Want to spice up your boring relationship with the stagnant Alexa app in your home? The Hey Disney! voice assistant announced in 2021 is now officially available in the United States for most Amazon Echo devices. The launch of this Alexa Custom Assitant is a new frontier for the technology, and it has many nifty features to explore. Let’s explain how you can use this fancy new gizmo in your home.
What is the Hey Disney! Voice Assistant?
The Hey Disney! voice assistant allows you to experience stories, play games, and enjoy everyday features like weather, timers, and more with a Disney-themed charm. The technology lets you access a word with Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Rocket and Groot, Dory, and C-3PO.
Hey Disney! was first introduced as a perk for consenting Guests staying at Disney Resorts to use in their rooms as a fun additional source of magic on their trip. Allowing access to it on your home device is the first instance of an Alexa Custom Assistant (ACA) being made available for consumers.
The product costs $5.99 annually and can be added to your Alexa devices via their website. To get started, all you need to do is say, “Alexa, introduce me to Hey Disney!” The options are endless after that.
Is Hey Disney! Worth It?
Hey Disney! gives you access to a ton of different features to make Alexa more exciting. Even when doing typical tasks like providing the weather or setting the alarm, the add-on will put some pixie dust on it for added flair.
The technology lets you engage in several new perks:
- “Hey Disney! Tell me a story.” – This phrase opens up 140 tales from famous Disney stories including The Lion King, Frozen, Moana, and many more.
- “Hey Disney! Let’s play Trivia.” – This phrase causes the application to ask you random trivia questions about Disney Parks, characters, movies, and history.
- “Hey Disney! Play Soundscapes.” – Want to bring some audio theming to your room? This phrase will customize your space with sounds and music from the worlds of Star Wars, Frozen, Guardians of the Galaxy, Coco, and many more. You can even tailor the duration of the experience.
- “Hey Disney! Do I have any messages?” – Asking Hey Disney! for messages will cause a famous Disney character to relay them back to you.
- “Hey Disney! I want to go on an adventure.” – This phrase will allow you to do fun Disney activities. Learn to speak whale with Dory, visit Arendelle with Anna and Olaf, and choose from 11 different character interactions.
The "Hey Disney!" voice assistant aka "Disney Magical Companion" Alexa skill is now live and available for purchase to use at home. Includes characters, stories, trivia, custom timers, etc.
Price: $5.99/year (or included with Amazon Kids+ subscription)https://t.co/CDBt5CfRbF pic.twitter.com/fbURRdswdx
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) June 15, 2023
The Walt Disney Company stresses that this is a kid-friendly experience. It currently functions on all voice-activated Echo devices except for Echo Show 15, 1st gen Echo, Echo Auto, Fire Tablets, Fite TV, and On-the-Go devices.
It remains to be seen how popular this technology will be in homes. Some Guests at the Parks did not like having it in their hotel rooms due to privacy concerns. However, this is a nifty new tool for those already utilizing Alexa.