so stale, not so out of touch.

We are getting NGE. So, that's what I'm focusing my MAGICal time on right now.

Having said that,keep in mind, some of that NGE budget is going toward required improvements in both IT infrastructure and actual brick and mortar within the parks. No, not new attractions. The redos/renovations of queues, gift shops and window displays, food locations, doorways and door locks...and, yes, even MAGICal toilets (paging @TalkingHead) appear to have made their way into the NGE spend. Much has been speculated about this project, almost nothing has been confirmed beyond certain aspects of MM+ by Disney (mostly relating to FP+). and Disney, no doubt, prefers it that way.

Here's the problem: Disney is declaring publicly the opposite of what the aim/goal/mandate for NGE was and is.

Everything I've read, again from internal docs, about Disney's work on NGE is layered with terminology including data mining, machine learning, and advanced applications for all sorts of embedded systems. Those aren't my words. Those words come directly from NGE's master plan.Those are Disney's words.

Again, reread that.

In everything I have now reviewed, there's not merely an oppressive reliance on data but something more. There is, within the project, specific reference of the need to "overcome" line of sight deficiencies and the challenges of geolocation capture within large structures (i.e., anything from the Main Street's Emporium to EPCOT's Living with the Land biodomes).

ZigBee, in addition to everything else packed into those no-so-MAGICal-bands, is mentioned liberally. The absolute necessity for engineers to employ "mesh networks" and find "reliable methods to locate" parkgoers is emphasized. Whether this was accomplished isn't known, but - given the language - NGE relies heavily on this aspect.

A healthy portion of NGE references, unambiguously, the need to not just capture but exploit and warehouse data. (Both of those words are emphasized. To the point of making one's head nearly explode...and, let's face it, those are not friendly words. HINT: If you do not like the NSA spying, why would you think that it is OK for a for profit corp?)

The "venue" we regard as Walt Disney World is cited as allowing investigation into consumer behavior with "real-life guests and customers" (us) and, in particular, is touted as being 'the only place on the planet' that affords "unique investigations" of a scale and density to best exploit the convergence of technology with consumer behavior.

Now, limited as I may be in the technical aspects of some of this, and wanting as I might be to believe Disney has no interest in our specific behavior(s), some folks appear to be giving Disney a bit too much of that long ago squandered 'trust' as the project screams Big Data. And more.

There are entire coding 'departments' that appear to be focused on pulling stunningly specific data points from A BAND. No, not populations/patterns. From individuals. ID-based folios where minute-by-minute geolocation is coupled with all sorts of stuff. For example, from when you enter an attraction/building to when you exit...that's a given. But, that 'mesh' system designed for WDW seems intent on knowing exactly how your time was spent in that building.

And, of course, when you aren't actually 'hiding' in an attraction, shop or toilet stall. This stuff is referenced, folks. I guess, it appears, Disney wants to be on the forefront of this world without privacy thing. Understand, there is no knowing exactly what TWDC will be able to deliver. This is, however, what NGE was (is?) all about. Well, all of that and exploiting it for maximum profit - as the projects declares in the opening graf/outline of every piece of it I've been made privy to.

Looking at it, and some of the terminology (a fair amount, I admit, I do not have the required background to understand on a first or second read) that appears out of place in a for-profit company's planning and projects, I'm at a loss as to how this was ever designed to be a legit profit engine without the selling that data. From the start, I said that's what this was all about. I'm more convinced of that today that at any time since NGE began at Disney.

They want to know you, and your kids and -- really -- anyone and everyone, on an intimate level. They then want to turn that information into something else. At last check, I think it remains profit.

In a time when people are concerned about privacy, identity theft, being tracked by our government, etc. this has to be the dumbest idea the execs at Disney have ever come up with. Do they have any idea the sh%!storm they will face if the go through with something like this. I can see the headline now "Mickey is watching you" with the shadow of the mouse standing over a family at WDW. Anybody who thought that this was going to be some sort of passive system was just deluding themselves.

Thanks for the info Spirit and my condolences about your friend

 

[nytimez]

In a time when people are concerned about privacy, identity theft, being tracked by our government, etc. this has to be the dumbest idea the execs at Disney have ever come up with. Do they have any idea the sh%!storm they will face if the go through with something like this. I can see the headline now "Mickey is watching you" with the shadow of the mouse standing over a family at WDW. Anybody who thought that this was going to be some sort of passive system was just deluding themselves.

Thanks for the info Spirit and my condolences about your friend

Indeed, and beyond the sh%!storm of the project itself, imagine what they will face when - not if - there's the inevitable security breach.

Seriously, can you imagine what kind of a target this will be?

 

[The March Hare]

Well you're not a moderator. We're discussing lots of larger, bigger picture issues.

