Amusement parks have changed a lot since the early days, and paper tickets have long gone the way of the dodo. But a new gadget made for Disneyland takes admission to a new world of high tech.
It hasn't been officially announced, but this "Magic Band" recently appeared on the website of the FCC, which must approve any devices that use wireless technology in the U.S.
The "Magic Band" appears to be a smart, disposable bracelet that is coded with admission privileges. No more cards or badges — this thing is all wireless.
As described and pictured in the FCC report, the band is a fully sealed device with a built-in battery and all the electronics necessary to send and receive signals. It can be personalized (as shown by the "Michael" printed on the example band) and thrown away when it expires.
It will communicate with an "indoor wireless infrastructure," which would presumably check to make sure your "ticket" is still valid, allow you into rides and will probably keep track of you as you visit different attractions. Such information would be incredibly valuable to the people running Disneyland.
Disney did not respond to NBC News inquiries, but now that the device is approved, there's no reason it shouldn't start showing up at parks around the world. We'll update this article if they return any comment.
— via Wireless Goodness
Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC News Digital. His personal website is coldewey.cc.