Disney Wants to Reduce Phone Use That Takes Away From Theme Park Experience

One of the most common complaints right now about the experience at Disneyland and Walt Disney World is the need to be on your cell phone while in the park. Guests need to use their cell phones to make Lightning Lane reservations, to access theme park wait times, plus use mobile order or manage dining reservations.

The leader of the Disney theme parks just acknowledged this issue and shared thoughts on how to balance this with the need for technology usage in the parks. Let’s get into the details, including how Disney looks at whether it is acceptable to increase required phone usage. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including the recent Disney World price increases and the new dining plan releasing next year.

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Chairman of Disney Experiences Acknowledges Phone Use Issue

Mickey Visit was recently one of a dozen or so media outlets that attended a business update at Disneyland Resort with Thomas Mazloum. He was just promoted to Chairman of Disney Experiences, taking over for Josh D’Amaro, who recently replaced Bob Iger as CEO of The Walt Disney Company. Before that, Mazloum was the President of Disneyland Resort. The business update took place just before he was promoted.

In the past few weeks, we have covered other aspects of this conversation, including planned ways to attract more young families, park-hopping changes and park reservations, the choice to delay a permanent ride closure, changes considered for security at Disneyland, and more. Direct quotes were not allowed from the meeting.

During this business update, Mazloum commented on phone usage at the parks, from the positive impacts of the technology to the need to listen to guest feedback about excessive screen time. He highlighted how important it is to simplify the experience for guests while balancing the desire to be mindful of how the parks introduce new cell phone technology. He explicitly said that they are actively working to reduce the amount of time that guests spend on their cell phones and that he is personally always pushing for a reduction of tasks required on the phone.

We previously covered Mazloum’s stated theme park priorities and his approach to running the business, which includes focusing on delivering a simple experience for guests and cast members.

The comments from Mazloum on this front are actually quite encouraging. When Mazloum was asked about reducing phone use in the parks, he said that while adding technology can simplify the guest experience, it should not come at the cost of the emotional connections people make with one another. He added that he wants to make sure the use of technology is not overextended since many guests view Disney as a form of escapism. And a key part of that escapism? According to Mazloum, it’s being able to enjoy Disney as a way to get out of their routine and connect emotionally with their family. He said that we live in a world where people are constantly scrolling on their phones and that Disney is a place where guests can leave that behind.

Part of this process is also being mindful about how much technology is integrated into the parks regardless of how much it might simplify the guest experience. Mazloum said that he wants to be very thoughtful about how Disney uses technology and how easy it is to go overboard on all the technological opportunities to add to the parks experience.

He added that he’s very aware the parks are places where families connect emotionally and create lasting memories and actively hears that feedback. Mazloum shared specific feedback that he heard from a parent that a visit to Disneyland helped to provide the longest conversation they have ever had with their kids while waiting in line. Disney is a place to reconnect and he acknowledged how important that is.

He emphasized that Disney shouldn’t require too much screen time, and that if technology improves efficiency at the expense of those emotional connections, it isn’t worth it. If efficiency is established by cutting down on human and emotional connection, they should not make that decision to be more efficient. He shared a similar sentiment about the general expectation that Disney needs to be cutting edge in technology. New tech is important, but not if it cuts into the parks experience.

I can see how the new technology can keep creeping into the parks experience with the promise of improvement without the recognition that it has fundamentally changed the way that people experience the parks. Mazloum shared that he wants to make sure that they don’t overdo it with required phone use and implementation of new tech.

These comments follow a story last year where Disney shared a look at new technology they hoped could reduce guest phone usage.

At the time, Walt Disney Imagineering President Bruce Vaughn commented on the Disney theme park experience and how phones get in the way of that. “A big differentiator for us is that you’re there together with friends and family and people that you care about, and every time you have to look down at a device or a phone, it breaks that spell.”

This all emphasizes Thomas Mazloum’s point that an overuse of a cell phone can take away from the emotional connection and lasting memories that guests can make while in the parks.

Technology Also Simplifies Park Operations

My takeaway from his commentary is that this essentially becomes a balancing act of wanting to use technology to streamline and improve the guest experience while also being thoughtful about what we can do to reduce screen time. And of course, acknowledging the marketing opportunity technology presents for Disney, whether it’s guests live-streaming in the theme parks or Fortnite exposing new guests to the magic of Disneyland.

We need to acknowledge the good that different mobile technology can bring to guests visiting the theme parks. For power users, the apps can unlock ease during a visit. Those who know how to navigate the system get the great benefit of more easily maneuvering through the parks.

Mobile order is a great example of that. Guests can place a food order on their phone, then walk right over to pick it up without waiting in long cashier lines. This is a win for Disney and for guests, as it allows quick-service locations to run more efficiently, prepare more orders, and reduce wait times during peak hours. This is an example of the balanced benefit of improving the Disney experience while also increasing phone use.

MagicBands can also help reduce phone use by letting guests tap their band to redeem Lightning Lanes instead of pulling out their phone. This works well at Walt Disney World, where MagicBands are widely used. At Disneyland, though, the benefit is more limited since far fewer guests use MagicBands. This is a technology constraint that Mazloum spoke about, noting that guests at both resorts use it very differently, which requires more decision-making on Disney’s part when it comes to investing further in that technology.

The key decision point that Disney will need to balance in the future for technology is how power users who visit the theme parks often use the suite of mobile cell phone tools vs how those who are visiting for the first time use them. It is easy for me to say mobile order and Lightning Lane are fantastic and improve my trip, but how does a first time guest feel? There may be a feeling of overwhelm for those who don’t know the tools and are navigating the parks and the digital ecosystem for the first time trying to deliver a great experience for their family.

Disney needs to continue to listen to guest feedback to balance the use of the phone in the theme parks with the benefit that guests receive from using the mobile app. There is a core issue of screen fatigue in our world and Disney is a place that can be an escape from that. The real challenge remains that Disney needs to balance the value that they unlock for power users while keeping the theme parks a welcoming place for first time guests. How Disney strikes this balance will define the guest experience at Disney in the coming years.

What do you think about the comments and use of the cell phones in the theme parks? Would you want to see it reduced? What would you change?

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Lindsay Brookshier contributed to this report. 

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