The Walt Disney Company executive who led the development of the MyMagic+ project has announced that he is leaving the company.
Nick Franklin is the executive vice president for next-generation experiences at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and he’s leaving Disney in July. He has worked for the company since 1996.
Franklin was chosen by Disney in 2009 to lead the “NextGen” project which became the MyMagic+ technology project that includes the new FastPass+ reservation system and the MagicBand wristbands that Walt Disney World Resort guests are now using.
Disney says Franklin made the decision to leave.
“Nick let us know that after 17 successful years with Disney, he wanted to help other companies innovate in how they provide products and services to their customers, much like he did here in leading the development of MyMagic+,” Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty said in an article in the Orlando Sentinel. “We want to thank Nick for his tremendous accomplishments throughout his tenure with Disney.”
The rumored $1 billion project had a team of nearly 1,000 employees working on it and oversight of the project was recently moved to Disney World management. The company says there are plans to implement MyMagic+ technology at the company’s other theme parks around the world.
Franklin led Disney’s market-entry strategy for China before working on MyMagic+, and is the longest-serving member on the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts executive committee.