For instance, its a firsthand look at the inner workings of Disney bureaucracy and how fast a rumored project can come to a halt. We've got good discussions on why this happens.

We've also had good discussions on market share and how Uni is cutting into Disney's audience and how Disney's inaction is allowing that to continue.

Plain and simple, we're all Disney fans here. We all want Disney to have better stewardship of the parks and reinvest more in the parks here in Orlando rather that sucking up to Wall Street. (That raises questions of CEO compensation and whether the CEO should be paid in stock.)

We all expect Disney to do better because we know what they're capable of.

I'm well aware I'm not a moderator, but as someone who is a fan of this website, and someone who is apart of the forum community, I think we all have some what of a responsibility to keep threads on track and not flood them with rambling. Why would someone want to go through 136 pgs of a thread and see maybe 5 pages worth of interesting, fun discussion? I sure didn't enjoy it. I'm not going to further degenerate my thoughts into some kind of argument; it's pointless. I'll take my quarrel up with the admin.

Plus, I see some real conversation has started up again thanks to 74's latest post.

 

[WDW1974]

First, if i never get back to it, I LOVED @ParentsOf4 's post. You really should work in the industry as you seem to understand both the creative and financial ends of the business better than most execs I have known.

Second, while this absolutely needs to be viewed as a cruise line model (something I mentioned YEARS ago), understand there's obviously a huge difference from needing to know where folks are/have control on a large sailing vessel versus a 27,000 acre resort. In essence, WDW property line is the railing that prevents you from going overboard (or visiting UNI or any of the other fine Central FL destinations).

I may have time to return later, but I now have go return a phone call from a MAGICAl member who is NOT who you think it is!

 

[PhotoDave219]

I'm well aware I'm not a moderator, but as someone who is a fan of this website, and someone who is apart of the forum community, I think we all have some what of a responsibility to keep threads on track and not flood them with rambling. Why would someone want to go through 136 pgs of a thread and see maybe 5 pages worth of interesting, fun discussion? I sure didn't enjoy it. I'm not going to further degenerate my thoughts into some kind of argument; it's pointless. I'll take my quarrel up with the admin.

Plus, I see some real conversation has started up again thanks to 74's latest post.

Youre right, take it up with the admins.

Alas if you dont like it, dont read it.

 

[Zweiland]

In a time when people are concerned about privacy, identity theft, being tracked by our government, etc. this has to be the dumbest idea the execs at Disney have ever come up with. Do they have any idea the sh%!storm they will face if the go through with something like this. I can see the headline now "Mickey is watching you" with the shadow of the mouse standing over a family at WDW. Anybody who thought that this was going to be some sort of passive system was just deluding themselves.

Thanks for the info Spirit and my condolences about your friend

Remember, the info was never supposed to be leaked in the first place. I'm sure Disney didn't want the general public to know the extent to which they were being tracked.

But I'm not arguing with you. It was a terrible idea, and the info 74 has just provided just confirms my worst fears.

 

[TalkingHead]

A healthy portion of NGE references, unambiguously, the need to not just capture but exploit and warehouse data. (Both of those words are emphasized. To the point of making one's head nearly explode...and, let's face it, those are not friendly words. HINT: If you do not like the NSA spying, why would you think that it is OK for a for profit corp?)

As long as they're updating the toilets, what's the matter with a little data mining on the side?

So is the guest-generated data the main source of profit or does Disney envision selling the system to other companies to install/use in their places of business?

Either way, the whole thing just sounds creepy. If they haven't scaled back the data mining, how does this affect the concerns about children being tracked in the system?

 

[Funmeister]

Just a quick thanks to all my friends here who have sent nice notes my way. Much appreciated.

I have something based on INTERNAL WDW Co docs that I wanted to get out and move the discussion back onto what Disney is doing in O-Town versus what UNI is doing. Naturally, it all relates to NGE (which has had Tom Staggs in town ... apparently, he had a heated discussion at the Grand Flo with another 'suit' who may well have been George, but that hasn't been confirmed yet and this stuff really isn.t quite as important to me right now as it normally would be).

Anyway, like many of us in the fan community (and those well outside of it but with a known interest), I've been on a Spirited search for any information on the massive commitment TWDC has made to the nebulous program we have come to know as "Disney's Next Generation Experience." And information I have found as Yoda (soon to be in a 3D spectacular!!!) would say.

It might conflict with what we've been led to believe, it might conflict with some insider information previously posted to this site (including my own) and it may well be that the 'final product' will be a patchwork of all of this combined with work no one is yet aware of.

