Universal Parks and Resorts & Facial Technology

[TheCodeMan95]

So uh, dumb guy question here.

Say you have a beard when you first buy your AP, and it's either larger or shorted when you return.

Does this matter?

 

[Tomfoolery]

Yeah, that wasn't any faster than it takes for me to use my fingerprint.

I would love to see Universal implement something like MagicBand, with tickets/passes/hotels/reservations all together, but it doesn't seem like they're interested in anything like that.

Like others have said, I just don't see the benefit. If the goal is to cut TM positions, what's to stop someone from just walking through if the picture doesn't validate?

The goal is to make a ticketless and seamless guest experience. No need for your magicband with your face (and your phone),

 

[TheCodeMan95]

(and your phone),

Yeah this is what I'm happy with lol. Although it'd be weird to not have to wear a lanyard at all.

 

[Alicia]

So uh, dumb guy question here.

Say you have a beard when you first buy your AP, and it's either larger or shorted when you return.

Does this matter?

I heard a rumor that the AP photos are stored at a higher resolution in case of changes like these over time; changes you wouldn’t see on a short term ticket. And with more data the system should hopefully still be able to recognize your face.

This is supposedly a way more advanced system than what was tested with Express last few years.

 

[TheCodeMan95]

I heard a rumor that the AP photos are stored at a higher resolution in case of changes like these over time; changes you wouldn’t see on a short term ticket. And with more data the system should hopefully still be able to recognize your face.

This is supposedly a way more advanced system than what was tested with Express last few years.

Interesting!

- a guy with a beard

 

[Alicia]

Interesting!

- a guy with a beard

I change my glasses frames daily and wear very different makeup too, so those should all be things this can work around.

 

[Grabnar]

It’ll be interesting to see how tolerant it is. FaceID is still finnicky sometimes and it’s a much more sophisticated system.

 

[SailwiththeTide]

Anything is better than the fingerprint system. Big Brother Comcast already owns you. Don't be worried about your face being stored in their system.

 

[tyro]

If you have gone on a cruise in the last 2 years, this looks like the same system border control is now using on the last day of cruise when you get off . If you have a pass port you stand in front of the camera without the need to scan or insert your passport and it takes under 5 seconds to give you the green light. (The photo on my passport is also over 5 years old and it still works perfectly for me) Once they remove the need to scan your actual ticket this will greatly reduce wait times to get into the park.

 

[kristenabelle]

It’ll be interesting to see how tolerant it is. FaceID is still finnicky sometimes and it’s a much more sophisticated system.

My sunglasses catch FaceID errors all the time. I'd be impressed if they're able to go through Universal's recognition scanners

 

[Mad Dog]

Since they're going to do this regardless, at least it's good they start on a small scale before opening Epic. Hopefully it works better than the Hotel Express passes facial tech. That was slow, and a travesty.

 

[Journey_On]

If you have gone on a cruise in the last 2 years, this looks like the same system border control is now using on the last day of cruise when you get off . If you have a pass port you stand in front of the camera without the need to scan or insert your passport and it takes under 5 seconds to give you the green light. (The photo on my passport is also over 5 years old and it still works perfectly for me) Once they remove the need to scan your actual ticket this will greatly reduce wait times to get into the park.

This works SO well. I was amazed how fast my face was validated and how quick it was to move through this process at the cruise terminals.

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I tried out the photo validation at IOA a couple days ago. Pretty easy, and I love the non-awkwardness of not having to use my photo ID + admission to get in. Interestingly, for my husband they had him kind of duck down a little bit and/or remove his hat (can't quite remember), and I was still validated with my mask on (and I am much shorter). I can't wait till it rolls out to USF as well.

 

[Scott W.]

Bingo - Disney has made several attempts at this... and so far it hasn't moved the needle much. The only reason why per capita at the WDW parks increases every year is because of all the penny-pinching they've done recently with Genie, Dessert Parties, etc. The Magic Band only made money because Disney realized they could sell different designs... but the data gathered from it was rather useless.

Photo validation to me looks like it'll allow them to run about the same number of turnstiles with a lower headcount. That's really where the bulk of savings will come from. (Though, in reality, you are going to need to place TMs at each land entrance, offsetting the reduction in TMs at the front with the open hub concept...)

I think the tech is going to work amazing for park entry, payments, and automatically saving photos on an app... but I don't see any advantages outside of that. Universal already has data on which attractions are popular, what merchandise is purchased, and where guests tend to congregate causing bottlenecks.

If a Comcast/Universal Executive really wants to know how people are responding to the parks and how to make the best decision... maybe visit the park as a normal guest instead of sticking behind a computer crunching numbers?

I'd assumed that Disney+ would be a much better way to get information on guests habits by identifying what's the hot IP for merchandise and maybe a ride or meet and greet to get people to book a trip.

Things to note:

They’re running in manual mode, which requires a TM for each station. Later it will require less TMs as the system is improved.

Later, the plan is to eliminate all actual physical tickets. A separate station will be where people wait in line, only first time on your trip, where you match your photo to your park ticket credentials. And yes, you can do it beforehand through the app. That way, you just walk into the park. No more turnstiles.

But that won’t start until Epic.

For now, this is essentially replacing fingerprint scanning, as it is at best, faster for some people (like me who has faint fingerprints and requires multiple tries) and at worst, takes the same amount of time.

It took me 4 seconds today. Not bad for first day.

And I got to keep my hat on. So I’m happy.

Would there be a physical turnstile or barrier to stop somebody from entering? It seems commonplace in airports.

So uh, dumb guy question here.

Say you have a beard when you first buy your AP, and it's either larger or shorted when you return.

Does this matter?

If it's anything like FaceID, it should work fine although weirdly, beards aren't an issue but masks were.

 

[Alicia]

Would there be a physical turnstile or barrier to stop somebody from entering? It seems commonplace in airports.

If not... maybe theme park entry bouncers?

 

[Jake S]

If not... maybe theme park entry bouncers?

This is basically what happens at Walt Disney World, right? You tap the post and then walk by the employee — and there are usually leads and security employees just beyond the gateway.

 

[Alicia]

This is basically what happens at Walt Disney World, right? You tap the post and then walk by the employee — and there are usually leads and security employees just beyond the gateway.

True, no physical barriers there.

 

[IzzyB]

If you have gone on a cruise in the last 2 years, this looks like the same system border control is now using on the last day of cruise when you get off . If you have a pass port you stand in front of the camera without the need to scan or insert your passport and it takes under 5 seconds to give you the green light. (The photo on my passport is also over 5 years old and it still works perfectly for me) Once they remove the need to scan your actual ticket this will greatly reduce wait times to get into the park.

Agreed. When leaving the cruise it was SUPER fast because each one of us just had to stand in front and wait for check mark. Worked on all 5 is including my youngest son. They used our passport photos. The tech is pretty good now and no one seemed to have any issues moving thru the system and getting of a very large cruise ship (2nd largest on Thanksgiving week, so at capacity). There was no lines or anything.

 

[Crypt Keeper]

Got to try the facial recognition scanner at IOA.

I prefer the fingerprint scanner lol. Didn't feel faster than the fingerprint scanner and I had to squat down for the camera to see my face.

 

[Brian G.]

Got to try the facial recognition scanner at IOA.

I prefer the fingerprint scanner lol. Didn't feel faster than the fingerprint scanner and I had to squat down for the camera to see my face.

Was it your first scan?

 

[Crypt Keeper]

Was it your first scan?

Yes