Tomorrowland Terrace now open exclusively for Mobile Order

[Kamikaze]

I'd say there is a difference between overthinking and not conisidering any circumstance beyond your own and dismissing someone else's legitimate concern as a "narative".



First of all, invalid by what standard, exactly? Yours?

In your view, pointing out a segement of the population that is not served by a change is what? Backwards? God/Budah/Spaghetti-Monster help you when the world moves in a direction you have trouble adjusting to some day.

My tl;dr response is, I love mobile ordering and am not arguing against it as an option at all. Fastpass as an example compliments my argument becasue it isn't a requirement for any attraction that offers it even though it's been around for almost 20 years.

Mobie ordering, in the context of this discussion, will be the ONLY OPTION at this location. No smart phone? No app? No understanding all this? No food. Then, after you understand that apparently nobody will sell you food here, go find another location to eat.

Do you see the difference between that and, go wait in the longer of the two lines for this attraction?

My long-winded response is:

Fastpass was introduced almost two decades ago and is still not the required way to get onto or into an attraction. It actually stands out as the perfect example against your counter-argument if you are trying to argue to the move for moble-only ordering as a requirement because everyone still has the option to wait in a line... and even if you don't want to, they provide kiosks for managing it in the park - no smart phone required.*

Incidentally, I know exactly how mad people would get when fastpass was rolled out. I was there. If you read back in this thread, I make mention of my own experience of almost being punched by somoene over it in an uncaracteristically short post.

To be perfectly clear, I'm not against mobile ordering. I love mobile ordering. I love the fact that so few people use it today that I really don't have to wait - just like I loved fastpass back then.

I expect this honemoon to be shorter lived though because people do seem to be catching on faster these days. As more people catch on, we are either going to end up wating in herds or queues for our mobile orders to be ready or we're going to have to start ordering them further in advance of our arrival time unless capacitly increases in the kitchen which arguably, they could have done before mobile ordering to better meet demand during peak times, anyway. Otherwise, someone will always have to wait - just like how fastpass evolved from what was basically little-to-no-wait to just a shorter line for people with fastpasses on most attractions and an even longer line than previously for people without them, once the majority adopted it.

There is no magic, Disney or otherwise that can get around the math. My hope is that they've learned from fastpass and will work to offset a reduction in registers as the tipping point comes with increased kitchen capacity either through atomation or additional staffing. Otherwise, it's just moving deck chairs... which current management has been comfortable doing in recent years but seems to be showing sings of improving on so... fingers crossed.

But that wasn't even what I was responding to. I was replying to a person who apparently couldn't conevie of something that was better for them personally ever being worse for anyone else and therefore offandedly dismissing someone else's perspective as how did you put it? Invalid.

People can have a different perspective without just reciting a "narative" or being "wrong" or "invalid".

*I assume because of the financial component, you can't manage mobile ordering from those kioks but I could be entirely wrong about that.

All they would have to do is stick a couple self service iPads/terminals outside the location you could order and pay from. Problem solved.

 

[MrPromey]

What is everyones overall experiences with Mobile Ordering thus far??

Thus far, it has been great. If the day comes that the majority start to use it, a lot about it is probably going to have to change but now, I'm happy with enjoying the benifit of early adoption. My only gripe is having to go through the line to apply qualifying discounts.

 

[MrPromey]

All they would have to do is stick a couple self service iPads/terminals outside the location you could order and pay from. Problem solved.

I agree that a touch screen self-serve option would be a great way to go.

They'd still need some staffing to assit. If you ever ordered lunch from the touch screens in Beast's Castle, you'll know what I mean. I thought it was drop-dead simple but they still had to have castmembers on hand to help people having trouble.

That said, just like the self check-out at Walmart and Target, if they can replace 6-8 open registers with one or two castmembers to assist people that need it, that's still a huge improvement for everyone.

 

[Tom P.]

