Alexa rolling out at Poly

[sethschroeder]

It has started to be tested at Poly recently. The funny thing is there are credible rumors of large cuts from that division at Amazon for how much money it is losing the company (approaching $10b in losses on the voice assistant division).

Time will tell if this sticks around or gets dropped when Disney like others fine out people choose to leverage the phone over the voice assistant that won't do the basic things you really want like lighting or setting AC/Heat.


https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2022...-alexa-devices-coming-to-disney-world-hotels/

 

[DeeBee3]

Should be interesting to hear the reactions.
I have no devices like that in the house. I can talk to the remote for a channel or search a movie, etc, but we have no google home or alexas around. My phone is already listening to me too much!

We would definitely go in and try to turn it off if possible. Call me paranoid.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I just don't understand this. THIS is the freebie Disney wants to give us? Personally I'd much rather have free FP+ back, than get this.
We happen to have Alexa (DH"s idea), and I find it kind of creepy.

 

[kanerf]

But is it "Alexa ...." or "Mickey ..."?

 

[SteveH]

...The funny thing is there are credible rumors of large cuts from that division at Amazon for how much money it is losing the company (approaching $10b in losses on the voice assistant division)...

It's not a rumor
CNBC: Amazon starts cutting jobs, with layoffs hitting Alexa unit and cloud gaming division
Ars Technica: Amazon Alexa is a “colossal failure,” on pace to lose $10 billion this year
The Wrap: Amazon Begins Layoffs With Cuts to Entire Alexa Department

This seems to be one of the many stuipide ideas that Bob Chapek had, and one of his legacy moments LOL. I predict a very short trial run.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Alexa has been used by Wynn/Encore in Vegas for a while (several years). At least there you can tell it to turn off the lights, close the drapes, turn on music, etc.

 

[Great3]

Ridiculous if that's what our Maintenance Fees we paid are going towards. Hopes it only stays on the Hotel side and not cross over to DVC side.

Great3

 

[DeeBee3]

But is it "Alexa ...." or "Mickey ..."?

I might change my mind if it plays that song when I say it.

 

[DVC Doctor]

Its called "Hey Disney" and it looks pretty cool. This is not something that is specific to DVC and I think is just starting at the Poly hotel side for now.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/hey-disney/

 

[Simba's Mom]

Ridiculous if that's what our Maintenance Fees we paid are going towards. Hopes it only stays on the Hotel side and not cross over to DVC side.

Great3

As an Alexa owner, I agree completely. I just feel very uncomfortable using that feature. One small thing that bothers me is when you say "Alexa, turn on the light" and she does, who cares if you say "thank you" . Also, there's no encouragement to say "Please turn on the light". I know, I"m old and grumpy, but I feel it's another place where good manners, "please" and "thank you" don't matter any more. Just "do it!!!!"

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

As an Alexa owner, I agree completely. I just feel very uncomfortable using that feature. One small thing that bothers me is when you say "Alexa, turn on the light" and she does, who cares if you say "thank you" . Also, there's no encouragement to say "Please turn on the light". I know, I"m old and grumpy, but I feel it's another place where good manners, "please" and "thank you" don't matter any more. Just "do it!!!!"

With all due respect is this really a complaint of yours? That AI isn't using Miss Manners? Did you think about this with On-Star too? Because I'm pretty certain you don't say please and thank you when you're in an accident calling for help.

 

[DVCjj]

I will follow exactly what I did at a lovely Cocoa Beach resort 2 years ago when we stepped into our room and noticed Alexa on the nightstand.

I marched down to the office to say if you don't remove it (signs all over the room said do not remove, do not unplug etc. etc. ) immediately or we are checking out.

That is what we will do at Poly in January. A shame because that's our Home Resort and we love it. What I don't love is Alexa and its counterparts.

 

[bumbershoot]

I have no devices like that in the house. I can talk to the remote for a channel or search a movie, etc, but we have no google home or alexas around.

My then-husband worked in kindle and sort of in echo/alexa (also dot, firephone, and a couple other things). I know several of the engineers who worked on alexa from the beginning and we've talked about it at length.

I do NOT have an alexa in my home.

After my then-husband became my ex my son and I kept it for a bit for music, and after one or two very odd experiences, I got rid of it.

It's like when they say the big scanner at the airport literally cannot keep images, but in the articles about them they literally show still images? Same with alexa.