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Is artificial intelligence here to stay in Walt Disney World?
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Disney is now testing a new AI-powered checkout system at its All-Star Sports Resort in Orlando, Florida. This new technology trial was deployed in December of 2024, potentially marking the start of an exciting and uncertain new chapter for the Walt Disney World Resort as a whole.
The process is simple and seeks to help make checking out at the resort’s food court easier and more efficient. As reported by Wdwmagic, guests are instructed to place their items at a designated checkout counter, where the new system automatically identifies each one and calculates the order total.
Similar checkout methods have been introduced around the world in the last few years, but this marks a first for Disney World, at least its All-Star Sports hotel.
Guests can pay using their credit cards and MagicBands. No cash option is offered, something Disney and other theme parks have been slowly eliminating.
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All-Star Sports is part of Disney’s value-priced All-Star Resort, which is comprised of three unique themes: sports, movies, and music. As the names suggest, each hotel features its own theme, ranging from classic movies and music to sports memorabilia.
Disney’s All-Star resorts are drenched in a tacky yet endearing 1990s aesthetic, harkening back to a time many may now find nostalgic. While Walt Disney World is always pushing the envelope when it comes to new technology, this old-school look helps to differentiate Disney’s All-Star hotels from the resort’s other, more refined options.
Disney World’s connection to the early and late 1990s is undeniable. The resort features a fun and colorful aesthetic right down to the various purple and green road signs seen around the property.
It’s certainly interesting that Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort would be getting this new technology before other, more luxury destinations like Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Contemporary, though given how popular Disney’s All-Star Resorts tend to be, this update makes sense.
Due to their relatively low prices, Disney’s All-Star Resorts and Pop Century are some of the most popular and crowded hotel options on Walt Disney World property.
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There are benefits to an AI-powered system when it comes to checking out at Disney’s food courts. For starters, all items on a guest’s tray or counter can be recognized at once. This, in turn, results in faster service, cutting back on time spent in line.
However, customer service has long been a core part of the Disney theme park experience, with employees, known as cast members, adding their own “magic” to a Disney vacation.
It’s unclear what this new AI initiative means for the rest of the Walt Disney World Resort and the Disney theme parks in general, but guests can probably expect to see more changes soon.
It’s possible the new AI checkout service will be added to other quick-service locations around Walt Disney World, just as mobile ordering has over the last several years.
What do you think about Disney using AI inside its theme parks and resorts?
