Theme parks embrace a side of tech

When theme parks reopened in Orlando last summer after a monthslong closure due to the pandemic, dining looked a lot different. 

Plexiglass barriers, increased sanitization, tables spaced farther apart and more outdoor options were rolled out to help keep guests and park employees safe. But perhaps the biggest change was the dramatically increased role technology played in the dining experience.

At both Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort, ordering food using mobile phones has skyrocketed in popularity.

Speaking at a virtual conference in November, Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, said 9% of food orders were conducted via mobile ordering before the pandemic. At the time he spoke, it had increased to 84%.

At Disney, guests can use the My Disney Experience to preorder and pay for food at select restaurants. They use the app to alert staff upon arrival and pick up the order at the counter. Similarly, Universal guests use its app to order, pay and signal their arrival, and they either wait at a designated table or retrieve food via a pickup window.

“Overall, guests love it,” said Mandy Bond, Universal Orlando’s senior vice president of revenue operations, food and beverage. 

Kelly Blakely, director of food and beverage at the Walt Disney World Resort, said Disney has expanded its mobile ordering service, adding more quick-service locations and adding the ability to mobile order from some table-service locations.

As Universal was planning its reopening, Bond said, mobile ordering was a big part of the plan.

“We could see a trend toward technology-driven ordering platforms, and guests were embracing touchless payment,” she said.

Similarly, Blakely said, “Technology has played a huge role in our reopening.”

In addition to mobile ordering, Disney guests can check in for reservations at some table-service restaurants via Disney’s app. They can also add themselves to walk-up waitlists virtually.

Both companies offer guests a chance to access menus on their phones by scanning QR codes, for instance.

“From the expansion of mobile order to new services like mobile check-in and digital menus, there are more ways than ever for guests to minimize contact, maximize vacation time and plan out their day with just a few taps in our mobile app,” Blakely said.