2022 was a wild year for Disney.
Hey, Disney!
Between delayed attraction and restaurant openings, legal and political controversies, continued 50th anniversary celebrations, and more — chances are there are some things you forgot about. Remember when they announced that Amazon Alexa devices equipped with the “Hey Disney!” feature would be rolled out by the end of last year? Well, we finally started seeing the devices in select resorts in late November — and now we have NEW details about the device!
“Hey, Disney!” is currently in the process of rolling out to guests at to the Disney World hotels. The new service will offer “custom voice assistance” to guests staying at Resort hotels in Walt Disney World and Disneyland!
Hey, Disney!
It works with Alexa on Amazon Echo devices, and can assist guests with room amenities, guest services, planning, and weather info. By responding to vocal prompts, “Hey Disney!” will be able to make your vacation easier by answering your questions and fulfilling certain requests.
Josh D’Amaro, Chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products
In late November 2022, Disney started testing the Amazon Alexa “Hey, Disney!” device at the Polynesian Resort. The devices are still in the testing stages, but Disney shared some new details about the feature at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and we’re breaking them down thanks to TechCrunch.
Disney Trivia
First things first — “Hey, Disney!” will be available to purchase for use in your own house soon! Disney previously announced that it would roll out on certain Amazon Alexa devices, but now it looks like we’ll be able to have a bit of Disney magic in our daily routines just a bit sooner. This will allow “Alexa’s technology to be used for a broader range of experiences while also offering Amazon a potential revenue stream from custom client solutions.”
Not only can “Hey, Disney!” make guest service requests, order extra towels or room service, but it’s packed with Disney jokes, trivia, soundscapes, character voices and more. You might even hear Olaf tell you the weather!
©Disney
According to TechCrunch, the actual experience is guided by the Disney Magical Companion, but it was built using Amazon’s Alexa Custom Assistant solution. It’ll also work with MagicBand+, enhancing trivia games by making the band a vibrating buzzer that reacts with haptics and lights. It can also buzz if you set an alarm or timer with the “Hey, Disney!” advice.
We love learning about new technology!
Aaron Rubenson, the vice president of Alexa, shared “Disney is the master storyteller, and its stories are so powerful for so many people.” He continued, “Now people can keep talking to a character, they can continue with the storyline when they go back to their room at the end of the day or when they go home after the vacation is over.”
It can even tell jokes!
The “Hey, Disney!” Magical Companion will be available for U.S. customers to purchase later this year and we’ll keep you updated with a potential release date, so stay tuned to DFB!
Read More About “Hey, Disney!” Here
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WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
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Thank you AJ for this report. But….as a D23 member yourself as you know, we are to receive a free one. And as you know none of us has heard anything from Amazon as of yet. Yes, we’ve received an email from d23 that we should be hearing about our device coming to us, but then we keep seeing news like this. Did I miss something? It absolutely should not go out to the public before we get ours. I know it’s nothing that you can do about it. It’s just frustrating. 💜