Walt Disney World tests new, simpler way to book vacations
Walt Disney World is testing a new way for families and fans to book their theme park vacations.
The resort has redesigned its website and now select users are seeing a beta test for a "Guided Search" option on the DisneyWorld.com home page. Visitors who select that option will be able to browse rates by season as well as dates and can use a newly improved chat and a comparison tool to help them decide what package to book.
If you do not see the "Guided Search" option, you don't have the new version of the site. All images are courtesy Disney
Disney has partnered Google Cloud for AI-powered pattern matching and natural language search functions to help drive the new vacation booking engine for website users. The beta test is limited to randomly selected website users from the United States and Canada. Disney's plans is to expand the functionality in phases.
The AI that Disney is using is not generative AI "trained" on (ahem, I mean, plagiarizing from - yeah, I said it) online sources. Instead, it is using Disney's own database of information about its resorts, rates, and availability to connect website users with what the system determines is the most relevant information for what the user is looking for. It's a more direct and automated approach than the current method of publishing that information into FAQ answer webpages and directing internal website requests to them for guests to read.
The new, natural language search page
In addition, the new system enables Disney to support resort-by-resort comparisons for vacation package options, as well as to allow more options for browsing alternatives, including browsing by season and event.
A new price comparison page
Disney recently redesigned its homepage online for all users, reducing the number of links on the page. It also has introduced Spanish language support on the Walt Disney World and Disneyland apps, as Disney works to improve its guest-facing information technology.
Of course, if you want to skip all the website stuff and just leave your vacation booking to a professional, you may continue to do that. (For assistance in planning a Walt Disney World vacation, please contact our travel agent for a free, no-obligation vacation quote.)
Replies (3)
The title had me thinking they got rid of Lightning lane lol.
I almost considered visiting them again, Alas, it's not to be!
This is all fine and dandy so long as the search tools are providing comprehensive and real results. The problem is that AI-powered search tools are easily swayed to put options the tool "thinks" you need at the top of the results, and can bury or flat out refuse to provide what you're actually looking for. No matter how much AI is put behind something, it still takes a human to understand what the results mean and if potential results are missing. To me, this is just another steering tool to make guests think they're getting good deals, and it still takes some legwork from guests to ensure they're not being exploited.
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This is a night-and-day improvement over what they had before.