Walt Disney World to Test Facial Recognition Technology at Magic Kingdom Entrances Through April

Walt Disney World is moving toward a touch-free park experience.

Magic Kingdom will be testing facial recognition technology at park entrances from March 23 to April 23, according to the park's website.

The software takes a photo of a guest's face and converts it to a unique number ID, which will then be associated with the person's ticket or other form of admission.

The company said the software test comes "with the future in mind" as we shift toward "more touchless experiences."

On Tuesday, the park released guidelines for park guests on what to expect from the facial recognition software test.

Special entry lanes will be designated for facial recognition, so guests can choose whether or not to use them. During the 30-day period, participation in the facial recognition will be optional, Disney says.

Don't forget your face mask! Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, guests will not be allowed to remove their face coverings for the facial scan, though they will be asked to remove other accessories such as hats, visors or sunglasses.

If a guest is returning to Magic Kingdom multiple times in the month-long test period, the park asks them to use the same entry line again to help "better understand how the technology works."

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Disney also assured guests that the data gathered from the test will not be used for any other purposes.

"Images and the associated unique numbers captured for this technology test will be discarded within 30 days after the test concludes," the website reads. "We will not share the images and unique numbers captured for this test with third parties."

A spokesperson for Walt Disney World did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

All the Florida parks are currently booked through April 8, according to the company website. On these dates, Park Pass reservations are unavailable for Magic Kingdom, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios for both theme park guests and Disney resort guests.

Disney's Florida parks have been operating at a significantly reduced capacity since reopening amid the Covid-19 pandemic in July.

As for the West Coast, Disneyland Resort in Anaheim will officially reopen on April 30 after being closed for more than a year.

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