Hey, Disney friends. Today, I wanted to circle back to something we talked about earlier in the week. A friend of mine recently took a solo trip to Disney, and she found herself feeling a little overwhelmed by just how different the technology side of the experience became when she was navigating the parks on her own. Her experience stuck with me over the last few days, and it got me thinking about an idea I wanted to throw out there for discussion.
Many of us remember the days before the Disney app became an essential part of our park bags. You know, the good old days of paper tickets, those FastPass machines scattered around the parks, and a much simpler approach to planning your day. You showed up, joined a line, and waited your turn. It’s hard not to take the clichĆ©d older-person approach and insist that things were better back then, but I do try to keep an open mind. With every new modern convenience comes a benefit that we can easily take for granted, and I certainly appreciate having so much information at my fingertips. Still, I started thinking about Disneyland’s themed After Dark events and wondered what it might look like if Disney offered a throwback experience inspired by the popular 90s Nite concept.
What if, for one full day, the technology was scaled back to suit the times? Once your admission ticket was scanned, the only tech you needed was your phone if you chose to take it out. Disney PhotoPass photographers would take the lead on those all-important group photos, ride wait times would be whatever was posted at the entrance, and FastPass and Lightning Lane would be switched off for the day. No one speeding past you in a separate line, just you and the single riders. No refreshing an app endlessly to find the next best option, and no pressure to constantly rethink your plans. Mobile ordering would be out, too, meaning your wait for lunch would depend on the people physically standing in front of you. In my head, everyone gets given a disposable film camera on entry to add to the non-digital vibe. Just imagine it!
Is it just me who remembers the excitement of barreling out of a favorite thrill ride to see whether the ride photo made you look absolutely ridiculous? Sure, they are still visible, but there was something about that moment of anticipation before you found your picture that felt different from knowing it would eventually appear on your phone. And remember choosing which snack stop to visit based on how many people were waiting? Or deciding to tackle every attraction in one area of the park because it made more sense than trekking across the entire place in search of a lower wait time? These modern conveniences are genuinely helpful, of course, but I sometimes wonder whether all those little efficiencies have taken away a few of the spontaneous moments that made a Disney day feel so exciting in the first place. Yes, I know how old that sounds!
Now, I’m not suggesting we undo everything Disney has introduced over the years. Technology has made planning easier in plenty of ways, and I wouldn’t want to lose all of those benefits permanently. But what if we had the opportunity to spend just one day in the parks the way we used to? No constant checking of wait times, no juggling reservations on a screen, and no feeling that you need to be glued to your phone to make the most of every minute. Would you enjoy the experience differently? Would you find yourself noticing more of the details around you, chatting with the people in line, or simply going wherever the day took you? Maybe you’d discover that taking a slower approach is exactly what your next Disney trip needs. This idea has been bouncing around in my head for a few days now, and I’d love to know what you think. Would you sign up for a Disney back-to-basics day, or are the modern conveniences far too good to give up, even for 24 hours?
