All theme park fans eyes are firmly on Universal as progress on Epic Universe continues at lightning speed. In an exciting announcement from an Investors meeting on Thursday September 14, we heard new details regarding next level technology to be used in Epic Universe as well as a new transport offering to connect the park.
Facial recognition will be used throughout Epic Universe as explained below and it has been confirmed that a new electric bus system will be put in place to transport guests between Universal Orlando Resort and Epic Universe. A median road will be built to help ease traffic and making this a guaranteed bus ride of approximately 12 minutes.
We take a look at the details of the announcement as well as the pros and cons of the proposed facial recognition technology.
Face Recognition to be used throughout Epic Universe
Universal Destination and Experiences CEO Mark Woodrow confirmed that next generation facial recognition will be used by visitors as they move through the new the park.
Guests will be able to use facial recognition to get into the park, for Express Pass and they can use their face as a credit card to pay for items and services throughout the park.
What are the pros of facial recognition?
Universal promises that this technology will be extremely convenient and extremely fast which should speed up admission into the park, Express Pass and at other pinch points throughout the park such as at dining locations and retail outlets.
It will reduce human touchpoints which is positive in a world which will continue to face the threat of new strains of COVID-19 as well as other viruses which Universal will undoubtedly have to put measures in place to control the spread of.
Increased security is a positive for the use of facial recognition, however we expect that not every guest will be happy for its use.
What are the cons of facial recognition?
Well, here is the problem, although facial recognition has a number of positives there is a very big downside this newer technology that society is increasingly having to deal with.
Currently, facial recognition is recorded as being 99% accurate which although is great for the 99%, the remaining 1% are going to have to deal with issues with this system causing a hindrance and stress to their Epic Universe experience.
Many people may feel that facial recognition violates personal rights, presents a greater threat to individual and societal privacy and can make people feel uncomfortable that they are vulnerable and are always being watched.
Along with anything that uses technology, it has the potential to provide opportunities for fraud and other crimes and storage of facial recognition databases could be breached.
The announcement that Universal will use this new facial recognition technology is sure to bring with it a host of online opinion and concerns. We are interested to gauge your initial opinion on Universal’s use of facial recognition when Epic Universe opens in 2025. Let us know your thoughts by voting in our poll and by leaving us a comment below or on our Facebook page.
