Don't expect Walt Disney executives to spend too long mourning the flop of The Lone Ranger at the box office. Not when they've got MyMagic+ working for them.
The electronic wristbands Disney has been testing at its Florida resort have boosted spending by guests because the devices make it easier and more fun for the company to separate them from their money, Thomas Staggs, parks-division-chairman—and one of the favorites to eventually succeed Disney CEO Michael Eisner—told Bloomberg.
The bands serve as admission tickets, hotel room keys and credit cards, as well as entree to special meet-and-greets with characters. They link to a customer database, the news serviceexplained, allowing guests to purchase items in Disney World's hotels, four theme parks and water parks in Orlando by waving the devices past a sensor. The radio technology speeds transactions, enhancing Disney's existing Fast Pass program that allows guests to schedule attractions during one-hour windows once they're in the park.
"It allows them to have a prearranged schedule before they start their day, so [MyMagic+ is] actually an enhanced Fast Pass," Staggs told Bloomberg. But he noted that MyMagic+ is "still in test mode. It takes some time to get it all rolled out."
Besides lubricating retail transactions and the fun factor for visitors, the wristbands help with crowd control and reduce the time guests spend in lines by allowing them to book rides and restaurants in advance.
Earlier in the year, Disney had said that MyMagic+ could enable Cinderella to actuallygreet a child by his or her name, or a robotic character might be able to "talk" with band wearers while they're waiting for a ride. "We want to take experiences that are more passive and make them as interactive as possible," another Disney exec said, "moving from, 'Cool, look at that talking bird' to, 'Wow, amazing, that bird is talking directly to me.'"
While Disney may already be out of silver bullets at the summer box office, they're finding a silver lining in the possibilities for MyMagic+ just as the summer tourism season swings into high gear.
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