Is the integration of digital technology within Walt Disney World impacting the experience of those with limited digital capabilities?

[World_Showcase_Lover007]

I’m twenty years shy of the age cutoff but I can’t stand the constant use of phones to do everything. It took me 40 minutes to get a cup of coffee using mobile order at Sunshine Seasons. And then my coffee was never ready so the manager had to simply go back and fix it bc I kept asking where my half hour old coffee was. All I wanted to do was get in line, pay and get my drink. Couldn’t happen.

I hate having to log into things. The Disney app crashes constantly and drains your battery. I hate having to look down at my phone, look up, look down again…etc etc.

My wife and I are experiencing some similar issues with cruises (non Disney) where they want everything like boarding passes, vaccine cards, etc electronically loaded into an app. It’s insane bc the app doesn’t work. I print everything bc paper works just fine. I refuse to automate my house bc putting a key put into a keyhole works better than opening my deadbolt with an app.

 

[GinaD613]

I’m above the age cutoff, and I totally had my phone in the parks on our last trip in Feb 2020, along with a massive power pack and cable, if for no other reason than to make sure I could stay in touch with my dh in case we got separated. What a blessing it is to have a computer in the palm of my hand!

Oh and btw, our last trip was most likely our last ever, as we are out of money.

 

[SteveAZee]

I’m twenty years shy of the age cutoff but I can’t stand the constant use of phones to do everything. It took me 40 minutes to get a cup of coffee using mobile order at Sunshine Seasons. And then my coffee was never ready so the manager had to simply go back and fix it bc I kept asking where my half hour old coffee was. All I wanted to do was get in line, pay and get my drink. Couldn’t happen.

I hate having to log into things. The Disney app crashes constantly and drains your battery. I hate having to look down at my phone, look up, look down again…etc etc.

My wife and I are experiencing some similar issues with cruises (non Disney) where they want everything like boarding passes, vaccine cards, etc electronically loaded into an app. It’s insane bc the app doesn’t work. I print everything bc paper works just fine. I refuse to automate my house bc putting a key put into a keyhole works better than opening my deadbolt with an app.

Seems like digital tech can be great when it works, but when it fails (and there's no backup) it's incredibly frustrating.

Disney tech seems more prone to failure than most other businesses.

 

[KerryDoesDisney]

Excellent! Sincerely very happy to hear that you're a real person and not trolling. And yes, as bitter and disappointed Disney fans I'd bet most if not all of us would love to see the results of your findings, including any response Disney gives you if you should send your research to them.

In all honestly, I think Disney cares very little about what their fans think... truly. In their minds their currently huge crowds and annual visitor totals outweigh the thoughts of diehard fans so heavily that our thoughts don't matter. What they don't realize is that the frustrations felt by their diehard fans are shared in far greater numbers by the average visitor. I know this factually by non-Disney diehard friends who on a whim visited this year and said they'd never go back. The complications and the little they got to experience wasn't worth the amount of money spent. This isn't my opinion... these are friends of mine who've visited in the last 5 months and didn't enjoy it. They also told me they didn't understand why I'm such a big fan. I tell them I'm a fan of what WDW once was.

If you think about it logically, if their diehard fans who love Disney immensely and research everything Disney extensively struggle with the complexity of their new Genie app and all processes in general, imagine how difficult and frustrating it would be for average John and Jane with their kids Joey and Jenny. Most people schedule their Disney vacations with little or no research and they're going to miss out on so much making it much less enjoyable. Over time it will result in large swaths of people feeling jilted, and never returning resulting in new generations either visiting once with little enjoyment, or not at all. It's business suicide. I guess I'll just wait a few years until people catch on how terrible Disney's stare-at-your-phone-at-all-times policy is, and crowds shrink making it better for the diehards. Maybe they'll listen then.

Hi Pepper!

Interesting comments for sure! I've heard similar things in the Twitter-sphere about diehard Disney fans also claiming to refuse to go to the parks again until things get "sorted out".

I actually go to WDW for my Honeymoon in two months, so I'm really hoping its just as magical as I remember from my last visit in 2019!

I don't love the phone-reliance either, but as a 20-something year old I can navigate it well and care enough about Disney to learn the systems but I completely understand how "John and Jane" would struggle.

Thanks again for your insight!

Kerry xx

 

[KerryDoesDisney]

But when I (used) to come to WDW, it was good to come to WDW which didn't need it, or with little reliance on it. The key feature was spontaneity, where we could wander where we please and when we please, not withstanding reservations etc.

100% agree!

 

[KerryDoesDisney]

Kerry, I just saw this thread, and wouldn't qualify anyway, but my above reply reminded me of the MANY times my Disney issued Magic bands have failed to work.

