Does anyone else think this is a little creepy?

[TDC Nala]

The Magic Bands have longer range transmitters so you will not have to scan them for that sort of thing.

Someone above did have the point that even in the "old days" photographs were taken of every person on every vehicle, and your photograph was always made available for other persons riding in the same vehicle to purchase. Even someone who was not riding in your vehicle could have purchased your photo if they identified it to the cashier as the one they wished to purchase.

The RFID blocking wallets will maybe help - if you never take the card out of them for anything. They do NOT store your credit card number on the band or card.

 

[pmaurer74]

I was creeped out when we had a FP+ for BOG and we pre ordered. They told us we could sit anywhere so we sat in the Rose Garden and within a few minutes our food appeared. How did they know we were there? No one came to our table or looked at a slip of paper. it was liked they tracked us to the table....

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Last time I was at BOG they scanned the magic bands before we entered the ordering room and were able to locate us that way.

 

[jc040404]

Interesting stuff. I think it's kinda neat. I've been getting emails about expiring photopass, but didn't think anything of it. After reading this, I checked it out. We never bother to look at the ride photos and I liked one of ds enough that I'm considering a purchase. I guess their evil plan worked! Half of the photos are of other guests though. None are wearing the bands.

 

[JanaDee]

I was creeped out when we had a FP+ for BOG and we pre ordered. They told us we could sit anywhere so we sat in the Rose Garden and within a few minutes our food appeared. How did they know we were there? No one came to our table or looked at a slip of paper. it was liked they tracked us to the table....

They did track you to your table, using the MB.

 

[chartle]

Last time I was at BOG they scanned the magic bands before we entered the ordering room and were able to locate us that way.

They did track you to your table, using the MB.

Yes before everyone had magic bands and I guess for guests without MBs you get a rose. There are readers in the tables.

 

[mesaboy2]

Yes before everyone had magic bands and I guess for guests without MBs you get a rose. There are readers in the tables.

 

[Magpie]

What do I think will happen if I don't use the card with the RFID blocking wallet? Probably nothing, it's a personal choice. In this case, at least, I can preserve my privacy a little bit. It shocks me that people just roll over on these issues. Maybe it's because I'm a child of the times of my youth- the 1960's and 70's when people thought the philosophies in 1984 were bad. It was hard to imagine things like this would happen yet today Big Brother is routine and people think you're a kook if you're upset about it.

Have you read 1984 recently? I have. What we've got here is not even remotely related to "Big Brother".

I can respect your personal choice, though.

My personal feeling on the issue is that Disney already has my credit card number (s) and phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Disney knows where I live. Disney knows the names and ages of my children and husband (and also has his credit card, phone and e-mail). Disney knows when I've visited, where I've stayed and what flights I came in on. Disney knows the time, date and details of every purchase I've ever made with them using a credit card!

And then there's my Disney movie club membership, every sweepstakes I've ever entered, every survey I've ever filled out for them...

Disney probably knows more about me than my own mother!

So if Disney wants to know where I am when I'm on their property, I don't mind being one more data point for them.

That's the lovely thing about modern data collection and capitalism - the better they know me, the more they can tailor their offerings to me, and the happier I'll be to (voluntarily!) spend my money with them.

It's a win-win!

 

[over50visits]

Have you read 1984 recently? I have. What we've got here is not even remotely related to "Big Brother".

Yes. And is it remotely related. The younger generation accepts current technology invasion of privacy as the norm (witness the incredible control Facebook has over some lives), and the older generation remembers when they were not tracked and treated to newspeak ("for your convenience") and is concerned about the Big Brother concept. Do read it and see the many parallels.

Doesn't mean it is bad, many like to have Disney fingerprint and track them and suggest purchases they might make, some don't. Many love the perceived convenience, many miss spontaneity and anonymity.

 

[Magpie]

Yes. And is it remotely related. The younger generation accepts current technology invasion of privacy as the norm (witness the incredible control Facebook has over some lives), and the older generation remembers when they were not tracked and treated to newspeak ("for your convenience") and is concerned about the Big Brother concept. Do read it and see the many parallels.

