Disney's NextGen Initiative

[ReelJustice]

Magic Kingdom is the #1 most visited park in the world, why is it first on the expansion list? When Epcot and Hollywood Studios clearly need a new ride more..

MK needs more capacity so management doesn't have heart attacks every time an e-ticket is up for a refurb. Sad thing is, this expansion doesn't really add capacity.

Gaining mermaid and losing snow white.
Mine Train fills the void left from the closure of 20k.

The only real capacity added is the extra Dumbo.

The other parks have this problem too. Management won't close Everest because it would be a disaster. Studios will be scary when RNRC & ToT need rehabs. Test Track down has them scared to death. Of course, if things had gone according to plan, we wouldn't be having this discussion. Each park was to get a major addition for the 40th. But, why spend money when people still come in droves anyway? So frustrating.

 

[shiekra38]

MK needs more capacity so management doesn't have heart attacks every time an e-ticket is up for a refurb. Sad thing is, this expansion doesn't really add capacity.

Gaining mermaid and losing snow white.
Mine Train fills the void left from the closure of 20k.

The only real capacity added is the extra Dumbo.

The other parks have this problem too. Management won't close Everest because it would be a disaster. Studios will be scary when RNRC & ToT need rehabs. Test Track down has them scared to death. Of course, if things had gone according to plan, we wouldn't be having this discussion. Each park was to get a major addition for the 40th. But, why spend money when people still come in droves anyway? So frustrating.

Yes capacity has always been a bother with MK unfortunately, I realize I should be excited for the expansion in FL...I just feel like we got half of what could have been. If it sounds ignorant my apologies, but that is how I feel. I don't hate Disney, I just hate their current management.

 

[Teebin]

Was it ever speculated that 20K Leagues would be immediately replaced by something else? In hindsight it seems so odd to tear out a major attraction with no immediate plans to replace it with something else. Amity/Potter for example.

 

[ReelJustice]

Yes capacity has always been a bother with MK unfortunately, I realize I should be excited for the expansion in FL...I just feel like we got half of what could have been. If it sounds ignorant my apologies, but that is how I feel. I don't hate Disney, I just hate their current management.

I'm on your side. :wave:

--- Update ---

Was it ever speculated that 20K Leagues would be immediately replaced by something else? In hindsight it seems so odd to tear out a major attraction with no immediate plans to replace it with something else. Amity/Potter for example.

There was talk of a flume ride and villains mini land.

 

[Andy]

Was it ever speculated that 20K Leagues would be immediately replaced by something else? In hindsight it seems so odd to tear out a major attraction with no immediate plans to replace it with something else. Amity/Potter for example.

When it closed in late 1994 it was speculated to go down for a large refurb for repairs, ADA access, and updating and Disney was seeking a new sponsor to help with costs. Unfortunately the sponsor never came and the ride was deemed to expensive to repair and maintain. Disney didn't come out and confirm the ride would never open again until early 1996 when character meet and greets were placed in front of the attraction.

There is a very cool story, not sure if its true, about the actual visit in late 95 when Mike Ovitz toured the attraction due to high demand of it reopening.

 

[UNIrd]

Since Star Tours: The Adventures Continue has been such a hit, how about Body Wars 2.0?

 

[Sideshow Mike]

Xpass testing has started for a few select guests this week. Here's a pic of a RFID scanner outside the HM from @jmccrae:

http://twitter.com/#!/jmccrae/status/197123644630122496/photo/1

 

[Captain Tragedy]

Xpass testing has started for a few select guests this week. Here's a pic of a RFID scanner outside the HM from @jmccrae:

http://twitter.com/#!/jmccrae/status/197123644630122496/photo/1

Wow...that kinda sticks out a bit doesn't it?

 

[BJCool]

Coverage of the new fastpass tests from Attractions Magazine:

http://attractionsmagazine.com/blog/2012/04/30/disney-and-universal-to-begin-testing-the-next-version-of-their-skip-the-line-passes/

 

[jtsalien]

Wow...that kinda sticks out a bit doesn't it?

Well there are just testing the system. They could put more effort into the permanent stations.

 

[BJCool]

From Screamscape

(5/1/12) According to Ultimate Orlando Blog, Disney has rebranded the xPass concept as “FastPass+”. New FastPass+ machines and scanners have been installed all over the Magic Kingdom as of late. The latest additions seen installed at several attractions appear to be slender little reader devices with an orb shaped top, currently covered up. You can find pictures of these new FastPass+ scanners (likely similar to the RFID test scanners tested at Epcot last December) seen in Fantasyland, at Haunted Mansion and Space Moutain so far. Word has it that select resort guests may be asked to test out the system in May.

 

[Disneyhead]

Looks like FastPass+ will have an iPad App:

http://appadvice.com/appnn/2012/05/walt-disney-world-using-ipads-for-improved-fastpass-system

 

[UNIrd]

Universal's new system is also rumored to be using iPhone/iPad technology. Not sure at what point the suits at Universal and at Disney both sat down and thought... we need to get people on their phones more.

 

[BJCool]

Orlando Theme Park News reported that...

Some work (related to Next-Gen) is being done on both sides of the Magic Kingdom entrance:

 

[BJCool]

From WDWMagic....