I find it odd that Disney touts the dining plan so heavily, and has now integrated it into MDE so you can view your credit balances, yet they have chosen not to make the dining plan a payment option for mobile ordering. Now, especially with the potential for some restaurants to go mobile only, I can't understand why they wouldn't let people pay with dining plan credits.

 

[TJJohn12]

...I can't understand why they wouldn't let people pay with dining plan credits.

Wait... seriously!? That's a major drawback.

 

[Texas84]

What is everyones overall experiences with Mobile Ordering thus far??

Love it. Last weekend we used it at Columbia Harbor House, Satuli Canteen in AK, and Village Haus, all busy. Order your food on the app, pay for it on the app, tell the app you're there so make my food, wait for the app to tell you it's ready, go to the pickup counter with the mobile logo over it.

 

[Texas84]

Reminds me of the time I was nearly assaulted by a dad for "cutting" in line for Rock-n-Rollercoaster back in the days of paper fast-passes and before they had better line management to handle it at that attraction. Nevermind that a castmember was right there directing us in at the merge point - he was livid.

I experienced that as well. Guests who didn't know about FP back then got really angry.

 

[Pixieish]

I experienced that as well. Guests who didn't know about FP back then got really angry.

Now picture this...you've got tons of hangry people who waited waaaay too long to eat wanting to get food, realizing that they can't because they didn't know that mobile ordering is a necessity, yet there are people walking up and picking up food...I can see the fist-fights in my mind's eye already.

 

[MrPromey]

Now picture this...you've got tons of hangry people who waited waaaay too long to eat wanting to get food, realizing that they can't because they didn't know that mobile ordering is a necessity, yet there are people walking up and picking up food...I can see the fist-fights in my mind's eye already.

I'm not sure I see fistfights, exactly - especially if it is only at certain locations (or in this case, just one) but it does strike me as something that some people will find really confusing. I can see the line of thinking "I come to this place for a day. To buy lunch, you're telling me I have to download an app, set up an account on it and figure out how to navigate to the place I can order food?".

It just seems preposterous, even for some guests without language barriers and who are technically minded enough to do so. For the guests who don't understand what's actually going on because of language, hanger, general lack of attention to signs and whatever else, or because they aren't that tech savvy, it's going to be worse.

A number of people on here seem to think "Oh well. That's just their problem. The world moves on without them." but the reality is, it's Disney's problem. They are the ones who will have to have cast members to manage that, they are the ones who will field complaints in guest relations, and more importantly, they are the ones who may miss out on potential sales of a highly marked-up product and potentially push guests off-property for meals in a worst case scenario...

Now, I get that I'm presenting a LOT of "sky is falling" scenarios for a single location that's apparently only being tested for reasons we don't even know. I just hope they really think it through. It's so hit-or-miss with them these days.

 

[Pixieish]

I'm not sure I see fistfights, exactly - especially if it is only at certain locations (or in this case, just one) but it does strike me as something that some people will find really confusing. I can see the line of thinking "I come to this place for a day. To buy lunch, you're telling me I have to download an app, set up an account on it and figure out how to navigate to the place I can order food?".

It just seems preposterous, even for some guests without language barriers and who are technically minded enough to do so. For the guests who don't understand what's actually going on because of language, hanger, general lack of attention to signs and whatever else, or because they aren't that tech savvy, it's going to be worse.

A number of people on here seem to think "Oh well. That's just their problem. The world moves on without them." but the reality is, it's Disney's problem. They are the ones who will have to have cast members to manage that, they are the ones who will field complaints in guest relations, and more importantly, they are the ones who may miss out on potential sales of a highly marked-up product and potentially push guests off-property for meals in a worst case scenario...

Now, that's a LOT of "sky is falling" scenarios for a single location that's apparently being tested for reasons we don't even know. I just hope they really think it through. It's so hit-or-miss with them these days.

Agreed. Especially on the dogs in resorts rollout...that's just a big mess.

 

[Rob562]

I find it odd that Disney touts the dining plan so heavily, and has now integrated it into MDE so you can view your credit balances, yet they have chosen not to make the dining plan a payment option for mobile ordering. Now, especially with the potential for some restaurants to go mobile only, I can't understand why they wouldn't let people pay with dining plan credits.

