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Disney World Wants 'Sentient' Robots Roaming The Parks—And Everyone's Thinking The Same Thing
Disney park guests will be wondering if they've accidentally stepped into Westworld instead of Disney World when they find themselves rubbing elbows with "sentient" robots on their next vacation in the not-too-distant future.
A recent article in the New York Times asking if the public is ready for "Sentient Disney Robots" is making people online trembling at the mere thought.
Disney wants the robots in its parks to come alive. One goal: Setting them free from the confines of the rides and letting them wander walkways to turn the parks into, as one executive put it, "inhabited places."https://nyti.ms/3xVVmXX— The New York Times (@The New York Times) 1629396018
Tactile Character interactions involving hugs and high-fives have always been a staple at Disney parks around the world.
But due to the pandemic, meeting guest favorites like Mickey, Snow White, and Rapunzel, have been relegated to standing and waving behind stanchions in socially distanced photo ops.
While the experience is less magical than before, seeing the popular characters come to life from a distance during a global health crisis is better than seeing no characters at all.
The excitement of park character sightings literally soared to new heights with a Spider-Man attraction in the new "Avengers Campus" at Disney California Adventure park—featuring the untethered Marvel superhero being catapulted 65 feet into the air and doing a somersault.
The amazing feat, however, is performed by a "stuntronic" robot, and not an employee outfitted in a red and blue spandex suit.
i\u2019m still just really impressed by the new spider-man stunt robot at avengers campuspic.twitter.com/OidjJoWbVY— Shan \u534c\u2661 (@Shan \u534c\u2661) 1622748005
The robot's landing is out of guests' view and an actor wearing the Spidey suit emerges from behind a wall for a seamless switcheroo.
It's quite a breathtaking sight, but wouldn't it be even more impressive if that "stuntronic" robot physically walked over to you and signed autographs immediately after touching ground?
That is the evolutionary thought process being explored by the tech wizards over at Disney Imagineering—the developmental arm of the Walt Disney Co. where people create and develop innovative and world-renowned Disney attractions like "Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance" and the "Haunted Mansion."
New, free-roaming robots with "cameras and sensors" that allow them to "make on-the-fly choices about what to do and say" could be the future of experiencing an up-close and personal moment with a Disney character.
One such robot created by Disney already exists and is being tested in the form of baby Groot, from Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, at their Imagineering facilities in Glendale, California.
Are you ready for sentient Disney robots? The development of this Groot \u2014 code-named Project Kiwi \u2014 is the latest example. https://nyti.ms/3sAIANw\u00a0pic.twitter.com/qAlQha6Y1t— The New York Times (@The New York Times) 1629413414
Speaking to the New York Times, Jon Snoddy, a senior Imagineering executive, said of the three-foot-tall Groot:
"This guy represents our future. It's part of how we stay relevant."
He explained how animatronics, which are animated robots seen on rides like "it's a small world" and "Pirates of the Caribbean," are evolving to impress guests.
"A new trend that is coming into our animatronics is a level of intelligence. More believable. More outrageous."
Goodbye, Abe Lincoln; hello, Groot! \n\n\u201cThis guy represents our future,\u201d a Disney Imangineering executive tells @brooksbarnesNYT about the company's latest animatronic figure. \u201cIt\u2019s part of how we stay relevant.\u201d\n\nhttps://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/19/business/media/disney-parks-robots.html?smid=tw-share\u00a0\u2026 @nytimesbusiness— Gregory Schmidt (@Gregory Schmidt) 1629396610
While calling the experimental robots "sentient" might be a stretch, social media users are viewing the wildly ambitious concept of free-thinking robots as being far from improbable.
Guests visiting the parks with kids are not so sure they would welcome these automated figures in their midst.
