Disney patents technology for theme park Metaverse

Disney has been granted a patent that would create personalized, interactive attractions for theme park visitors. The technology will facilitate helmet-free augmented reality (AR) attractions at Disney theme parks.

The technology will generate and project personalized 3D effects onto nearby physical spaces, walls and objects in the park by tracking visitors using their phones.

The entertainment giant was granted a patent for "Virtual World Simulator in a Real World Location" on Dec. 28, 2021. It originally filed this application with the US Patent and Trademark Office in July 2020.

The "metaverse" is largely imagined as existing on the internet, accessed through virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality headsets. However, Disney's proposed technology would bring the metaverse to the real world.

This isn't the first time Disney has expressed interest in the Metaverse. During the fourth-quarter earnings call in November 2021, the company’s CEO Bob Chapek stated that the company is preparing to merge physical assets and digital assets in the metaverse.

"We'll be able to more closely connect the real and digital worlds, allowing borderless storytelling in our own Disney metaverse."

In November 2020, Disney Resorts chief strategy officer Tilak Mandadi shared in a LinkedIn post that his goal is to merge the digital and physical worlds.

He wrote at the time: "As we look to the future, connected park experiences that transcend physical and digital barriers and unlock new layers of storytelling are a very exciting focus for us."

"These experiences are permanent and visitor engagement takes place in and outside the park. They are unique to you, but also social and interconnected. They are constantly changing, so there is always something new to discover."

While Disney told the Los Angeles Times it has "no current plans" to use the simulator in the near future, the recently granted patent echoes Mandadi's vision for a "metaverse of theme parks."

There are 12 official Disney theme parks around the world, in the United States, Paris, Hong Kong, Japan and China. Despite the global lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2021, Disney's Parks, Experiences and Products division generated nearly $17 billion in total revenue.

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