They have a message on the Mobile Order page that pretty much implies that Dining Plan is on the way. (See pic below)

-Rob

 

[MrPromey]

Agreed. Especially on the dogs in resorts rollout...that's just a big mess.

Hub expansion. Desperately needed. Great call, even if we lost some of the intimacy of the old layout.*

New nightime spectacular replacing the Whishes Fireworks that requires direct front of castle viewing in hub, taking up seemingly every inch of new space making things seem just as bad for people in it, maybe not so much.**

But we digress.


*I'm one who still misses the original trees so I'll never be completely satisifed but what can ya do?

**Hub was always the best viewing area for Wishes but you could still get a pretty good view on Main Street and could still do it from Fantasyland, even if you had to turn your head back and forth to see it all.

I've noticed this weird trend for them with these new nightime experience to develop things with capacity/guest-flow problems from the start. The new show in Animal Kingdom with limited viewing areas comes to mind as does the Star Wars stuff in Hollywood studios that requires specific line-of-sight, making the already limited space for viewing even more-so... especially when the two erected towers to project help to block view from behind.

 

[Pixieish]

Hub expansion. Desperately needed. Great call, even if we lost some of the intimacy of the old layout.*

New nightime spectacular replacing the Whishes Fireworks that requires direct front of castle viewing in hub,taking up seemingly every inch of new space making things seem just as bad for people in it, maybe not so much.**

But we digress.


*I'm one who still misses the original trees so I'll never be completely satisifed but what can ya do?

**Hub was always the best viewing area for Wishes but you could still get a pretty good view on Main Street and could still do it from Fantasyland, even if you had to turn your head back and forth to see it all.

I've noticed this weird trend for them with these new nightime experience to develop things with capacity/guest-flow problems from the start. The new show in Animal Kingdom with limited viewing areas comes to mind as does the Star Wars stuff in Hollywood studios that requires specific line-of-sight, making the already limited space for viewing even more-so... especially when the two erected towers to project help to block view from behind.

I don't mind the hub expansion - but the lightposts being smack in the middle of my view EVERY TIME is really annoying.

Yeah...capacity issues built-in to new things seems to be a trend...that's NOT a good thing when you're adding a ton of more rooms to your resorts so you can accommodate even more people...

 

[HauntedPirate]

Hub expansion. Desperately needed. Great call, even if we lost some of the intimacy of the old layout.*

New nightime spectacular replacing the Whishes Fireworks that requires direct front of castle viewing in hub,taking up seemingly every inch of new space making things seem just as bad for people in it, maybe not so much.**

But we digress.


*I'm one who still misses the original trees so I'll never be completely satisifed but what can ya do?

**Hub was always the best viewing area for Wishes but you could still get a pretty good view on Main Street and could still do it from Fantasyland, even if you had to turn your head back and forth to see it all.

I've noticed this weird trend for them with these new nightime experience to develop things with capacity/guest-flow problems from the start. The new show in Animal Kingdom with limited viewing areas comes to mind as does the Star Wars stuff in Hollywood studios that requires specific line-of-sight, making the already limited space for viewing even more-so... especially when the two erected towers to project help to block view from behind.

That allows them to up-sell a "Premium viewing location" to the sheep willing to pay for it.

Anywho... I can see the benefit of ordering in advance, but when the day comes that hordes are ordering in advance and all tapping the "I'm here, prepare my food" button... I would hope that they will expand kitchen capacity to compensate for any expected uptick in ordering, lest those hordes of hangry people start getting unruly.

I'd like to try mobile ordering sometime, but I am not sure when the next time is I'll be visiting.

 

[networkpro]

I'd say there is a difference between overthinking and not conisidering any circumstance beyond your own and dismissing someone else's legitimate concern as a "narative".

First of all, invalid by what standard, exactly? Yours?

People can have a different perspective without just reciting a "narative" or being "wrong" or "invalid".

