A new survey is making the rounds for guests who have stayed recently at WDW. And while surveys are never a guarantee about what the future holds, it is always interesting to pull back the curtain at a Disney think tank to see what sort of ideas they’re considering for the future. Let’s dive in.
After some initial sorting hat questions (when would you visit WDW again, how interested are you in visiting WDW in the next three years, what type of accommodations do you like when visiting WDW, and so on), a series of questions comes up about different benefits/add-ons for the future once there’s reduced COVID concerns.
First up, early access to dining/experience reservations for staying on site.
MagicBand customization and discount for staying on site.
The ability to bundle other things into your theme park vacation, like water parks, park hopping, and so on.
Being able to purchase the Disney Dining Plan.
Access to complimentary transportation (Skyliner, monorail, etc.).
Proximity to parks.
And access to Magical Express.
After a series of very normal things that either are currently still around or will be back in the future, then they throw in a unique one about “Connected Experiences” — some of it sounds like things related to the Play Disney Parks app, but I’m really intrigued by the “digital in-room concierge”.
Then back to some more normal things, like Extra Magic Hours.
Enhanced in-room TV is something I can’t imagine Disney wouldn’t do — what better way to encourage Disney+ memberships than to have people fall in love with it on vacation?
Virtual Queue access from your resort — although this week did see not-in-the-park access to Rise of the Resistance, could this be coming for other attractions when new headliners open? Could they eventually scale back that you have to be at a Disney resort for virtual queue before park opening?
The next one I am ALL IN. The idea of having a little more magic at resorts is such a huge draw for me. And more fountains is always a win in my book. I’d love to see “enchanted art” like on Disney Cruise Line come to WDW resorts, too.
In-resort character experiences were found at some resorts in the pre-COVID era. Would this be expanded to all resorts?
In-park lounges are a wonderful benefit–over the years, I’ve had access to them for passholders, DVC, and having a certain type of credit card. They don’t cost a lot for Disney, but the goodwill is great.
Extra Magic Hours at Disney Springs isn’t something that would interest me personally, but I can understand the draw.
Early access to book FastPass+ — sorry folks, if you thought FP+ was going away for forever, I wouldn’t count that as a given!
Virtual on-the-go concierge? Please call it WorldKey!!!
Free theme park parking — I guarantee, if I’m staying on site and this benefit gets removed, I’ll be… less than pleased.
And now the next one that had me sitting back and taking notice: Food delivery. Getting to my room and having churros on the way? Sign me up!
Disney then asked for guests to pick their top three. It’s a tough choice, since I don’t want any *existing* benefits to go away, but some of those new suggestions are pretty tempting. Specifically, Disney wants to know what would enhance your experience, what would give you a better impression of value, and what is most important in your view.
Finally, the survey gave a few more hints about some options, with questions about which of these were most important regarding entry:
- Exclusive extended hours at one of the theme parks per day (morning or evening)
- Extended exclusive access to finish out your day at one theme park every night
- 30 minutes exclusive entry into every theme park every day
- Early access to one theme park every morning
And some more descriptions about that possible “resort plussing”:
- Step into the art of Disney . . . resort style! As a resort Guest, exclusive access to an immersive art display that transports you into the world of Disney.
- Nighttime spectacular on the water. Guests have the ability to watch Disney stories come to life on resort waterways through lights, parades, water fountains that spray water as the backdrop for color, and characters timed to music to transport Guests into the world of imagination.
- Atrium transformation. Transforming resort lobbies into a magical display that brings the individual resort’s story to life through lights, color, music, and projections.
- Resort nighttime exterior projections. Kiss good night at resorts that bring the resort’s art style, coupled with Disney stories, to life one the exterior facade through projections that feature special effects, lighting, and soaring music.
Although having an item on a survey doesn’t mean that it is a certainty to come to Walt Disney World, surveys do give some insight into concepts that are being considered.
So now it’s your turn — in the comments, let us know what you think about these questions and what your answers would be like.
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