NBC Universal has unveiled very aggressive plans for the expansion of their beautiful theme parks situated in California and Florida. They are backing their plans with a huge budget of $1.1 billion. The major portion of the budget will go towards construction of new attractions like Simpsons Shopping Area, Transformers Ride, a second Harry Potter Land at Universal Orlando and a Despicable Me attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood. The American economy has not only stabilized but the recent numbers are positive and the environment has become conducive for fresh investments. Walt Disney Co. is also reportedly investing a similar amount in their theme park division. “My Magic+†is their pet project and has created a sort of world record as the most expensive rewiring project in the history of the theme park industry.
It is Basically a Reservation System Based on Multi-Tentacle Technology
The project is based on multi-tentacle technology with the reservation system at its core. It will enable the visitors to book rides several weeks in advance. They will get rubber bands called Magic Bands which will function like theme park tickets as well as credit cards. Disney World has a couple of water parks, four theme parks and two dozen hotels and through this project they hope to enhance their profit margins. Some of the fans are apprehensive about the new project and resent the aggressive marketing tactics of Disney. They are even articulating their frustration at online fan forums. However Disney is unaffected as it is a well thought out plan developed after lot of deliberation and analysis. All their plans are on track including those for construction of new attractions.
The Test Run Saw 50,000 Visitors Using the System Successfully
The initial response from the fans has been positive. They had a large test run for the new My Magic system. About 50,000 visitors tried the new system successfully. The logic behind the system is that if the guests plan their visit well in advance they can be persuaded to spend more money at Disney World properties. Disney is also planning other initiatives around the new project to increase revenue. They will be launching new collections of souvenir lines by creating Magic Band accessories. The march of technology is unstoppable and they are now getting into the theme parks also in a big way.
