SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Today, Amazon and Disney announced ‘Hey, Disney!’, an entirely new kind of voice assistant that will work alongside Alexa at home and across Walt Disney World Resort hotel rooms. Expected next year, ‘Hey, Disney!’ will let fans and guests interact with some of their most beloved Disney characters, simply by saying “Hey, Disney!” on supported Echo devices at home and at Disney Resort hotels.
“We’re bringing the worlds of Disney directly to Echo devices with ‘Hey, Disney!’,” said Dave Limp, Senior Vice President, Amazon Devices and Services. “By combining the strength of Alexa’s technology, with Disney’s unmatched storytelling expertise, we’re creating the next generation of immersive experiences to make guests’ vacations more memorable and giving our customers a way to make their homes a bit more magical too.”
“Our focus is to bring Disney storytelling to our guests wherever they are,” said Josh D’Amaro, Chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. “Through Alexa technology, ‘Hey, Disney!’ will unlock new ways for guests to engage with our iconic characters and stories both at home as well as at our Walt Disney World Resort hotels.”
Introducing ‘Hey, Disney!’
With ‘Hey, Disney!’, you’ll get access to interactive Disney storytelling experiences and entertainment, as well as fun and delightful content like jokes, fun facts, and special surprises featuring Disney characters. Go on interactive adventures with Mickey, Dory, and Olaf, or sit back and listen to your favorite Disney stories. Transport yourself to the worlds of your favorite characters with unique Soundscapes or test your Disney knowledge with trivia. ‘Hey, Disney!’ will even make everyday tasks more magical, such as setting timers and alarms, and checking the weather or time of day.
Making Your Disney Resort Stay More Magical
In addition to delighting customers at home, ‘Hey, Disney!’ and Alexa will also be available in Walt Disney World Resort hotel rooms as part of an upcoming integration using Amazon’s Alexa for Hospitality service. ‘Hey, Disney!’ and Alexa will work side-by-side to simplify your stay and make it a bit more delightful by answering questions, fulfilling special requests, and more. You can ask ‘Hey, Disney!’ for more blankets and towels, the fastest way to get to the park in the morning, and where to get your favorite food. With Alexa, you can hear the news, ask for sports scores, play music, and more. Alexa for Hospitality makes it easier for hotel and hospitality properties to deploy Amazon Echo devices at scale, as well as create unique voice experiences and features such as customized screens on Echo devices tailored to their property and customer needs.
A ‘First-of-its-kind' Voice Assistant, Developed by Disney, Built on Alexa Technology
The ‘Hey, Disney!’ voice assistant was developed from the ground up by Disney, featuring original character voice recordings and audio, with over 1,000 magical interactions to discover, as well as a brand-new character created as a guide—the Disney Magical Companion. ‘Hey, Disney!’ will mark the first time an Alexa Custom Assistant will be available on Echo devices. Alexa Custom Assistant is a comprehensive solution that made it easy for Disney to create their own custom voice assistant tailored to Disney’s personality and customer needs, built on Alexa technology. Alexa Custom Assistants have unique wake words, voices, personalities, and capabilities, and can coexist and cooperate with Alexa.
Pricing and Availability
‘Hey, Disney!’ is expected to be available for purchase in the U.S. in the Alexa Skills Store for use on all supported Echo devices beginning in 2022. To learn more and be notified when ‘Hey, Disney!’ launches, visit amazon.com/HeyDisney to sign up.
‘Hey, Disney!’ will work alongside Alexa and can be accessed complimentary on Amazon Echo devices in Disney Resort hotel rooms at Walt Disney World Resort.
Customers in the U.S. can bring even more Disney magic to their homes with a new Mickey-inspired OtterBox Den Series stand for Echo Show 5, available for pre-order today for $24.99 by visiting amazon.com/MickeyMouseStand.
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth’s Best Employer, and Earth’s Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.
About Disney Parks, Experiences and Products
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products brings the magic of The Walt Disney Company’s powerful brands and franchises — including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, ESPN, Twentieth Century Studios and National Geographic — into the daily lives of families and fans around the world to create magical memories that last a lifetime.
When Walt Disney opened Disneyland in Anaheim, California, on July 17, 1955, he created a unique destination built around storytelling and immersive experiences, ushering in a new era of family entertainment. More than 60 years later, Disney has grown into one of the world’s leading providers of family travel and leisure experiences, with iconic businesses including six resort destinations with 12 theme parks and 53 resorts in the United States, Europe and Asia; a top-rated cruise line with four ships and plans for three more to be completed in 2022, 2024 and 2025; a luxurious family beach resort in Hawaii; a popular vacation ownership program; and two award-winning guided tour adventure businesses. Disney Imagineers are the creative force behind Disney theme parks, resort hotels and cruise ships globally.
Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing includes the world’s leading licensing business; one of the largest children’s publishing brands globally; one of the largest licensors of games across platforms worldwide; and consumer products at retail around the world.
