How much would you pay for technology that makes your day at a theme park easier?
It is hard not to be really intrigued by this rumor delivered yesterday by Jim Hill. It is about Imagineers testing a new handheld wireless device at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. It is called “Disney Magic Connection” and it could forever change the way people tour the parks.
Here is a summary of what the device might be able to do…
1. Give current wait times for attractions
2. Tell you availability of FastPasses and the time the current FastPass will carry
3. Give you the best way to plan your day so you can see all of your favorites
4. Show and parade schedules
5. Character availability
6. Trivia and games to help pass the time on line
And this could be just the beginning. We all hoped that “My Pal Mickey” would deliver this kind of technological advancement and touring assistance, but that never really happened. Instead, many of us press Mickey to our ear and struggled to hear a bad joke or useless information.
But of course, with every idea comes a problem that needs to be ironed out. Mr. Hill sums up the biggest of these problems perfectly…
Should this test go well … Well, from what my sources in Glendale tell me, a full-blown version of “Disney Magic Connection” could be up and running at the WDW Resort by the Spring of 2009. And then things get really interesting, as the guests visiting the Florida parks effectively get divided into two classes: The haves (i.e. Those who are armed with up-to-the-minute info thanks to this amazing wireless device) and the have-nots (i.e. Those who couldn’t afford “Disney Magic Connection” and thus have to rely on old fashioned information sources like guidemaps and tip boards).
While this could be a truly amazing development, the article points out that the cost may be prohibitive. What would you pay? Right now, the device runs on a Nintendo DS. Would any adult who doesn’t have an interest in such a thing really plug down the cash to have this? If Disney offers to rent a device, who much would that cost?
Raidermatt said,
January 15, 2008 @ 7:45 pm
I swear this is another Hill rumor it seems like I’ve heard multiple times.
Can’t say that I’d pay very much, if anything. It would be nice to know the wait times, but those of us who are familiar with the lay of the land know what to expect most of the time anyway, and altering your plans because a ride across the park has a 10 minute shorter wait can actually be more trouble than it’s worth. Perhaps for those that don’t know what the normal wait times are, but then it might be too much info.
Shows, parades, those are all on the free piece of paper we get when we walk into the park, and they don’t change much. Even Pal Mickey will already buzz you when one is going to start.
The only thing listed that I would really want would be the Fast Pass info, but it’s not so important that I’d pay for it and want to carry around another electrnic device so I’d have it. Again, most of us fans don’t need a device to tell us if you want a Soarin’ or Splash FP, you’d better go early, and the less experienced might not really know what to do with the info if they had it.
Honestly, and certainly I could be wrong, but honestly, I don’t see this as that big a deal for most people. Certainly I don’t see any chance of it being the kind of sensational class war Mr. Hill makes it out to be.
Jason said,
January 15, 2008 @ 11:52 pm
I love the idea, it sounds like a great advancement in technology. Sorta like a more advanced and manageable Pal Mickey that’s actually useful. However, Pal Mickey was a dud…I’m not sure if people would catch on to this device’s usefulness.
If I could buy it right out, then I’d pay a reasonable price for it, but if it’s a rent-only then it’s not worth it. It would be nice if they could make it work for both WDW and DL.
Mickey Mouse Follies Blog
Mike said,
January 16, 2008 @ 3:10 am
Isn’ that what My Pal Mickey does?
Kevin Crossman said,
January 16, 2008 @ 5:20 pm
Are you aware the images on the blog posts are broken?
Steve said,
January 17, 2008 @ 5:10 pm
I think that’s too much information for me. I do this kind of stuff all day long, managing resources, tracking times, etc. I don’t want to be “managed” by essentially a Disney PDA and feel like “Oh God, we’ve got to get all the way over to Tomorrowland, there’s only a 5 minute wait for .” Nevermind the fact that it’ll take me 15 minutes to get across the park! While I’m nowhere near enough of a regular to know the “lay of the land”, I’d still rather enjoy my own vacation at my own pace. At the very least, it’d be one more thing I’d worry about setting down and losing.