I do want to reinforce that no one has been able to confirm the current expenditure for NGE. No one knows or will say. It might as well be a government program because you aren't going to find anyone, likely other than 3-4 people at the VERY top of Disney, who know the answer.

We Do know, from reliable sources and company releases, it exceeds $1.1 billion. Looking at the reconfiguring of certain budgets, the movement of monies, many folks believe the $2 billion mark was passed long ago now and the steady march toward $3 billion is inevitable. That's all probably accurate.

Now, we want Disney to invest in the parks, in tangible ways for the casual guest as well as us crazy fans. We want existing offerings maintained and new ones brought on line. Not just E-tickets, but the 'Disney' of Walt Disney World that was not so dated, not so stale, not so out of touch.

We are getting NGE. So, that's what I'm focusing my MAGICal time on right now.

Having said that,keep in mind, some of that NGE budget is going toward required improvements in both IT infrastructure and actual brick and mortar within the parks. No, not new attractions. The redos/renovations of queues, gift shops and window displays, food locations, doorways and door locks...and, yes, even MAGICal toilets (paging @TalkingHead) appear to have made their way into the NGE spend. Much has been speculated about this project, almost nothing has been confirmed beyond certain aspects of MM+ by Disney (mostly relating to FP+). and Disney, no doubt, prefers it that way.

Here's the problem: Disney is declaring publicly the opposite of what the aim/goal/mandate for NGE was and is.

Everything I've read, again from internal docs, about Disney's work on NGE is layered with terminology including data mining, machine learning, and advanced applications for all sorts of embedded systems. Those aren't my words. Those words come directly from NGE's master plan.Those are Disney's words.

Again, reread that.

In everything I have now reviewed, there's not merely an oppressive reliance on data but something more. There is, within the project, specific reference of the need to "overcome" line of sight deficiencies and the challenges of geolocation capture within large structures (i.e., anything from the Main Street's Emporium to EPCOT's Living with the Land biodomes).

ZigBee, in addition to everything else packed into those no-so-MAGICal-bands, is mentioned liberally. The absolute necessity for engineers to employ "mesh networks" and find "reliable methods to locate" parkgoers is emphasized. Whether this was accomplished isn't known, but - given the language - NGE relies heavily on this aspect.

A healthy portion of NGE references, unambiguously, the need to not just capture but exploit and warehouse data. (Both of those words are emphasized. To the point of making one's head nearly explode...and, let's face it, those are not friendly words. HINT: If you do not like the NSA spying, why would you think that it is OK for a for profit corp?)

The "venue" we regard as Walt Disney World is cited as allowing investigation into consumer behavior with "real-life guests and customers" (us) and, in particular, is touted as being 'the only place on the planet' that affords "unique investigations" of a scale and density to best exploit the convergence of technology with consumer behavior.

Now, limited as I may be in the technical aspects of some of this, and wanting as I might be to believe Disney has no interest in our specific behavior(s), some folks appear to be giving Disney a bit too much of that long ago squandered 'trust' as the project screams Big Data. And more.

There are entire coding 'departments' that appear to be focused on pulling stunningly specific data points from A BAND. No, not populations/patterns. From individuals. ID-based folios where minute-by-minute geolocation is coupled with all sorts of stuff. For example, from when you enter an attraction/building to when you exit...that's a given. But, that 'mesh' system designed for WDW seems intent on knowing exactly how your time was spent in that building.

And, of course, when you aren't actually 'hiding' in an attraction, shop or toilet stall. This stuff is referenced, folks. I guess, it appears, Disney wants to be on the forefront of this world without privacy thing. Understand, there is no knowing exactly what TWDC will be able to deliver. This is, however, what NGE was (is?) all about. Well, all of that and exploiting it for maximum profit - as the projects declares in the opening graf/outline of every piece of it I've been made privy to.

Looking at it, and some of the terminology (a fair amount, I admit, I do not have the required background to understand on a first or second read) that appears out of place in a for-profit company's planning and projects, I'm at a loss as to how this was ever designed to be a legit profit engine without the selling that data. From the start, I said that's what this was all about. I'm more convinced of that today that at any time since NGE began at Disney.

They want to know you, and your kids and -- really -- anyone and everyone, on an intimate level. They then want to turn that information into something else. At last check, I think it remains profit.

Casinos in Vegas are watering at the mouth for this technology I imagine!

 

[Captain Chaos]

Looks like Iger was caught red handed, and when called out by a Senator, he acted like a spoiled little brat cause he was called out... And now, it appears the Senator has a legitimate concern... Hmm, wonder if the fanbois who worship at the alter of a dead guy and an animated mouse want to take their words back that this Senator was wrong... He seems to have been right...

