by Joe Kleiman, Senior Correspondent
My wife and I spent Thanksgiving weekend at the Disneyland Resort. We booked the trip, including hotel, on the Disneyland website and made extensive use of the app during our visit. Everything worked like a charm, and I must say that being able to order beignets and mint juleps while on the train to New Orleans Square, then being able to pick them up the minute we walked out of the station, was a charm.
A few weeks earlier, Princess Cruises invited me to preview “360: An Extraordinary Experience.” This fine dining meal was supplemented by a 360-degree LED wall surrounding diners, along with projection mapping on the tables and plates, all courtesy of Princess and its partner Super 78 Studios. It was a special thrill to be there in the company of celebrities, such as Top Chef contestant Shirley Chung and supermodel Tyra Banks, but the “360” experience itself was the star and consistent oohs and ahs were heard from everyone in the room.
At both the Disneyland Resort and aboard the Discovery Princess, technology was a tool used to enhance the experience. On both, all the elements worked together organically. At the parks, the app eliminated stress and helped us determine our day in the most efficient manner. On the ship, technology was integrated with a live emcee and serving staff to create a live/media-based hybrid presentation where all parts fluidly worked together.
In this issue, we look at a number of new technologies and products that help operators and designers create successful memories with their guests. This issue will also be at ISE, Europe’s largest show for AV integration, sharing stories of technologies that can be applied to the attractions market.
We look forward to seeing where new technologies help operators and designers take the guest experience.
