Walt Disney World: Disney Parks Chairman Thinks New Normal Is Here To Stay

Disney Parks’ chairman thinks that Walt Disney World‘s new normal is here to stay. When the Florida park opened its gates earlier this summer, many wondered how effective the company’s social distancing enforcement would be. So far, the staff has done the best with the hand that they’ve been dealt. But, on that opening day, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, Josh D’Amaro referenced that this was going to be a part of a “new normal” for the location. In an interview with Dow Report, the executive reaffirmed the notion that extended cleansing, social distancing, and restricted crowd size are probably all here to stay. That means that the new reservation system will likely stick around too.

“We figured out a way to really push hard on technology, really accelerate some of the ideas that we’ve had for a long time,” he explained. “So you think about things like reservation systems in the parks that we can manage capacity and therefore guest experience a little bit better. It’s working exceptionally well for us.”

“Things like mobile order, Roger. So you can walk up to a restaurant, have your meal ready for you when you arrive. Things like queue reservations systems that we’re executing in different ways,” Amaro continued. “Or even how you might pay for merchandise but without transacting with a credit card. And this technology, it doesn’t only help us during a time of a pandemic, but I think it actually leads to a better cast and guest experience. And so, these are things that are helping us now, but I think they’re here to stay.”

Previously, the Disney Parks Chairman was on hand for day one of the reopenings in Florida and talked to CNBC about what this new normal will entail.

“We are in a new normal right now, so what’s happening outside of the gates of Walt Disney World is our new world,” D’Amaro told the publication. “I think you know we were one of the first theme parks to close, and we’ll be about the last to open. And we spent every minute of every day thinking about how to operate in this new normal that we’re in.”

“I’m exceptionally proud of this group in terms of what they’ve put together from a protocol perspective and being able to open in a phased and really responsible way,” he added. “I had a chance to walk Main Street just a few minutes ago. It feels really good in the park. So yeah, the world is a different place, but we feel really prepared to operate in this new environment that we’re in.”

When do you think you will be visiting Disney World next? Let us know down in the comments!