Roaming the fanciful, colorful, whimsical streets of Disney World always offers visitors a chance to be lost in the magic. Well, that is until Disney World starts installing foot-tracking technology.
By then, cameras and sensors will be able to monitor guests by their shoes.
The Walt Disney Company, owner of the Disney theme parks, has secured a patent for foot-tracking technology, possibly a camera-wielding robot, from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO).
While the method may seem uncanny, the company maintains it is geared toward "creating a customized guest experience."
"The first foot shape is captured by a foot sensor and the first foot appearance is captured by a camera," the patent states. The system goes on to compare the data captured from the first foot model with that of the second foot to identify guests.
All of the foot-tracking data is then matched up with guest information, such as the guest's name, hometown, and favorite food, character, or ride.
This, of course, gives Disney a chance to mine data on visitor preferences and foot traffic. Such information is especially useful to park owners when monitoring the movement of guests "from ride to ride" and identifying the theme park's most heavily visited attractions.
The technology might not be deployed anytime soon, the Orlando Sentinel reports, and it may just be part of Disney's continuing exploration of new technology. Some patented ideas and experiments, however, never make it to the real-world setup.
Disney currently uses hotel keys, credit cards and the FastPass to keep track of guests. The FastPass+ at Orlando's Disney World, for instance, helps visitors evade the long lines through a virtual queue, where guests register in advance through an app or at park kiosks.
Disney's Tracking Technology: From Wrist To Toe
Perhaps the most innovative tracking technology Disney has invested in so far is the MagicBand. Disney has poured in $1 billion to implement the system fully, but it has made visitor experience seamless.
MagicBands are colorful bracelets equipped with a radio (similar to the ones found in a cordless phone) and RFID chip. The all-in-one device, used together with the "My Disney Experience" online planner, allows guests to enter the park or their hotel rooms and buy merchandise and food by simply tapping the wristband on sensors.
Disney World visitors can also connect their MagicBand with their FastPass+.
With digital technology right at the fingertips of guests, it is understandable why the Walt Disney Company would want to examine customer preferences more closely, from wrist to toe.
