Transportation Testing Games

[Bolt]

We were at AKL last week, and the Transportation CM who tracks when buses arrive/crowds setup some "games" for kids to play while waiting. The CM said this is something they were testing before potential wide scale rollout. They had 2 of these beanbag toss targets, and a foam "puzzle" with the WDW resort map printed on it. The CM seemed to have kids try to find places on the puzzle. When I say puzzle it was 4 2ftx2ft pieces of that foam playfloor type material that interlocked. The kids I saw seemed to have fun playing with them.
View attachment 170284

At least they are resort themed!

 

[MrHappy]

...now if they can only put a Kidcot station at Sanaa. Took about 2hrs to get sat with an ADR during lunch. But that's for another thread.

 

[Princess Leia]

Did anyone else think this thread was going to be about Disney "playing games" with transportation testing, instead of testing transportation game?

I thought it was going to be about buses getting interactive gaming screens on the back of the seats. This was surprisingly way better than I thought it was going to be.

 

[monothingie]

You mean the park that is seeing the addition of two new lands that have been announced as well as a couple of other new attractions that have not yet been announce and over 1billion investment. Yeah, I've been there.

Good so you know that in the process of doing so, they've made it into barely a 1/2 day park in terms of it's available entertainment and attraction options. But maybe in 4-5-6 years there may be something to do there. I notice that you didn't say anything about EPCOT though...hmmm

 

[DManRightHere]

I am a bit torn on this idea. I like the idea as it gives the kids something to do, it's interactive with CM's, and gets kids off a smart device. I don't like it as I can see this very easily allowing parents to blame CM's for not watching their kids (they are still close to the road), and then parents trying to gather kids while they're playing when the bus comes (once again, able to blame CM's for the distraction).

 

[peter11435]

Good so you know that in the process of doing so, they've made it into barely a 1/2 day park in terms of it's available entertainment and attraction options. But maybe in 4-5-6 years there may be something to do there. I notice that you didn't say anything about EPCOT though...hmmm

Because I didnt need to. Your statement implied that they put no effort into entertaining guests in the parks. This is laughably absurd since the parks are filled with attractions and entertainment meant to entertain. Maybe you don't like or appreciate what is there, but it is there. As for epcot, maybe you don't enjoy the new frozen attraction but it definetely took far more effort than a bean bag toss.

 

[monothingie]

@monothingie and @rob0519, in May I waited at the TTC for the monorail to Epcot. It seemed to take forever to come. The kids (2 & 4) were getting anxious. It was hot, they were tired, I was desperate. I resorted to the type of games often used for long road trips: find the color blue somewhere, where's the tallest tree, etc. Then after I ran out of steam, I became a jungle gym for my daughter as my wife was the "stay off the bars" police with my son. Point is, kids are kids. Parents do what we can. I'm not one to have them veg-out over electronics, but a little corn-whole and name the poop sounds pretty great to me.

I went in September with a 18 month old and a 4 year old and after a long day in the parks they were nuts too. Kids are going to be kids, I get that but as far as Im concerned, as @rob0519 said, I don't need them being distracted at every waking second. My prevue as a parent.

 

[monothingie]

Because I didnt need to. Your statement implied that they put no effort into entertaining guests in the parks. This is laughably absurd since the parks are filled with attractions and entertainment meant to entertain. Maybe you don't like or appreciate what is there, but it is there. As for epcot, maybe you don't enjoy the new frozen attraction but it definetely took far more effort than a bean bag toss.

EPCOT's solution to distract guests from it's woefully state is to invest in "festivals" for most of the year. Hollywood Studios has 3 basic attractions and a handful of shows. Now it will probably get better in the future, but right now in doing so they've gutted the park. But they can get away with it so long as the hoards keep piling in there for a cut-rate product.

 

[asianway]

Did anyone else think this thread was going to be about Disney "playing games" with transportation testing, instead of testing transportation game?

yeah - the Typhoon Lagoon constant "tests" came to mind

 

[peter11435]

EPCOT's solution to distract guests from it's woefully state is to invest in "festivals" for most of the year. Hollywood Studios has 3 basic attractions and a handful of shows. Now it will probably get better in the future, but right now in doing so they've gutted the park. But they can get away with it so long as the hoards keep piling in there for a cut-rate product.

