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Credit: DisneyWalt Disney World guests may soon encounter a very different experience at several locations across the resort with a recent update.
Since 2020, several retailers and food locations have turned to online and mobile ordering in an effort to reduce in-person contact as well as lower staffing costs. From mobile pickup to self-checkout, DoorDash to QR code menus, cell phones have turned into an essential item all but required for most of these transactional experiences. And Disney is no stranger to mobile options.
While mobile pickup and the My Disney Experience app both existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the parks majorly shifted towards a mobile experience when they reopened in an attempt to allow guests to return to the parks while minimizing close contact as much as possible. However, as society started to return to normal, Disney leaned even harder into mobile use, rolling out the highly controversial Genie+ system, replacing FastPasses with Lightning Lanes, continuing to utilize Virtual Queues, etc.
The heavy phone usage now seemingly required for a Disney parks vacation has drawn ire and disappointment from guests. Complaints about having to constantly be on a phone tracking reservations, return times, and wait times have taken over social media as many point out the side effect that spending so much time on the phone takes away from guests being able to enjoy the magic of Disney in the moment.
However, it seems as though those complaints have fallen on deaf ears as Walt Disney World has quietly continued to implement its latest change. @FiBelleFi shared photos to X/Twitter with the caption, “The next cash wrap to be removed. This time in The Emporium! They keep forcing guests to mobile checkout and honestly will lose sales as lines at the few remaining physical checkouts get longer.”
The next cash wrap to be removed. This time in The Emporium!
They keep forcing guests to mobile checkout and honestly will lose sales as lines at the few remaining physical checkouts get longer. pic.twitter.com/9SPsVOHBJF
— Belle (@FiBelleFi) February 16, 2024
The set of photos shows a series of empty cash registers with signs urging guests to use mobile checkout to purchase their souvenirs. Self-checkout at big-name stores has been a slightly controversial shift over the last few years, but even more so as prices of goods continue to rise. This latest move by Disney gained Belle’s post several upset comments and outrage from guests.
“I want a discount for having to check myself out!!!” exclaimed @ydnamekud1 while @KevPG13 asked, “Mobile checkout? Can I get a bag to put my stuff in?” Several brought up international guests often using cash to avoid international credit card fees being unable to use self-checkout. Others mentioned Disney’s notoriously unreliable internet and technology issues.
“I love mobile checkout but it didn’t work last time and Disney IT isn’t always the best, you know what I mean?” replied @nrice1980. “I wouldn’t mind mobile checkout if the park apps didn’t suck SO bad and if cell service was remotely reliable in the shop :/” agreed @themerviking. “Tried to use mobile checkout last time I went to the store, but the system was so slow it wouldn’t let me pay. Ended up leaving out of frustration because the regular checkout line was insanely long,” @SaintLuisII shared.
“horrible. this will only create problems & take away from the experience. what about older or disabled guests without smartphones or who struggle to use them? guests don’t work at the park, they shouldn’t have ring themselves up. with no interactive aspect it becomes soulless,” stated @ChristinaD23.
“‘We don’t care about your experience, we just want your money.’ Self checkouts have no place at a Disney theme park,” @chazfinder posted.
“Someone I respect highly with a private account stated the following, which bears repeating to all: ‘A Disney trip shouldn’t require a phone,'” @HonuDan shared.
Through hundreds of shares, reposts, and comments, this one change by Disney is already proving to be highly controversial. This isn’t the first time a merchandise location has offered self-checkout, as World of Disney in Disney Springs and locations in Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios have offered the same option to guests for a few years now. In fact, this isn’t the first register to be removed from the Emporium either, as another register island has reportedly been missing for a while.
Whether it was removed to help guest traffic flow within the store or in an effort to push more guests to use mobile checkout, the shift towards making guests use more technology and spend even more time on their phones isn’t very magical for most. It remains to be seen just how far Disney plans to push mobile usage or whether guests will soon be completely “banned” from making regular purchases from cast members. Either way, it’s certainly changing the Disney parks experience completely.
What do you think about Disney pushing for more cell phone usage? Let us know if you love it or hate it in the comments below!