Originally Posted By dshyates OK, I have been discussing Disney's laser-like focus on their super secret billion $$$ RFID Bracelet project with a few friends. The entire project creeps me out. I think that Disney truly has lost perspective on what people are looking for in a theme park resort vacation. Which would you rather have? New fun attractions or Big Mickey knowing where you are, if you have had dinner, and "suggesting" to you where and when to eat dinner based on their corporate profile of you?
Originally Posted By dshyates I have to say that this reminds me of the Disney placed NYT article concerning their new "Tourist Manipulation Command Center". I just wish Disney would stop trying to manipulate me, and just build entertaining attractions.
Originally Posted By MousDad Multi billion dollar. To this day, I can't for the life of me figure out where all that money could possibly be going... or why we are seeing zip zilch of it actually plus the parks... why the whole thing has to be so veiled in secrecy... why it made Jim MacPhee, one of the horribly few bright spots in P&R management, essentially a persona non grata... or why the company can drop that kind of cash at the blink of an eye for an invisible project while shuddering like a bunch of close-fisted Scrooges at the relatively paltry amount of money it would take to, for one example, fix the yeti.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer From what I understand, the money will go both to the "effect" that RFID has, which might be interesting, to the actual infrastructure, which could be quite expensive. I'd rather have a ride.
Originally Posted By Christi22222 I am adding my positive comment to this thread.... I absolutely agree with everything that has been posted! 100%! You guys are nailing how I feel about the project. See how positive I can be?
Originally Posted By plpeters70 You know, I actually wouldn't have a problem with Disney doing this IF, and that's a big IF, they were also still investing heavily in new rides and maintaining the parks. I really don't mind Mickey tracking me at the parks - as long as they're doing it with something I can physically take-off. I actually like to see Disney investing in new technologies - like they used to with the monorails, Peoplemovers and EPCOT. But, if all this new tech is coming at the expense of new rides and a drop in quality at the Resort, then it should be shelved until they can get back to a true, quality show at WDW.
Originally Posted By MousDad >>From what I understand, the money will go both to the "effect" that RFID has, which might be interesting, to the actual infrastructure, which could be quite expensive.<< I interpret this as meaning whatever we actually see in the parks pales in comparison to what the money is actually being spent on. Which I further interpret as being that this isn't really money being spent on the parks, but rather money being spent on the Walt Disney Company itself (job creation, restructuring, infrastructure that is going to be used behind the scenes). In other words, this is a corporate investment, not primarily a parks investment. Which I further interpret as being something I actually care nothing about. >>I'd rather have a ride.<< Ride? You do realize you could have a pretty nice theme park for that cash. You could name it Bob Iger's World of Kewl Techno Gizmo's and Virtual Theme Park Experiences.
Originally Posted By Christi22222 ^^^For me the big caveat is whether or not it is about improving my park going experience, which monorails and peoplemovers did, or if it is just about gimmicky crap that boils down to marketing crap and trying to get me to spend more money.
Originally Posted By Christi22222 oops, post 8 is for post 6. MousDad's great point snuck in between!
Originally Posted By plpeters70 <<or if it is just about gimmicky crap that boils down to marketing crap and trying to get me to spend more money. >> Totally agree! Like I said, I don't mind if Disney wants to spend money on crap like this - especially if it enhances my vacation experience in a good way. But either way, I wish they would focus more of that cash on actually maintaining what they have now at the quality levels we all once took for granted!
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer Agreed with Posts 6 and 7. There is a chance that the new RFID tech could better the park and thematic experience. There's a LOT that this tech can do...
Originally Posted By leobloom You guys are a bunch of poopy heads. I won't have to take my credit card out of my wallet to buy my new limited edition trading pins and Duffy underwear! And rumor has it I'll get more Animatronics saying my name if I get a Mickey-shaped barcode tattooed on my forehead. And I won't even spoil the surprise by telling you what the toilets will do if you get a Stitch tattoo on your backside!
Originally Posted By leobloom >> For me the big caveat is whether or not it is about improving my park going experience, which monorails and peoplemovers did, or if it is just about gimmicky crap that boils down to marketing crap and trying to get me to spend more money. << Ok, I'll spill the beans. The plan is you'll be able to buy merch while you're doing your business in the restroom. And for a minimal upcharge a limited edition Winnie the Pooh toilet paper roll will come out of the wall, allowing you to feel that pixie dust magical feeling all over your behind.
Originally Posted By leobloom >> Totally agree! Like I said, I don't mind if Disney wants to spend money on crap like this - especially if it enhances my vacation experience in a good way. << I have no confidence that this will happen. How much dough has been thrown at the Living Character? Does the Luxo Jr. lamp at DHS still work? (Seems like it had a dose of the Yetis and worked for approximately three weeks.) Anyway, I expect this to be just more of what I've come to expect from Disney. They'll oversell it as the biggest thing ever--just like when they changed the ticketing to "Magic Your Way"--and it'll be mostly a non-issue for me as a local who doesn't stay on property.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: The current American Government, as a whole, wants to keep track of all you little ducklings--whether you're at a theme park or not. Do some investigating and see how your every move is being tracked off Disney property, too....
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 ^^Whether it's the government playing games with monitoring your every keystroke (and they are) or phone call or banking transaction, or TWDC monitoring your spending habits, dining locations or children's fave characters, I find it all very intrusive, very scary and doing absolutely nothing to help me enjoy my limited time on this plane of existence. Anyone want to talk about Disney and social media and the Disney Dream launch?
