Five things Walt Disney World is doing right

[7thton]

This was posted at the Disney Blog and I thought it might be fun to discuss here, especially since the "5 biggest needs at WDW" post had such a good response. ( http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2502855 )

http://thedisneyblog.com/2010/07/07/five-things-walt-disney-world-is-doing-right/


A few days ago I looked at the five biggest needs at Walt Disney World, I though it was only fair that I identify five things WDW is doing right. So without any further ado…

1. Building maintenance at the Magic Kingdom

For the last few years I’ve noticed some big improvements in maintenance on the buildings at the Magic Kingdom. There are literally managers who walk around with a camera and voice recording taking pictures of work that needs to be done and recording notes. Then when I come back a few weeks later, that problem has been fixed. That’s how it should work.

The whole park has been working on upgrading everything from facades to sidewalks. You couldn’t miss it if you visited the last few years, inevitably there would be some building shrouded in a giant tarp. But you might look twice once you noticed it, as Disney has taken to printing giant pictures of the buildings being repaired on the outside of the tarp. It doesn’t make them go away, but at least guests can tell that Disney cares about their experience.

Follow me below the jump for even more great things Disney is doing:

2. More rooms suitable for families larger than 4 – aka Family Suites

For many years if you had a family of 5, 6, or more you were forced to either book two rooms, a suite, or a cabin at Fort Wilderness. Spurred by the Nickelodeon Suites, Disney has recently added some family suites to the All Stars and Pop Century. These typically cost a bit more than a standard room, but less than renting two rooms and sleep a family of six. Now Disney has announced that the Art of Animation Resort will have over 800 family suites. This is a wonderful move, and it’s location right across the street from ESPN WWOS is sure to attract more complete families who will come and visit WDW while one of the family competes in their sport.

3. Social Media

For a long time I encouraged Disney to jump with both feet into the world of blogging and other social media. Just over a year ago they took that plunge and the results have been outstanding. There is now more information coming direct from Disney to its fans than ever before. There’s still a lot of work to do, but they’re definitely on the right path.

Let’s include in this the Disney World Mom’s Panel. They amount of buzz, goodwill, and groundswell momentum they’ve gotten out of this is immeasurable. Disney’s still experimenting with the model, but I think it’s a good one for the long term.

I’ll also include fan and social media out reach in here. The crew that coordinates media events goes out of their way to include some of the blogs and websites that have great relationships with their fans. This is very cost effective marketing for Disney. More of these and closer collaboration should be considered in the future.

4. Festivals and Special Events


The 2009 entrance topiary for the Flower and Garden festival.

While the Flower and Garden Festival and Food and Wine festival are old favorites, Disney has found a way to keep them fresh and exciting year and year. They continue to draw huge crowds to EPCOT at times of the year when things would otherwise be slow.

I’m also going to throw the Holidays in here. Disney owns Christmas around here and has a rather sizable chunk of Halloween. I think they could do more here (like bring back the Easter Parade) but they’re definitely on the right path.

Then there are the smaller festivals. Star Wars Weekends are extremely popular. Festival of the Masters is a wonderful weekend event. And Disney’s made a real name for itself with the Endurance Running series, the largest of which are now weekend long heath festivals.

The more Disney can leverage these festival type events, without cannibalizing other events of hotel bookings, the more repeat business they’ll get year after year. And that’s a good thing for Disney.

5. Project NextGen – Jim McPhee’s big secret project

Perhaps inspired a little by the Star Trek level technology that’s rumored to be part of this new secret project headed by former EPCOT Vice President Jim McPhee, the undercurrent of every rumor at WDW is Project NextGen. What is Project NextGen? Well we don’t rightly know for sure. But the rumors are pretty exciting.

There’s no official word on exactly what NextGen will bring, but it promises to revolutionize the way guests experience a vacation at Walt Disney World. Rumors have the project involving some sort of wireless technology, GPS location, augmented reality, virtual reality, RFID chip, live character initiative, or some combination of the above.

If Disney can deliver on NextGen, at a price that’s affordable or even at a cost savings for the company, then these next ten years will be pretty exciting.


Disney’s T-shirt design team keeps new concepts coming that are surprisingly in touch with fashion trends.

Bonus Round – These are even more things Disney is doing right these days:

* Mickey’s Magic Express – a brilliant move, even if it puts a stress on the WDW transport system,
* T-shirt design – these last few years have seen hundreds of wonderfully designed Tees, MouseEars – ditto, and
* The Living Character Initiative – please bring back the Muppet Labs!
* Toy Story Midway Mania – adding in new scenes is a great thing. Disney can even do holiday overlays.
* Animal Conservation – Disney’s Animal Care program and the Walt Disney Conservation Fund has done so much good for endangered species it’s hard to even wrap your mind around.