It isn't that I can't figure out how to use it, it is that there is some glitch in WDW's system that they have never fixed.

My bands worked for Fastpass, but often have not worked to open the hotel room, when redeeming dining credits, and only sometimes work when entering the parks. The glitch goes back to the very first magicband WDW issued to me. That trip, I tried 3 times to get it fixed. The hotel concierge CM's were not able to fix it. On later trips, I have talked to in-park Guest Services many times, including managers, and they have never been able to figure out a lasting solution.

I have always had to resort to using someone else's band to open the room or redeem credits.

If ever I try to buy/modify tickets in the park, it takes at least half an hour, but usually more like a full hour.

I often get held up when trying to enter the parks. So this has caused me quite a bit of lost time over the years.

Wow that must be so frustrating! I wonder if its a glitch in the system with your MDE account because you would think a replacement would work. Very interesting comment though, thank you!

 

[KerryDoesDisney]

That's exactly what it was like when we first started going to WDW in l977. It was like that for several years, even though it was more crowded. It was a REAL vacation where you could pay to get in and ride when and where you chose, also go to a restaurant and get in to eat. Fast food was easy to obtain. Everyone waited in the lines, so no one was better than the next person. There was no anger or craziness that you see now. It was an incredibly fun, immersive place to vacation then. Imagine! Just going and doing what you want and having a ball!

Love this comment, yes it would have been inspiring for us younger Disney fans (and current Disney management too) to experience WDW back then without the reliance on phones. The contrast to modern day WDW would sure be obvious. Thank you for your reply again.

 

[KerryDoesDisney]

Thanks everyone again for all your replies!

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Love this comment, yes it would have been inspiring for us younger Disney fans (and current Disney management too) to experience WDW back then without the reliance on phones. The contrast to modern day WDW would sure be obvious. Thank you for your reply again.

The only thing is, through 1979 WDW used ticket books. I gather you know about them already, but if not, here's a little more info:


I think the first "passport ticket" (unlimited rides) started about 1977, but most park goers did not buy one. The Passport was only offered as a two-day option, but WDW was still just MK.

In the 1970's, adults paid about $9 for an '8-attraction' ticket book. A 10-ticket book was $11.

In 1977, the "2-day Passport" ticket was $17, but WDW also offered a 2-day, 16-attractions ticket for $15.

So while there was no ride-skip option, most of WDW's customers did not endlessly ride every attraction. The attraction tickets were restricted to specific ride categories. The 18 ticket book, for examples contained: 5-E-ride tickets, 5-D rides, 4-C rides, 1-B ride, and 1-A ride. If you really wanted to ride a specific E-ride twice, you could, but then you would miss out on a different ride, unless you bought extra ride tickets.

If you wanted to buy extra attraction tickets you could, but most people didn't really do that back then. A single e-ride ticket was $.90 in the late 1970's.

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

Hi Pepper!

Interesting comments for sure! I've heard similar things in the Twitter-sphere about diehard Disney fans also claiming to refuse to go to the parks again until things get "sorted out".

I actually go to WDW for my Honeymoon in two months, so I'm really hoping its just as magical as I remember from my last visit in 2019!

I don't love the phone-reliance either, but as a 20-something year old I can navigate it well and care enough about Disney to learn the systems but I completely understand how "John and Jane" would struggle.

Thanks again for your insight!

Kerry xx

Congrats on your upcoming nuptials!! Ahhh, 20-something... to be so young again. Hope you have fantastic time on your honeymoon! Depending on the timing, September can be a good time to visit... or not. I hope it is! At least temperatures will be better than a June-August visit. I visited once on my anniversary years ago which was in June, and standing in line was like standing on the surface of the sun. I dunno how people go to the parks in the summer months.

 

[LaughingGravy]

In 2022, in the USA, I do not go anywhere without my insurance cards. We are supposed to carry auto insurance in both the car and a wallet if we drive. I also can't imagine entering WDW without some form of money. Yes, I know you can charge to a magicband, but I have had my band fail to work.

While FL and many states won't require it, it is also...in some places in the USA helpful to be able to show proof of COVID vaccination. I put qualifiers on that, because it is also an option to take a take a COVID test on the spot or prove you recently took one. One way to do that is to keep an image on one's phone.

Oh, what I said about nothing else is barring the whole Covid situation.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

The first iPhones were released in 2007, 15 years ago. We are not talking about cutting edge technology, or anything radically new. As of the last census 84% of American households had at least one smart phone. If you don’t at this point you are almost at Luddite level. If at this point you don’t like the modern trend of almost every part of life moving to wireless/remote/smart phone interaction, you have a lot more problems than Genie plus.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

All I wanted to do was get in line, pay and get my drink. Couldn’t happen.

