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[sunshinetaradise]

so the day before I left CBR I had to do some laundry because Debby left my sister and I with NO clothes! I called the front desk because the front of one of the washers in the laundry facility near martinique had fallen off. The engineer (he was very nice and his name was Bob) came and started fixing it as i was folding my laundry. He started talking with me and randomly started telling me some info on upcoming things happening at the world. One thing he said was that everyone in the next few years will wear wristbands in the parks with some sort of GPS locator to help people find their party if they become lost or seperated. They'll be able to go to Guest Relations and other locations and tell them the person's name and they can locate them by looking up their name and it'll show the exact location of that person on a computer. He also mentioned the whole fastpass reservation that we've been hearing about. Just thought it was some interesting info and wasn't sure if anyone else had heard of the whole wristband thing.

[tylerdylansmom]

li have heard of wrist bands in other parks, but not everyone wears them. Mainly families with small children, makes it easier to find a lost child or a family of the lost child. I havent heard of disney doing this tho. I doubt everyone would wear them since that would begin to feel like big brother is watching you.

[EddieCVS]

He must be talking about the Next Gen technology. The chip in the wristband will trigger many things in the resorts and parks.

[tylerdylansmom]

Originally Posted by EddieCVS

He must be talking about the Next Gen technology. The chip in the wristband will trigger many things in the resorts and parks.

I didnt think about that, i did hear about this. Funny when you mention that it will track where you are and then be able to find your party if separated it begins to sound like a creepy tracker thing(unless you have small children and people can locate said child easier) but when you tell me that it will do so many other things it sounds less creepy. Lol

[jimmymac]

A little too "Big Brother" for me

[chezp]

I think it's a good idea, so long as it's optional and not forced on everyone.

[notjustamom]

I think it's a good idea, so long as it's optional and not forced on everyone.

My sentiments exactly!

[magic mickey]

Originally Posted by chezp

I think it's a good idea, so long as it's optional and not forced on everyone.

I also agree! Maybe you don't want to be found!

[hleland]

Originally Posted by chezp

I think it's a good idea, so long as it's optional and not forced on everyone.

Yup, I'll agree with that. It would definitely be good for families with lost children. For me onthe other hand, not so much since I usually travel solo!!

[JKnott17]

I haven't heard about the wristband GPS thing, but they do have something similar at Hershey Park. We were there last week and saw it at Guest Services. They called it the "Family Finder" or something like that, and it was a totally optional thing. I think it's a good idea for those with small children.

[Caldercup]

I don't think they'd be "GPS" but, rather, RFID enabled.

Meaning, you'd have to pass something (like a turnstile, or use the wristband to get a fastpass or charge something) and they'd have the record of you being in that location at that moment.

It is a little "Big Brother-ish" but they're really already doing it. Think of what info they get each time you use a ticket, charge to your KTTW card or get a FP...

[CinderAbby]

I don't mind Disney keeping track of me with my KTTW card (I use it to enter the parks and the occasional FP) but wearing a bracelet all day long? No thank you very much. For families with kids that could get lost, I agree it's a good thing.

[Teresa]

Sounds interesting. We're already kind of "Big Brothered" anyway, what's one more thing? Think of it:
how many of us have loyalty cards? Think they give you those just 'cause they like you? no, they track what you buy and what you return. They know what kind of cereal you eat, how much junk food you buy, even how much gasoline you use in a given week. The pharmacy tracks your meds and knows when you need a refill, and what else you've purchased. With electronic charting being mandatory for hospitals and others in the next year (or Medicare and Medicaid won't pay them), your records become tracking devices.
Most cell phones track where you are at any given minute. Most digital cameras record where and when a photo was taken.

My concern would be: bracelets get stretched out and taken off, the lines to purchase tickets, etc. might get longer if you have to give them all the names of the party and separately put on their bracelets. Can just anyone walk up and say "I lost my friend, John Doe. can you find him please?" and find out where John Doe is? Or is it sort of like Chuckie Cheese? You have to have the same number before they'll let you find someone, or for that matter leave the park with a kid?

[cdnmousegirls]

They would also be a great marketing tool, to see what some deomgraphics enjoy. It should be voluntary!

[Dave Marx]

The RFID "chips" are already in use at DCL and are being phased in at the resorts - they're built right into a regular Key to the World card. The new "touch" door locks use RFID. So, while the cards will continue to have magnetic stripes as well for a while to come (until every cash register is converted to the technology)... Disney could do this today.

A bracelet is not essential to this system working, but that's one concept Imagineering has proposed. They want every guest to carry/wear whatever object has the embedded RFID chip. Bracelets may be more reliable than cards in that regard. Mom or Dad might be carrying everyone's cards, and for everything they want RFID to do, it's important that each individual carry their own. Bracelets may also be cheaper than giving each guest a lanyard with a card holder. If they finally start pre-measuring kids for rides, they'd use these to identify each kid, so they don't want them to be easily swapped. Every park pass would have this as well, not just room keys.