Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, has spoken about the future of the Disney Parks stating that it is “technology-ridden” and “fresh”, as evidenced by the lighsaber he ignited at the end of the recent Disney Parks virtual event. This is what he had to say during an interview with CNN.
When discussing the future of Disney Parks and Resorts, D’Amaro told CNN:
“It’s going to be fresh, it’s going to be technology-ridden. It’s going to be incredibly relevant to guests all around the world. Every single day, these parks are changing.”
D’Amaro then went on to talk about how he wants to ensure they protect the legacy of Walt Disney moving into the future:
“First I’d say we’ve got a long legacy here. Again, at Disneyland, Walt walked these streets. I want to make sure that we protect that legacy, that we make sure that we continue to be that magic that people expect of us.
At the same time, we’ve got an opportunity to pivot and invite brand new guests into our world, and infuse brand new character and intellectual property heading to our parks. Look at new technologies that will make the experience even better than it was before we went into the pandemic.”As D’Amaro mentioned, he thinks the future of the parks will be “technology-ridden”, so when talking about specific technology Guests will see moving forward, he told CNN:
“We have a new reservation system in place and that’s done phenomenally well during this Covid situation. We have mobile order, [which means] people are having a much easier time finding places they want to eat and have experiences that allow them to then spend more time in the parks and with their families.
You’ll see, ultimately when we open Avengers Campus, the way that we’ve layered technology into the attractions and the merchandise and the food venues.”
When discussing how the new technology and how it helps with the enjoyment of Guests, D’Amaro explained how it allows Disney to tell stories in a new way:
“It extends the existing footprint of our parks in ways that there’s no cap on. It allows us to tell stories that are incredibly relevant to the specific person we want to talk to.
You can think about a digital overlay on any single land, any single attraction, any single merchandiser or food facility that we have, that can be constantly changing in a way that makes it feel completely new and different to a guest that visited just the day before. If you think about our physical footprint and being able to essentially make that new every day, the possibilities here are unending.”
But, one of the most important things to note is that this pandemic was unexpected and the world was not ready for this. However, D’Amaro said that when looking to the future, although the world is constantly changing, Disney Parks have proven to be able to adapt and change, while still giving a great Disney Guest experience:
“I think every single day the world is changing around us. Every single day we’ve demonstrated that we’ve been able to adapt and change and still create this great Disney guest experience that we’re known for.
Like I said before, I’m incredibly proud of what this team has done and what we’ve been able to do during these relatively difficult times. As that world changes and guidelines change, we’ll edit our operations and continue to accelerate into the future.”
Read the interview in full here.