WDW has lost me forever... Iger is a sham... He is a jackass... He needs to go and take Staggs with him... Until these idiots are gone, I will go to Universal, which is just as good, if not better, than WDW...

Oh and @WDW1974, sorry for your loss... Haven't had a chance to post in a while here, and wanted to express my sympathy...

 

[Clever Name]

ZigBee, in addition to everything else packed into those no-so-MAGICal-bands, is mentioned liberally. The absolute necessity for engineers to employ "mesh networks" and find "reliable methods to locate" parkgoers is emphasized. Whether this was accomplished isn't known, but - given the language - NGE relies heavily on this aspect.

A healthy portion of NGE references, unambiguously, the need to not just capture but exploit and warehouse data. (Both of those words are emphasized. To the point of making one's head nearly explode...and, let's face it, those are not friendly words. HINT: If you do not like the NSA spying, why would you think that it is OK for a for profit corp?)

It has always been my understanding from the very beginning of the NGE project that it would incorporate face recognition and tracking of all individuals in the parks. Face recognition would solve a number of problems (including ticket re-sales) and tracking in the parks solves the lost child problem.

Remember when WDW started to sell those yellow rain ponchos? They ran into a big problem when children became lost because everyone looks the same in a yellow poncho with the hood up. They went back to the clear ponchos to solve the problem. With the MagicBand they'll be able to zero in on a child that is reported lost in a few seconds and they'll be able to make a positive ID with face recognition. With the new technology Disney will not have to organize a hasty search team with security CM's. They will know where the lost child is at all times.

Parents love electronic leashes for their children.

 

[John]

The question is....other then us uber fans is there enough people who care.....does the honey Boo Boo's of the world care? If Oprah isn't telling them about it....do they even know what is going on? We need a mainstream media entity do a piece on it. An in depth John Stossel type report.

 

[John]

It has always been my understanding from the very beginning of the NGE project that it would incorporate face recognition and tracking of all individuals in the parks. Face recognition would solve a number of problems (including ticket re-sales) and tracking in the parks solves the lost child problem.

Remember when WDW started to sell those yellow rain ponchos? They ran into a big problem when children became lost because everyone looks the same in a yellow poncho with the hood up. They went back to the clear ponchos to solve the problem. With the MagicBand they'll be able to zero in on a child that is reported lost in a few seconds and they'll be able to make a positive ID with face recognition. With the new technology Disney will not have to organize a hasty search team with security CM's. They will know where the lost child is at all times.

Parents love electronic leashes for their children.

Is that supposed to make me feel better about NGE?

 

[Captain Chaos]

The question is....other then us uber fans is there enough people who care.....does the honey Boo Boo's of the world care? If Oprah isn't telling them about it....do they even know what is going on? We need a mainstream media entity do a piece on it. An in depth John Stossel type report.

Time for this to be leaked to a reporter with balls, not Jason Garcia who is afraid of the big bad rat...

 

[bcalltimandanna]

Disney will spend billions to know where we are at all times, and then fight to keep tourist tax dollars away from Orlando City soccer. They lobby to keep Earned Sick Time out of Florida. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love WDW.....I am just perplexed by the folks in charge

 

[bcalltimandanna]

And welcome back Spirit! Truly sorry for your loss

 

[Turtle]

Did I read Yoda in a 3d spectacular?

 

[flynnibus]

@WDW1974 most of what you were quoting and paraphrasing is what we've known all along. You're just now seeing the big scary terminology being elaborated in techicnical terms.

I'm a bit concerned tho how you admit to not understanding a good bit of it yet feel confident to stroke new fears.

The ideas of mesh networks and location are not new nefarious levels of detail in the tracking that has been discussed from the start.

 

[Funmeister]

It has always been my understanding from the very beginning of the NGE project that it would incorporate face recognition and tracking of all individuals in the parks. Face recognition would solve a number of problems (including ticket re-sales) and tracking in the parks solves the lost child problem.

Remember when WDW started to sell those yellow rain ponchos? They ran into a big problem when children became lost because everyone looks the same in a yellow poncho with the hood up. They went back to the clear ponchos to solve the problem. With the MagicBand they'll be able to zero in on a child that is reported lost in a few seconds and they'll be able to make a positive ID with face recognition. With the new technology Disney will not have to organize a hasty search team with security CM's. They will know where the lost child is at all times.

Parents love electronic leashes for their children.

Care to take a guess on how many children have been abducted at WDW since opening in 1971? None.

Cast Member stays with child in general area where they were separated for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes the Cast Member walks the child to Guest Relations or Child Care in some cases. When a family tells a Cast Member that they lost their child the Cast Member calls Guest Relations. All lost children are sent to one central location and all Cast Members are trained to call that central location. Best of all? It didn't cost $2.?+ billion!