PHOTO - Disney 'Magic Band' RFID bracelet revealed​

Disney's NextGen RFID FASTPASS bracelet has been listed on the government FCC website today, including an image of what it looks like (see image below).

The bracelet, called "Magic Band' is battery powered, is designed to be disposable, and includes the now familiar NextGen Mickey logo and what appears to be the wearers name for easy ID in groups. The RFID bracelet will be the driving force behind much of Disney's NextGen initiative, which includes ticketless park entry, ticketless FASTPASS, attraction personalization, touch-to-pay purchasing and more.

A brief desciption of the device from the filing

"The radio of the device, Model MB-R1G1, is a wrist worn arm band that transmits a 2.4 GHz signal to an indoor wireless infrastructure. The PCB assembly is potted in plastic and completely overmolded with thermal plastic polyurethane. The band has no on off switch and is powered with a non-replaceable coin cell. The PCB assembly also includes a passive UHF RFID tag radio and a passive HF RFID tag radio."

The filings also confirm that Synapse are involved in the project.

View the full FCC filing here.

Epcyclopedia also posted the following regarding Epcot....

Epcot Turnstiles Getting NextGen Upgrade Installation

There’s been a lot of buzz on the wire lately over Disney’s filings with the FCC for their NextGen wristbands that will replace paper tickets at the Walt Disney World resort. These wristbands will replace tickets not only for resort guests, but eventually all guests including passholders. The new system obvious requires new turnstiles, which Epcot has been quietly installing for the last few weeks at the front entrance. Today, however, concrete proof that the work was on the turnstiles electrical systems to support the NextGen project and not some other upgrade in the area was provided with their latest permit.

Epcot was the park which tested the NextGen RFID-chipped turnstiles (the same system contained within the wristbands). During the test, guests arriving from the parking lot were segregated from guests arriving by Disney buses or monorail and had their tickets “chipped.” This process involved putting an RFID sticker on the paper ticket and pairing it with the ticket data. These guests then proceeded to enter using the new turnstiles and the RFID system. A similar process will likely be implemented to transfer existing paper tickets into wristbands when the time comes. It’s a relatively simple and painless process as dozens of Cast Members were assigned handheld tablets to scan and link the old paper tickets to the new RFID chips. It’s simply a matter of using wristbands now instead of stickers with RFID chips in them.

The new NextGen system should support park entry, resort purchases, FASTPASS+, and room keys all on the wristband unit. Further technology to make rides and shows interact with guests based on their personal information (name, event related to trip like birthday, etc..) should come online in the future. The wristbands are to come in a variety of colors, the FCC filing showing the basic silver band, with guests able to buy upgraded wristbands with Disney character and theme park designs as keepsakes. These designer bands are to be heavily marketed to annual passholders.

 

[BJCool]

WDWMagic posted about the work going on at the MK turnstiles...

PHOTOS - Overhead structure added to Magic Kingdom turnstiles looks like an RFID test​

A temporary overhead structure has been added to a couple of lanes at the Magic Kingdom turnstiles.

The metal rig covers approximately three lanes, and contains a number of electronic devices overhead. Some appear to be cameras, others are unidentified.

Disney has been experimenting with different implementations of RFID sensors at the turnstiles, most notable the Epcot test at the end of 2011. Could this new system being tested at the Magic Kingdom be something similar to Sun Pass toll plazas, where you can simply pass through, and the system identifies you using that recently revealed 'Magic Band' bracelet? The system is not yet in use, so we will have to wait and see.

In related news at the Magic Kingdom, a section of turnstiles to the far right side of the entrance is completely walled off.

 

[Nick]

Not sure how I missed that, but anyway, i'll say my overall though on NEXGEN is I feel it is in a way a decent risk. I also feel it's giving the resort many big upgrades that were much needed. And overall, the whole "magic band" concept isn't a bad idea. I just feel like a lot of this is wasted money, and is going to drastically change the theme park experience. Thankfully, from what I hear, I don't think it will have too much affect on locals. I'm not totally opposed to this as I think it has it's positives, but I just think for $1B, is it really worth it? I mean, they must have ways figured out, but how do they plan on getting that money back?

 

[Andy]

Well that's the billion dollar question isn't it.

 

[Vyrus]

Shopping habits possibly.

I have a feeling one of the pieces of information they will need from guests will be a phone number and based on how you walk around the park or shop or whatever they will push specials and offers through text to a cell phone to entice people to walk in a shop.

Lets say you're walking down main street, and you're almost to the hub, the rfid scanners in the park pick that up and send you a text message for a coffee and danish special at the bakery...or walking around world showcase and a new beer is being served in Germany, you'll get a text to come and sample the new beer and buy it...

Things like this is what I feel like is going to happen with all this "innovation".....and it sucks!


Some of the "fun stuff" that will happen I think for example is getting on Haunted Mansion the Ghost Host instead of saying "Welcome Foolish Mortals"....we'll get a "Welcome (your name) to the Haunted Mansion"... things like that.

 

[ReelJustice]

I really think the only good thing to come out of this is resort wide WiFi. Hopefully Universal will be adding that soon.