Doesn't mean it is bad, many like to have Disney fingerprint and track them and suggest purchases they might make, some don't. Many love the perceived convenience, many miss spontaneity and anonymity.

I'm almost as old as you are, and I've just read 1984. (My teen did a paper on it for school). 1984 was about control and fear and lack of choice. And it was a metaphor for what many were experiencing in Communist countries at the time it was written, when your neighbours could report on you and government could hold a hammer over your head in retaliation for bad thoughts.

Instead of comparing Disney to 1984, think of it this way: I have an awesome home with lots of toys. You can come visit - for a price. I'm also going to want to know as much about you as I can possibly find out, while you're in my home. I will do my best to make your stay as pleasant as possible, even using the information I glean about you to make your stay even better. If you don't like the way I run things, in my own home, then you can choose not to visit.

None of this makes me "Big Brother". Nor am I invading your privacy. I'm not coming into your home - you're coming into mine.

When Disney can spy into our homes, and punish us for not acting appropriately, then we can talk.

Doesn't mean it is bad, many like to have Disney fingerprint and track them and suggest purchases they might make, some don't.

If you're talking about the finger scanners, not only are they not acutally "fingerprinting" you, but even YOU have to use them to get into the parks.

 

[over50visits]

Just a short disagreement. I'm not visiting anyone's home, rather their place if business. And now they want to (electronically) follow me around during my entire time in the store and suggest I buy lots of things, and want me to plan what departments I'll visit at what time before I walk in the door. After I leave they want to keep reminding me of ways to spend more because they tracked me often without me knowledge.

I believe (I don't know for sure, but it seems to be the accepted) that they do not actually take a fingerprint, but it looks and feels like they do, and they will be forever having to explain that encoding data about fingerprint highlights is somehow different from taking your full fingerprint. A meaningless nuance to someone pressing their finger on a scanner.

Some love it, some don't. I'm not sure which camp I will be in, but it doesn't matter, we will keep returning and having wonderful vacations. And now Disney can keep emailing me after my visit to sell me pictures I didn't even know they were taking!

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

Just so you know the cards only have the low range RFID on it.

Not true. Having a husband that works with RFID in his line of business daily, I know more about it than I would like. You should study up on it sometime. Just because the technology appears to fail at the FP+ machines it doesn't mean that it is short-range.

*************************************************


An a separate, but related note: There is a lot of koolaid all through-out this thread.

 

[Magpie]

Just a short disagreement. I'm not visiting anyone's home, rather their place if business. And now they want to (electronically) follow me around during my entire time in the store and suggest I buy lots of things, and want me to plan what departments I'll visit at what time before I walk in the door. After I leave they want to keep reminding me of ways to spend more because they tracked me often without me knowledge.

I believe (I don't know for sure, but it seems to be the accepted) that they do not actually take a fingerprint, but it looks and feels like they do, and they will be forever having to explain that encoding data about fingerprint highlights is somehow different from taking your full fingerprint. A meaningless nuance to someone pressing their finger on a scanner.

Some love it, some don't. I'm not sure which camp I will be in, but it doesn't matter, we will keep returning and having wonderful vacations. And now Disney can keep emailing me after my visit to sell me pictures I didn't even know they were taking!

Fair enough!

A private place of business then. But still not "Big Brother" or 1984. You always have the choice whether or not to walk through that door. And, Disney can't actually follow you home. (Personalized e-mail adverts using the e-mail you voluntarily provided to them, don't count.)

And I think if you keep returning and having wonderful vacations, then you've already chosen a camp. Or as we like to say in our home, "All hail Disney! Our favourite evil mega-corporation."

 

[nkereina]

Didn't read all the replies but in response to OP, same thing happened to us. We did not purchase photo pass. We did buy our photo after RnRC and it came with a free photo pass card which we forgot about. We got the same email that our photos were due to expire so I viewed it and almost all of our ride photos were on there except for a few at ToT and EE - where we scanned our bands for FP+. We also had several other photos of other families and several empty log photos from Splash

 

[pampam]

Not really, if they can read it when you are on a ride to identify your picture. I guess the reader is in the car.

