finger scanning?

[cheshirecat11]

Hi everyone,
I heard a few years ago that they scan your fingers or take finger prints at Disney World before allowing you to enter the theme parks. Is this true? Can anyone fill me in on the details? I have an S.O. who refuses to go back to Disney with me because of this rumor, and I am desperately hoping it is false.
Thanks for your help.

[Maleficent's Dad]

First off:
Welcome to Intercot!

It is true.
Disney now scans your pointer finger on your right hand.
They are not scanning for prints - it's some sort of biometric scan that measures your finger in order to eliminate the "sharing" of passes.

[Sharon1026]

First off:
Welcome to Intercot!

It is true.
Disney now scans your pointer finger on your right hand.
They are not scanning for prints - it's some sort of biometric scan that measures your finger in order to eliminate the "sharing" of passes.

Ditto. Disney doesn't want people sharing passes - especially AP's. It's also for your own protection - if you lose your pass, someone else can't use it.

[Main Street Jim]

As a Park Greeter ("ticket taker" at Magic Kingdom)...we are NOT "taking fingerprints". The biometrics scans your finger for a size and assigns a numerical value to it when you first use your ticket. Then, when you use it again, it matches that numerical value to that ticket to make sure it's your ticket. When you first get here and use your tickets, make sure you sign the back of them so you don't get them mixed up.

[Figment!]

You can also use a photo I.D. instead of the bio-metric scan.

Quite frankly, the scan is less personal and less time consuming than showing a photo I.D. every time you enter a park.

And has been said, the bio-metric scan is not a finger print scan. It is scanning for geometric and other biological attributes of your finger, which it then converts to a number and store the number against the ticket ID.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

I don't have anything to add but I was just wondering what the S.O. had to worry about? Just one of those things that make you go hummmmm?

[Jared]

I don't have anything to add but I was just wondering what the S.O. had to worry about? Just one of those things that make you go hummmmm?

When the biometric scan began, some feared that Disney was taking fingerprints--something very personal.

As others have said, the scan only measures the finger. As Jason said, showing ID is considerably more revealing than a finger length.

[jennsky]

Question though: I heard that if you bought tickets for a family of 4, that they get saved as a "group" or something so that the next day, if the tickets get mixed up between your family, that it wouldn't be a problem. Is this incorrect? Do I really need to bring a Sharpie to write everyone's name on their pass??

[caryrae]

Even if it was your fingerprints they were taking I would not let that stop me from going to WDW.

[u2daisyblue]

We were there last year (and will be again in 6 days YEAH!) and DH and I kept mixing up our passes as did our DD and DS (not on purpose I just didn't mark them) so they must group the measurements together, we were never stopped nor did we have to make sure each had their exact pass. It is just for measurements because you have to place your hand in a certain position to get the measurement correct.

[magicofdisney]

Not to nitpick, but it can be any finger. My husband uses his thumb. As a matter of fact, for some parks I use my left hand and for others, my right. Additionally, we don't always go as a group, so I'm not sure the "group" measurement is an accurate statement. Occasionally, I don't have to do a scan at all. In truth, it's not nearly as invasive as your SO is concerned with. Just go and have fun. Tell him we said so.

[smartinez1]

We did have problems when we went in September, if you didn't use the correct finger, they wouldn't let you go through.

[alittleGrumpy]

Off Topic, but I checked InfoCentral and it wasn't there. What's a S.O.??

[bradk]

you can use any finger you choose as long as you personally use the same finger consistently.

they were actually working on a system that could use any body part for those that can't use their hands for whatever reason.

children's tickets don't require the scan. alternatively, the need for the scan can be selective disabled by guest relations.

and they are linked when purchased together. how it works exactly, i don't know, but i've heard enough to know that the system won't care if you mix up tickets that were purchased together (but initially, each person would have to use their own ticket so their measurements get recorded).

(and SO = Significant Other)

[DizneyRox]

Don't forget to bring some hand sanitizer to the parks now. You never know where someone's finger has been!

[TheRustyScupper]

I don't have anything to add but I was just wondering what the S.O. had to worry about? Just one of those things that make you go hummmmm?

1) I have to agree here.
2) This is no grand conspiracy.
3) It is simply a way to to improve WDW revenue.
4) As mentioned, an ID can be shown instead.

NOTE: Does the S.O. mind sending in taxes, giving credit card companies his SSN, supplying a driver license number, or giving blood? All of these transmit more personal information than a biometric finger scan.

[Main Street Jim]

Question though: I heard that if you bought tickets for a family of 4, that they get saved as a "group" or something so that the next day, if the tickets get mixed up between your family, that it wouldn't be a problem. Is this incorrect?

They do *not* get saved as a "group"; each individual must have his/her own ticket. And yes, you should *sign the back* of each ticket so each person uses the same ticket all the time. And...<sigh...> as was mentioned, it doesn't *have* to be your index finger, you can use any finger - as long you use the same finger every time you use the biometrics. And...LOL...yes, you do not HAVE to use the biometrics, but with your ticket signed, you must provide a photo ID so we can match the name to the ticket.

[bradk]

Don't forget to bring some hand sanitizer to the parks now. You never know where someone's finger has been!

well, i know where mine's been.. and yes, bring the sanitizer.

[cheshirecat11]

It's not about having something to hide, it's about civil liberties and his discomfort with the Disney company about various things. It sounds pretty unfriendly to assume that someone has something to hide because they don't want Disney to have their personal information (especially since he thought it had to do with finger printing). Anyway, thanks for clearing it up, I will share the information and see if that helps. And for whoever asked, an S.O. stands for "significant other."

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

Please accept my apologies. In no way did I mean to suggest your S.O. had anything to hide. I merely stated that that is my first thought when I hear someone doesn't want to do something like this. Especially in the line of work I'm in!
We had introduced biometric time clocks at my former job and the employees were scared to death to use them. But then, we knew for a fact that quite a few of them had less than stellar paperwork. But it isn't my business to verify whether there ID's are really theirs, just to make sure they have the proper ID's.
So please forgive me? I could have worded it a little better.
Of course, I'm the one who will no longer use my SS# as an ID # for my insurance company, driver's license etc. I will only give it if absolutely necessary-like when I applied for the Disney Visa.