Absolutely not.\nDisney isn't supposed to be a frightening place to take children. \nAs an adult I'M AFRAID OF ROBOTS AND I'M NOT ABOVE ADMITTING IT. I certainly wouldn't bring children if I'm afraid to go myself.— vicki Torres (@vicki Torres) 1629396633
Why do I feel like this is gonna be a bad ideapic.twitter.com/qfRU2swHHb— Jaco (@Jaco) 1629407231
Can\u2019t wait for the lawsuits when the bots go rouge.pic.twitter.com/vQnQz5hXo3— Ellahbie (@Ellahbie) 1629484084
No! Unacceptable! As if parents would actually take their children to see robots walking around those Disney Theme Parks, I will summon these superior authority/horror figures to convince them otherwise and change their minds before their children's fates are traumaticly sealed!pic.twitter.com/yUzsQGcC10— Joe Parks (Freddy's Fazforces) (@Joe Parks (Freddy's Fazforces)) 1629444361
Oh, so, they want to create free-roaming robots meant to entertain children, huh?\n\nY'all, say a prayer for the security guards.pic.twitter.com/TGoofAoJ5s— SherlocksLeftNipple (@SherlocksLeftNipple) 1629450278
Can't wait to read the headlines about Snow White ripping some kid's arm off cause their shirt got stuck in her joints while hugging her— Like 15 mean birds (@Like 15 mean birds) 1629479724
Can\u2019t wait to be talking to Elsa and she just goes like this halfway throughpic.twitter.com/MSRHFgxTmU— \ud83d\udc9c\ud83e\udda6Alyssa \ud83e\udda6\ud83d\udc9c (@\ud83d\udc9c\ud83e\udda6Alyssa \ud83e\udda6\ud83d\udc9c) 1629423682
Many people referred to Westworld, based on author Michael Crichton's 1973 film of the same name that spawned the popular HBO series in which malfunctioning androids kill visitors at a hi-tech theme park.
Y'all ain't seen Westworld, or?— \ud83c\udfa0 Just JT \ud83c\udfa0 (@\ud83c\udfa0 Just JT \ud83c\udfa0) 1629413285
There's a whole HBO show about why this is a bad idea.https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1428416550101569536\u00a0\u2026— (C)an you feel the sha(M)e tonight? (@(C)an you feel the sha(M)e tonight?) 1629404644
Y'all know Westworld isn't a how-to guide righthttps://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1428416550101569536\u00a0\u2026— Katt @ Hot Garlean Summer (@Katt @ Hot Garlean Summer) 1629396696
Didn't realize Delores was on the board at Disney Parks now. Good for her.pic.twitter.com/tIMweX40nV— Rykie Belles (@Rykie Belles) 1629403997
People also mentioned The Simpsons episode where the family is terrorized by a robot uprising while visiting "Itchy and Scratchy Land."
Everyone's saying it's gonna be a Westworld. More like Itchy & Scratchy Land https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1428416550101569536\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/Sq0TxyX98c— Ekwensu Ocha \ud83d\ude08 (@Ekwensu Ocha \ud83d\ude08) 1629404827
They always predict the future.pic.twitter.com/vZV5O8BGMe— Edward B (@Edward B) 1629396442
Oh, this will end well! Have they never seen the "Itchy and Scratchy Land" episode of The Simpsons?pic.twitter.com/JsVo8KfJDm— Marc (@Marc) 1629412515
Josh D'Amaro, the chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, said at a virtual event in April to promote "Avengers Campus" at California Adventure:
"We think a lot about relevancy. We have an obligation to our fans, to our guests, to continue to evolve, to continue to create experiences that look new and different and pull them in. To make sure the experience is fresh and relevant.
But he acknowledged all of that was "a risk."
"There is legacy here," he added.
"People like the way things are. But we're going to keep pushing, keep making it better."
While pushing the envelope is good, time will tell if "better" is this:
Do you prefer this....pic.twitter.com/eAi3QzVx6L— DW Kelley (@DW Kelley) 1629465798
Have a magical day.