Disneyland Resort - New Entry Gates Incoming?

Disney Analyst

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I think it’s growing pains also, DLParis has similar turnstiles and we liked them when we went a few years ago, it was a fast and easy process and the CMs were all friendly and welcoming.

Give it a month or 2 and it’ll probably be seen as an upgrade. (Something I wish I could say more about recent Disney changes)

Exactly. Disneyland is an old park, and many regulars including CM’s all have to get use to it first. I bet a year from now it will all feel very normal.
 

Nirya

Well-Known Member
The process was a little clunky for us last week. I scan in my whole family using my app. I’d imagine the pictures are just a one time thing right? Still though those new gates open when you scan your ticket so I’m wondering how it works when one person scans for the entire fam.
I had a CM tell me last month that they were recommending that people scan members of their party first and do themselves last in this kind of situation.
 

DCBaker

Premium Member
Disney has posted a "What to Know" article on the new entry gates:

How Do I Use the New Entry Gates at Disneyland?
Once you’re ready to start the fun, head over to the entrance gate of your choice. Every gate is ADA compliant, allowing all guests with ECVs, wheelchairs and strollers to use and pass through them with ease!
  • Step 1: To enter each park, you will scan each ticket using screens present at individual entry gates.
  • Step 2: Once each ticket is scanned, every guest in your group will then use the screen to take their own picture by pressing the camera icon on the screen to capture your photo. And don’t worry about the kids: each entry gate is equipped with camera technology that will automatically adjust to each guest’s height while you are snapping the photo!
  • Step 3: Once your ticket is scanned and the photo is digitally attached to your ticket, the entry gates will automatically swing open for your party to head into the park together.
Full details:
 

MarvelCharacterNerd

Well-Known Member
Went through it a second time this past weekend. This time it was faster once I remembered where/how to scan. But it all feels like Disney pushing us more and more to self-service rather than guest service. I'm scanning myself in. I'm bussing my own table. What makes a day at Disneyland feel like it's worth a nearly $300 parkhopper as an upscale experience? It's DIY Disney.

I'm actually kind of dreading taking a first time visitor soon. I feel like I'm going to be apologizing for the whole experience. "Sorry you had to get your ticket onto your own phone and scan yourself in because they don't want to pay cast members to do it for you." "Sorry you have to scrape food off your plate and separate your recyclables to put in the correct bins because they don't want to pay cast members to do it for you." "Sorry for all the scrims and construction walls 24/7/365 because they don't care about a first timer's first impression." "Sorry for the closed attractions because they already got your money and don't want you to actually do anything here other than spend more money." "But welcome to the magic." At least I managed to pick up a dining res or it would also be: "Sorry we have to wait half an hour in line or 90 minutes for the next available food order."
 

PiratesMansion

Well-Known Member
Went through it a second time this past weekend. This time it was faster once I remembered where/how to scan. But it all feels like Disney pushing us more and more to self-service rather than guest service. I'm scanning myself in. I'm bussing my own table. What makes a day at Disneyland feel like it's worth a nearly $300 parkhopper as an upscale experience? It's DIY Disney.

I'm actually kind of dreading taking a first time visitor soon. I feel like I'm going to be apologizing for the whole experience. "Sorry you had to get your ticket onto your own phone and scan yourself in because they don't want to pay cast members to do it for you." "Sorry you have to scrape food off your plate and separate your recyclables to put in the correct bins because they don't want to pay cast members to do it for you." "Sorry for all the scrims and construction walls 24/7/365 because they don't care about a first timer's first impression." "Sorry for the closed attractions because they already got your money and don't want you to actually do anything here other than spend more money." "But welcome to the magic." At least I managed to pick up a dining res or it would also be: "Sorry we have to wait half an hour in line or 90 minutes for the next available food order."
In fairness, DLR has been the only Disney resort to physically require a CM to take your ticket and scan it for some time. Even in 2010, Tokyo had guests inserting their own ticket for admission. And WDW has had the tapstyles for over a decade.

Perhaps the method could be better, but there's really no reason that automating the admission process HAS to be this awful downgrade just on the face of it.
 

CaptinEO

Well-Known Member
Went through it a second time this past weekend. This time it was faster once I remembered where/how to scan. But it all feels like Disney pushing us more and more to self-service rather than guest service. I'm scanning myself in. I'm bussing my own table. What makes a day at Disneyland feel like it's worth a nearly $300 parkhopper as an upscale experience? It's DIY Disney.

