In-queue waiting experience
A service restructuring intervention to increase visitor satisfaction at Disney Theme Parks, via the MagicBand+ to cultivate greater brand loyalty.
Overview
Disney's colorful MagicBand is a wearable technology designed for its theme park visitors. It serves as an all-in-one tool for park access, hotel room entry, and various other features, consolidating multiple functions into a powerful wristband.
It helps Mom quickly locate her youngest who has trodded off to the other side of the ride pavilion through her MagicBand mobile app,
it distracts when the kids waiting in queue for a ride are restless as it sets in motion haptic feedback and the band vibrates and glows up,
and it delights the happy, but tired tourist family of four when characters burst into song and dance to celebrate their daughter's birthday using data-driven personalization.
Disney aimed to revolutionize the theme park experience with the MagicBand, offering guests a more personalized and hassle-free visit. The band was designed to enable visitors to engage with park attractions effortlessly, make purchases, and customize their experience. By leveraging technology, Disney aimed to create a magical and immersive environment for guests. However, in recent years the MagicBand experience has garnered an increasing number of customer complaints.
Goal
Disney World's digital ecosystem currently poses significant challenges, including guest confusion from multiple apps, frequent scanning glitches and quick battery drain with the MagicBand+, and a complex pairing process with the Disney app. Our goal was to simplify this experience, enhancing guest satisfaction, and optimizing MagicBand+ functionality to create a seamless and magical experience. This project was undertaken for the Systemic Innovation for Service Evolution class, taught by Professor SungHan Kim.
Outcome
One prioritized design concept was presented:
The MagicBuddy System
A dedicated and specially trained team of cast members who engage with guests to co-create an in-queue waiting experience that is less tedious, and more memorable.
My Role
In-depth interviews, Workshop Design & Facilitation, Service Designer, Storyboarding
Approach
Over three months, we studied how organizations become change makers through innovative practices and adaptive management ingenuity. Our team examined Disney's systemic movements of economics, while also researching progressive methods of marketing to promote their designs to a wider audience.
Our approach mirrored a comprehensive exploration of MagicBand's functionalities and the challenges it poses to visitors within the theme park ecosystem.
Research
Our research process started by zooming out of the system to understand how it performed as a whole, with a focus on social climate, consumer interaction patterns, and potential profitable opportunities.
Beginning with a focus on the user experience, we sought to understand how guests interact with the MagicBand during their theme park visit. This encompassed an analysis of market dynamics, competitor offerings (Universal!), and prevailing trends within the wearable technology space, drawing parallels with similar contexts from other industries.
To gain deeper insight, we conducted research using a combination of a survey, and multiple in-depth interviews of customers and cast members. This approach is aimed at uncovering nuances in users' experiences, identifying pain points, and discovering potential opportunities for improvement.
This research phase was instrumental in informing our design principles, ensuring that our solutions would be rooted in a thorough understanding of user needs and expectations within the Disney World digital ecosystem.
More moments from the process and behind the scenes here!
Design Principles
Our research phase informed our design principles that go on to guide our ideation and prototyping.
User needs to manage time efficiently between rides, attractions, and other shows while at the park.
User needs to feel 'special' while experiencing the park with MagicBand+.
User needs to feel excited about experiencing the park using the magic band.
User needs to have a seamless journey across all digital touch-points with the MagicBand+.
User needs to feel valued for their time after completing an attraction for which they waited long at the park
User needs to experience the promised 'magic' when they use the MagicBand+ in the park.
User needs to feel present in the moment while in the park
Prioritized Concept
SCENARIO
A popular ride with an extremely long queue of guests. The queue has been stagnant for over 40 minutes now.
The MagicBuddy intervention sets out a notification to a database of cast members within the radius of the ride. Specially trained cast members respond and report to the queue area. They approach the guests who seem curious, restless, bored, anxious, and/or frustrated, and then proceed to interact with them to distract and engage them in conversation. The desired outcome we envisioned was that this co-creation between cast members and guests would lead to guests being more immersed in the ride, even before they enter it by employing in-queue games and activities that take their minds off the wait period.
