Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why doesn’t the Motorola venue showcase or involve mobile phones – the products for which Motorola is most well-known?

A. When we began planning our venue, we made a conscious decision NOT to involve mobile phones, for several reasons. While Motorola is most well-known for making mobile phones, we are a global technology company that offers many other products, including wireless network infrastructure equipment, cable TV set-top boxes, two-way radios for commercial and government use, and we were even responsible for the first radio communication from the earth to the moon. We chose the innovation theme on purpose because we felt that, at its core, Motorola is all about innovation. A mobile phone activity would not have been an accurate representation of the many products and industries that comprise our company. Secondly, we did not want to use our venue at Wannado City to market our phones to children. Buying – or not buying – a cell phone is a decision parents should make, and targeting kids directly would be against Motorola’s principles. Finally, we wanted to make a venue that was both fun and immersive for kids, so creating an innovation-centric activity seemed like a clear choice.

Q. But why include an underwater/Smart Fish mission?

A. Innovation comes in many forms. The mission is not what’s important; what is important is that kids understand the importance and power of innovation; that technology is used to solve a problem, that people work together in teams, that they form hypotheses about which component will work best, test those hypotheses, analyze the feedback, and follow the scientific process until they arrive at the right conclusion. The underwater mission at the M-Lab in Wannado City could change tomorrow, and the process and lessons learned would remain the same.

Q. Is the underwater mission based on facts?

A. Yes, it is based on facts. The Target Fish are all based on real deep sea fish that have been modified to represent a "new" species. Further, science advisors from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Pacific Science Center were consulted on the activity to ensure realism.

Q. Is the venue compatible for children with disabilities?

A. Yes. Like all Wannado City venues, the Motorola M-Lab is ADA-compliant.

Q. What are the target ages?

A. The venue is designed for children ages 8-12, although children under age 8 and up to age 14 are welcome. The park’s “Wannahelpers” will help to pair kids of similar ages together for the activity, and will help assign children different roles within their teams based on their ages. The goal is for no team to have an advantage due to age.

Q. Is Motorola doing anything else in their partnership with Wannado City?

A. Yes. We have plans to integrate Motorola communications products throughout the park where they logically fit within existing park venues, such as providing two-way radios for the Wannado City police and fire departments. We have also equipped Wannado City operational staff with Motorola two-way radios to enable them to better communicate within the park.