Originally Posted By avimagine The cynic in me is quickly losing faith in corporations. It seems to me the day of the good ole "family business" (even if large) seems to be better through rose colored glasses. It just seems that it's more obvious it's all about the bottom line of this quarter. Nothing long term (although I think RFID is supposed to be long term). The thing is so many little details are being skipped, give us more streetmosphere, maintain the current rides. Do the basics. Even if you're fleecing me, don't let it be so blatantly obvious. Please don't say it's for my benefit. Post 16, pretty much sums it up. What do they do with this information? Also will I be "branded" to death. When I take a drink from the fountain will I get a recording saying something to the fact that I'm using a Disney water fountain and thank you very much Mr Jones, your credit limit suggests you should be drinking some lemonade from the cart located 500 yards to your right. Then will I see on a screen, a big arrow and perhaps you have $5492.03 left on your Amex, you have $392.39 left in your savings account, if you mortgage your home you will have $230203.39 more to spend. After you finish your lemonade perhaps you'd like to upgrade to the Platinum Club restroom, when you upgrade your PAP to a Ultimate Premium AP you can juse the Platinum Club restroom with a guaranteed wait time of less then 3 minutes for just $30.45 per 5 minutes...
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>When I take a drink from the fountain will I get a recording saying something to the fact that I'm using a Disney water fountain and thank you very much Mr Jones, your credit limit suggests you should be drinking some lemonade from the cart located 500 yards to your right. Then will I see on a screen, a big arrow and perhaps you have $5492.03 left on your Amex, you have $392.39 left in your savings account, if you mortgage your home you will have $230203.39 more to spend. After you finish your lemonade perhaps you'd like to upgrade to the Platinum Club restroom, when you upgrade your PAP to a Ultimate Premium AP you can juse the Platinum Club restroom with a guaranteed wait time of less then 3 minutes for just $30.45 per 5 minutes...<<< I think this apocalyptic view is a little outrageous, no offense. While it's certainly possible for this technology to monitor that sort of behavior, Disney would be incredibly foolish to employ it, for the exact reason of it being so apocalyptic. People DON'T want that. At all.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<The cynic in me is quickly losing faith in corporations. It seems to me the day of the good ole "family business" (even if large) seems to be better through rose colored glasses. >> It's not rose-colored. It's reality. I try very hard to spend my money on family-owned businesses that earn and deserve my business. But the way things are headed, there will barely be any left and that is what YOUR government wants. It's all for Big Business, which actively lowers the quality of life for all of us daily. But the little guys, the Moms and Pops that made this country great, they'd just as soon see them disappear along with the remaining vestiges of a middle class. <<It just seems that it's more obvious it's all about the bottom line of this quarter. Nothing long term (although I think RFID is supposed to be long term).>> With TWDC, it's usually looking forward the next two quarters, sometimes as much as a year. But beyond that? Everything is reactionary. TDO has no idea what WDW will look like in five years or 10 because beyond plans for developing real estate (i.e. DVC and Rotting Oaks and Dead Flamingo CRossing) they have no plans. No vision. They are more conservative than that crying dude in DC. They won't make plans that involve investment in their product looking ahead say to 2015 because they don't know what the price of their stock will be then. It is a viscious cycle/circle. <<The thing is so many little details are being skipped, give us more streetmosphere, maintain the current rides. Do the basics. Even if you're fleecing me, don't let it be so blatantly obvious. Please don't say it's for my benefit.>> Do you want to put Disney's press and publicity and social media team out of jobs? Oh, and if you are looking for the basics, I would suggest a passport and a ticket to Tokyo. <<Post 16, pretty much sums it up. What do they do with this information? Also will I be "branded" to death.>> You don't want to know. But I've tried to use cash as much as possible and sometimes let my friends walk me into the parks even though I have my AP, just to throw off the tracking. Although part of me thinks they are very inept at it. I wonder if they know, for instance, that I've had APs at every Disney resort in the world except for one (and all since 2008 too!) <<When I take a drink from the fountain will I get a recording saying something to the fact that I'm using a Disney water fountain and thank you very much Mr Jones, your credit limit suggests you should be drinking some lemonade from the cart located 500 yards to your right. Then will I see on a screen, a big arrow and perhaps you have $5492.03 left on your Amex, you have $392.39 left in your savings account, if you mortgage your home you will have $230203.39 more to spend. After you finish your lemonade perhaps you'd like to upgrade to the Platinum Club restroom, when you upgrade your PAP to a Ultimate Premium AP you can juse the Platinum Club restroom with a guaranteed wait time of less then 3 minutes for just $30.45 per 5 minutes...>> Scary thing is, that's not exactly as far 'out there' as you may have intended. The goal is to scientifically separate you from as much of your $$$ as they can. And despite all you hear about privacy, we really are living in the Wild, Wild West now ... you have no privacy at all and short of moving to a cabin in the hills of North Dakota with no banking, no cell phone etc ... you just have to realize your every move can be monitored. Like I said, scary.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I think this apocalyptic view is a little outrageous, no offense. While it's certainly possible for this technology to monitor that sort of behavior, Disney would be incredibly foolish to employ it, for the exact reason of it being so apocalyptic. People DON'T want that. At all. >> EE, at the risk of bringing up our personal discussion about the TSA, don't assume anything about people in the USA in the 21st century. They are largely sheep and will do what they are told. Even if it is by TWDC. People are so busy just trying to make the next mortgage payment (and in FLA that doesn't mean someone isn't going to steal their home anyway) and make sure there's food on the table for the kids that they don't think about implications of anything. It's the biggest reason why we're in the shape we are ... and, yes, it's also why TWDC can Walmart WDW and have an active community of fans partaking in social media who are patting them on the behinds for doing so. Look, they're even getting people at WDW to buy Duffy and his crap. People don't think at all for themselves largely ... beyond 'I'm hungry, I want a burger ... no, I want three.'
