Even more on MyMagic+

Disney is spending a fortune (apparently around a billion dollars) to implement the new MyMagic+ system at WDW.  This will change the way people experience the parks, maybe in unforseen ways, so it's worth taking another look at what's going on here.  MiceChat.com has this extensive January post with the basic story written by Sam Gennawey, and many responses.

As the battles between Disney and the other theme park operators is notched up another level with the introduction of the My Disney Experience program (MyMagic+), it is instructive to see how two of the biggest players are going in opposite directions. While Universal is trying to replicate the way Walt’s generation of Imagineers thought by focusing on building ride capacity, immersive theming, combined with novel merchandise, the Walt Disney Company’s new approach seems to be about rationing experiences using cutting edge software and technology.

Why is Disney spending a billion dollars on this system instead of using the money to add/improve attractions and better utilizing dead space?  It almost seems that Disney thinks people view going to WDW as a project with timelines and critical milestones.  So the new system is a kind of project management tool for planning the trip of a lifetime, and this takes priority over keeping the frequent visitor happy with more things to do.