Disney to spend $1 Billion On NextGen

[Exomonia]

Recent articles have shown that Disney is going to spend $1-1.5 billion on a technology referred to simply as 'NextGen.' An in-depth article can be found here. It is strictly confidential what this is about... so this is a News/Idea thread. Does anyone have any ideas as to what this may be? Your thoughts?

[Monorail Man]

Al Lutz detailed some of the NextGen technology in one of his older articles: MiceAge.com - A different look at Disney...

Basically, it's an RFID chip inside your ticket that keeps track of your name, birthdate, etc. Imagine ET's old name system, but on steroids.

[Exomonia]

Basically, it's an RFID chip inside your ticket that keeps track of your name, birthdate, etc. Imagine ET's old name system, but on steroids.

I reckon that sounds great! I'd heard that before I think... But what made me create this thread is the fact that maybe Disney is doing something ON TOP of that. Because that wouldn't cost $1-1.5 billion, would it? For just that?

[flynnibus]

It would if your quoted number included costs to roll out the technology company wide to all the parks and investments over many many years.

Don't read into this like they are building one attraction that costs a billion dollars.

This same article spawned a thread the other day
http://micechat.com/forums/disneylan...y-project.html

And there are several others on the original story.

[Exomonia]

It would if your quoted number included costs to roll out the technology company wide to all the parks and investments over many many years.

Don't read into this like they are building one attraction that costs a billion dollars.

This same article spawned a thread the other day
http://micechat.com/forums/disneylan...y-project.html

And there are several others on the original story.

Ahhhh... sorry I only visit the WDW thread. Huh. Im just surprised it would cost that much to implement it in the four parks. Thats the cost of 5 Radiator Springs Racers, which is the most expensive ride Disney has created. Nah, I wasn't expecting a $1 billion ride though. That'd be over the top! I was thinking, if Disney doesn't decide to do the 'plan out your day for rides at the start' idea to cut down on queues, i thought maybe that they might start to change many queues for rides to be a bit like the queue at the new Dumbo in the Fantasyland expansion, which they labelled a "NextGen queue." So it was more play while you wait idea. I thought that would be more fitting to the price tag, to top the RFID technology.

[wumbology]

Ok, I saw this on Screamscape, and the first thing that came to mind was Down & Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow. Next we'll be downloading The Hall of Presidents into our brains!

But, seriously, this sounds interesting. I hope it's not a big controversy.