Bob Iger sent letter by Congress on MyMagic+

[JCSkipr79]

MAJOR.....haha....
http://markey.house.gov/sites/markey...%201-24-13.pdf

[jcruise86]

Interesting. Thanks, JSkipr79!

Congress is trying to determine just how creepy MyMagic+ might be.
Staggs, congrats on not wasting this $800,000,000 on magnificent attractions, transportation, or on beautifying WDW. Soon (in 2015) your transition from Eisner's CFO to CEO will be complete!
Bwah, ha, ha, ha, haaaaa!

[KingEric]

Yeah this the moment we have all been waiting for and dreading. While I strongly dislike the MyMagic+ I also don't want WDW to get mired in Federal Government legal troubles because that will delay A LOT of projects not just MyMagic+

But the questions asked in the formal request to Bob Iger, are VERY valid, and MUST be answered.

I personally wish they would have gone a different route, but they didn't and now we are at this junction.

[aimster]

I agree those questions are VERY valid. Especially in this day and age with identity theft and all. My Facebook profile is locked tight because I don't want anyone outside of who I'm friends with on there (and I am very picky about who I'm friends with on there) to see what I post/share. That's nobody's business but my own. I am VERY leery of giving out personal information unless I absolutely have to. I get asked at stores for my phone number/email to be put on mailing lists. I created a special email account just for those lists so my personal email isn't clogged with a bazillion things.

[brianpinsky]

I do want to see what his responce is. Also one more question...How long will this be used?

[Virtual Toad]

Holy wow.

Kudos Rep. Markey for asking the questions we'd all like answers to!

[mikeland]

MyMagic+ is optional. No one is forcing anyone to use it.

You are already being tracked every time you enter the park and when you use your resort ID to purchase items.

[MickeyM]

Staggs, congrats on not wasting this $800,000,000 on magnificent attractions, transportation, or on beautifying the WDW.

Unfortunately, I heard MyMagic's budget has been in the ballpark of $1.5-2 billion, not $800 million.

Also one more question...How long will this be used?

MyMagic+ is optional. No one is forcing anyone to use it.

@mikeland No one is forcing anyone...yet.

I heard they are trying to make MyMagic the norm for future Disney park visitors by slowly phasing out the ability to opt-out of it in the future. I would consider it to be in a "test and adjust" phase right now.

Back on topic, I applaud Rep. Markey for getting Iger's attention and asking very valid and thoughtful questions regarding the privacy concerns of MyMagic.

[swampymarsh]

Another stupid person in government, no surprise.

This is a post from another thread by sgtfox.

Re: RFID Braclets possible security risk

Bingo. They've indicated that guest info and details, including your credit card info, will be stored locally on their servers, not on the RFID bracelet. The RFID bracelet will simply be a guest ID# that they then use to identify you as the person in their system.

Now, technically, someone could read and spoof that ID#, thereby allowing them to make purchases, etc in the same manner that you could. But of course, that would only work during the time your ID is active, such as during your vacation. They couldn't actually get your credit card number or anything.

And as it's been tested if somone makes a purchase they are required to sign for it, and are only legally responsible for the purchases they signed for and can dispute the rest. Also there is a dollar limit to how much can be spent.

[Coastierox]

From what I understand aside from Cinderella knowing your name ( and that is optional) it is no different than the keys to the kingdom. Hooray overreacting!

[goofy donald]

I agree those questions are VERY valid. Especially in this day and age with identity theft and all. My Facebook profile is locked tight because I don't want anyone outside of who I'm friends with on there (and I am very picky about who I'm friends with on there) to see what I post/share. That's nobody's business but my own. I am VERY leery of giving out personal information unless I absolutely have to. I get asked at stores for my phone number/email to be put on mailing lists. I created a special email account just for those lists so my personal email isn't clogged with a bazillion things.

Facebook is hardly secure regardless of your security settings. because you ok'd their terms and conditions they can sell your pictures, information like time spent in certain areas of the site, and allow future possible employers full access of your page in a sort of background check type thing, the list goes on.

[JiminyCricketFan]

The problems that MyMagic+ is going to cause is enormous. With wait lines extended for the average visitor, it will only make WDW much less magical. What Disney DOES need to do is build more attraction and restaurants. That will lower the wait times and thus give everybody a much nicer Disney experience. I say, shoot down MyMagic+ and spend a billion dollars on the parks, instead of wristbands.

[Aotphks]

I am so happy to see Disney and Mr Iger being put on the defense here. As a mother of two, I would certainly be upset if my children's safety came into play or compromised for the pursuit of the mighty dollar by Disney. I'm sorry but as much as we love the Disney parks, this issue with their new policies and how intrusive this new bracelet system could be based on the excuse of a more convenient visit to the resort is just so...I don't know...misleading.
This goes back to the day the Fastpass system was introduced. It changed the way people enjoy the parks and not really for good. Since we have always chosen better hotels off the Disney property, I feel this new system will penalize me for not being a part of their total immersive world. It's so wrong, and reason why year after year, we have become less and less impressed with Disney World.

[Dapper Dan]

These are all good questions. Someone has to make sure Disney isn't trying to sneak anything shady into this program. Have you seen the sort of things that get slipped into social media and phone app terms and conditions? There's no reason to think Disney would do any different just because of the kind old man we all like that died 46 years ago.

[Aotphks]

It's bad enough they are forcing visitors to have their picture taken at the gates to Disneyland, even if it's an excuse to avoid re-sales on tickets. It makes me very uncomfortable. Now this? Why can't they spend the money on upgrading the overall conditions of the attraction or improving the entertainment they offer at the parks?
This puts me off royally.