Move Over, NikeFuel: Disney Launches MyMagic+ Wristband

Just as CES is getting underway in Las Vegas comes word that Disney is considering getting into the video-game-console market. UberGizmo reports that Disney has patented a gaming console that “will focus on providing a 3D augmented reality experience with its titles, similar to what the Nintendo 3DS does.”

While a video-game world of Disney is still a (new and improved) Fantasyland scenario, the estimated 30 million people that will pour through the gates of Disney World this year in Orlando will find themselves in a more game-like experience.

That's because Disney's digital marketing mavens are introducing a new method of payment and admission to ease navigating the park's attractions and venues: a bracelet called MyMagic+.

The $800 million to $1 billion investment, according to the New York Times, aims to make visiting the park “less daunting and more amenable to modern consumer behavior.” The easier and seamless the guest experience, the more money and loyalty will be generated.

The high-tech wristbands — which a Disney Parks blog post says "will serve as a guest’s room key, theme park ticket, access to FastPass+ selections, PhotoPass card and optional payment account all rolled into one" —  will make spending a little easier for consumers. It will also allow Disney to track customer behavior in the park a lot more closely, and in return, provide a more customized experience and let visitors reserve times (and minimize valuable time spent waiting in line).

For example, the bands could allow for Cinderella to actually greet a child by his or her name. Or a robotic character might be able to “talk” to band wearers while they are waiting for a ride. “We want to take experiences that are more passive and make them as interactive as possible — moving from, ‘Cool, look at that talking bird,’ to ‘Wow, amazing, that bird is talking directly to me,’ ” said Bruce Vaughn, chief creative executive for Walt Disney Imagineering, according to the Times. Talk about a personalized brand experience — but will visitors find it convenient or a creepy?

[Image via the Disney Parks blog]