July 31–The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued Walt Disney Co. a patent for a new type of technology: A system that can track theme-park guests through their feet.

The company says that there are no immediate plans to use such a system. This project is part of Disney's ongoing innovative research process, the company said, and many projects it explores may never actually end up in the parks.

According to information supplied to the patent agency, sensors and cameras would help identify particular visitors, and the data "can be used to output a customized guest experience" including photographs. Theme parks could also use such a system to mine data about common paths from ride to ride.

The company can already track guests at Walt Disney World who use MagicBands, RFID bracelets that function as theme-park tickets, FastPasses, hotel keys and credit cards.

Current methods of tracking guests and matching them up "are limited to rather invasive methods, such as retinal and fingerprint identification methods," the patent information said. "These methods are obtrusive and some guests may not feel comfortable providing this type of biometric information to a third party."

Magic Kingdom getting Muppets

The Muppets are taking Magic Kingdom. Disney World announced Thursday that a new live show called "The Muppets Present … Great Moments in American History" will debut at the theme park in October.

Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, the Great Gonzo and Sam the Eagle willgather multiple times daily outside Hall of Presidents. A character known asJames Jefferson, town crier of Liberty Square, also will appear in the presentations.

The "Great Moments" show will include an original song and include historical topics from the midnight ride of Paul Revere to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The Muppets have long been associated with the company. The MuppetVision 3D show debuted in 1991 at Disney's Hollywood Studios, then known as Disney-MGM Studios. That attraction also had a 13-year run at Disney California Adventure.

Walt Disney Co. acquired the rights to the Muppets, created by Jim Henson, in 2004.

Airport Hilton revamp planned

The DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando Airport will undergo $8 million in renovations, according to GF Management, the company that acquired the property in June.

The renovations, which will take about 18 months to complete, will enhance the 353-room property, located off Semoran Boulevard two miles north of Orlando International Airport.

Planned renovations include updates to guestrooms and public spaces around the hotel.

In addition to announcing renovation plans, the hotel recently hired 19-year industry veteran Laura Byers as director of sales and marketing. Byers previously was associate director of sales at Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Resort.

Gatorland files expansion plans

Leaders of Florida-kitsch attraction Gatorland, located in the southern portion of Orange County, have filed plans with county planners to add a swamp buggy ride and a new commissary.

The plan was approved by the county's Development Review Committee last week. It will be placed on a future committee meeting agenda.

According to plans, the swamp-buggy ride would be located in the back of the park, with a depot building near the park's train tracks.

SeaWorld reports earnings

SeaWorld Entertainment on Thursday will report earnings for its second quarter, which ran through June.

On June 10, SeaWorld opened the Mako roller coaster, which it has hoped will boost attendance.

SeaWorld generally provides detailed information on visitation, so this report will be another peek into how the region's tourism industry is faring. Experts say indications show a slower summer than last year.

Also, last week SeaWorld officially dropped its lawsuit against the California Coastal Commission. SeaWorld had sued the agency after it made ending orca breeding a condition of expanding theme-park tanks in California. SeaWorld announced earlier this year it would end its killer-whale breeding, then announced plans to drop the lawsuit.

Dewayne Bevil contributed; [email protected] or [email protected]