Disney's New AI PhotoPass and Epcot Resort Rumors

New DVC Resort at Fort Wilderness

• 🏕️ Disney has filed initial construction permits for a new DVC resort at Fort Wilderness, codenamed "Project 89".
• ⏳ Construction is estimated to take at least 18-24 months, with a potential opening by the 50th anniversary, aiming to accommodate more guests and set revenue records.
• 🏞️ The facility is envisioned as a four or five-story, wilderness lodge-esque structure, possibly incorporating elements of the former River Country water park.
• 🔑 A key challenge is balancing an authentically rustic theme with modern guest expectations for amenities like connectivity and flat-screen TVs.
• 📈 DVC resorts are highly profitable for Disney, with occupancy rates typically above 95%.

Epcot Hotel Development and Convention Space

• 🏨 Permits have also been filed for potential hotel development near the Epcot bus stop, coinciding with Epcot being a focus for Disney World's 50th anniversary.
• 🚗 The proposed location on the old bus parking lot could allow for a reconfiguration of transportation and parking, creating space for a hotel, dining, and retail complex.
• 🗺️ However, some Imagineers question the necessity of a new Epcot hotel, citing the proximity of existing resorts like the Boardwalk, Yacht Club, Beach Club, Dolphin, Swan, Caribbean, and Riviera, which offer around 10,000 rooms accessible by walking or Skyliner.
• 🏢 Discussions also touched on the inadequacy of the Contemporary Resort's convention space, suggesting that a new DVC tower there could be more financially viable than expanding convention facilities.

AI-Powered PhotoPass System

• 📸 Disney is training AI to replace PhotoPass photographers, leveraging millions of existing photos to teach computers to detect optimal posing moments.
• 💡 The AI can identify when guests are posing and capture photos, aiming for higher quality, more crisp, and stable images than human photographers.
• 💰 This initiative could reduce labor costs, improve photo quality, and potentially increase sales, benefiting Disney financially.
• 🎭 The AI is trained to capture storytelling moments, including arrival, interaction, and goodbye poses, and to identify poses that have historically sold well.
• 🤔 The use of AI to suggest poses raises questions about coercion versus valuable recommendations, with the potential for manipulation being a concern.