GUEST PERSPECTIVE
CAST MEMBER PERSPECTIVE
Impact
User Testing - Guest Experience
Objective: Evaluate the overall experience of waiting in line for a popular ride and assess the helpfulness and responsiveness of Disney’s cast member team.
Reduced perceived wait time – engaging entertainment elements increased guest satisfaction, making them feel that their time and investment are worthwhile.
Elevated brand perception – a positive emotional connection was established with the park as a result of a genuine, organic conversation with cast members while waiting
Optimized operational efficiency: The MagicBuddy intervention addressed inefficiencies and bottlenecks, leading to smoother and more enjoyable experiences for park visitors.
User Testing - Cast Member Experience
Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness of communication among cast members and assess cast members' ability to interact with guests and resolve their issues effectively.
Streamlined issue resolution processes:: Dynamic identification and resolution of issues in-queue, reducing stress and workload for cast members
Focused training module: Targeted training programs equipped cast members with the skills and knowledge needed to handle guest interactions within the chaotic wait time scenario more effectively
My takeaway
Learned to define evaluation systems, like design principles, for interpreting business models and service ecosystems
Developed business model-based service innovation canvases for creating improved service offerings
Learned a systematic approach to understanding and exploring the intricate world of Walt Disney World
Explored the massive and captivating world of the Theme Entertainment industry, learning about its complexity and interesting aspects.
Next steps
Overview
Disney's colorful MagicBand is a wearable technology designed for its theme park visitors. It serves as an all-in-one tool for park access, hotel room entry, and various other features, consolidating multiple functions into a powerful wristband.
It helps Mom quickly locate her youngest who has trodded off to the other side of the ride pavilion through her MagicBand mobile app,
it distracts when the kids waiting in queue for a ride are restless as it sets in motion haptic feedback and the band vibrates and glows up,
and it delights the happy, but tired tourist family of four when characters burst into song and dance to celebrate their daughter's birthday using data-driven personalization.
Disney aimed to revolutionize the theme park experience with the MagicBand, offering guests a more personalized and hassle-free visit. The band was designed to enable visitors to engage with park attractions effortlessly, make purchases, and customize their experience. By leveraging technology, Disney aimed to create a magical and immersive environment for guests. However, in recent years the MagicBand experience has garnered an increasing number of customer complaints.
Goal
Disney World's digital ecosystem currently poses significant challenges, including guest confusion from multiple apps, frequent scanning glitches and quick battery drain with the MagicBand+, and a complex pairing process with the Disney app. Our goal was to simplify this experience, enhancing guest satisfaction, and optimizing MagicBand+ functionality to create a seamless and magical experience. This project was undertaken for the Systemic Innovation for Service Evolution class, taught by Professor SungHan Kim.
Outcome
One prioritized design concept was presented:
The MagicBuddy System
A dedicated and specially trained team of cast members who engage with guests to co-create an in-queue waiting experience that is less tedious, and more memorable.
My Role
In-depth interviews, Workshop Design & Facilitation, Service Designer, Storyboarding
Approach
Over three months, we studied how organizations become change makers through innovative practices and adaptive management ingenuity. Our team examined Disney's systemic movements of economics, while also researching progressive methods of marketing to promote their designs to a wider audience.
Our approach mirrored a comprehensive exploration of MagicBand's functionalities and the challenges it poses to visitors within the theme park ecosystem.
Research
Our research process started by zooming out of the system to understand how it performed as a whole, with a focus on social climate, consumer interaction patterns, and potential profitable opportunities.
Beginning with a focus on the user experience, we sought to understand how guests interact with the MagicBand during their theme park visit. This encompassed an analysis of market dynamics, competitor offerings (Universal!), and prevailing trends within the wearable technology space, drawing parallels with similar contexts from other industries.
To gain deeper insight, we conducted research using a combination of a survey, and multiple in-depth interviews of customers and cast members. This approach is aimed at uncovering nuances in users' experiences, identifying pain points, and discovering potential opportunities for improvement.