I'm actually kind of dreading taking a first time visitor soon. I feel like I'm going to be apologizing for the whole experience. "Sorry you had to get your ticket onto your own phone and scan yourself in because they don't want to pay cast members to do it for you." "Sorry you have to scrape food off your plate and separate your recyclables to put in the correct bins because they don't want to pay cast members to do it for you." "Sorry for all the scrims and construction walls 24/7/365 because they don't care about a first timer's first impression." "Sorry for the closed attractions because they already got your money and don't want you to actually do anything here other than spend more money." "But welcome to the magic." At least I managed to pick up a dining res or it would also be: "Sorry we have to wait half an hour in line or 90 minutes for the next available food order."
Why would you be apologizing for how a themepark is ran? I'm confused. I've gone with many people but never felt obligated to defend a themepark or take responsibility.

As for the ticket booths they are staffed, I think the main benefit is you dont have a CM with a tablet holding up the line to take photos of everyone.

Not defending Disney or their many cuts but I think this will make entry faster.
 

Parteecia

Well-Known Member
This part confused me a little. How does it know who is in your party that day? I don't always go with my linked friends.

"Your entire party must pass through the gates together. The gate won’t close and reopen for each member of your party."

 

Parteecia

Well-Known Member
Why would you be apologizing for how a themepark is ran? I'm confused. I've gone with many people but never felt obligated to defend a themepark or take responsibility.
Because when I take someone someplace I feel responsible. If I take someone to a restaurant and it disappoints I will apologize. If a theme park keeps throwing up roadblocks that i usually don't notice, being one of those slowly boiling frogs, i will feel bad that it impinges on their enjoyment.
As for the ticket booths they are staffed, I think the main benefit is you dont have a CM with a tablet holding up the line to take photos of everyone.
No, instead you have people who are totally lost trying to figure out what to do.
 

CaptinEO

Well-Known Member
Because when I take someone someplace I feel responsible. If I take someone to a restaurant and it disappoints I will apologize. If a theme park keeps throwing up roadblocks that i usually don't notice, being one of those slowly boiling frogs, i will feel bad that it impinges on their enjoyment.
I get this to an extent but I also wouldn't put myself in the situation of needing to be responsible if things go south.

I'd set expectations and of course you don't want to disappoint your guests. I'd be upfront Disneyland had had a lot of cutbacks/upcharges over the years and isn't what it used to be.
No, instead you have people who are totally lost trying to figure out what to do.
WDW has been like this for a while though (a bit different but still self entering). It's all a learning curve.
 

Nirya

Well-Known Member
I think you guys are vastly overestimating how hard this process is. The vast majority of guests understand how scanning technology works, and the directions on the screen are pretty clear. And as stated, DLR was way behind the other Disney parks in this regard; do people think that Disneyland guests are incapable of doing something WDW guests have done for a decade now?
 

CaptinEO

Well-Known Member
I think you guys are vastly overestimating how hard this process is. The vast majority of guests understand how scanning technology works, and the directions on the screen are pretty clear. And as stated, DLR was way behind the other Disney parks in this regard; do people think that Disneyland guests are incapable of doing something WDW guests have done for a decade now?
Yeah it was pretty simple for us to figure out and again it will make the lines move faster without them holding up the line to take photos.

Maybe Disneyland needs some signs up explaining how multiple parties can be scanned in all at once? Seems that's the only confusion.
 

TrainsOfDisney

Well-Known Member
do people think that Disneyland guests are incapable of doing something WDW guests have done for a decade now?
No - but it can be confusing at WDW too. The entrance experience could be improved at all Disney resorts in my experience - it should be fun and magical. Instead it has all the charm of riding a New York City subway.
 

MarvelCharacterNerd

Well-Known Member
Considering the cluster of people with no idea how to self serve at the gates that I saw the past two weeks and the cast so busy dealing with malfunctioning or confusing tech to bother with cheerful welcomes, yeah, I'd say it's complicated to most who enter.

Will it get better as the passholders show the people behind them how it works? Sure. Still sad to see the standard-bearer park for Walt's vision continue to downgrade the guest experience.

Next I expect to bag my own merchandise and check myself out... oh wait...
 

truecoat

Well-Known Member
I think you guys are vastly overestimating how hard this process is. The vast majority of guests understand how scanning technology works, and the directions on the screen are pretty clear. And as stated, DLR was way behind the other Disney parks in this regard; do people think that Disneyland guests are incapable of doing something WDW guests have done for a decade now?

It's all about the gates and there are no gates at WDW.
 

chadwpalm

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
First impressions are everything. I totally understand that the entrance is the first thing you experience in your Disney day......well......technically the security screening which adds to what I'm about to say.

Having a pleasant entry experience and sharing a magical or super-friendly moment at the entry gate can set the tone for your day at the parks.

On the flip side, if your first experience of the day is standing for 30 minutes at security, then another 30 minutes in line at the entry gate, that will quickly negate the pleasant interaction you're going to get when you finally get to the turnstile.

For Magic Key holders it might not be the end of the world, but for vacationers that are spending a lot of money to be there, every minute that goes by that you are still standing outside the park is one less minute you are enjoying inside the park and your value diminishes.
 

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