Pop Century with the Alexa or Hey Disney?

[AngelaVa]

Like to know if the new Hey Disney Alexa are in the rooms at Pop Cenruty or when ?

 

[scrappinginontario]

First report of it being at Pop Century was announced in the Pop thread this week.

 

[summerlvr]

I was there last week and there was one in my room.

 

[HopperFan]

Yikes, can you unplug them?

 

[summerlvr]

Yikes, can you unplug them?

Yes

 

[reddog21]

Yikes, can you unplug them?

Are you afraid Alexa will overhear your plan to take over world?

 

[gottalovepluto]

Are you afraid Alexa will overhear your plan to take over world?

There is no shame in having privacy concerns regarding Alexa.

 

[DizneyFamof4]

There is no shame in having privacy concerns regarding Alexa.

I would also unplug it.

 

[reddog21]

There is no shame in having privacy concerns regarding Alexa.

Then you should stop using every electronic device you have that has a microphone and is connected to the internet.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Then you should stop using every electronic device you have that has a microphone and is connected to the internet.

Obviously.

In other news there is still no shame in having privacy concerns regarding Alexa.

 

[yellowfish78]

Yes it can be unplugged.

It's a pain when your kid realizes that it's also a touch screen before you do and orders maintenance to come out to fix your broken shower and fridge, orders 5 towels and 2 extra sets of bed sheets.

 

[DizneyFamof4]

Then you should stop using every electronic device you have that has a microphone and is connected to the internet.

Not really accurate, most communications like zoom etc. uses AES, where as Alexa doesn't and Alexa is used to gather information, just like Google, so that they can sell the info to advertisers to aim ads to you. A good example is to go and google mattresses and you will start seeing a bunch of mattress ads popping up on your internet. I use a VPN at home to prevent this. So, some people care and, like you, some people don't.

 

[HopperFan]

Are you afraid Alexa will overhear your plan to take over world?

Snark and belittle away.

I don't want a device I do not own listening to me in my hotel room.

I have no idea what deal Disney has made with whoever is paying for these devices. Devices I own I can shut down portions of it. My phone - SIRI and more is turned off. Disney doesn't need these, they get more than enough info from MDE, our phones and our MagicBands. We don't need them we have phones aka small computers. So ... who paid for them and what are they using them for??

Yes it can be unplugged.

It's a pain when your kid realizes that it's also a touch screen before you do and orders maintenance to come out to fix your broken shower and fridge, orders 5 towels and 2 extra sets of bed sheets.

So are they replacing the phones with these?

 

[IndyToThere]

We don't need them we have phones aka small computers. So ... who paid for them and what are they using them for??

Disney paid for them to provide some extra entertainment. Main things I noticed they can be used for:

- To play Trivia questions
- To get a character greeting
- Soundscapes (background ambient music)
- To order non-paid items for room (ex extra coffee or pillows)

On our last trip, I used it to play some soundscapes for a few minutes. The Moana one in an Animal Kingdom Lodge room is a good combo. I also used it to order extra coffee packets and some tea - I found that more convenient than having to call someone and wait for them to pickup. It also showed what items were available that I could order which was handy.

So are they replacing the phones with these?

No, not at this time. The phones are still in the room. They are not used to directly communicate with other people currently.

You have to opt in on the device to use it. If you don't want to use it, you don't have to. If you are concerned about a child opting in and you would prefer not to, you could unplug the device.

 

[HopperFan]

Disney paid for them to provide some extra entertainment. Main things I noticed they can be used for:

- To play Trivia questions
- To get a character greeting
- Soundscapes (background ambient music)
- To order non-paid items for room (ex extra coffee or pillows)

On our last trip, I used it to play some soundscapes for a few minutes. The Moana one in an Animal Kingdom Lodge room is a good combo. I also used it to order extra coffee packets and some tea - I found that more convenient than having to call someone and wait for them to pickup. It also showed what items were available that I could order which was handy.


No, not at this time. The phones are still in the room. They are not used to directly communicate with other people currently.

You have to opt in on the device to use it. If you don't want to use it, you don't have to. If you are concerned about a child opting in and you would prefer not to, you could unplug the device.

I still don't see what the advantage is for Disney, so I am not convinced they paid to install these.

I did more reading and looks like the real plus (for us) is the Bus Arrival schedule.

The negative is most reporting says due to the interactive nature of the device there is a camera in it.

I'll be unplugging it.

 

[IndyToThere]

I still don't see what the advantage is for Disney, so I am not convinced they paid to install these.

Ok.

I just saw Amazon advertising that you can purchase an annual subscription to the Hey Disney app for your Alexa devices back at home, so perhaps the devices are mostly paid by (assumed) future subscriptions?

 

[HopperFan]

Ok.

I just saw Amazon advertising that you can purchase an annual subscription to the Hey Disney app for your Alexa devices back at home, so perhaps the devices are mostly paid by (assumed) future subscriptions?

For awhile you've been able to buy the "stand" to put your echo in to look just like them. I had looked at it for ours but it is in the kitchen and Mickey won't match my Haunted Mansion theme. Makes sense they are selling a home version of the software. Get everyone hooked on Alexa.

 

[AprilsZoo]

I still don't see what the advantage is for Disney, so I am not convinced they paid to install these.

I did more reading and looks like the real plus (for us) is the Bus Arrival schedule.

The negative is most reporting says due to the interactive nature of the device there is a camera in it.

I'll be unplugging it.

Alternatively, you could always put a small (removable) sticker or piece of electrical tape over it.

Of course, I have a popsicle/craft stick that lives in my go kit— it has a couple dozen wraps of each: electrical, scotch, and masking tape on it.
It has come in handy for more things than I can ever remember. The electrical tape gets used primarily to cover small, bright lights in the room often found on miscellaneous electronic stuff.

A 1/2” piece of electrical tape over the camera (leave a tiny tab to make it easy to remove later) would solve the problem.

 

[HopperFan]

Alternatively, you could always put a small (removable) sticker or piece of electrical tape over it.

Of course, I have a popsicle/craft stick that lives in my go kit— it has a couple dozen wraps of each: electrical, scotch, and masking tape on it.
It has come in handy for more things than I can ever remember. The electrical tape gets used primarily to cover small, bright lights in the room often found on miscellaneous electronic stuff.

A 1/2” piece of electrical tape over the camera (leave a tiny tab to make it easy to remove later) would solve the problem.

True, I could and you have an impressive travel kit.

But it is just easier to unplug and I don't risk damaging the device.

Like I said the bus schedule is really the only thing I've read that is a plus for us.

 

[KNovacovschi]

Snark and belittle away.

I don't want a device I do not own listening to me in my hotel room.

I have no idea what deal Disney has made with whoever is paying for these devices. Devices I own I can shut down portions of it. My phone - SIRI and more is turned off. Disney doesn't need these, they get more than enough info from MDE, our phones and our MagicBands. We don't need them we have phones aka small computers. So ... who paid for them and what are they using them for??


So are they replacing the phones with these?

No but honestly if you need something it is quicker then if you call. We ran out of body wash a couple weeks ago and used Hey Disney to request more and they were there within a few mins to refill it however when you call you are calling the call centre and not the front desk so the request takes longer to be received and for them to deliver what you need.