New MyMagic+ & Disney Transport Test

[andyman8]

For a while, Disney has been testing monitors displaying bus ETAs at some of its resort like GF and POR. While it seemed like they hadn't moved forward with the technology since it was first installed in 2012, it appears they are now using MagicBands to improve the technology before expanding it.

The test, right now limited to just the MK to/from POR route, uses long-range RFID scanners to record when guests with MBs get on the bus and when they exit it thus calculating their travel time. These times are used to calculate expected ETAs of busses. The whole MB tracking thing seems to have some privacy advocates concerned. Again, this is just a test now, but if successful, this could be rolled out to other resorts soon.

Scary or convenient? Thoughts?

 

[mesaboy2]

For a while, Disney has been testing monitors displaying bus ETAs at some of its resort like GF and POR. While it seemed like they hadn't moved forward with the technology since it was first installed in 2012, it appears they are now using MagicBands to improve the technology before expanding it.

The test, right now limited to just the MK to/from POR route, uses long-range RFID scanners to record when guests with MBs get on the bus and when they exit it thus calculating their travel time. These times are used to calculate expected ETAs of busses. The whole MB tracking thing seems to have some privacy advocates concerned. Again, this is just a test now, but if successful, this could be rolled out to other resorts soon.

Scary or convenient? Thoughts?

Bit of both.

Seems to me they could just, you know, track the bus itself.

 

[kastoney]

Makes sense to me and I think it's a great feature. They clearly have the technology to support this, I prefer they use it rather than just stalking me for fun ; )

 

[BugsDaddy]

I think it would be great to have an electronic sign at every bus stop with ETAs for each bus. But to Mesa's point, I am not sure why they could not do that tracking the bus itself. I know there is some pretty good technology out there that can do that today and is used by other service / delivery companies.

 

[mountdew1]

Bit of both.

Seems to me they could just, you know, track the bus itself.

They could, but the theory seems to be that as they pick up MBs, they should be able to tell if those MBs (and the accounts associated with them) have a FP at a certain park, and thus dispatch/reroute buses accordingly based on demand. So the bus could tell you that the next bus currently tagged as MK is 5 minutes away, but the MBs would tell them that there are 65 people waiting that they need to dispatch a second bus, and that the second bus would then be 15 mins away.

As far as privacy for the MBs go, simply by booking a FP+ they know where you plan on going, and they should then be able to approximate fairly well when you would head over anyway. Tracking your historical information that gets associated with your MDE account can show them that you typically hit the parks at open, and go back mid day for a break (from the lack of FP+ bookings, and the fact your MB entered your room). Having a long range tracker is just a slightly more detailed accounting.

 

[Ninja Mom]

Bit of both.

Seems to me they could just, you know, track the bus itself.

I will look for the buses sporting the enormous magic bands the next time I am at WDW!

~NM