*I assume because of the financial component, you can't manage mobile ordering from those kioks but I could be entirely wrong about that.

I hope your day is going better than this diatribe suggests. So your argument is that every location should offer every amenity ? I'll argue that this test location offers a different experience.. a truly quick service... one faster than even self service kiosks (like the Mega McDonalds has on I Drive). Types of payment, entitlement recitations eliminated, queues, and Johnny/Janie Tourist whom cant decide exactly what they want to eat but are at the front of the line.

I wouldnt expect every counter service to go completely this direction, but giving those who choose expedited food delivery the option sans the order/payment queue is a plus.

 

[nbdysreal]

That allows them to up-sell a "Premium viewing location" to the sheep willing to pay for it.

Anywho... I can see the benefit of ordering in advance, but when the day comes that hordes are ordering in advance and all tapping the "I'm here, prepare my food" button... I would hope that they will expand kitchen capacity to compensate for any expected uptick in ordering, lest those hordes of hangry people start getting unruly.

I'd like to try mobile ordering sometime, but I am not sure when the next time is I'll be visiting.

Speaking of "Premium viewing", I'm kind of shocked this isn't limited to Resort guests. "Stay on resort and take advantage of mobile ordering! Spend less time in line, more time enjoying the parks (and shops)!"

 

[MrPromey]

I hope your day is going better than this diatribe suggests. So your argument is that every location should offer every amenity ? I'll argue that this test location offers a different experience.. a truly quick service... one faster than even self service kiosks (like the Mega McDonalds has on I Drive). Types of payment, entitlement recitations eliminated, queues, and Johnny/Janie Tourist whom cant decide exactly what they want to eat but are at the front of the line.

I wouldnt expect every counter service to go completely this direction, but giving those who choose expedited food delivery the option sans the order/payment queue is a plus.

Since you asked, maybe you can make my day a little better and clear something up for me.

I'm going to ignore the "offering every amenity" swipe since I think no reasonable person on earth would consider ordering and paying for fast-food in person some outlandish pandering luxury in normal context.but I wanted to make sure you don't think I missed what you tried to do there.

I totally get what you're talking about in terms of "Types of payment, entitlement recitations eliminated, queues, and Johnny/Janie Tourist whom cant decide exactly what they want to eat but are at the front of the line." but my question - and it's an honest one - is how do you not already get that today in every location that now offers mobile ordering as an option in addition to the "old" way?

From my experience, that's exactly how it already works.

I must be missing something but nobody who is disagreeing with me seems to want to point out what I'm missing. Instead, they all just keep describing how mobile ordering already works at all of the locations you can still order and pay in person at.

I assume you've used mobile ordering at some of the other places on property that offer it. How would this experience be enhanced beyond that for you?

 

[DisneyFreak]

I agree that a touch screen self-serve option would be a great way to go.

They'd still need some staffing to assit. If you ever ordered lunch from the touch screens in Beast's Castle, you'll know what I mean. I thought it was drop-dead simple but they still had to have castmembers on hand to help people having trouble.

They used to have this at Captain Cook's at the Poly and then removed it. Not sure of the reason. I think they still have this at the counter service restaurant on the concourse at the Contemporary and every time we've used it, it's been great. I thought it was simple enough to use.

 

[MrPromey]

They used to have this at Captain Cook's at the Poly and then removed it. Not sure of the reason. I think they still have this at the counter service restaurant on the concourse at the Contemporary and every time we've used it, it's been great. I thought it was simple enough to use.

Last time I was there (contemporary), that's how it worked for ordering but we still had to pay at a register. It's been a while though so I don't know if it's still that way.

 

[MrPromey]

Speaking of "Premium viewing", I'm kind of shocked this isn't limited to Resort guests. "Stay on resort and take advantage of mobile ordering! Spend less time in line, more time enjoying the parks (and shops)!"

Getting your money and getting you out of that crowded line to make room for someone else to stand there benefits them as much as it does you. I doubt they want to limit guest's opportunity to reduce overall lines and increase their potential throughput during the busy hours.