Disney requiring finger scanning for admission

One of the most frequent email questions I get is in regards to the finger scanning system that is now required for admission into the Walt Disney World properties.

Tripp asked: Do you have any additional info on the story on local6.com – http://www.local6.com/news/4724689/detail.html – about Disney requiring the finger printing/scanning of ALL guests?

I’ve attempted to find a contact email address on the Disney sites but it appears as though they’ve purposefully removed any form of actually communicating with the company.

This gets overblown in the news. They don’t scan your fingerprints at all. Instead they measure the distance between a few key points on your fingers (mostly your finger joints and tips) then store that data on the magnetic strip on your card. Then next time you try to use the card the ticket machine matches the measurements on the card with the measurements of the person whose fingers are in the machine. If they match you’re through.

Your finger measurement data is discarded when the ticket expires (either through use or through time limitation). Disney does not currently keep a Customer Relations Management system that tracks your purchases. I think they should, but it should be optional for the customer (like a grocery store’s card). Apparently there is a contractual obligation with one of their sponsors that prevents it right now.

My biggest problems with the new system is that it:

a) slows down the system. New guests are constantly trying to figure out how the system works or don’t know that it’s now important that the same person use each ticket throughout the trip. Giving all the tickets to one person for safekeeping doesn’t work unless you’ve put the name of each person on the ticket first (which is why Disney wants you to sign the ticket I think).

b) those finger scanners can get a little yucky if someone in front of you has something on their fingers. I think Disney could solve this by making hand-sanitizer stations available as you walk into the park.

c) breaks down frequently. I’m often in line when the scanner / ticket machine just stops working or it won’t read a card. Now everyone in line is held up while that person is being dealt with.

Is this a violation of your privacy? That’s for you to decide. Your right as a consumer is to not give Disney your money if you don’t like the system.

Now as for Disney’s communication with guests being difficult, that I agree with 1000 percent. Why don’t they have blogs with people from Guest Communications answering guest comments? Why must you fill out a poorly designed form on the main website with limited options to communicate with anyone there? It’s 2005 and the folks at the Mouse House are still asleep on this one.

Hope that answers your questions.

-John