Disneyland Makes Surveillance Palatable—and Profitable
The “happiest place on earth” keeps lines moving efficiently partly by tracking guests’ activity at the park.
A Stormtrooper at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Walt Disney Co.'s Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California.
Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/BloombergWe’re in the heat of the summer blockbuster season, when Walt Disney Co. is taking over theaters with releases like Toy Story 4 and live-action versions of Aladdin and Lion King. There’s another aspect of the season Disney is effectively capturing: summer vacations—and reams of data on the things you do inside its amusement parks.
With the recent opening of the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge theme park at California’s Disneyland, the company continues to mine its portfolio of franchises and boost its $20 billion resorts business. Last week, Disney announced the opening of another Star Wars extension at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, a follow up to its massive Avatar annex. And next on the schedule is a slate of Marvel comics-themed attractions from Hong Kong to Paris.