This research phase was instrumental in informing our design principles, ensuring that our solutions would be rooted in a thorough understanding of user needs and expectations within the Disney World digital ecosystem.
More moments from the process and behind the scenes here!
Design Principles
Our research phase informed our design principles that go on to guide our ideation and prototyping.
User needs to manage time efficiently between rides, attractions, and other shows while at the park.
User needs to feel 'special' while experiencing the park with MagicBand+.
User needs to feel excited about experiencing the park using the magic band.
User needs to have a seamless journey across all digital touch-points with the MagicBand+.
User needs to feel valued for their time after completing an attraction for which they waited long at the park
User needs to experience the promised 'magic' when they use the MagicBand+ in the park.
User needs to feel present in the moment while in the park
Prioritized Concept
SCENARIO
A popular ride with an extremely long queue of guests. The queue has been stagnant for over 40 minutes now.
The MagicBuddy intervention sets out a notification to a database of cast members within the radius of the ride. Specially trained cast members respond and report to the queue area. They approach the guests who seem curious, restless, bored, anxious, and/or frustrated, and then proceed to interact with them to distract and engage them in conversation. The desired outcome we envisioned was that this co-creation between cast members and guests would lead to guests being more immersed in the ride, even before they enter it by employing in-queue games and activities that take their minds off the wait period.
GUEST PERSPECTIVE
CAST MEMBER PERSPECTIVE
Impact
User Testing - Guest Experience
Objective: Evaluate the overall experience of waiting in line for a popular ride and assess the helpfulness and responsiveness of Disney’s cast member team.
Reduced perceived wait time – engaging entertainment elements increased guest satisfaction, making them feel that their time and investment are worthwhile.
Elevated brand perception – a positive emotional connection was established with the park as a result of a genuine, organic conversation with cast members while waiting
Optimized operational efficiency: The MagicBuddy intervention addressed inefficiencies and bottlenecks, leading to smoother and more enjoyable experiences for park visitors.
User Testing - Cast Member Experience
Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness of communication among cast members and assess cast members' ability to interact with guests and resolve their issues effectively.
Streamlined issue resolution processes:: Dynamic identification and resolution of issues in-queue, reducing stress and workload for cast members
Focused training module: Targeted training programs equipped cast members with the skills and knowledge needed to handle guest interactions within the chaotic wait time scenario more effectively
My takeaway
Learned to define evaluation systems, like design principles, for interpreting business models and service ecosystems
Developed business model-based service innovation canvases for creating improved service offerings
Learned a systematic approach to understanding and exploring the intricate world of Walt Disney World
Explored the massive and captivating world of the Theme Entertainment industry, learning about its complexity and interesting aspects.
Next steps
Overview
Disney's colorful MagicBand is a wearable technology designed for its theme park visitors. It serves as an all-in-one tool for park access, hotel room entry, and various other features, consolidating multiple functions into a powerful wristband.
It helps Mom quickly locate her youngest who has trodded off to the other side of the ride pavilion through her MagicBand mobile app,
it distracts when the kids waiting in queue for a ride are restless as it sets in motion haptic feedback and the band vibrates and glows up,
and it delights the happy, but tired tourist family of four when characters burst into song and dance to celebrate their daughter's birthday using data-driven personalization.
Disney aimed to revolutionize the theme park experience with the MagicBand, offering guests a more personalized and hassle-free visit. The band was designed to enable visitors to engage with park attractions effortlessly, make purchases, and customize their experience. By leveraging technology, Disney aimed to create a magical and immersive environment for guests. However, in recent years the MagicBand experience has garnered an increasing number of customer complaints.
Goal
Disney World's digital ecosystem currently poses significant challenges, including guest confusion from multiple apps, frequent scanning glitches and quick battery drain with the MagicBand+, and a complex pairing process with the Disney app. Our goal was to simplify this experience, enhancing guest satisfaction, and optimizing MagicBand+ functionality to create a seamless and magical experience. This project was undertaken for the Systemic Innovation for Service Evolution class, taught by Professor SungHan Kim.