When I first read this post and found my pictures I was truly shocked, especially seeing the date and time shown. I don't care if someone can track down my picture, it just surprised me that it could be done. I knew on Buzz that you could swipe your card or band next to your picture at the end of your ride and it would go to your photopass, I just didn't know that they could track you and automatically put it on your photopass. My first thought was what if you were there with someone you shouldn't be (not in my case)! ;-)

Are you sure about this? My understanding was they read the magic bands, not the KTTW card. The KTTW card has an rfid chip but no battery or antenna in it. It is not capable of transmitting info any great distance.

 

[DebbieB]

Are you sure about this? My understanding was they read the magic bands, not the KTTW card. The KTTW card has an rfid chip but no battery or antenna in it. It is not capable of transmitting info any great distance.

My reply was for magic bands. The post I quoted said you have to have full contact for magic bands.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

Disney will have both short and long range readers. The short range is, of course, whenever you touch the band to something, the long range they will place around the parks at key locations. The reader doesn't necessarily need to be in the car, it could be where you got on or off the car and then it would know which car, and therefore, which picture you are in.

There are probably lots of people that forget a picture and will be very happy that Disney "found" it.

I don't know why this bothers people. Disney has been tracking your movements in one way or another for years. CM's and security cameras watch your every move. Every time you entered a park, made a purchase, or used your KTTW card in any way Disney knew who you were, where you were, and they collected this information to evaluate what you do.

Also, we are all in a resort - a public place. The owner wants to track our movements to adapt and provide better service. When they know more about behavior patterns, they can plan and adjust better. The icing on the cake from our perspective will be the little things Disney adds like a greeting at the end of It's a Small World, or a princess knowing something about a little girl.

You know how they give you a card at the beginning of a line and then collect it when you get to the end so the line time can be estimated? Imagine if they could do that at every ride, all the time, and all over the park?! The value of this information is almost incalculable. First to Disney, and second to all of us because it will give Disney the ability to understand what we do and adjust. And they will be able to do this over the long term with statistics on people's movements and actions, and in the short term as they watch lines and crowds.

What do I care!? No I don't want them to watch my home, but they aren't, they are watching what I do at Disney so they can make it better. Actually I do care. I WANT them to do this. I think it is completely ridiculous to equate this with 1984 or the NSA.

 

[Son of Gadsden]

Not to turn this political...

But I always get a kick out of threads like this about how creepy Disney is for spying on guests in a theme park...

when the NSA has been exposed for doing much worse every day in your life.

Not to put on the tin foil, but big brother is everywhere. Disney spying on you as an attempt to figure out your spending strategy should be the least of your worries.

 

[gina2000]

Of courser Big Brother is everywhere. The point is that WDW is showing you how easy it is to monitor your movements, your spending habits and your preferences. It's not cloaked behind anonymity. It's jarring to me to see the actual extent that I can be monitored and the fact that I'm so complacent about it. I've never considered how close to the bone this technology is. And that's why it may be a precursor to the Orwellian society in 1984. How we choose to use this technology determines society's future.

Am I really scared? No, not at the moment but it does give me pause. I'd be foolish if I didn't consider all the possibilities. In my post Cold War peabrain, benevolence is not a word I associate with corporations or governments. WDW may be the happiest place on earth but that doesn't mean that this technology is only used to foster happiness. That's naive. If WDW uses it, so do many other entities. And none of them use it to foster my well being. They use it to further their goals.

 

[Son of Gadsden]

Of courser Big Brother is everywhere. The point is that WDW is showing you how easy it is to monitor your movements, your spending habits and your preferences.

My point is Edward Snowden already told us the same thing, but about a million times worse. After the NSA being exposed about what they do, this shouldn't shock anyone.

It's like having your house burned to the ground, but worrying about your hardwood floors being damaged by rain.