06.23.2008 — Microsoft, HP, Lifeware and homebuilder Taylor Morrison, sponsors of the Innoventions Dream Home, are making a big bet on the Disneyland attraction in Anaheim, Calif.

Initial buy-in for the four companies was about $6 million, under a tiered program (Microsoft at the top, HP and Lifeware in the middle, and Taylor Morrison in the bottom tier.)

Of course that doesn't include product, labor, and maintenance fees, which are substantial.

Will it pay off for them? I'm not so sure, at least the way the project is structured now.

There are hardly any logos in the home, absolutely no literature, and no simple way to request more information.

Will Guests Take the Time to Request More Info?

Currently, there are only two methods to get more information, and both of them are onerous.

At the end of the tour is the "Party Tent," where guests can play games and experience technologies – like Zune – that don't play a role in the home.

A hallmark of this section is the computer stations for guests to "Build Your own Dream Home." You pick a home style and floorplan, and then drag and drop products onto the home's schematic.

The program is clever, but it's a little tedious and doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

If consumers are not learning about specific products and technologies in the home, how will they know which devices to drag into which rooms?

At the end of the project, guests are prompted to enter their email address to receive a copy of their plan and information about the participating vendors.

In addition to the home building activity, there is a karaoke station set up in the Party Tent. A camera takes your picture while you're singing. You get the image for free if you enter your email address.

There Must Be a Better Way

I'm skeptical.

Guests may have spent a long time touring the home, and when they finally decide to leave, they're probably really ready to leave. They won't stop for another 5 or 15 minutes to build a house or sing.

Why not instead have a station that beckons, "Learn more about the technology in the Dream Home?"

How about a small piece of paper describing the technologies and spelling out Web sites of the participating members?

Everyone knows where to find Microsoft and HP. But without prompting, guests will not know that Lifeware, maker of home automation software and Media Center-based servers, has a dash in its URL (www.life-ware.com).

I suspect the food service firm that owns Lifeware.com will get a fair amount of unsolicited Web traffic.

The actors in the home (the good ones) sprinkle the conversations with some brand names. However, they're not very well versed in the products they are demonstrating. Don't ask them much about the products, including the prices.

The actors apparently are still "settling in," so presumably they will gain more product knowledge as the home moves along.

Maybe Consumers Want Technology in their Face

Understandably, Disney and partners are very deliberate about refraining from product and company promos. A home with too much "advertising" would be really tacky.

"The idea is not to push technology on our guests," says Chaz Yost, senior producer of Disneyland Resorts.

He suggests that there will be different tiers of guests: "Some people will just skim, some will just be looking for a cool place to go on a hot day. Deep divers, like myself, will make the investment to learn more."

Reps from Disney and partners consistently explained that the lifestyle-oriented Dream Home experience makes it approachable and not intimidating.

"We want to expose people to technology that has low barriers to entry," says Eric Hollreiser, director of consumer strategy communications at Microsoft. "There is still a lot of fear and anxiety about technology."

Even so, I think perhaps Disney has underestimated consumer curiosity about home technology.

		Lifeware, Microsoft Star in Disney Dream Home at Innoventions HP and homebuilder Taylor Morrison also sponsor the 5,000-square foot home, which features some way-out technology, but mostly "real" stuff that is available today. Disney's Dream Home Folly: Story Time Room, Magic Mirror, RFID, Surface About three-fourths of the technology in the Innoventions Dream Home at Disneyland is "real," but guests can also enjoy some futuristic goodies. Will Innoventions Dream Home Pay off For Lifeware and Partners? Lifeware, Microsoft, HP and Taylor Morrison put $6 million into the Dream Home (sans product/labor) -- and that's just for starters. It's great for the industry, but is it worth it for the investors?
Is the Disney Dream Home good for the home control industry?