In a panel with invited media this past week, Disney executives discussed the importance of the “Disney Bubble” as it relates to the Disney vacation experience. The discussion couldn’t have been more timely as Universal Orlando Resort hopes to pierce the bubble this Summer and entice vacationers to their brand new theme park – Epic Universe. Here’s what Disney execs had to say, via a press release.
The Importance of the “Disney Bubble”
A Disney vacation can be the culmination of a dream for many guests. In what’s known as the “Disney bubble” to fans, guests embrace nostalgic memories and create new ones from arrival to departure. It’s the idea of having an all-encompassing experience while guests are here, allowing them to visit the parks, stay onsite, dine, shop and use transportation without ever leaving property.
“I think I first heard the term from our guest voice when we would ask them, ‘Why are you booking? Why are you coming back?’” Alison Armor, Vice President of Resorts Operations, said.
Armor oversees nearly 29,000 rooms at 25+ Resort hotels, and previously led the Resort’s integrated transportation system, so she’s acutely aware of how high the stakes are for a first-class guest experience.
“It’s the anticipation and the expectation that they’re going to live in the magic. And that’s what they walk away with, the feeling of immersion in our story from beginning to end,” she explained. “To do that really requires all of us united to make that happen.”
Chelsea Filley, Vice President of Customer Experience and Commercial Strategy shared that demystifying the planning process, especially for first time visitors, is key. Guests want to feel confident about their choices so they can enjoy themselves when they arrive in the bubble.
“You can truly do everything here,” Filley said. “The bubble is what makes the magic, and you want that magic to feel like ‘I’m making the most of my time here.’”
Filley spoke about the challenges of operational complexity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Disney heard loud and clear how those decisions impacted guests, and as a result, the customer experience (CX) team was born. Filley said the team holds the responsibility for understanding the drivers of complexity and looks for meaningful solutions to alleviate it during a customer’s planning and booking process.
Offering our thoughts now, I think it’s fair to say that the Disney Bubble has never been more fragile. There isn’t a lot on the horizon for Walt Disney World in terms of new attractions, although Disney is trying to roll out entertainment offerings, which are easier to debut in a pinch – and Disney is in a pinch.
Epic Universe isn’t going to dethrone Magic Kingdom as the most visited theme park in the world, and it may take a couple of years to surpass other Walt Disney World theme parks, but it will be popular. That said, the addition of Epic Universe isn’t just a single park. It now brings Universal’s theme park count to three theme parks (four, if you buy into the marketing pitch that the Volcano Bay water park is a theme park), and with reasonably-priced hotels, a Universal Orlando vacation has never looked more tempting.
Beyond what Universal Orlando is doing, there’s the discussion of what Walt Disney World is doing to itself. The Disney Bubble was strongest when things like the Magical Express and Resort Airline Check-In were still offered. The free FastPass+ system was a wonderful perk for both on-site guests and guests visiting for the day. Now, it is a paid offering, and the price keeps going up.
With so many offerings being cut back, monetized, or discontinued, the Disney Bubble is certainly at risk. It will be interesting to see how Disney continues to redefine what the Disney Bubble is. More on that soon!
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!