It’s walls everywhere in Fantasyland.

However, there are a few areas where the jury is still out:

* Four Seasons Hotel and Villas – Outsourcing the Luxury Resort may yet turn out to bite Disney in the you know what. But they didn’t seem to be able to pull it off themselves (I don’t think they ever really tried myself). As for the million dollar homes, well if you’re rich right now, you haven’t even noticed the down economy, so that will probably work fine.
* Fantasyland expansion – This is a big gamble for Disney. Phase one is one new ride, one innovative dining experience, and about a half dozen new character meet and greets/mini-shows. Will that capture the hearts and minds of Magic Kingdom guests? Or are they simply picking the least expensive option here.
* Vinylmation – Disney Pin Trading, which has been amazingly lucrative for Disney since 1999 or so, hit the 10 year mark and started a rapid deceleration. Vinylmation appears to be Disney’s attempt to reignite the collector’s passion. Will it have it’s own 10 year span? Or is it a flash in the pan.

Please chime in below with the things you see Disney doing right or areas where you think the jury is still out.

Postscript: I really really wanted to include ‘The Cast Members’ on this list. There are certainly excellent cast members that go out of their way to make a difference with the guest experience. But an increasingly large percentage of the cast doesn’t seem to realize they’re part of a show that’s being put on for the benefit of the paying guests. It’s just another job for them. I chalk this up to a combination of reduced training on Disney traditions and the expanded size of Disney’s cast. I hope that when I re-do this list next year, I can add “Cast Members Make the Magic” in above.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I agree with building maintenance, at least in MK. I have to say when I was at POP last month, the place was starting to show signs of wear (have re-painted walkways, stains in the walkway, etc), but Magic Kingdom is practically always pristine.

And the social media use is excellent. I was surprised to see a video on YouTube last week showing testing of one of the Carsland ride. I'm hoping they keep doing this, especially with the Fantasyland expansion.

I'm not sure we can say much about the NextGen project since there is so little to go on. How extensive is it? Does it include the "lineless queue" concept for Dumbo and the games at Space Mountain? What about talking Mickey? For that matter, are the new devices for the blind and hearing impaired part of this project? Our other innovations related to actual rides included? I think more info is needed on this.

 

[Praying Colonel]

Hard to say that Project NextGen is right since we know so little about it, but the idea's good in concept so I won't pick that nit.

I'd say that Disney is doing social media "better"--the blog/YouTube/etc. is an improvement. But their website is still so bad that I can't say they're doing it "right."

One thing I'd say they do right is theming, especially queue theming on their recent attractions (with the notable exception of Soarin, which was boring in its original form but has been improved). It's almost a shame when you have a FP for many of the more recent attractions like EE and TSM because you miss some of the fun.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

1. Building maintenance at the Magic Kingdom

agree 100% love to see them keeping everything fresh again.

2. More rooms suitable for families larger than 4 – aka Family Suites
Spurred by the Nickelodeon Suites, Disney has recently added some family suites to the All Stars and Pop Century.

Can someone clue me in when they opened family suiets at Pop Century? I missed that announcement.

3. Social Media
Let’s include in this the Disney World Mom’s Panel. They amount of buzz, goodwill, and groundswell momentum they’ve gotten out of this is immeasurable. Disney’s still experimenting with the model, but I think it’s a good one for the long term.

Cute shout out for the mom's panel too bad they frequently give out wrong information. And maybe Disney should focus on thier own website and getting it right, get some of those Facebookers over there to update things a little more often than the current programers.

4. Festivals and Special Events


I’m also going to throw the Holidays in here. Disney owns Christmas around here and has a rather sizable chunk of Halloween. I think they could do more here (like bring back the Easter Parade) but they’re definitely on the right path.

He definately didn't visit WDW last year at Christmas, bring back Lights of Winter and we can talk.

Postscript: I really really wanted to include ‘The Cast Members’ on this list. There are certainly excellent cast members that go out of their way to make a difference with the guest experience. But an increasingly large percentage of the cast doesn’t seem to realize they’re part of a show that’s being put on for the benefit of the paying guests. It’s just another job for them. I chalk this up to a combination of reduced training on Disney traditions and the expanded size of Disney’s cast. I hope that when I re-do this list next year, I can add “Cast Members Make the Magic” in above.

Me too.


I think Disney is doing lots of stuff right and always have been, he has some good points in the article, though.

 

[book_junkie]

This was posted at the Disney Blog and I thought it might be fun to discuss here, especially since the "5 biggest needs at WDW" post had such a good response. ( http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2502855 )

http://thedisneyblog.com/2010/07/07/five-things-walt-disney-world-is-doing-right/


Disney’s T-shirt design team keeps new concepts coming that are surprisingly in touch with fashion trends.

