"LILO" Disney's new operating system

[SuperScott]

Hello,

I am doing my senior thesis on new operating systems in the hospitality industry.

I know Disney implemented their new state-of-the-art operating system, "LILO", in the fall of 2010. I was wondering if anyone has some insight on the software's features. I've heard this software highly improves guest service.

I know Disney is very secretive about things like this, but I was just looking to get some basic insight on how LILO is better than the old DOS based DPMS.

 

[PirateFrank]

I know nothing about the current or previous OS employed by the mouse, but I am wishing good vibes on this thread as a former IT guy....my curiosity is very piqued.

 

[Texas84]

When I was interviewing for an IT job at WDW it was as a Windows admin. But that was a while ago. Surprised they would build their own OS unless it is for a specific purpose. Maybe a customized LINUX?

Or this:

http://www.control-escape.com/linux/bootload.html

 

[ThatMouse]

I'd be surprised if they weren't using Windows. I highly doubt they built an OS. The guest software is made up of different apps though, probably web based. The actual check-in / check-out is a native app that can use the drivers and print paperwork and encode the key cards. Guest relations have something different than what they have at the resorts. From what I've seen there's not a lot of added functionality. Reservations are still held on a mainframe. They still do not retain your account information -- no concept of a CMS -- this is why they ALWAYS ask you if this is your first visit. Dining, Passholder, and DVC are still all on separate systems independent of each other. Dining searches still take forever and is frequently down. Cast members are still asking managers for help with the new interface. You still cannot buy season passes with this system. Your online account and snail mail marketing account is still independent and not in anyway connected to Disney World or the Resorts.

Whatever they did, it doesn't help guests at all.

 

[Captain Hank]

AFAIK, LILO isn't actually an operating system--just an application within a windows environment.

 

[SuperScott]

Information

Does anyone have any information on LILO and it's new features?

 

[Kamikaze]

Are you sure you didn't just see/hear about lilo boot?

LILO stands for LInux LOader - and has done so for many years.

I can see how you would get that confused with the Disney CMS application by the same name.

 

[SuperScott]

Lilo

I was in Disney's college program when they first launched LILO. It took place of the old DOS based DPMS (Disney property management system). Unfortunately I barely had a chance to use LILO, so i only know some of the features.

 

[Monorail Lime]

LILO is WDW's proprietary reservation management system project. LILO can refer both to the back-end database system and the Windows-based terminal software. It is not an operating system nor is it related to the Linux boot loader.

The main feature of LILO is that it integrates guest data that used to be stored in several separate systems. Resort bookings, dining and event reservations, and even park ticket and gift card information are now all linked and can be accessed from a single screen.

...Well, that's the plan once all the bugs are worked out. The transition to LILO was the cause of all those reservation outages starting from last year and it still isn't fully deployed and functional yet.

 

[dreamfinder]

I recall hearing that the old system was some software originally written for a Vegas casino that they just modified a bit. Which is why you had to call all sorts of different places to get things done. LILO is supposed to tie everything together to allow for a single point of contact to resolve most guest issues.

 

[Dch3]

DPMS was not DOS based. It was an AS/400 based application written in RPG. It started out as a SYSTEM/38 application named HRGAS. Disney implemented it to support the forecasted hotel expansion of the late 80's/early 90's as the original Speary-based app would not support the number of planned hotels. The application was ported to one of the first production AS/400s due to serious performance issues that arose during the original migration. WDW was actually given on of the first AS/400s off the line. Due to the shear number of enhancements requested, the original company sold the source code to them. At some point after that, it was widely adopted by casinos. The company name at one point being InterAmerican Data based out of Atlanta.

 

[KeithVH]

As of 4 months ago, the client systems used in the hotels is WinXP.