Outcome
One prioritized design concept was presented:
The MagicBuddy System
A dedicated and specially trained team of cast members who engage with guests to co-create an in-queue waiting experience that is less tedious, and more memorable.
My Role
In-depth interviews, Workshop Design & Facilitation, Service Designer, Storyboarding
Approach
Over three months, we studied how organizations become change makers through innovative practices and adaptive management ingenuity. Our team examined Disney's systemic movements of economics, while also researching progressive methods of marketing to promote their designs to a wider audience.
Our approach mirrored a comprehensive exploration of MagicBand's functionalities and the challenges it poses to visitors within the theme park ecosystem.
Research
Our research process started by zooming out of the system to understand how it performed as a whole, with a focus on social climate, consumer interaction patterns, and potential profitable opportunities.
Beginning with a focus on the user experience, we sought to understand how guests interact with the MagicBand during their theme park visit. This encompassed an analysis of market dynamics, competitor offerings (Universal!), and prevailing trends within the wearable technology space, drawing parallels with similar contexts from other industries.
To gain deeper insight, we conducted research using a combination of a survey, and multiple in-depth interviews of customers and cast members. This approach is aimed at uncovering nuances in users' experiences, identifying pain points, and discovering potential opportunities for improvement.
This research phase was instrumental in informing our design principles, ensuring that our solutions would be rooted in a thorough understanding of user needs and expectations within the Disney World digital ecosystem.
More moments from the process and behind the scenes here!
Design Principles
Our research phase informed our design principles that go on to guide our ideation and prototyping.
User needs to manage time efficiently between rides, attractions, and other shows while at the park.
User needs to feel 'special' while experiencing the park with MagicBand+.
User needs to feel excited about experiencing the park using the magic band.
User needs to have a seamless journey across all digital touch-points with the MagicBand+.
User needs to feel valued for their time after completing an attraction for which they waited long at the park
User needs to experience the promised 'magic' when they use the MagicBand+ in the park.
User needs to feel present in the moment while in the park
Prioritized Concept
SCENARIO
A popular ride with an extremely long queue of guests. The queue has been stagnant for over 40 minutes now.
The MagicBuddy intervention sets out a notification to a database of cast members within the radius of the ride. Specially trained cast members respond and report to the queue area. They approach the guests who seem curious, restless, bored, anxious, and/or frustrated, and then proceed to interact with them to distract and engage them in conversation. The desired outcome we envisioned was that this co-creation between cast members and guests would lead to guests being more immersed in the ride, even before they enter it by employing in-queue games and activities that take their minds off the wait period.
GUEST PERSPECTIVE
CAST MEMBER PERSPECTIVE
Impact
User Testing - Guest Experience
Objective: Evaluate the overall experience of waiting in line for a popular ride and assess the helpfulness and responsiveness of Disney’s cast member team.
Reduced perceived wait time – engaging entertainment elements increased guest satisfaction, making them feel that their time and investment are worthwhile.
Elevated brand perception – a positive emotional connection was established with the park as a result of a genuine, organic conversation with cast members while waiting
Optimized operational efficiency: The MagicBuddy intervention addressed inefficiencies and bottlenecks, leading to smoother and more enjoyable experiences for park visitors.
User Testing - Cast Member Experience
Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness of communication among cast members and assess cast members' ability to interact with guests and resolve their issues effectively.
Streamlined issue resolution processes:: Dynamic identification and resolution of issues in-queue, reducing stress and workload for cast members
Focused training module: Targeted training programs equipped cast members with the skills and knowledge needed to handle guest interactions within the chaotic wait time scenario more effectively
My takeaway
Learned to define evaluation systems, like design principles, for interpreting business models and service ecosystems
Developed business model-based service innovation canvases for creating improved service offerings
Learned a systematic approach to understanding and exploring the intricate world of Walt Disney World
Explored the massive and captivating world of the Theme Entertainment industry, learning about its complexity and interesting aspects.