Generation 2 Wands: How Disney can Compete with Universal’s New Wands.

 Generation 2 Wands: How Disney can Compete with Universal’s New Wands.

Hello readers,

In a previous article I discussed my own ideas for Disney to create their own version of the interactive wands, which would have included haptics, lights and utilize bluetooth technology and a button rather than reliance on censors and magnetism. Since Universal Creative has my praise for beating Disney to the Punch, I decided to write up some concepts on how Disney can compete with Universal and Locations in all 4 parks where Disney can create similar products, that create magical interactive experiences in the parks.

In this article I will discuss my ideas, in terms of products and where in the parks they can place these interactive products, by Theme Park Land.

STAR WARS GALAXY’S EDGE: Interactive Tools 

Of course I would start with my best and most demanded concept, of Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge selling interactive Tools. In star wars there are a variety of tools that are used across media from the Bounty Hunter tracking Fob used in the Mandalorian, to the Scomp Link from Jedi Fallen Order and Survivor, to the Hydrospanner and Fusion Cutter Used by Han Solo and Chewbacca to Repair the Millenium Falcon. Perhaps Imagineering can come up with a interactive variety of tools with different abilities that are easy to use, that guests can purchase, and install a variety of interactive spots across this land to further immerse guest and at a $40-$85 a tool price point they can increase their revenues in the parks, by creating such interactive experiences.

STAR WARS GALAXY’s EDGE: Interactive Blasters

Since I mentioned tools it is only obvious that I also state the second obvious for Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, the inclusion of Blasters. While i understand this could be a security issue, given that these are guns, and guns have been an issue since the early 2010’s, when I was a child the pop guns and rifles from both Frontierland and Pirates of the Carribean were some of my favorite toys i brought home from the parks, so why not create something that isn’t a gun, like an interactive blaster, and place a series of targets and shooting ranges around galaxy’s edge that guests can interact with different types of Star Wars blasters in. upon purchase, Disney can inform guests that blasters are only allowed in Galaxy’s Edge/Hollywood Studios as they don’t interact with the other parks and have no reasoning to be used outside of the Star Wars themed land and a security training would need to be updated for WDW security officers to ensure they can identify real guns vs prop and interactive blasters. Disney can utilize a variety of Blasters from the Star Wars Universe, from the DL-44 Blaster Pistol best known as the weapon used by Han Solo, The Westar-34 the pistol used by Jango Fett in Attack of the Clones, the NN-14 Blaster pistol used by Rey in The Force Awakens, to weapons like E-11 Medium Blaster Rifle used by Stormtroopers and A280 Blaster Rifle used by the Rebels or the DC-15A Blaster Rifle used by Clone Troopers. The good news with these weapons is Disney can probably sell these from a price point of $50 to as high as $100, and then sell different styles of Holsters and attachments for the blasters as well so guests can modify and accessorize as much as they want to. 

The only negative to this concept is the fact that Disney will require a special line for interactive blasters, and “Karens” will need to stop and listen to Security and Cast Members to bring their blasters in for a safety check prior to park entry to ensure it hasn’t been modified from Imagineering’s intended use, and according to some of my current and former Cast Member friends, their criticism of this idea was .”Guests do not and will not listen to Castmembers”, be it a“cookies only line” on the cookie trail in connections or a  specialized security checks for blasters bought at Galaxy’s Edge for guests returning to the park with their blasters.

Perhaps Disney makes these items rentals within the land, so this is less of an issue, but this concept is up for debate.  

STAR WARS GALAXY’S EDGE: Force Cuffs/ Magic Band Technology

Perhaps disney doesn’t create new tech instead doubling down on the MagicBand+ providing spots within the parks for guests to use different force abilities, that interact with the Magicband+ boosting sales of this product across the resort, by allowing guests to use the force in park, with abilities such as force lightning, and telekinesis at their disposal. With new interactive spots set up across the land. 

MAGIC KINGDOM: FANTASY LAND WANDS

Moving away from Galaxy’s Edge, maybe Disney does something similar to the wands at Universal and just does the obvious competition, creating their own more simplistic wands, that can be modified and enhanced with an app on the phone and utilizes bluetooth technology to link with magical experiences, these wands would be sold out of the shop near mickey’s Philharmagic, and would come in varieties ranging from heroes like Tinkerbell, Cinderella’s Fairy GodMother, to more creative options like the haunted mansion, Genie from Alladin, Hercules, and Coco inspired wands to Disney Villains themed wands themed to Ursula, Maleficent, Jafar and the Evil Queen. Each wand would utilize a button that allowed the user to easily cast spells and unlike universals the button would still work when guests left this park and returned home, for play after they used it in the park. Disney could sell these wands from $40-$50 a wand, and create experiences similar to the wizarding world for their wands to work with across fantasy land Such as: Creative Waves and water effects outside of Voyage of the Littemermaid, making La-feu and Gaston's statue Sing, glowing during the Magic Kingdom Fireworks, making things fly outside of Peter Pan’s Flight and a secret Marianetteshow outside of Pinnochio’s Village Haus, with Imagineers coming up with different ideas perhaps even expanding the usage of these wands beyond Fantasyland, to across magic Kingdom. Perhaps the wands make cannons go off outside of Pirates of the Caribbean, make lightning flash at the Haunted Mansion, unlock secrets across all of the Lands of the Magic Kingdom.

Epcot: Figment’s Imagination Adventure

Figment has long been the mascot for EPCOT, and it is my thought that a product can be sold, within Epcot that can work across the entire park, that causes Figment to appear and interact with Guests and cause mischief that is fun for the whole family. The product would be something small, most likely a glowing paint brush or a lightbulb medallion, that allows guests to unleash figment around the park, and unleash their imaginations across the World Showcase, the seas and imagination Pavilion. The product would cost somewhere between $20 and $40 each, and have lights that interact with the experience, while also having the same take home value discussed in my Magic Kingdom Wands concept. 

Conclusion

The reason I didn't include Animal Kingdom is that they have wilderness explorers (which is debatably its own interactive experience) and these experiences would need to focus on technology, while Animal Kingdom focuses on Conservation. While flawed, Disney could do some good by coming up with their own version of these wands to compete with Universal as these wands are fun not only for children but for guests of all ages.

Tell me what you think, do you have a concept to compete with wands? Did any of my concepts strike you as brilliant? I’d love to hear your thoughts, thank you for reading.