VR Vs. AR: Disney Not Fans Of Virtual Reality, Will Focus On Augmented Reality In Parks

The divide between virtual reality and augmented reality tech is still in its early stages, but AR looks to have a prominent supporter in its corner.

At a USC event this week, Disney chief executive officer Bob Iger, via the Orlando Sentinel, said he is not a fan of VR technology. Iger said that VR would be a poor fit for Disney, describing the tech as “ersatz,” and wants Disney’s park developers to focus on other areas.

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Instead, Iger is a strong proponent of AR, where visuals and other content are overlaid on what you’re seeing in the real world on glasses or a headset. Eventually, Iger wants Disney parks to have attractions that feature higher-end AR-based experiences. He also mentioned internal testing with AR involving stormtroopers and lightsabers, possibly alluding to AR company Magic Leap’s partnership with Disney.

“What we create is an experience that is real,” Iger said, via the Orlando Sentinel . “When you walk into Cars Land, you feel you’re in Radiator Springs because of what we’ve built — not only the attention to the detail, but the scale.”

Iger’s main points against VR echo other AR fans and reflect the tricky process VR has had with trying to grow beyond its early adopters. Basic headsets like the Samsung Gear and Google Daydream are popular thanks to their low cost and accessibility, but offer limited interactivity. At the same time, more advanced headsets like the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift require pricey hardware and currently require you to be tethered to a home desktop.

Read: Apple’s Tim Cook Endorses Augmented Reality, Which May Appear In iPhone 8

While AR’s gaming and interactive applications are in their relative infancy, Iger isn’t the only high-profile supporter of the platform. Apple CEO Tim Cook has been a fan of the tech, describing VR as technology that “closes out the world,” and AR is speculated to be a potential feature on the upcoming iPhone 8.