Wi-Fi at Disney World

In the past couple of weeks, both Epcot and Magic Kingdom have rolled out free Wi-Fi throughout the parks.

All I can say is, finally!

Let's hope they turn those spires into Wi-Fi antennas

Some traditionalists may decry that this is the real word encroaching into the fantasy land that exists beyond the gates, especially for Magic Kingdom. With them, I dissagree: a quick connection to the internet has the potential to enhance the fantasy.

Wi-Fi is the first step towards the completion of Disney's NextGen initiative, which will eventually create a more immersive, more convenient experience in the parks, with RFID technology and other technological advancements.

I understand the argument that the internet posses all the fantasy-crushing facts one could ask for, and a Wi-Fi connection will make it that much easier to stay connected to the outside world.

Internet in the park isn't something providing free Wi-Fi has introduced. People have been using their connected devices in the parks since they were first available.

Disney can either force people to waste their expensive data on a slow, overcrowded networks while in the park, or they can work with the technology and use it to their advantage.

In the App store, Disney has had their share of hits, most notably "Where's My Water?", but there are dozens of other Disney apps out there, from the ABC Player, to the Disney Parks app. It's the latter where I see the potential.

Disney could enhance these apps and make them more data-rich, or make new sections of the app for certain locations in the parks. With a reliable, fast connection to the internet, the Disney parks could use your hand-held portal to the outside world into a handheld magic-enhancer.

And then there's the old question of "What would Walt do?" which at times can be dangerous to ask, because the answer is always hypotheical. Disregard the danger: Walt was an innovator to the fullest extent. I feel if was still around (at the age of 111), there would have been Wi-Fi in the parks years ago, and much more park-related content on the App store. But who knows, maybe he would have wanted a digital "burm."

Posted with Blogsy

Testing a New Track

Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival Topiaries

Today, the first day of the Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot, I went on a topiary adventure. Most of the other stuff at the festival didn't really excite me that much.

But the topiaries, oh those topiaries. I've alway been fascinated with them. In fact, my whole family has been for as long as I can remember. When we stay at a hotel at Disneyland, it's more often than not the Stovall’s Inn Best Western, because of the topiaries, as as the "Best" denotes in Best Western, Best Westerns are the best in the west. In all other Cardinal directions, they're not as good. Nor do they have topiaries, which doesn't help.

I've been to Epcot quite a bit lately, to see Bill Nye, to experience all 12 of their rides, and because I just found myself there sometimes. Every visit, I've noticed the topiaries, and they have excited me. When I learned about the new Toy Story 3 sculpted-bush tribute, I about fell of my seat.

So, I had the day off, due to low attendance in the park and there being no need for me, so I took full advantage. My first stop was Hollywood Studios, where I did Rockin' Roller Coaster twice, since I went there last thursday, and it being a Fantasmic! night, there were 80 minute lines, and me having terrible luck, the single rider option was not available (Added to my log of terrible luck today, the first time I got on it, they sent 3 empty limos right past us, due to some technical glitch they were having.) I also went on Tower of Terror, drew Woody at the animation academy, and met Lotso. What does this have to do with topiaries? Nothing!

Then I took the ferry over to Epcot, and got down to the topiary business, much like I am now with my writing. For some reason, I chose to systematically go through the Flower and Garden Festival map, making sure I got a picture of every topiary AFTER I left the park. I discovered that I missed a couple. I have Friday off, too, so I'll get the missing T-P (topiary pictures, though now that I explained it, making abbreviating it seems to have lost its purpose). But for now, all I have are these 29 pictures. Enjoy.