In the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show held in Las
Vegas in January, several major trends stood out. This trade show has the
purpose of exhibiting state-of-the-art technology and influences the way
electronic devices will be used in the future. Some of the trends to be
followed by professionals are: The Internet of things, Virtual Reality,
Wearable technology, Artificial Intelligence, and robotics. Nowadays, these
trends are not only followed by major innovative technology firms, they are
also being applied in other sectors.
This is the case with Disney. With the rise of
consumer-used technology in the early 2000s, its theme parks were slowly
becoming out of date in the eyes of an evolving generation. The fact that park
goers are so connected nowadays has lead Disney to innovate in technology in
order to remain competitive and provide customers with practical services.
One of the major breakthroughs Disney has achieved was
the introduction of its $1 Billion bet: The MagicBand, a digital wristband that
can be used as a ticket, hotel key, credit card, and tracker all in one. This
intelligent bracelet will completely transform the guest’s experience.
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| The "MagicBand" introduced by Walt Disney Company in its themed parks. Photograph by Matt Stroshane/ Disney |
Let’s imagine ordering food in advance via the Disney
World app, arriving to the restaurant called Be Our Guest, being greeting by
your name and invited to sit wherever you please, only to have your food
“magically” find you within minutes.
Imagine not having to worry about any paperwork,
getting a direct check-in at the hotel, knowing your luggage is already taken
care of, no need to carry a wallet either.
Furthermore, imagine it is your child’s birthday, and
that his favourite character directly finds him in the park to greet him.
This is made possible by the rubberized bracelets, which contains radio frequency identification (RFID) chips, allowing access to visitor information regarding admission tickets, hotel keys, credit card, and so on that can be detected for more than 40 feet in every direction, allowing Disney to pinpoint location. This device was created to upgrade and personalize visitor’s experience. Moreover, this bracelet is an incredible time saver; People are spending less time in line, they are doing more activities, spending more and remembering more. The experience is truly unique.
According to Tom Stagg, chief operating officer of the Walt Disney Company: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic… That’s how we think of it. If we can get out of the way, our guests can create more memories." The challenge for Disney is to keep innovating while keeping this nostalgia essence that will keep parents coming back with their children.
This is made possible by the rubberized bracelets, which contains radio frequency identification (RFID) chips, allowing access to visitor information regarding admission tickets, hotel keys, credit card, and so on that can be detected for more than 40 feet in every direction, allowing Disney to pinpoint location. This device was created to upgrade and personalize visitor’s experience. Moreover, this bracelet is an incredible time saver; People are spending less time in line, they are doing more activities, spending more and remembering more. The experience is truly unique.
According to Tom Stagg, chief operating officer of the Walt Disney Company: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic… That’s how we think of it. If we can get out of the way, our guests can create more memories." The challenge for Disney is to keep innovating while keeping this nostalgia essence that will keep parents coming back with their children.
A student at Skema Business School that visited Disney
World in Florida in 2015 answered some of our questions regarding these
wristbands and declared that they proved to be very convenient as they
possessed many features all-in-one: tickets, hotel key, reservations, credit
card. It made things more practical and helped save time, which is an important
factor to optimize overall experience.
Including technology represents a considerable
advantage for the company. With the apps and website created by Disney, the
visitors plan their visit months before their arrival; They make reservation,
plan their activities and order their fast-passes for attractions. It helps the
theme parks to forecast the frequentation and allows theme to adopt the
appropriate strategies.
An interesting issue to raise is the question of when
the technological innovation becomes too invasive. How comfortable are people
with these powerful devices? In Disney’s case, having sensors keeping track of our
every move seems to be more convenient than concerning. Could this be applied
in the real world?
Agnès Trucco and Emilie Mika
Sources :
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