Originally posted by HorizonsFan
The process of being identified by a computer is pretty simple. Much like the Mobil Speedpass, you can carry a unique identifier in your room key or pass. The computer could scan the identifier and locate your information in a database. The difficult part is getting that information back to a cast member in a usable form in a very short amount of time or (even more resource intensive) to a wireless device. The logistics are staggering. What happens when a group of 10 people walks into a shop at the same time? Who's information comes up first? How does the castmember match what's on the screen to one of the 10 people who just walked in? How many of you have walked through the shops on Main Street to avoid the crowd or to enjoy the AC? If the database is busy recording what Joe Punchclock just bought, does it have enough resources to scan you and return your information before you move to the next shop?
The gathering of information about us can allow Disney to target us for mail, phone or internet marketing but it's highly doubtful that with the technology they posess right now that they can use that information instantly at the parks.
JMO...
I think the technology can handle it just fine- but not sure the humans can (if t=you think the guy in the store is going to have to know about all 10 people at once..). Take the toll tag systems for example- say you go to the George washington bridge between NY and NJ- they have maybe 25 or 35 booths taking ezpass at the same time- I can drive through there at 15mph when its not totally congested (used to be more like 30 mph before they got picky...) and inthe split second that i'm driving through the booth it can read the tag call down to the ezpass data center in Deleware where the database is checked to see if my account is valid, and send back a message to the tool booth that i'm ok, not ok, need to call the customer service center, or have a low balance. Supposedly it works fine up to like 50, 60 , or even 70mph. So i think if they set the scanner up in a doorway it could easily read tens if not hundreds of tags at once as people enter and leave the building. I doubt the salesperson would know what to do with all that info though, so more likely they would just hava a reader right at the checkout to help them 'suggestive sell'. THe fast food joints alreday have registers that say "suggest fries. or suggest a drink, etc."- so they could just say - Hi Mr. Voice did you find everything you wanted today? Did you see our new display of thingies in the corner (where the computer realized Mr. Voice bought alot of thingies last visit).
I'm excited by the prospect that they know what rides,shops, etc. that i spend time in- right now they try to make suggestions for you- but you have to anser a series of questions when you make your reservations. It's somewhat annoying wasting my time polling me and since it probably annoys many they only ask a few questions and judge my likes from that.