Key Takeaways

• While the specifics of how Disney plans to enter the metaverse space are not fully formed yet, it appears that the company is not leaning toward creating full-fledged digital worlds like the way Meta Platforms Inc. plans to do. Instead, the entertainment giant is looking to “connect physical spaces like the parks to digital ventures such as streaming service Disney+” and other virtual environments as they surface.
• Disney stepped up its metaverse plans by securing a patent for a technology that will enable visitors to personalize their experiences when visiting its parks. The United States Patent and Trademark Office granted Disney its virtual-world simulator patent in December 2021 and according to Verdict, this patent contains a rundown of how the company plans to build a real-world theme park ride where visitors will experience a 3D virtual world without wearing clunky headsets.
• Disney also decided to focus on the metaverse in its 2022 accelerator program by selecting six startup companies, all focused on immersive experiences and technologies, to join the class. According to the company’s statement, this year’s Disney Accelerator class is “focused on building the future of immersive experiences and specializes in technologies such as augmented reality (AR), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and artificial intelligence (AI) characters.”

Introduction

Overview of Disney's Metaverse Plan

• In anticipation of how the metaverse will shape our world in the future, Disney is working on a metaverse game plan. According to the Los Angeles Times, the company’s executives have been meeting over the past few months to not only create a task force but also establish early models on how the company will approach the emerging technology.

• While the specifics of how Disney plans to enter the metaverse space are not fully formed yet, it appears that the company is not leaning toward creating full-fledged digital worlds like the way Meta Platforms Inc. plans to do. Instead, the entertainment giant is looking to “connect physical spaces like the parks to digital ventures such as streaming service Disney+” and other virtual environments as they surface.
• Speaking on the company's plans to venture into the metaverse space, Disney's CEO, Bob Chapek, said; “For nearly 100 years, our company has defined and redefined entertainment by leveraging technology to bring stories to life in deeper, more impactful ways. Today, we have an opportunity to connect those universes and create an entirely new paradigm for how audiences experience and engage with our stories. This is the so-called metaverse, which I believe is the next great storytelling frontier and the perfect place to pursue our strategic pillars of storytelling excellence, innovation, and audience focus.”
• In another interview with CNBC, Chapek also said, "To me, it’s (metaverse) a third dimension of the canvas that we let our creative people paint. And it’s going to take all the great things that we as a media company have with Disney+ and use that as a platform for the metaverse. But at the same time, we have something that no one else has, and that’s the physical world, a world of our parks. And so, if the metaverse is the blending of the physical and the digital in one environment, who can do it better than Disney?”

 

Source

 

New Hires to Spearhead the Strategy

Mike White

•  Mike White was appointed as Disney’s senior Vice President of Next Generation Storytelling and Consumer Experiences in February 2022. His appointment comes after being with the company for more than 10 years.
• According to Reuters, White brings to the team approximately 25 years of technology and leadership experience. He worked for Apollo Group and Yahoo Inc. before joining Disney, where he held senior positions in both companies.
• Working alongside Disney creative teams, White will be involved in defining how consumers will experience the company’s coming metaverse. He is also tasked with creating a team and early models on how to best approach the metaverse technology.

Mark Bozon

•  Mark Bozon left Apple after 12 years to go work for Disney as the senior creative leader for cross-divisional Next Generation Storytelling initiatives. Announcing his departure from Apple, Bozon said he was headed to his absolute dream job.
• As the Vice President of Next Generation Storytelling Creative Experiences, Bozon will lead the creative vision for the company and is responsible for building a multidisciplinary team that will help turn Disney’s metaverse strategy into actionable plans.

Actions Taken to Advance the Strategy

Virtual World Simulator Patent

• Disney stepped up its metaverse plans by securing a patent for a technology that will enable visitors to personalize their experiences when visiting its parks. The United States Patent and Trademark Office granted Disney its virtual-world simulator patent in December 2021 and according to Verdict, this patent contains a rundown of how the company plans to build a real-world theme park ride where visitors will experience a 3D virtual world without wearing clunky headsets.

• Using the simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technique, Disney will be able to “map park visitors’ surroundings as they move through the real world while creating 3D projection-based imagery.”

• Additionally, visitors will also be able to interact with their favorite Disney stars, artwork, or information via holograms projected onto 3D objects.

Focus on Web 3 and Metaverse Startups

• Disney also decided to focus on the metaverse in its 2022 accelerator program by selecting six startup companies, all focused on immersive experiences and technologies, to join the class. According to the company’s statement, this year’s Disney Accelerator class is “focused on building the future of immersive experiences and specializes in technologies such as augmented reality (AR), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and artificial intelligence (AI) characters.”
• The six selected companies (Flickplay, Inworld Lockerverse, Obsess, Polygon, and Red 6) will be provided with capital, workspace, and access to Disney’s executives as well as business opportunities.
• Bonnie Rosen, the General Manager of the program, said that Disney has been taking advantage of technology to create entertainment experiences of the future for years now and plans to continue with its commitment to innovation and creating magical experiences with this year’s class.
• Additionally, as it continues with its next-generation storytelling journey, Disney promised to continue working with companies like the ones in this year's accelerator class to help “develop new technologies and storytelling canvasses to create connected experiences across physical, digital, and virtual worlds.”

Research Strategy