RFID speeds up Disney World queues

Disney World is set to roll out a system called FastPass that will use radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and the iPad to speed up ticketing queues, 9to5 Mac reports.

There has been a strong connection between Apple and the Walt Disney Company. Apple's former CEO, Steve Jobs, served on the board of directors for Disney and was the co-founder and chief for Pixar, which Disney purchased.

Guests will receive a list of the FastPass attractions they've selected and will be given an RFID card to wave by scanners designed for the new FastPass cards in order to check-in their arrival, disZine says.

According to Disney Projects, when the guests arrive at the ride at their reserved time, they will wave their RFID band by a sensor, which sends their reservation information to a nearby cast member's (Disney employee's) iPad, iClarified notes.

The RFID-based system is expected to replace the existing system of distributing paper FastPass tickets with a digital format that lets people bypass long queues and indicates when they can enter a ride or a show, Inside the Magic states.

This is also the first step in Disney's next-generation theme park experience that will include making ride reservations from outside the parks, often dubbed X-Pass or FastPass. Disney began testing the system this week.