If you want to visit the “Happiest Place on Earth,” you’ll go through a new gatekeeper first: facial recognition.
Disney says the system is optional: Guests who do not want to use it can enter through non-facial-recognition lanes, where a cast member manually validates their ticket. However, those guests may still have their photos taken, even as Disney says biometric technology is not used on those images.
According to Disney’s privacy notice, the system compares a camera image taken at the entrance with the image saved when a guest first used a ticket or pass, converting the images into unique numerical values to look for a match. Disney says it deletes the numbers within 30 days, unless they must be kept for legal or fraud-prevention purposes. And for kids under 18, they can use the system only with parent or guardian consent.
Disney didn’t immediately responded to Fortune’s requests for comment.
“The security, integrity, and confidentiality of your information are extremely important to us,” reads the company’s privacy notice announcing the technology. “We have implemented technical, administrative, and physical security measures that are designed to protect Guest information from unauthorized access, disclosure, use and modification.”
“From time to time, we review our security procedures to consider new technology and methods, as appropriate,” it continued. “Please be aware that, despite our best efforts, no security measures are perfect or impenetrable.”
“Disneyland Resort park entries use facial recognition technology. Use of these lanes is optional,” the sign continued. “If you do not wish to participate, please enter the line lane with the following overhead signage,” before showing a silhouette of a person with a line crossed through the middle.
Prior to the change, visitors to the park would upload a photo to a portal tied to their ticket, and when they arrived and scanned their pass, a cast member would confirm the person swiping the pass matched the photo uploaded to the portal. This skips the cast member—now, it’s the computer that does the matching.
