How Disney Improved the Park Experience in 2023
Sometimes, so much happens in a short period of time that we forget what came before then.
I can prove this by performing a simple exercise today. I’m about to list six ways that park visits improved at Disney this past year.


Photo:visitorlando.com
To add to the degree of difficulty, I won’t mention a single attraction, themed land, event, or show.
Instead, we’ll focus on some of the basics of a Disney vacation to underscore how far Disney came in 2023.
Annual Passes Consistently Available


Photo: CNBC
During Bob Chapek’s brief but somehow excruciatingly long tenure as Disney CEO, theme park fans grew accustomed to disappointment.
Chapek saw dollar signs where he should have seen people. It was a fittingly cartoonish evaluation. But it still wasn’t very Disney.


Photo: Walt Disney Company
As the former Chairman of the Parks division, Chapek apparently spent a portion of his tenure bristling over the great deal that annual passholders got.
So, when Chapek took over as CEO, he passed down an edict to the new Parks Chairman, Josh D’Amaro.


Photo: Charles Krupa/AP
Disney wouldn’t offer consistent annual pass sales to guests. Chapek wanted to create the sense of exclusivity for such purchases.
Then, when the passes would disappear for a time, they’d return at a more expensive price.


Source: CNBC.com
Over time, Chapek planned to normalize such price increases until annual passholders were no longer getting a great deal.
An essential part of this strategy focused on inconsistent annual pass sales, sometimes as rarely as once a year.
When Bob Iger returned, D’Amaro stated the problem, and the two of them agreed to fix it.


Photo: Disney CEO Bob Iger (Getty Images)
During the week before the start of Disney100 in January, Disney theme parks restored annual pass sales.
While the passes have sold out sporadically throughout the year, Disney has frequently refreshed availability.
As I type this, you can purchase annual passes at Walt Disney World or renew Magic Keys at Disneyland.
That’s a vast improvement compared to the Bob Chapek era…and that will be a recurring theme here.
Disney Confirms the End of Park Passes
Technically, a couple of these stories won’t happen for another couple of weeks, but they still merit mention.
I say this because Disney announced the changes a while ago, and they legitimately indicate the company’s willingness to listen to fans.


Photo: Attractions Magazine
We have ranted about the frustration of Park Passes for a while now. However, most of us understood their need during the pandemic.
Disney needed accurate head counts to protect the safety of guests and cast members alike. That’s not just reasonable but protective and thoughtful.
However, the practice should have ended as soon as the pandemic ended. Instead, Disney left it in place.
Technically, you still need a Park Pass to visit Disney as I type this, which kinda blows my mind.
Thankfully, Disney announced a while ago that the rules will change on January 9th, 2023.
As of that date, your calendar-based admission tickets, which is to say the standard ones, will be enough to ensure you can visit the park that day.
Yes, Disney has finally killed Park Passes, and I think I speak for all of us when I (loudly) say good riddance!
Disney Resets Park Hopper to Old, Better Way
Similarly, Disney announced in October that it will return to Park Hopping rules to their glory days.
As of January 9th, 2024 – yes, that’s an important date – Disney will restore Park Hopping as you remember.
Currently, you’re not allowed to Park Hop until 2 p.m., which has caused me and mine aggravation during many visits.
As old-school Disney fans, we’re used to punting whenever the current park visit isn’t working.


Animal Kingdom
Historically, if the lines were too long at one park or something happened like, say, a bear roaming around Magic Kingdom, we would have gone somewhere else.
Lately, that hasn’t been a possibility due to the rules in place.
They prevent you from visiting another park before 2 p.m., even if you have Park Hopper tickets.
In a couple of weeks, that rule will vanish in favor of Disney park guests going where they want when they want, as long as they have valid park admission.
Disney Reveals the Return of the Dining Plan
Again, this change won’t happen until January 9th, but that’s merely days from now.
On that date, the Disney Dining Plan will finally come back after a nearly four-year absence at the parks.
Fans can already purchase the dining plan for their 2024 bookings, and it’s a big deal.


Photo: Disney
In fact, I’ve stated many times here that I don’t enjoy my Disney vacations as much when I don’t have the dining plan.
When guests are at the parks, we want to relax and not stress about money when the bill arrives.
With the dining plan, we pay with entitlements rather than cash. It’s a stress reliever that elevates the Disney experience for my family.
Never take the Disney Dining Plan away from us again, Disney! And thanks for bringing it back!
Genie+ Tweaks Its System for the Better


Disney Genie+
When Disney modified the former FastPass system, fans recognized that it wouldn’t work the same.
How could Disney Genie+ live up to the glory of its free predecessor?
Still, Disney found a way to make the system that much more frustrating.


Photo: Disney
For whatever reason, management began the Disney Genie+ era by taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
Guests had to purchase the same version of Disney Genie+ at all parks, which never made sense.


Photo: Disney
After all, you don’t need Disney Genie+ anywhere near as much at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and EPCOT as you do at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom.
Fans loudly complained about the ill-considered “one size fits all” approach.
Now, Disney has adopted what the hospitality economy calls a “one size fits one” approach.


Photo: Disney
The newly updated Disney Genie+ system empowers guests with the option to buy a single park version or the Park Hopper option that works everywhere.
I don’t understand why Disney didn’t approach the service this way from the beginning, but I applaud them for adapting in the wake of complaints.
Mobile Ordering Adds a Few Wrinkles
Since its inception, Mobile Ordering has revolutionized Disney theme park visits.
This service provides guests with unprecedented control over our dining experience.


Photo: Disney
When Disney launched the service in 2017, I was openly begging people to use it because it was such a game-changer.
Before the pandemic, it wasn’t the most popular dining option, though. Then, customer behavior fundamentally changed in 2020.


Photo: Disney
Since then, guests have leaned heavily on Mobile Ordering to choose their meals, which they should have been doing all along.
To Disney’s credit, it has unearthed a couple of other ways to improve a system that’s already nearly perfect.


Photo: Disney
In 2023 alone, Disney has added wait time estimates, the ability to change quantities, and specific time windows for orders.
None of these improvements is earth-shattering, but each one gradually improves the process.
Even in the smallest areas, Disney has focused on making incremental gains to make every theme park visit a bit more magical for you!


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Feature Photo: Disney