D’Amaro Debates OneDisney App
All the way back in the 20th century, The Walt Disney Company committed to its tech.
We’re still using it today, which is hard to defend. Something may be changing, though.
Photo: verdemedia.com
After years of technological frustration, Disney’s new leadership is open to new ideas.
Yes, Josh D’Amaro is debating a OneDisney app. Let’s discuss the possibilities.
What’s the Problem?
Have you ever experienced frustration with Disney’s tech?
Anyone who has booked multiple Disney trips is all but certain to say yes.
Photo: Disney
That’s especially true for those of us who have used My Disney Experience since the beginning.
Before smartphones took over society, people used their computers to book.
Pop Century
For Disney fans, we had to go to the network of websites linked to Go.com.
Disney acquired a 43 percent stake in Infoseek in 1998 (!) as an internet hub.
Photo: Wikipedia
Soon afterward, the Go.com website launch led Disney to buy the rest.
At one point, Infoseek was arguably the most popular search engine on the Internet.
Photo: Wikipedia
Now, it’s just a historical footnote documented on D23.
Their listing indicates that Go.com closed 25 years ago, which speaks volumes.
Photo: D23
Disney is using tech that people at the turn of the century knew was outdated.
Go.com provided the framework and infrastructure for multiple generations of Disney.
Photo: Disney
Even now, the old website exists as an autodirect to Disney’s main site.
Similarly, ESPN.Go.com is still a thing. It’s so ingrained in the tech that it’s easier to leave alone.
Credit: ESPN
The problem is that Disney’s mainframe tech is so old that it’s covered in spiderwebs.
What tends to happen with these things is that workers just add on rather than starting over.
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Overhauling an entire infrastructure as vast as Disney’s is no small feat.
In truth, the process would be exhaustive and cost Disney millions of dollars.
Photo: DVC
I’m not even talking about the resources when I say that.
I mean the losses Disney would experience due to the inevitable downtime.
Photo:seoclerk.com
For this reason, management has just grimaced while accepting the status quo. Until now.
Josh D’Amaro Debates OneDisney App
When Josh D’Amaro became Disney’s CEO, he promised a tech-focused future.
Analysts considered this a bold proclamation for a company known for archaic tech.
Photo: Fox
For his part, D’Amaro has shared his vision for Disney’s future.
He plans for Disney+ to become the hub for all of the company’s main businesses.
Disney+
For that to happen, Disney would need to abandon Go’s architecture once and for all.
While some will claim it has already happened, the truth is more complex.
Photo: Getty Images/Ringer illustration
Many of Disney’s tech strategies best qualify as putting Band-Aids on the problems.
According to Bloomberg, D’Amaro recognizes that his company must think bolder.
Photo: Disney
In a paywalled article, Bloomberg discusses the “super app” under consideration at Disney.
This is the so-called OneDisney app, a rumor we’ve previously discussed here.
Photo: Disney
According to Bloomberg, D’Amaro correctly believes that Disney is too stretched out.
The company hosts several apps that all have their own eccentricities.
Photo: Mark Abramson for The New York Times
Disney’s new CEO thinks that the company will be better served by unifying these apps.
The report states that Disney hopes “to break silos within the company and simplify how customers interact with its brand.”
Photo: Disney
Casual Disney fans may wonder about the necessity of such a move.
Anecdotally, here are a few of the Disney apps I have used recently:
- Disney+
- Disney Cruise Line Navigate
- Disneyland
- Hulu
- My Disney Experience
Photo: Disney
Yes, I’ve used five different apps to stream programs, check the parks, and monitor a cruise I’ve booked.
The worst part – and it’s infuriating – is that I must log in each time.
Photo: Disney
Disney, in its infinite wisdom, doesn’t store data well, forcing repeated logins.
Across several apps, I can assure you that it gets old fast.
What the OneDisney App Could Do
D’Amaro is currently planning an app that could eliminate all that aggravation.
Presuming that OneDisney works as intended, which is never guaranteed in tech, it would do that.
Photo: Disney
Disney would consolidate all its theme park and cruise reservations into this app.
Simultaneously, Disney+ and Hulu content would be available here, too.
VIP+
The report makes no mention of ESPN, forcing me to speculate here.
Since Disney only recently added ESPN content to Disney+, I’d expect it, too.
Photo: ESPN
So, we’re discussing a total solution to all the needs of Disney fans.
The OneDisney app would allow people to watch Bluey and then book a cruise.
Photo: Disney
You’d never even need to leave the app. Everything would be integrated together.
If this plan came to fruition, Disney+ would become the hub D’Amaro envisions.
Disney+
However, Bloomberg notes that “conversations are at an early stage and no concrete steps have been taken toward developing the product.”
That quote reads as, “D’Amaro wants to do this. We’ll see whether it happens.”
Photo: Jeff Vahle on LinkedIn
Since he’s the boss now, the odds are good, especially since it’s so sorely needed.
Right now, Disney customers have a Memento thing happening with our apps.
Photo: Disney
We must reintroduce ourselves each time, as Disney never remembers us.
In the Big Data era, that’s inexcusable, and D’Amaro thankfully recognizes it.
Photo: Disney
Hopefully, the new CEO will push forward with this OneDisney app plan.
If so, while we’re fans are sure to face some early hiccups, it’ll be a complete long-term solution.
Photo: Josh D’Amaro on Instagram
Disney needs more of those.