* T-shirt design – these last few years have seen hundreds of wonderfully designed Tees, MouseEars – ditto, and
* The Living Character Initiative – please bring back the Muppet Labs!
.

I agree with you, I just wanted to chime in with that I think the design teams are doing wonderful jobs with the T-shirt merch, I just wish they would make them in my size! I'm Pooh shaped, and often buy guy sizes just because I'm more comfortable with the way unisex or male shirts hang than the more fitted women's or baby-doll T's fit, and the new styles often don't go up to where they'd be comfortable for me. Often the biggest things go is a 2X in either sex, and that just doesn't work with some shirts....

 

[helloconnie]

This was a great read. I think there is always so much focused on what could be done better that we lose sight of what Disney is so very good at. The CMs would definitely be on my list! Having their smiling faces everywhere adds to the enjoyment.

I agree that Disney is progressing on Social Media but the website seriously needs help. Half the time I do not get a search result for segments of the website such as Moms Panel and Disney Parks Blog!

(I manage the projects fo rthe onlien experience for a bank so the online world is a passion and lifestyle for me! )

They also need to find a way to make the website fun and inviting without Flash, especially given iPhones and iPads don't recognize it. Not to mention, it is a resource hog.

I too would like to see more of the interactive Social Media. In today's 'gotta know now' society, I think there would be real value on making areas like the Moms Panel an online chat or instant interaction. With that said, I also understand the challenges and pitfalls.

 

[wmharley]

I think Disney needs, especially in Epcot, some more playgrounds for kids like in the Flower Fest.

 

[fenrir58]

-Some CM's really go above and beyond the call of duty, which is always appreciated.

-I feel that something that will always be exclusive to Disney that Universal will never capture, is the pixie dust and magic that Disney spreads.

-Education- AK and Epcot especially.

-Customized souvenirs- ear hats, shirts, bracelets, even Mr Potato Heads and My Little Ponies!

-Atmosphere-this could really go under the magic.

If WDW decided for some weird reason that from now on they will change nothing, I know I'm in the minority saying this, but I would keep on going back(totally hypothetical situation btw).

 

[Suzanne74]

1. Cleanliness - there has always been a joke in our family that you can find more sweepers at the park than pieces of trash on the ground in any given day.

2. Increased options for in-park hotel stays for any size family.

3. Afordable. Our 7 day stay with hotel, transportation (their gas), park tickets and dining is cheaper than just our beach rental for one week.

4. Pixar - I just love everything about Pixar films and glad they worked everything out and are increasing their joint movies. How about a "Finding Dory" though??

5. Atmosphere - there is no other place in the world that makes me feel happier.

 

[d1gitman]

5 things i think they do right:

1. provide a full family oriented experience
2. continue to offer great value with various promos
3. provide transportation from airport to resort
4. consistently have a high percentage of really great CM's
5. offer all a complete vacation package (transportation, resorts, food, necessities, a long list of amenities and of course the parks).

for all that we like to complain about, there is no where else that offers as much quality and variety in one location for any price.

 

[Jennasis]

1. Theming. When I am in Disney I feel like I'm no longer in Florida, or the US, or sometimes even EARTH! For the few minutes I'm on Mission:Space, I AM on a flight to MArs. I buy the magic, hook line and sinker. Every time. Nobody else does it as good or as consistently.

2. Cast Members. It's a rare occassion that I find a sourpuss or someone who is unhelpful, rude etc. They go above and beyond to help me out and to make each person they come into contact with experience wee bit of pixie dust. Whatever their training model is...it works.

3. Options. Disney knows how to appeal to a wide variety. There is something for everyone, every budget, every size etc. Hotels, rides, shows, dining...you name it, they've got it.

4. Magical Express. When they first announced it, I remember so many people complaining that it would be a logistical nightmare and that it wouldn't last (at least not FREE). Thank goodness Disney had their act together on this. Runs like a charm. In fact ALL Disney transport is genius. They do a stellar job of getting you from point A to point B and keeping guests ON property.

5. Discounts. Many might disagree, but Disney does a really great job of offering discounts to try to keep a visit affordable. Sure there are black out dates, but between 20/30/40 Free Dining, buy 4 get 3 and kids stay and play for free, there are a myriad of possibilities.

 

[Mamu]

I agree Disney does try but the one thing I think there very slow at moving on are reasonable family rooms. A family with young teens (girls and boys) have no options but to rent 2 rooms or move up to deluxe or rent timeshare. We made the move over 10 years ago. When you have a 14 year old boy and a 12 year old girl they need separate beds.

There should be more rooms that offer bunk beds, and more rooms that accommodate a family of 5, that are reasonably priced.