Ignoring the fact that Epcot actually did open a new attraction this year I see. Also Hollywood studios has more than 3 attractions. There are 5 rides (admittedly not nearly enough). I'm not defending the current state of the studios. The park desperately needs the investment it is receiving. As could Epcot. But that doesn't make your original statement any less ridiculous.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Ignoring the fact that Epcot actually did open a new attraction this year I see. Also Hollywood studios has more than 3 attractions. There are 5 rides (admittedly not nearly enough). I'm not defending the current state of the studios. The park desperately needs the investment it is receiving. As could Epcot. But that doesn't make your original statement any less ridiculous.

Actually, you could really say 2 new attractions, since they started the new Soarin' with the third theater.

 

[Gabe1]

Cast members have been playing games and entertaining kids during longer waits for decades, parade waits especially. What is the harm? My kids are grown but I never begrudged them for having fun and playing a game.

As for kids and smartphones, look around the parks, adults everywhere with phones out, including bus stops.

 

[prfctlyximprct]

I really thought it wasn't possible, but it's sadly true, we now as a culture have the attention span of single cell life form.

Hey it's better then kids sitting on the phone / iPad.

 

[homerdance]

It's a bus stop, not an E-Ticket. What's next, special "fun buses" because Junior can't sit still for 2 minutes? I wish Disney would put a fraction of the effort into entertaining guests within their parks as they do with those waiting at their bus stops.

What resort are you staying at that the wait is 2 minutes? I want to stay there.

 

[monothingie]

What resort are you staying at that the wait is 2 minutes? I want to stay there.

Deluxe Concierge guests have secret bus stops where we pick up our individual luxury motor coaches that drive us directly into the parks secret special 1% er entrances.

 

[No Name]

This is great.

People will typically gravitate toward their mobile devices while they wait for the bus, or they'll just sit there staring in agony. Rarely are they doing something fun, something that will make their trip more memorable. This provides an opportinuty for that and allows people to do something that they wouldn't otherwise be able or think to do. It gets them off of their phones or out of their boredom, and instead, enjoying their vacation.

Just read through the thread and I'm not sure how anyone can complain about this. You want them to "care about the guest experience," and here they are, caring about the guest experience. This isn't being imposed on anyone either, and so if you don't like it, just don't participate.

Did anyone else think this thread was going to be about Disney "playing games" with transportation testing, instead of testing transportation game?

Haha yup.

 

[ford91exploder]

Deluxe Concierge guests have secret bus stops where we pick up our individual luxury motor coaches that drive us directly into the parks secret special 1% er entrances.

Actually that's not far from the truth but since the VIP service is $250/hr for each plaid (min 4 hours) you have for your group that bus is a small portion of the expense.

 

[Minnie Mum]

It's a bus stop, not an E-Ticket. What's next, special "fun buses" because Junior can't sit still for 2 minutes? I wish Disney would put a fraction of the effort into entertaining guests within their parks as they do with those waiting at their bus stops.

I hope I live to see the day when bus waits are only 2 minutes. Kids are kids. And kids are not by nature as patient as adults. Hot, tired, overstimulated kids are even less patient. Nobody seemed to object to interactive queues at attractions to make the wait easier. What could possibly be the harm in these little games to make the bus wait easier. On the kids, and by extention, on their parents, too. I admit it: I'm a horrible parent and grandmother. I didn't raise perfect princes and princesses who could stand docile and quiet for up to half an hour at a time with absolutely nothing to do. And I'd much rather see them enjoy a bean bag toss game than staring at their tablets.

 

[AEfx]

I really thought it wasn't possible, but it's sadly true, we now as a culture have the attention span of single cell life form.

On the other hand, I'd rather see the kids getting some mild physical activity versus burning their faces in a screen.

 

[AEfx]

Or they can put in an adequate transportation system so the kids aren't bored out of their mind.

That was my initial thought as well. I think this is great and all, but it's a band-aid at most.

I see folks saying "two minutes" - more like 20-30 in my experience, which is why I drive myself around the resort these days.