魔術手環重振迪士尼樂園

早在Apple Watch上市一年前，迪士尼樂園已經悄悄推出革命性穿戴裝置-MagicBand 魔術手環。魔術手環除了減少冗長又累人的買票排隊過程，更重要的是，它可以和園內設施互動，提供獨特的個人化體驗。 但在美麗童話和神奇魔法的背後，這項新科技的開發歷程，卻是外人難以想像的迂迴波折。 進入本文之前，先來想想這幾個字要怎麼說。

a) 併吞

b) 高層人員

c) 懷舊之情

Bob Iger is known for his corporate shopping spree. After taking over from Michael Eisner as the super conglomerate's CEO, Iger initiated a relentless expansion plan by a) annexing Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm to bolster Disney's flagging movie business. The strategy worked, yet just when the box office revenues took off, the empire's famed theme parks were showing alarming signs of age and wear.

鮑布艾格以企業併購狂熱聞名。自從接替麥可艾斯納，成為這個超大企業集團領導人，艾格就積極擴張版圖，買下皮克斯、漫威，和魯卡斯電影公司，來壯大迪士尼衰微的電影事業。艾格的策略成功了，但就在票房收入上揚同時，迪士尼知名的主題樂園，卻顯露出疲態和警訊。

Two things threatened the Magic Kingdom’s relevance among young people of the digital generation: long lines and social media. To keep the sparks of wonder in children’s eyes, whose attention is increasingly diverted by mobile apps and chat rooms, and to remedy the hassle of ticketing and waiting in endless lines, Disney’s b) top brass decided to revamp the whole experience in 2008, commissioning a project called NGE -- Next Generation Experience.

神奇王國對數位世代的兒童失去吸引力，主要有兩個原因，一是長時間排隊，另一個則是社群媒體。手機app和聊天室佔據孩童越來越多時間，為了找回他們眼中的火花，同時改善買票和排隊等待所造成的困擾，迪士尼高層在2008年決定全盤檢討遊客入園體驗，啟動所謂的NGE，也就是次世代體驗計畫。

Over the course of 5 years, the project team spent nearly US$1 billion on the development of MyMagic , the catchall phrase used to describe the infrastructure comprising MagicBand, FastPass , and corresponding online and mobile services. But before the final rollout in 2014, more than a few departmental 1) nerves were touched, various turfwars were waged, while the company strived to put on a happy face ensuring all is fine and well with the restructuring of an iconic enterprise. Adoption of technology is never easy, but it’s harder by several magnitudes when the brand is one steeped in tradition and c) nostalgia like Disney.

接下來的五年多期間，計劃小組燒掉近10億美金，開發出名為MyMagic 的一整套服務架構，包含魔術手環、快速通關、以及相對應的線上與行動服務。但在2014年正式啟用之前，迪士尼部門之間關係緊繃，內部鬥爭不斷，公司卻仍必須對外擺出樂觀姿態，聲稱改革計畫順利。科技的引入原本就不容易，但對迪士尼這樣一個充滿傳統和懷舊的品牌來說，更是額外艱鉅的挑戰。

In the end, MagicBand won most positive feedback from guests, revenues at theme parks jumped, and executives were promoted to commend their success. But to people 2) privy to the project, the current implementation is only a fraction of the original NGE vision, most of which was lost in corporate infighting.

魔術手環最終贏得多數遊客的好評，主題樂園收入大幅成長，相關主管也獲得升遷獎勵。但根據熟悉內情人士的說法，NGE的宏觀願景其實只有一小部分實現，其餘多數都在企業內鬥中被犧牲掉了。

口語詞彙

1)    touch a nerve 引發情緒反應

觸動到神經，意思就是會引發情緒反應。

The candidate's attack on Obama touched a nerve among minority voters.

這名候選人對歐巴馬的攻訐，引發了少數族裔選民的不滿。

2)    privy to 熟悉(內情)的

Privy 是形容詞，表私人的意思。Privy to 意思是私下知情的。

He refused to weigh in on the corruption scandal, insisting he was not privy to the negotiation process.

他拒絕對這起貪污醜聞表態，聲稱他並不清楚當初談判過程。

參考資料: fastcompany.com