At one time, a pair of Mickey Mouse ears might have been standard during a Disneyland trip. These days, it seems like everyone needs a cell phone or tablet in hand while spending a day in the theme parks. Of course, as more people bring smartphones and tablets into the Disney theme parks, it creates a greater demand on the cell phone towers in the area. During the busiest times in the theme parks, you typically can only exchange text messages, as data and voice service can be limited.
Disney has been working with cell phone companies to boost service in the theme parks, and has even rolled out a free WiFi network at its Florida theme parks. But the most promising news of improved cell phone service comes from a new agreement with AT&T, which makes AT&T the official wireless provider for Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and Disney Cruise Line.
New High Tech Tools for Cast Members
The agreement with AT&T is an important step for the Walt Disney Company, as many of the mouse house’s next generation projects depend on a robust data network. At a basic level, Disney Cast Members will use AT&T mobile devices as guest service tools. Instead of referencing a paper guide, a Cast Member might be able to use an AT&T device to see the latest wait times and show times. If you are using Disney’s MyMagic+ program at Walt Disney World, an employee could use a tablet on AT&T’s network to help you reschedule Fastpass times or to add restaurant reservations to your MagicBand. With this partnership, Disney plans to deploy more than 10,000 AT&T mobile devices to its employees.
Cell Phone Charging Stations
Disney theme parks currently offer lockers where you can pay to store your cell phone while it is charging. It is a great service for today’s modern visitor and the new AT&T agreement hints that more is to come. Although few details were shared in the announcement, AT&T said they will “[Keep] you powered with charging stations at parks and resorts.” From personal experience, I can tell you that any opportunity to charge your phone in the theme parks will be welcome. I spent so much time taking photos and video with my phone that the battery was nearly dead halfway through the day.
Improved Cell Reception
The biggest part of the agreement is the enhancement of AT&T’s voice and data service across Disney’s North America properties. AT&T currently plans to add 10 new cell tower sites and more than 40 repeaters within Walt Disney World. Across all Disney’s properties, AT&T plans to add more than 350 small cell expansions. Technical speak aside, the addition of all this equipment is a huge financial investment for AT&T and means you can expect a huge bump in reception when fully rolled out.
More to Come
The AT&T announcement was likely the first of many pieces of news that will come from this partnership. For example, the announcement mentions the Disney Cruise Line, but details about how this will be rolled out on the ships has not been announced. Disney acknowledges that they are “still discussing opportunities to work together” and the press release sheds a little light on what that could mean.
Through the agreement, AT&T will have various marketing and branding opportunities, including sponsoring Disney-created soccer and runDisney events. Disney will join AT&T to spread awareness of the “It Can Wait” initiative to educate consumers about the dangers of texting while driving. Of course, this will be especially important for the Disney characters, as texting and driving can be extremely dangerous when you only have four fingers per hand.
It is exciting to hear that AT&T will be working with Disney to enhance the wireless coverage in the theme parks. As the mouse house continues to roll out services like MyMagic+, the Disney Mobile Magic app, and multiple Twitter accounts for customer service, guests will need better access to mobile data so they can stay connected to it all.
Photos via Flickr and Disney
