Disney's DS Magic Connection test was a hard sell

Not too long ago we told you about a test of something called Disney Magic Connection, which uses a Nintendo DS to help visitors through the theme park. The concept seemed solid, but it looks like Disney had a hard time trying to find visitors that would test the system.

The problems had less to do with the hardware, according to Jim Hill Media. Guests who actually took part in last week's test loved the device and its capibilities; the problem was that no one wanted to bother with testing it. They wanted 60 families a day to test this system, but on most days, they had to settle for half that number.

A Disney Imagineering insider had this to say about the test:

Trying to recruit guests to try out these DS units right after they came through the turnstiles was a bad idea. After riding over to the park on a crowded Monorail or a packed Ferry, people don't want someone coming at them with a clipboard and then giving them a sales pitch. They just want to get inside and ride some rides.

And that $300 security deposit, asking people for an imprint of their credit card right after they've paid for their admission ... That was a mistake too. A lot of people just turned and walked away as soon as we mentioned that security deposit.

They could perhaps make things easier by permitting the millions of DS owners to bring their own system into the park, but as of now, there are no plans to let outside DSes tap into the Disney network.