Is this at the Starbucks in connections? You are unable to get in line and pay?

 

[jpinkc]

The first iPhones were released in 2007, 15 years ago. We are not talking about cutting edge technology, or anything radically new. As of the last census 84% of American households had at least one smart phone. If you don’t at this point you are almost at Luddite level. If at this point you don’t like the modern trend of almost every part of life moving to wireless/remote/smart phone interaction, you have a lot more problems than Genie plus.

You do realize that simple flip phones are making a comeback amongst a younger Demo who are rebelling against Tech. I think if I recall WSJ and Bloomberg have both had articles about the return of non smart phones. Do I think Smartphones will lose dominance NO. But there are people out there without them and dont want them and it is growing.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

You do realize that simple flip phones are making a comeback amongst a younger Demo who are rebelling against Tech. I think if I recall WSJ and Bloomberg have both had articles about the return of non smart phones. Do I think Smartphones will lose dominance NO. But there are people out there without them and dont want them and it is growing.

There are people out there that believe the world is flat, but I don't really care about such a small minority of the population (from a personal and business marketing perspective.) They don't make up a significant portion of the population to make a difference from a marketing or lifestyle perspective. There are groups of people who didn't and still don't like credit cards or venmo bc they don't want "big government" or the illuminati tracking their spending. That didn't stop company's from moving to online payment and/or incentivizing cashless payment methods.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

The first iPhones were released in 2007, 15 years ago. We are not talking about cutting edge technology, or anything radically new. As of the last census 84% of American households had at least one smart phone. If you don’t at this point you are almost at Luddite level. If at this point you don’t like the modern trend of almost every part of life moving to wireless/remote/smart phone interaction, you have a lot more problems than Genie plus.

Oh, I dont' know about that general net you are casting.
We are not luddites. We have internet, laptops, ipod touch, and a kindle. I also have a flip phone for emergencies, my preference.
You see, we are from a generation that did not have any technology. Most of it took a while to learn, with the help of our teenage grandsons, LOL. Life is full of choices, and we choose not to be connected 24/7 via smart phone. If I need to talk to someone, we have a landline and answering machine. Works for us. We love our other devices and take full advantage of them.
So generalizing everyone into a luddite category is not correct.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

There are people out there that believe the world is flat, but I don't really care about such a small minority of the population (from a personal and business marketing perspective.) They don't make up a significant portion of the population to make a difference from a marketing or lifestyle perspective. There are groups of people who didn't and still don't like credit cards or venmo bc they don't want "big government" or the illuminati tracking their spending. That didn't stop company's from moving to online payment and/or incentivizing cashless payment methods.

I think you might be a little obsessed with conspiracies. The people I know who don’t use credit cards and smart phones are not against technology at all and they aren’t scared about being tracked. It’s better for them for time and money management.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

The first iPhones were released in 2007, 15 years ago. We are not talking about cutting edge technology, or anything radically new. As of the last census 84% of American households had at least one smart phone. If you don’t at this point you are almost at Luddite level. If at this point you don’t like the modern trend of almost every part of life moving to wireless/remote/smart phone interaction, you have a lot more problems than Genie plus.

And those problems are that we are steering towards a cashless society and have only ourselves to blame.

 

[Graham9]

If you don’t at this point you are almost at Luddite level. If at this point you don’t like the modern trend of almost every part of life moving to wireless/remote/smart phone interaction, you have a lot more problems than Genie plus.

Some people can't afford smartphones.
Some people don't want smartphones
Some people are unable to use smartphones/apps and want nothing to do with them.
Some people don't want to carry smartphones and the aggro of charging batteries, signals & wi-fi bandwidth

I use smartphones all the time, but I DON'T want to use one in a theme park/on vacation unless I absolutely have to.
I don't want to use a smartphone just so I can go on a ride and pay (on top of admission price) extra to use it.
I don't want a smartphone telling me what I can and cannot do.
I don't want a smartphone tracking and profiling me and spamming me about what it thinks I would like do or go on.

 

[danyoung56]

The 18 ticket book, for examples contained: 5-E-ride tickets, 5-D rides, 4-C rides, 1-B ride, and 1-A ride.

I don't mean to be "that guy", but I think your math is off a bit. I remember 5 E, 4 D, 3 C, 2 D, and 1 A, for a total of 15 tickets. The 18 ticket book, I think, came with 2 more E's and 1 more D.

Hard to remember that far back, but I was thrilled with the introduction of just a ticket to get in, and then all rides were "free".